In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines int he darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
John 1:4,5, NIV
I can still remember how my mother and I looked through the Stockholm newspaper before the Feast of St. Lucy and saw the portraits of many beautiful girls who were up for election. All of them wanted to be elected to portray the 1955 St. Lucy and to lead the procession through the city in a long white robe and with a wreath of candles on her head. When the day came, we even stood at the side of the street in the freezing cold and saw the beautiful "Lucia" with blonde curly hair in her white fur coat driving through the city with her attendants on the open loading area of several trucks.
Which young girl in Sweden (or the other nordic countries) hasn’t wished to be chosen as Lucy? In school, December 13th began with a special celebration. In the darkness of the early morning, a Lucia, clothed in a long white robe, the wreath with burning candles on her head, a blood-red sash around her waist, followed by other girls, also in white robes, carrying candles in their hands, walked through the unlit corridors of the school to the assembly hall. The other students also followed the impressive procession into the assembly room. I don't remember what else exctly happened, only that we sang the song of St. Lucy.
Lucia of Syracuse was born around 283 in Syracuse, Sicily, where she became a Christian at an early age. She decided to dedicate her life to Jesus. According to the sources available to us, Lucia was the daughter of a wealthy Roman citizen of Syracuse who died early. It is said that she lovingly cared for the poor. Her mother Eutychia wanted her to marry a rich man, but Lucia had vowed virginity for Christ's sake and postponed the engagement. When Eutychia was healed of an illness on a joint pilgrimage, she agreed to Lucia’s vow. Lucia's rejected bridegroom, however, denounced her as a Christian in the Diocletian persecution. She was sentenced to death and finally killed with a sword thrust into her neck. December 13 is the anniversary of her death in AD 304. An inscription from around 400 found in the catacombs of San Giovanni in Syracuse and her mention in all martyrologies make it seem certain that she indeed lived.
The name Lucia means "the luminous one" and comes from the Latin "lux" (the light). That is why even today in Sweden Lucia wears a crown of lights on her head. The red sash symbolizes her martyrdom, the burning candles her love for Christ and her fellow men. The day commemorates St. Lucy and the story is well known, but hardly anyone thinks about what it really means. The day in Sweden is merely the starting point of all the Christmas traditions, which have often lost their original meaning.
Of course, it's nice to sit down comfortably with candlelight and enjoy tea and cookies in this darkest season of the year. The Danes call it „hygge“ and others are copying the notion of cosiness and comfort. But we can do more than just relax and enjoy the light of the flickering candles. We can think of the true meaning of light shining in the darkness of this world.
In the gospel of John we read: "In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:4,5 NIV). Who was that? We find the answer in chapter 8: "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”" (v. 12).
Jesus is the only one who really brought light into this world and still lets this light shine today. He wants us to walk in His light and come to him from the darkness of our worries and burdens to live in his glory.
The symbolic meaning of the Feast of St. Lucy - love for Christ and for fellow men – is something we should consider when we see the need around us. Let’s not forget the suffering. Just as Lucia of Syracuse practiced the love of Christ in charity, we too are to be a light in this world. Even if we are only a small light compared to God‘s great light, we should let our light shine to banish the darkness of this world in our little corner.