Before the beginning of Christmas, December 13, Saint Lucia comes to earth. She walks as if through the air, without touching the ice with her bare feet and without feeling the cold. The girl has a luminous crown on her head, and in her hands is a dish on which she carries food for poor people …
The Christian Lucia lived in the 4th century. At that time there was a great persecution of those who professed faith in Jesus Christ. The pagans, seeing the beauty of the girl, did not want to destroy her and invited her to voluntarily renounce her faith. But Lucius preferred a martyr's death to life without Christ. Before she died, she was blinded.
Saint Lucia's Day is considered a big holiday in the Scandinavian countries (especially in Sweden). At first it was a family one, but now it has grown into a celebration. It happens that the celebration on this day is held three times - in the morning, in the afternoon - at work or at school, and in the evening the celebration is transferred to cafes and restaurants.
The center of the holiday is the capital of Sweden - Stockholm. In cities and towns and villages, they choose their local Lucius from the most beautiful girls. The main Lucia, chosen from all the girls in Sweden, will face a particularly exciting moment - a gala reception at Stockholm City Hall.
The procession goes through the whole city. The girls are dressed in long white clothes, holding candles in their hands. The young men are also in white, on their heads they have silver hats with cutouts in the form of stars and the moon, and in their hands - multi-colored paper lanterns.
From the book: "100 Great Holidays". Elena Olegovna Chekulaeva