Santa Lucia Celebration of Lights

Enjoy a cozy evening of candlelight, music and history at the Santa Lucia Celebration of Lights service. 

Santa Lucia symbolizes the end of winter and the return of light. St. Lucy of Syracuse (283-304 AD) was martyred during the Roman Empire for refusing to marry. According to legend, she brought food to Christians hiding in the Roman catacombs, wearing a candle-lit wreath on her head to light the way. In the 1700s, Lucia’s glowing figure appeared on the bow of a ship laden with food during a terrible famine in Sweden. The Lucia procession (Luciatåg) became a public event in 1927 when a Stockholm newspaper organized a parade through the city. Years later, Luciadag was celebrated in Denmark during the Nazi occupation, when Santa Lucia brought light, hope and warmth to the oppressed region. Today, Norwegians encourage young children to visit homes for the elderly. In Scandinavian-American universities, Santa Lucia offers a warm send off for students before they go home for the holidays.   

The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served following the service. 

For more information or to volunteer, contact karendarnall@me.com or David Nelson at dnelson@callutheran.edu.