Sweden celebrates one of the most iconic of Europe’s holiday season traditions: Santa Lucia. The celebration is a uniquely Nordic ordeal but the martyr herself is Sicilian. Santa Lucia was a young girl who was born in Syracuse, Sicily in 283 AD. Many stories about her life and martyrdom have been told during the centuries since her death but the most common among them relay that she was martyred by Roman soldiers for bringing food to Christians who fled persecution in the catacombs. In Italy it is said that when the guards tried to arrest and take her to carry out her sentence of serving in a brothel, she became unmovable like a stone. When she couldn’t be moved, the guards tried to burn her, but she escaped unscathed. She was finally slain with a sword. The story of the martyrdom of Santa Lucia was brought to Sweden by traders who had traveled to Italy. The celebration of Santa Lucia was blended with a traditional celebration of lights and is observed in this way today. On December 13 th , the oldest daughters or girls designated to represent the town, wear a wreath of evergreen boughs with four candles on their heads. They dress in white and lead a procession of the younger children who are also dressed in white and follow behind singing the song of Santa Lucia. She carries a tray of traditional sweets and cookies and everyone enjoys saffron cake and coffee.
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