Santa Lucia, the children's party
December 13 is the day we celebrate Santa Lucia in Verona, one of the most important holidays of the year. It is the feast of children, who on this occasion receive gifts from parents, relatives and friends.
According to popular tradition, the Saint arrives at night with a donkey loaded with gifts, accompanied by the Castaldo. However, children who have misbehaved during the year only get coal.
In Verona, the feast of Santa Lucia is celebrated with a great popular festival that enlivens Piazza Bra with stalls of sweets, toys and other wonders. The market lasts three days and ends on December 13.
Origins of the Veronese festival
This tradition dates back to the 13th century, when an epidemic affected children's eyes. To invoke divine help, a pilgrimage was organized to the temple of Santa Lucia, a Romanesque church located in Corso Porta Palio. The parents promised the children that, on their return from the procession, they would find gifts as consolation. Thus the first "Santa Lucia Veronese" was born, which over time has become rooted in the city's culture as the day for giving gifts.
In other Italian cities, gifts are brought by other figures on different days, such as Father Christmas on December 25 or the Befana on January 6, while in Sicily it is believed that the deceased bring them.
The cult of Santa Lucia
Santa Lucia, who lived between the 3rd and 4th centuries, is also venerated in Scandinavia, especially in Sweden. In the past, December 13 was considered the shortest day of the year, as it coincided with the winter solstice according to the Julian calendar. With the introduction of the Gregorian calendar, the solstice shifted to December 21, but the tradition of the return of light remained.
According to some, the Vikings already in the Middle Ages dedicated this day to rest and celebrate the end of agricultural work before winter. Others argue that the cult of Santa Lucia was introduced by the first Christian missionaries in the Nordic tribes.
In Sweden, Saint Lucia is considered the queen of light, symbol of victory over darkness. During the celebrations, she is impersonated by a young blonde dressed in white with a red ribbon at the waist and a myrtle crown with lighted candles.
Santa Lucia is also highly revered in Syracuse, her hometown, where she was martyred during the persecutions of Christians under the emperor Diocletian. Her remains are now kept in Venice, in the church dedicated to her.
December 13, the feast of Santa Lucia, is the day of the Saint of gifts in Verona.
Information
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