Santa Lucia Day



A thousand years ago King Canute (also known as Knud in Denmark and Knut in Norway) declared that Christmas would last a month, from December 13, the feast of St. Lucia until January 13, or Tjugondag Knut (St. Canute's Day). No one is quite sure why Lucia, a 4th century Sicilian saint, came to be so revered in Sweden. Some say she once visited the country, and others believe that Christian missionary stories of her life entranced the Swedish people. Whatever the origin, these new Christians who converted to Christianity around 1000 acquired a special fondness for the saint whose feast day marked the return of the sun and whose name itself means "light."



The celebration of the Feast of Saint Lucy today means that Wednesday, Friday and Saturday of next week are the seasonal Ember Days. They are no longer required observances but still worth our remembering. Karen Marie Knapp at From The Anchor Hold writes of the tradition with her customary insight and sensitivity.