Luciadag (Lucia Day/Saint Lucia Day) was one of my favorite Swedish experiences while studying abroad. It happens on December 13th every year, and it honors the Italian Saint Lucia. She was a Christian woman who lived in Rome, and when she refused to marry a Pagan, she was executed. However, in Sweden, she is most associated with being the light bearer and bringing light back to Sweden during the long and cold Swedish winters. The processions, which take place in churches across the country always feature Saint Lucia, who is a woman chosen to play the saint and tasked with bearing special garments including a crown made of candles. The choirs which sing songs during the holiday also hold candles. Their garments are usually simple white robes with a red string belt and wreaths on their heads.
Unfortunately, the photos I have supplied are from a separate Christmas event at the church, because I wanted to enjoy the special holiday without my phone. The middle photo is an actual photo of the Luciatåg precession or “Lucia train”, with Saint Lucia at the cathedral in Växjö from 2019. The lights are dimmed for the performance, and the procession is the only source of light in the cathedral as they sing various songs. The entire performance was purely magical. The vocals of the choir were complimented by the acoustics of the venue, and when I want a moment of peace I reflect on that night. Having never sat through a holiday like Luciadag, it was incredible to witness something new and alluring from the Swedish culture. The choir was hauntingly beautiful, with high notes and harmonies bouncing of the walls, and the organ accompaniment filled the space with energy. To gain a sense of the holiday, one simply has to experience it.
While the winter of Sweden was challenging at times, having the light, or ljus, of Luciadag, was a gentle reminder of the value of spending time with friends, experiencing a new Christmas holiday, and the notion that no matter how difficult things may become, the light always comes even in the dark.
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