Her Death Freed Christianity From the Catacombs - Saint Lucy's ...

Lucy brings gifts to the children of Italy
ricotta cheese. During this feast, which
lasts about a week, the bier is taken in
procession under a shower of flowers
with a dove flying overhead.
In northern Italy it’s Santa Lucia rather
than Saint Nicholas who brings gifts to
good children. At night she rides from
house to house stopping at homes
where hay is left for her donkey. In
Verona, a great toy fair takes place in
anticipation of her feast, and parents
give their children cookies shaped like
horses, pigs, or flowers for Saint Lucia’s
day. In Venice Lucia is patron of the
gondoliers who sing with great devotion
“Santa Lucia” as a tribute to her.
A Hungarian advent custom on Saint
Lucy’s day is for all family members to
plant Blessed Wheat at the empty
manger. The number of seeds planted
is for the many acts of love and self-denial
they offered throughout the day.
The new wheat symbolizes bread in the
natural and supernatural order. By
Christmas Eve the plant should produce
wheat. This wheat reminds us of
the altar bread which becomes the
Bread of Life, food for our souls, on
Christmas in Bethlehem (the House of
Bread.)
Saint Lucy received great popularity
and devotion about 1,000 years ago
when Scandinavia became Catholic.
She replaced the pagan Scandinavian
goddesses Berchta/Perchta/Bertha and
took over their protective functions.
Rural people would hope for a glimpse
of the Sicilian Virgin Martyr (Lucia
Bride) gliding over snow covered
homes and fields before sunrise.
Saint Lucia also saved Sweden from a
famine when she appeared with food
for the starving folk of Varmland, and
was seen crossing Lake Vanern wearing
a white robe and a crown of light. Lucia
became for the Swedes a symbol of
benevolence and charity. They took the
Neapolitan boat song bearing her
name, and wrote Swedish words for it,
hailing her as Queen of Light.
The reformation did not lessen her
fame. Her feast day is kept by Catholics
and Protestants until this day. In Scandinavia
all baked goods for Saint Lucia
day are flavored with golden saffron,
and the most popular shapes are “Lucy
cats (lussekatter).” The Saint Ansgar
Scandinavian League in New York had
a celebration every year in Saint
Thomas Moore Church, with a girl
chosen to be the Lucy Bride to process
with the gifts of “bread and wine” during
the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
The veneration of Saint Lucia is real
and alive throughout the world. It is remarkable
that this saint is an “ecumenical”
bridge to many protestant
Churches. The Lutheran Church has
great devotion to Saint Lucia, and their
members celebrate her feast day and
spend so much time and energy planning
festivities. The Lucy Brides (girls
with candles on their head, white robes
and red sashes) bring joy to all when
they visit neighbors, the sick in hospitals,
and the elderly in homes during
the darkest and coldest nights of the
year.
12 Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr