The feast of St. Lucy is traditionally a celebration of light. In early calendars, this feast day would fall on the winter solstice – the shortest day of the year.
St. Lucy, whose name means “light” is a fitting saint to celebrate during the dark winter months of Advent. A martyr in the fourth century, she is honored for her devotion to purity and courage in living her faith.
She is the patron saint of the blind and is sometimes depicted holding a dish of eyeballs. So often we take our sight for granted, but remembering the St.ory of St. Lucy can serve as a reminder to be grateful both for our physical sight that allows us to behold the beauty of creation and our spiritual sight through which we see the movements of God in our lives.
Here are a few traditions you can incorporate this year to remember the witness of St. Lucy and honor the way her life allowed the Light of Christ to shine through her into the world.
Wake up early for a sweet breakfast:
What could be more fitting than being awake to see the first light of dawn on a feast celebrating light? Traditionally, the oldest daughter would wake the family early, at dawn, with a traditional sweet treat such as saffron buns. There are countless recipes for traditional treats to enjoy for an early morning breakfast on St. Lucy’s day including shortbread cookies, bundt cakes, ginger biscuits, and other sweet rolls. Scandinavian countries have a particularly strong tradition of celebrating St. Lucy’s day and have a wealth of intriguing pastries like Lussekatter which translates to “Lucy’s cat” because the shape of the sweet saffron-infused bun resembles the tail of a cat.
St. Lucy Saffron Buns recipe from NY Times
Put up your christmas lights:
Many families might wait until later in Advent, or even Christmas eve, to decorate their Christmas tree. But the feast of St. Lucy is a fitting holiday to put up the festive lights! You can celebrate this feast day of light by putting up string lights outside your home or placing candles in the windows. Who can forget the magical moment when you turn on your twinkle lights for the first time of the season? The beauty and awe of that special moment is a perfect time to reflect on the light of Christ coming into the darkness of the world.
Dress up as St. Lucy:
This is a fun activity for younger kids in particular! St. Lucy is typically depicted in a white dress with a red sash. The white dress represents purity and chastity, and the red sash represents her martyrdom. Tradition depicts Lucy wearing a wreath on her head with four candles. Legend has it that she wears the candles on her head to light her way while keeping her hands available to carry bread to the early ChriSt.ians hiding in the catacombs of Syracuse. For your own costume, consider making paper candles and wreaths or using battery-operated candles. Many cultures celebrate St. Lucy with a procession, so once you have donned your St. Lucy coSt.ume process through your living room or yard with the light of St. Lucy leading the way!
Honor St. Lucy in song and prose:
St. Lucy’s feast day has been celebrated for hundreds of years across countless cultures. Consider learning a traditional St. Lucy song or reading aloud the poem below that honors her legacy.
“’Tis the year’s midnight, and it is the day’s,
Lucy’s, who scarce seven hours herself unmasks;
The sun is spent, and now his flasks
Send forth light squibs, no constant rays;
The world’s whole sap is sunk;
The general balm th’ hydroptic earth hath drunk,
Whither, as to the bed’s feet, life is shrunk,
Dead and interr’d; yet all these seem to laugh,
Compar’d with me, who am their epitaph.
St.udy me then, you who shall lovers be
At the next world, that is, at the next spring;
For I am every dead thing,
In whom Love wrought new alchemy.
For his art did express
A quintessence even from nothingness,
From dull privations, and lean emptiness;
He ruin’d me, and I am re-begot
Of absence, darkness, death: things which are not.
All others, from all things, draw all that’s good,
Life, soul, form, spirit, whence they being have;
I, by Love’s limbec, am the grave
Of all that’s nothing. Oft a flood
Have we two wept, and so
Drown’d the whole world, us two; oft did we grow
To be two chaoses, when we did show
Care to aught else; and often absences
Withdrew our souls, and made us carcasses.
But I am by her death (which word wrongs her)
Of the first nothing the elixir grown;
Were I a man, that I were one
I needs must know; I should prefer,
If I were any beaSt.,
Some ends, some means; yea plants, yea St.ones deteSt.,
And love; all, all some properties invest;
If I an ordinary nothing were,
As shadow, a light and body muSt. be here.
But I am none; nor will my sun renew.
You lovers, for whose sake the lesser sun
At this time to the Goat is run
To fetch new lust, and give it you,
Enjoy your summer all;
Since she enjoys her long night’s festival,
Let me prepare towards her, and let me call
This hour her vigil, and her eve, since this
Both the year’s, and the day’s deep midnight is.
A Nocturnal Upon St. Lucy’s Day by John Donne
“Hark through the darksome night
Sounds come a winging:
Lo! ‘Tis the Queen of Light
Joyfully Singing…”
Excerpt from Swedish Folk song: Sankta Lucia
“…In darkest night his coming shall be,
when all the world is despairing,
as morning light so quiet and free,
so warm and gentle and caring.”
Excerpt from Awake! Awake, the Great New Morn
“Upon this brilliant sea, a St.ar of silver,
Across the gentle waves, the wind is sweeping.
Upon this brilliant sea, a St.ar of silver,
Across the gentle waves, the wind is sweeping.
Come help my little boat sail swiftly to the shore,
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
Come help my little boat sail swiftly to the shore,
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!”
Excerpt from Italian gondolier song “Santa Lucia”
