Lucia comes from the Latin word "lux," which means Light. And Light is everything the legend of Santa Lucia is about. Here's a look at her legacy.
December 13th is the day of Santa Lucia, celebrating the return of the Light and the dance between the darkness of winter and the light of summer (winter is introverted and summer is extroverted). However, before discussing the lessons of Santa Lucia's legend, let me first introduce you to the tradition as it's celebrated throughout Scandinavia.
All photos: Unsplash
When I was a young teenager with curly blond hair, I was lucky enough to win the school raffle to be the Santa Lucia bride. It was a huge honor! Because of the long, dark winters in Scandinavia, the legend of Santa Lucia is especially strong and an integral part of our winter traditions. Every school and institution —yes, every self-respecting place—will have a Santa Lucia parade.
Santa Lucia was originally born into a noble family from Syracuse in Italy. She was a Catholic saint who supposedly suffered martyrdom on December 13th in the 14th century, which was the shortest day of the year at that time, known as the Winter Solstice.
Today, December 21st is the shortest day of the year, and we celebrate her tradition on that date. You can see what a Lucia parade looks like in the video clip below. This parade is from Sweden but is identical to those in Denmark, Norway, and Finland. Italy has its own special Santa Lucia traditions.
The 'Lucia bride' is the one with the lights in her hair, as you can see below.
The Symbolism of Winter
Winter is a magical and mystical time, symbolizing deep introspection and transformation. Only through this "death of winter" are new divine seeds conceived deep in the womb of the Earth, to be birthed in spring. Can you see the Circle of Life in play here? All seasons are unique in themselves, yet they are all connected to the Oneness of Life.
Celebrating Santa Lucia
The ways Italy and Scandinavia celebrate Santa Lucia are very different. Even though we celebrate her during Christmas time, Santa Lucia has nothing to do with Christmas. However, she has everything to do with the Winter Solstice. The symbolism of Lucia is one of the beautiful remnants of an ancient European tradition where winter and the different seasons had spiritual meanings. Watch Jonna Jinton's magical retake of her Swedish Lucia tradition in the video below—it is stunning!
Each season had its own symbolic lesson to teach about the Circle of Life and how humans and our psyche are connected to this cycle.
Santa Lucia's symbol is the eyes. Photos: Public Domains
Experiencing Scandinavian Winter
If you have never had the honor of spending an entire winter in Scandinavia, it might be difficult to imagine the experience of long periods with short days of sunlight. But at night, when it's freezing, the stars sparkle and reflect light in the ice crystals. These nights are more beautiful than at any other time during the year. Jonna's video below might give you a pretty good idea.
The Lucia Song
During the Lucia parade, we always sing a 'Song for Santa Lucia.' The Danish version has been reduced quite a bit, but the English version (see further down) has remained as it was originally written. The song gives us essential information about Santa Lucia, such as:
On our darkest night, Lucia arrives with her shining Light
Something is stirring; there is a special atmosphere of heightened expectations upon her arrival
Lucia has lights in her hair
Darkness disappears when she arrives (this can mean many things)
Her presence opens portals for the Light to enter the Earth/earthly realm
She brings "such wonderful words to us mortals." What words? About what? Where are these words or lessons stored?
The way 'mortals' is used indicates that she is a medium for the Holy Spirit or an initiate. Her words and presence of Light will be renewed and reborn with the change of seasons. Light will rise again in all innocence. However, 'Light' in this context could also refer to a higher kind of consciousness.
The Symbolism of Santa Lucia
What the lyrics don't mention is that she was blinded upon her martyr death as part of the torture she endured, having her eyes pulled out. So whenever you see a young female figure with eyes on a small plate or in her hands, you see a figure of Santa Lucia.
Symbolically, this means that Lucia lost her earthly eyes because she saw within. She saw and understood the world unseen and invisible to us 'mortals' and spoke of what she experienced there: "she brings such wonderful words to us mortals," the song says.
We see a similar reference to blindness as a doorway into unseen worlds in the mythology of Medusa.
The story of Santa Lucia teaches us to find and open to the Light within ourselves here on Earth (the darkness). Her wonderful words teach us how to do that.
I wish you all a truly magical night of Light. May the glorious Light of Santa Lucia inspire you, guide you, and warm you.
Song for Santa Lucia
Nightly, go heavy hearts
Round farm and steading
On earth, where sun departs,
shadows are spreading.
Then on our darkest night,
Comes with her shining light
Sankta Lucia! Sankta Lucia!
Then on our darkest night,
Comes with her shining light
Sankta Lucia, Sankta Lucia.
Night-darkling, huge and still.
Hark, something's stirring!
In all our silent rooms,
Wingbeats are whisp'ring!
Stands on our threshold there,
White clad, lights in her hair,
Sankta Lucia! Sankta Lucia!
Stands on our threshold there,
White clad, lights in her hair,
Sankta Lucia! Sankta Lucia!
Darkness shall fly away
Through earthly portals.
She brings such wonderful
words to us mortals!
Daylight, again renewed
will rise, all rosy-hued!
Sankta Lucia! Sankta Lucia!
Daylight, again renewed,
will rise, all rosy-hued.
Sankta Lucia! Sankta Lucia!
(Copyrights of lyrics are unknown)
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