{"id":2314,"date":"2025-12-16T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.chr.org.uk\/anddidthosefeet\/?p=2314"},"modified":"2025-12-16T11:00:02","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T11:00:02","slug":"december-13th-st-lucys-festival-of-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chr.org.uk\/anddidthosefeet\/december-13th-st-lucys-festival-of-light\/","title":{"rendered":"St Lucy: Festival of Light December 13th"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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St Lucy, by Francesco del Cossa<\/a> (c. 1430 \u2013 c. 1477) (Wikipedia User:Postdlf)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I reposted my two posts on St Lucy, and the follow-up email on eye-care, on the appropriate days. But the email to subscribers was not sent. So here it is again. The name Lucy is from the same Latin origin (Lucidus) as lucent, lux, and lucid. It means to be bright, to shine or be clear. It is similar to the Ancient Greek \u03bb\u03b5\u03c5\u03ba\u03cc\u03c2 (<\/strong>leuk\u00f3s, \u201cwhite, blank, light, bright, clear\u201d. Luke has the same origins (bright one, bringer of light and light of the sacred flame) and is very appropriate for the most literate of the evangelists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St Lucy of Syracuse<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

St Lucy is from Syracuse in Sicily. She was a victim of the Diocletian Persecution of Christians in the early 4th Century. She is an authentic early martyr. But details of her story cannot be relied upon as true. She was a virgin, denounced as a Christian by her rejected suitor. Then, miraculously saved from serving in a brothel.; destruction by fire, but did not escape having her eyes gouged out. Finally, her throat was cut with a sword.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her connection to light (and the eye gouging) makes her the protectress against eye disease. So she is depicted holding two eyes as you can see in the picture at the top of the page. Other symbols include a palm branch which represents martyrdom and victory over evil. Other symbols are lamp, dagger, sword or two oxen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She appears in Dante’s Divine Comedy, as the messenger to Beatrice whose job is to get Virgil to help Dante explore Heaven, Hell and Heaven. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

St. Aldhelm (died in 709) puts St Lucy in the list of the main venerated saints of the early English Church, confirmed by the Venerable Bede (died in 735). Her festival was an important celebration one in England. It was views ‘as a holy day of the second rank in which no work but tillage or the like was allowed’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dimming of the Light<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This year is a glorious sunny St Lucy’s Day.\u00a0 But, the afternoons soon dim. So, at this time of the year, we are in need of a festival with bright lights to cheer us up! And St Lucy’s Day is the beginning of the winter festival that culminates with the Solstice, where the old sun dies, and the new one is born. December the 13th was the Solstice until Pope Gregory reformed the Calendar in the 16th Century, as nine days were lopped off the year of transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sankta Lucia in<\/strong> Sweden<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The festival of Sankta Lucia is particularly popular in Sweden, where December 13th is thought to be the darkest night. In recent years, the Swedish community in the UK has had a service to Lucia in St Pauls. But the last couple of years has been in Westminster Cathedral.\u00a0 This year on the 5th December.\u00a0 And a Santa Lucia Carol Concert on 12 December at St Paul’s. But every year it has either been and gone or\u00a0 sold out by the time I get around to thinking of going!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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St Stephens Church by Christopher Wren (Photo K Flude) a rare view during building work.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I found out about Sankta Lucia from a Swedish choir who hired me to do a tour of the City of London some years ago. We went into Christopher Wren’s marvellous St Stephen’s Church.\u00a0 Under the magnificent Dome, the choir fancied the acoustics and spontaneously sang. I recorded a snatch of it, which you can hear below<\/p>\n\n\n\n