the queen of the light

She comes to us early in the morning of the 13th of December with her maids and sings for us, Sankta Lucia.

Every school, hospital, TV channel, intuitions, hotel, larger working places, department store, airport, organization, church, and home with kids has their own Lucia. What I understand has every IKEA store their Lucia all over the world. The first Lucia documented wearing light on the head was in 1820 – and it was a man.

“Why do we celebrate Lucia?

Lucia celebration in Sweden is a custom that has its origins in folklore, legends, and historical facts. She comes with light when it is darkest.

Lucia is a historical figure who was born in Syracuse in Sicily in 280s. There is also historical evidence that she was martyred for their faith and the Catholic tradition, she is the patron saint of the blind.

©expressen.se

In Roman society, it was an offense to be a Christian at the time, and Lucia was probably killed in 304 during Diocletian’s persecution of Christians. She was not older than 20-25 years.

 

Killed by her fiancé

The legends about her are many and details more or less truthful. She was born into a wealthy family, and it is said that as a child she decided to never marry and to give everything she owned to the poor. A vow of chastity that she was not told of their parents.

©youtube

When she became betrothed to a man who did not share her Christian faith, she was beside herself. Legend has it that she gave her dowry to the poor and the fiancé became so enraged that he revealed that she was a Christian and she was killed with the sword.

©srf.nu

The longest night

In Sweden, December 13 a special day long before the practice of Lucia procession came. Lucia Night was counted as the longest night of the Julian calendar. According to folklore, that night was dangerous, when supernatural forces were at work. People stayed awake and not fall asleep as the man.

In Germany, there was a tradition in which a girl dressed up to be “Christkindlein” a Jesus Child, with candles in her hair who represented a halo. In western Sweden was the tradition among the upper classes, but this was a grown woman dressed in white with candles in her hair came with ingestion of farm people during the vigil.” (information; svenskakyrkan.se)

When our national TV channel (STV1) send their morning with Lucia – they have about 1,3 million viewers.

Sweden has also a national Lucia – vote by readers of one of the biggest magazines together with the Organization for Swedish Events, since 1973.

The largest annual Lucia concert takes place at the Globe, where Adolf Fredrik’s Music Classes, Stockholm Music Gymnasium and Stockholm Wind Ensemble playing and singing. This Lucia festival, are in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest with over 1200 participants. 

Lucia celebrates in St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey in London.
In Andersonville, Chicago and Gloria Dei Episcopal Church, Philadelphia and Swedish organizations in Seattle arrange celebrations too.

On 10th of December, the Nobel Prize Day, all winners and their families are woken up by Lucia at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm, where they all are staying.

The red ribbon Lucia has around her waist is supposed to symbolize Lucia’s martyred dead, otherwise, has the Swedish Lucia very little in common with Saint Lucia. The crown Lucia wears are in big official events has real candles, otherwise it battery supplied crowns.

Personal I never became Lucia, in those days Lucia had to have long blond hair – but I was a maid year after year in school and in those days it was real candles in her crown, the “electric” crown wasn’t invented.

“What we call the “Lucia Song”, my could of music  – The music and the text is often quoted as composed and recorded in 1835 by Italian composer Teodoro Cottrau (1827-1879). It’s probably more likely that Cottrau, who was the son of the French-Italian composer and song collector Guillaume Louis Cottrau (1797-1847) recorded and translated the song from Neapolitan into Italian. Cottrau published song “Barca Rolla” 1849. The song came to Sweden at the beginning of the 1900 – and in 1921 it became connected to Lucia when it was published in the school songbook.” (information; se.wikipedia.org)’

The Italian lyrics are about the ocean and sailing – even if it’s the same tune – our lyrics are totally different. Swedish lyrics are written by Sigrid Elmblad in 1924.

“Saint Lucia, bright clear mirage,
spread in our winter light of your beauty.
Dreams of wing sough over us prophesy,
spark your white candles, Santa Lucia.

Come in your white robe, gracious with your call.
Grant us, you Christmas Bride, Christmas joy
Dreams of wing sough miracle we predict,
spark your white candles, Santa Lucia.

Troll seidr and dark power of light you subjects,
flames guard protection us give.
Dreams of wing sough miracle we predict,
spark your white candles, Santa Lucia.

Stars who lead us, the way to find,
get your torches ready, fair priestess.
Dreams of wing sough , miracle we predict,
spark your white candles, Santa Lucia.”
(a very free translation with help of google)

For me personal is Lucia the most important and beautiful of all our Swedish traditions, maybe not the most fun – but for me, Lucia stands for all the lights that lite up Sweden during the darkest months.

Image provided by and thanks to svd.se

A couple years ago of our department stores decided to use for their advert a young boy dressed as Lucia … on FB, and a hate storm came on so strong that the department store decided to take away the image. All because the boy has dark skin and for not being a girl. A load of nonsense!! I feel so sorry for the boy. “It is to do violence to our traditions.”, somebody has written. Anyone has the right to be Lucia. So because of all the hateful comments and in respect of the young boy the department store decided to remove the image and advert, but all the loving comments were plenty more. Still, I can’t believe this is happening in our little country. I am ashamed of my countrymen’s behavior.

Last year the Swedish Children Cancer Foundation released this video – about their Lucia: Ebba, who suffered from leukemia when she was 7 years old. A  beautiful little video.

“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle
or the mirror that reflects it.”
Edith Wharton

Photos provided by and thanks to:
sv.wikipedia.org/hablamosdeeurope.com/jul-i-sverige.se/svenskakyrkan.se/lions.se/sweden.se/sverigesradio.se