Santa Lucia, “Holy Light,” is celebrated on December 13. Like Her sister-in-spirit, the Mexican Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose day is December 12, She is celebrated at the Winter Solstice according to the Julian calendar.
Saint Lucy was a 2nd century young woman from a wealthy family in Syracuse, Sicliy. A Christian, she pledged her virginity to Jesus and refused to marry the pagan man chosen for her. She proposed donating her dowry to the needy, and living the rest of her life in a convent. And here several conflicting stories emerge about her martyrdom.
One says that she was denounced as a Christian and burned by the Romans, but miraculously, her body didn’t burn. So they dug her eyes out with forks, instead. Another says that when her fiancé admired her eyes, she tore them out and gave them to him and said, “Now let me live to God.”
Lucy saw the light of the divine. Lucy was the light of the divine. The Divine Feminine who appears in many guises to shine that light of devotion and reverence all over the world.
According to Scandinavian tradition, Saint Lucy comes to life as a young girl, bearing light and sweets. Today, a young girl is chosen to represent Saint Light. She is dressed in white with a red sash and wears a crown of candles on her head. In some places crowds of candle-crowned Santas lead public processions, and in others, it is a family affair, when the daughters, dress as Santa Lucia and carry trays of coffee and cookies up to their parent’s bedroom.
Its modern day celebration is generally associated with Sweden and Norway but is also observed in Denmark, Italy, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Malta, Bosnia, Bavaria, Croatia, Slovakia and St. Lucia, West Indies.The rituals vary, but everywhere Saint Lucy’s Day is celebrated as a Festival of Lights and Renewal.
Santa Lucia Day and the day of Our Lady of Guadalupe Day begin the countdown to winter, 11 days later (the timing changes slightly from year to year) on December 21 or 22, The Winter Solstice as designated by the Gregorian calendar that we use now.
If you are in the NYC area, please join me to celebrate the Winter Solstice:
DECEMBER 21
Wednesday 11:45 PM
37th ANNUAL WINTER SOULSTICE CELEBRATION
KEEPING THE SPIRIT FIRES BURNING
With Mama Donna Henes, Urban Shaman & Friends
The Winter Solstice is as dark as it gets! The light will now begin its slow return to the Northern hemisphere. Let us drum back the sun and reignite the light in our hearts. Let us shine our spirit on the whole world!
This is a family friendly event. Kids and dogs are welcome. Please bring a candle in a glass container, drums, percussions and lots and lots of spirit.
RAIN OR SHINE!
Mama Donna Plaza (AKA Grand Army Plaza) at the Fountain
Park Slope, Exotic Brooklyn, NY
2/3 subway to Grand Army Plaza
For info: 718-857-1343
http://donnahenes.net/pages/feature.shtml
Free
*****
Donna Henes is the author of The Queen of My Self: Stepping into Sovereignty in Midlife. She is the Midlife Midwife™ offering counseling and upbeat, practical and ceremonial guidance for individual women and groups who want to enjoy the fruits of an enriching, influential, purposeful, passionate, and powerful maturity. Consult the MIDLIFE MIDWIFE™
The Queen welcomes questions concerning all issues of interest to women in their mature years. Send your inquiries to thequeenofmyself@aol.com.
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