Santa Lucia Procession

Tue December 13, 2022

At many Waldorf schools all over the world we celebrate the festival of Saint Lucia on December 13. Venerated in Sweden, Norway and the Swedish-speaking areas of Finland, this festival of light brightens the dark days of midwinter and celebrates the life of Saint Lucia, an Italian saint known for her kindness and love.

Saint Lucy or Lucia, whose name comes from the Latin word “lux” meaning light, wears a crown of candles on her head. According to legend, Lucia brought food and aid to Christians hiding in the Roman catacombs. She wore the candle-lit wreath on her head to light her way, leaving her hands free to carry as much food as possible. Her feast day coincided with the shortest day of the year in the old Julian calendar.

At Edinburgh Steiner School, Scandinavian parents, pupils and teachers bring this celebration to our school community, wearing the traditional white gown with crowns of candles on their heads, each holding a candle and singing in a procession where carols are sung. Ordinarily this would be part of the Christmas Music Concert at the Polwarth Church. 

This year, it will be a separate event.