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Santa Lucia.


Queen of Lights.



The 13:th of December is the day that people in Scandinavia celebrate Lucia.

She has her name day on the 13:th.

Over the whole country, people arrange processions with

a Lucia, her maids, starboys and small Father Christmases.

But, who was the "real" Lucia?
This day has got its name from Saint Lucia.
She was a Catholic saint. She was a young
Christian girl who lived in Syracuse on Sicily.
That was during the time when Rome was in power.
The Romans were not Christians yet.
Because Lucia was a Christian,
she got killed on the 13:th of December in 304 A.D.

 

Santa Lucia sangen.
(Dansk)

Nu bæres lyset frem
stolt på din krone.
Rundt om i hus og hjem
sangen skal tone.
Nu på Lucia-dag
hilser vort vennelag
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.

 Her ved vor ønskefest
sangen skal klinge.
Gaver til hver en gæst
glad vil du bringe.
Skænk os af lykkens væld
lige til livets kvæld,

Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.

Sul mare luccica / l’astro d’angento

plasida é l’onda, / prospero é il vento.

Venite all’agile / barchetta mia

Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.

 Klart månens stråler
 havet beskinner.
Vandspejlet kruse
 venlige vinde.
Stig i min lette båd,
sagte den gynger
medens jeg synger: Santa Lucia.

Song for Santa Lucia.
(English)

Nightly, go heavy hearts
Round farm and steading
On earth, where sun departs,
shadows are spreading.
Then on our darkest night,
Comes with her shining light
Sankta Lucia! Sankta Lucia!
Then on our darkest night,
Comes with her shining light
Sankta Lucia, Sankta Lucia.

Night-darkling, huge and still.
Hark, something's stirring!
In all our silent rooms,
Wingbeats are whisp'ring!
Stands on our threshold there,
White clad, lights in her hair,
Sankta Lucia! Sankta Lucia!
Stands on our threshold there,
White clad, lights in her hair,
Sankta Lucia! Sankta Lucia!

Darkness shall fly away
Through earthly portals.
She brings such wonderful
words to us mortals!
Daylight, again renewed
will rise, all rosy-hued!
Sankta Lucia! Sankta Lucia!
Daylight, again renewed,
will rise, all rosy-hued.
Sankta Lucia! Sankta Lucia!

Santa Lucia sangen.
(Swedish)

Sankta Lucia,
ljusklara hägring,
sprid i vår vinternatt
glans av din fägring.
||: Drömmar med vingesus
under oss sia,
tänd dina vita ljus, Sankta Lucia. :||

Kom i din vita skrud,
huld med din maning
  
Skänk oss, du julens brud,
julfröjders aning.
||: Drömmar med vingesus,
under oss sia,
tänd dina vita ljus, Sankta Lucia. :||

Trollsejd och mörkermakt
ljust du betvingar,
signade lågors vakt
skydd åt oss bringar.
||: Drömmar med vingesus,
under oss sia,
tänd dina vita ljus, Sankta Lucia. :||

Stjärnor som leda oss,
vägen att finna,
bli dina klara bloss,
fagra prästinna.
||: Drömmar med vingesus,
under oss sia,
tänd dina vita ljus, Sankta Lucia. :||

Who was Lucia?

13 December is Luciaday and celebrated with
procession in churches and schools around the country.
Read the story of a young female martyr who
gave her name to the beauty parade - Santa Lucia
 

(GOOGLE TRANSLATED)

   
Lucia - Sicilian woman from the 300 figure
The story of Lucia starting in year 283 in the town of Syracuse in Sicily. In that year there was born a little girl into a very wealthy family. Prospects for her was good - not only because of the economy - but her family was well regarded, and she could even expect to be well married and have a happy and carefree life. Lucia's life shaped itself in a completely different direction. In a young age, she was vice versa for the religion of the Roman Empire with multiple gods to Christianity and baptism - and this came later cost her life.

Fødeøen, Sicily, Lucia was one time part of the Roman Empire. In order to maintain peace in the vast kingdom was ordered residents regularly to sacrifice to the emperor. The problem with the Christian inhabitants were, however, that these consistently refused to make such sacrifices. The Christians want to pray for both the emperor and the kingdom, but to sacrifice to him as a god was completely excluded, because they only accept one god. Christianity was therefore counted as dangerous and an outright enemy of the Roman Empire, and as a consequence of it was prohibited to be Christian. The law was enforced very brutally. If a Christian man was reported to authorities, was the first opportunity to sacrifice for the emperor. But if it refused, it was tortured and later executed - often at a very bestial way.

As a result of the ban lived many Christian people, therefore, a secret life where they have either hidden their faith or sought refuge and protection in the urban underground catacombs. Wherever they were, they were totally dependent on being able to rely on their circle of friends and receive help when necessary. Lucia was one of those people who helped. At night she ventured outside, with food for his fellow Christians in the catacombs, and to find their way into the darkness, she had tied a wreath on his head and set light to it. Lucia lived in other words, dangerous life, for she was discovered, she would certainly be sentenced to death.

Lucia as a martyr
A trip to the neighboring city, Catania, however, have serious implications for Lucia. Her beloved mother was very ill, and to help her, she seeks out the sacred tomb Agathe, where she prays for her mother's healing. At the grave gives Lucia a promise: if the mother is healthy, she will devote her life to Christ and to live in chastity rest of his life. When she subsequently returned to Syracuse, is the mother miraculously been healed, and Lucia welcomes it and also strengthened in his faith by this miracle, and she is now starting to share its wealth to poor people.

Following contemporary usage Lucia was promised away to a man. Her family had chosen a non-Christian Roman from a reputable family and therefore in principle the ideal husband for her. But Lucia rejects her husband and marriage. Her faith and her commitment to God is incompatible with marriage. In romerens eyes, her reasoning is not only ridiculous but also downright dangerous to the kingdom's existing, and he took the post of the cruel revenge to set her to the authorities.

The declaration is a serious matter for Lucia. Not only is Christianity banned, but the arrest takes place also in the midst of Diocletian's persecution and cleansing of the Christian people. Lucia therefore know the consequences when she does not want to sacrifice to the emperor: she is found guilty. Initially she was punished by being sent to a brothel, but by divine intervention, she will be protected, so the men who would pick her, could not move her. Then she will be tortured and sentenced to death on a pyre. Once again, God does, and she will miraculously not devoured by fire. Eventually ends with the judge to take his sword and put it in her, and Lucia dies, 13 December 304th year

Lucia as a saint
Lucia is in the same year was buried in his hometown, Syracuse, and already as early as the 400 figure she mentioned in written sources. In the 600 century, when Christianity has long been the state religion of the Roman Empire, one can also find her in the Catholic liturgy. Among the few female saints of the Catholic church at the time celebrated, says Lucia entered. Her feast day is on her death, 13 December, and since her name means light, Lucia is connected not only with light and joy but in fact has become the patron saint of the blind and people with eye diseases. In this context, she is often pictured with a small bowl, which is 2 eyes.

In the Catholic Church has a tradition of praying to a saint about to intercede with God for an illness, special hardships and situations. Each saint has his area where he or she helps the believer. After telling several miracles must have occurred by invoking just Lucia. A good example is from 1582 when her hometown, Syracuse, was hit by a terrible famine. Townspeople prayed to their patron saint for help, and at her death, 13 December was their prayers heard. A ship full of grain arrived in the harbor, and all were saved from death.

In this context, emerged also a tradition of eating Cuccia. Rather than grind the grain which came with the ship, and grind it into flour and bread that was cooked and eaten as porridge. Every year at Lucia helgendag eat, therefore this day, still this porridge, and both in her hometown, Syracuse, and the places on Earth where Sicilians have emigrated and settled.

Kilde:
kristendom.dk

 

 
 


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