Lucia’s Day (Lucian päivä)
This time I write about a Finnish-Swedish tradition, that has been mostly celebrated among the Finland’s Swedish speaking population. In the recent years the day has become more popular also in the Finnish speaking schools and kindergartens.
The tradition is based on the legend of Saint Lucy, who lived in the Sicily in the 3rd century. She was a Christian martyr. Her name is derived from the latin word lux, lucis meaning light. She is the patron saint of blind and visually impaired. Her feast day is on the 13th of December and she is said to bring the light to the darkness.
Her celebration dates back to 17th century. In the monarchy of Sweden-Finland the 13th of December was also the day when school work was over and the Christmas vacation started. This celebration has also been connected to the German way of celebrate child Jesus (Christkindl). Quite many Scandinavian traditions have been influenced by the German traditions.
The first official Lucia maidens were celebrated in the beginning of the 20th century in Finland. A few years after the WWII a maiden has yearly been voted by the public for Lucia maiden. There is also charity connected to this voting. This year the money collected goes to support senior citizens, who are involuntarily alone.
The Lucia maiden is crowned in the cathedral of Helsinki on the 13th of December. She is dressed in all white clothes and has a red belt. On her head she has crown with candles and she holds also a candle in her hand. After the coronation she appears on the steps of the cathedral of Helsinki and then she tours around the city center of Helsinki.
See pictures of Lucia’s celebration (in Swedish)
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