Bay Ridge Scandinavian groups hold St. Lucia Procession

December 9, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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BAY RIDGE — The borough’s traditionally-Scandinavian Bay Ridge will hold its Swedish Santa Lucia Procession & Community Sing Along 2024 on the evening that the church celebrates the feast day. The Ridge Creative Center has partnered with the Scandinavian East Coast Museum and Union Church which will host the Santa Lucia Procession & Community Sing Along on Friday, Dec. 13, from 5:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.

Born into nobility in the late third century A.D., Lucia was martyred in 303, three years before Constantine became the Roman emperor and later legalized Christianity. According to Church teaching, Lucia vowed to dedicate her life to God if her mother was healed of an illness; that miracle took place. However, in doing so, Lucia rejected a wealthy suitor in what was to be an arranged marriage. He then betrayed Lucia to the authorities, who demanded she renounce her Christian faith. When Lucia held her ground, she was persecuted, blinded, tortured and martyred. After her death, a young woman bathed in supernatural light appeared on Sweden’s shore during a time of great famine in that land, and she distributed food to the people. As part of St. Lucia Day tradition, the eldest daughter in a household dresses in white with a red sash (symbolizing martyrdom) and wears a crown of candles on her head while she distributes saffron buns to the household and her community.

Lucia’s story reflects the current ethnic population of southern Brooklyn: She was born in Sicily but was honored as a saint in Scandinavia.

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