Feast of Santa Lucia December 13

After the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the next important celebration during the Christmas season is the Feast of Santa Lucia (St. Lucy) on December 13^th.

Santa Lucia lived in the late 200’s AD in Syracuse, Sicily in Italy during a time when being a Christian was a criminal offense in the Roman Empire. From an early age, Lucia devoted her life to Christ and to serving the poor. One day, Lucia had attracted the attention of a pagan Roman official who had wished to marry her. She wanted no part of this relationship and upon this rejection, the suitor denounced her as a Christian to the Roman authorities. Lucia was asked to renounce her Christian faith and sacrifice to the Roman Gods. When she refused, she was ordered to a house of prostitution. The Roman officials attempted to carry Lucia off to the brothel but were unable to remove her, so they proceeded to burn her, which also proved to be a failure. and then, when they could not physically move her, they slit her throat.

Some legends claim, Lucia’s eyes were gauged out and then God provided her with new eyes. Apparently, her pagan suitor, loved her beautiful eyes, so in revenge he asked that they be plucked out. In some versions of the story, Lucia plucked her own eyes out. Depictions of Lucia often show her holding a small plate with two eyes upon it.

According to legend, in the cover of darkness and to avoid detection Santa Lucia would deliver wheat and bread to the poor and to those Christians hiding in the catacombs. Stories state that Lucia wore a crown of candles on her head to light her way as she carried food to the poor. During the Middle Ages, the people of Sicily were suffering a terrible famine. One day ships laden with wheat mysteriously appeared in the ports of Sicily on Santa Lucia Day, saving the residents from starvation. To this day, Italians remember this day and pay reverence to Lucia.

The Feast of Santa Lucia occurs around the same time as the Ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia, which was a celebration to Saturn, the agricultural god. Saturnalia was a "feast of lights" because it marked the beginning of the winter solstice, celebrating the return of longer days with candles, feasts, gift-giving. Santa Lucia’s name means “light” and her feast day was a celebration of light and hope. Candles are lit in her honor celebrating the triumph of light over darkness and illuminating the path to Christmas and the Birth of Christ.

Celebrations to Santa Lucia occur all over Italy on December 13^th. In the South in Lucia’s hometown of Syracuse, The Feast of Santa Lucia is quite an elaborate affair. On this day, a statue of Lucia, The Simulacrum, a silver statue, over 400 years old, along with her relics are processed through town from the Cathedral to the Basilica di Santa Lucia al Sepolcro, a route that is completed in reverse on 20 December. Crowds in the thousands walk barefoot in the procession, carrying candles as a sign of thanks or supplication. The celebration concludes with fireworks, music, cuccìa (wheat and ricotta pudding), and a traditional vow not to eat pasta or bread.

Feast of Santa Lucia

In Northern Italy, children eagerly await the arrival of Santa Lucia. On the Eve of her feast day, children leave their shoes on the doorstep along with coffee and cake for Lucia and hay and water for her donkey. Tradition says that Lucia travels across the country on her donkey carrying baskets full of gifts and candy which she will fill into the shoes of good little boys and girls she visits.

And throughout Italy, as with all Feast Days, families will gather on the Feast of Santa Lucia for a delicious meal of casarecce, roasted meats, and sweets.