WATCH: Hundreds of kayaks decked with Christmas lights floated through canals in central Copenhagen to celebrate Saint Lucia's Day pic.twitter.com/KbCBfz1HzU

— Reuters (@Reuters) December 18, 2021

Source: Reuters on Twitter, 18/12/2021

St. Lucia’s Day, festival of lights celebrated in Sweden , Norway and the Swedish-speaking areas of  Finland on December 13 in honour of St. Lucia (St. Lucy).

St. Lucy, Italian Santa Lucia, (died 304, Syracuse, Sicily; feast day December 13), virgin and martyr who was one of the earliest Christian  saints to achieve popularity, having a widespread following before the 5th century.

She is the patron saint of the city of Syracuse (Sicily) and of virgins.

Because of various traditions associating her name with light, she came to be thought of as the patron of sight and was depicted by medieval artists carrying a dish containing her eyes.

According to apocryphal texts, Lucy came from a wealthy Sicilian family.

Spurning marriage and worldly goods, however, she vowed to remain a virgin in the tradition of  St. Agatha also called Saint Agatha of Sicily.

An angry suitor reported her to the local Roman authorities, who sentenced her to be removed to a brothel and forced into prostitution.

This order was thwarted, according to legend  by divine intervention.

Lucy became immovable and could not be carried away.

She was next condemned to death by fire, but she proved  impervious to the flames.

Finally, her neck was pierced by a sword and she died.

St. Lucia’s Day is observed on Monday, December 13, 2021.

In  Scandinavian  countries each town elects its own St. Lucia.

The festival begins with a  procession led by the St. Lucia designee, who is followed by young girls dressed in white and wearing lighted wreaths on their heads and boys dressed in white pajama-like costume singing traditional songs.

The festival marks the beginning of the  Christmas season in Scandinavia, and it is meant to bring hope and light during the darkest time of the year.

Schools generally close around noon on the day of the festival so that families can prepare for the holiday.

Families observe St. Lucia’s Day in their homes by having one of their daughters (traditionally the eldest) dress in white and serve coffee and baked goods, such as  saffron bread  saffron bread (lussekatter) and ginger biscuits, to the other members of the family.

These traditional foods are also given to visitors during the day.

St. Lucy is venerated on her feast day, December 13, by a variety of ceremonies.

In  Sweden, St. Lucia’s Day marks the beginning of the  Christmas celebration.

On that day the eldest daughter of the family traditionally dresses in a white robe and wears as a crown an evergreen wreath studded with candles.

The festival is meant to bring hope and light during the darkest time of the year.

In earlier centuries the Norse celebrated the winter solstice  with large bonfires meant to scare off evil spirits and to alter the course of the sun.

 Christianity After converting to Christianity sometime around 1000, the Norse incorporated the legend  of St. Lucia into their celebration.

The modern festival of light combines elements of both pagan and  Christian traditions.

Sources: Britannica ,Reuters on Twitter, 18/12/2021