Dear Friends,
A part of the Advent celebration in a number of different places in the world is the feast of St. Lucy, December 13th. It is most especially celebrated in Italy and Scandinavia and…Omaha.
Santa Lucia, or Saint Lucy, was persecuted for her faith around 300, making her one of the early Christian martyrs. According to the traditional story, the virtuous young woman had dedicated her life to following Jesus but other people had different plans for her. When she refused to go along with their plans, they banished her to a brothel, but soldiers could not move her. They proceeded to torture her, gouge out her eyes and finally killed her. Her faith and her courage are celebrated to this very day.
Perhaps not coincidentally, Lucia translates to “light” in Latin. Held around the darkest time of year, Santa Lucia’s feast day celebrations often center around light, offering revelers a reason to gather together, burn candles and torches, and enjoy an abundance of food and drink.
Traditional celebrations of Santa Lucia vary according to the region. In northern Italy, Santa Lucia is said to visit homes on the eve of December 13, riding her donkey, to give presents to good and obedient children. Families thoughtfully leave out coffee and cake for the saint, and water and hay for the donkey to refresh them for their next visit.
In Sicily, Santa Lucia is honored with traditional religious processions and Masses. Lucy’s hometown of Siracusa begins the celebration the night before by moving her statue from its chapel to the high altar of her candle-lit cathedral. On December 13, a procession carries the statue throughout the entire city, making stops at the most important cathedrals and finally the Ionian Sea. Parades also happen in nearby Carlentini, the community many Omaha families call home.
The Scandinavian tradition involves the oldest daughter wearing a white dress and a wreath of candles on her head. Nowadays, that wreath is done with batteries and LED lights rather than the lit candles of old! Often times, the Advent wreath is what would end up on the head of the oldest daughter. Special rolls were served in the past but now cinnamon rolls, muffins, or a box of donuts are options that often times appear.
Here in Omaha, the big celebration for Santa Lucia is held in June when the weather is a bit warmer. Several days of processions, prayers, food and drink are then enjoyed by everyone.
What can you do to remember Santa Lucia’s feast day this year? How about a special dinner by candlelight? Or if you have a fireplace, it would be a great night to sit by the fire and tell traditional stories. Young and old enjoy being mesmerized by a fire! Maybe you could play some family games involving vision, like I Spy.
Or, perhaps, you could pray together as a family, asking for St. Lucy’s intercession for any darkness in your life. St. Lucy stayed strong and died rather than betray her faith. Pray for her strength of faith to stay strong through the darkness of our days. If you know of anyone struggling with Covid or any other illness, Santa Lucia would be a good one to ask for help.
Peace,
Fr. Damian