Swedish Santa Lucia lights New York City amidst busy Holiday Shopping

NEW YORK – The city of all holiday traditions is once again set to celebrate the Swedish Lucia. Organized by the Swedish Church, the traditional Lucia procession will take place on Upper West Side this week Saturday, December 11.

This tradition, originally from the 3rd century, with festivities of the legendary Saint Lucy (or Sankta Lucia) is a part of the annual holiday tradition. Its modern day celebration is generally associated with Sweden, but is also observed in Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Finland (the Finland-Swedish population), Estonia, Latvia, Germany (The Bavaria region), Bosnia, Croatia, Malta, Italy and Slovakia. Additionally, in the United States and Canada it is celebrated in regions with a large population of Scandinavian ancestry.

Typically, Santa Lucia comes as a young woman with lights; one girl wearing a crown of candles (or lights) leads the procession, while others hold a single candle each. As Lucia also happens to be a pre-christmas event, it sets the christmas mood, including specialties from decoration, and sweet and savory food delicacies, to holiday music and traditional ring dance.

The modern tradition of public Lucia processions in the Swedish cities was started 83 years ago by a Stockholm newspaper, which elected an official Lucia for Stockholm. The initiative was followed around the country through the local press. Today most cities in Sweden appoint a Lucia every year. Most schools elect a Lucia and her maids among the students and a national Lucia is elected on the Swedish national television from regional winners. Regional Lucias commonly visit shopping malls, nursing homes and churches, singing and handing out ginger snaps. There are also star boys in the procession, playing different roles associated with Christmas. Some may be dressed in the same kind of white robe, with a cone-shaped hat decorated with golden stars, others may be dressed up as elves carrying lanterns, and some as gingerbread men. They all participate in the singing and also may have a solo song or two of their own, typically Staffan var en Stalledräng, a multiple verse story about Saint Stephen, the first Nordic Christian martyr, caring for his five horses.

In New York City, the Swedish Church – located in Midtown Manhattan since the mid '70s – produces annual, highly popular Lucia concerts. Since 2001, however, the church has expanded the procession to a three-set mega event at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on the Upper West Side, selling out all 1500 advance tickets at their nearly equally popular christmas bazaar one week before Thanksgiving. The Lucia event features a well-rehearsed program with the traditional procession accompanied by solo and choir singing with professional musicians.

This year, New York's Lucia event will take place at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, located at Central Park West & 65th Street, on Saturday, December 11th with showtimes at 4, 6 and 8 pm.

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