Alongside Midsummer, the Lucia celebrations represent one of the foremost cultural traditions in Sweden, with their clear reference to life in the peasant communities of old: darkness and light, cold and warmth.
Lucia is an ancient figure with an abiding role as a bearer of light in the dark Swedish winters.
Sankta Lucia in Dublin
A festival of Swedish Culture.
A celebration of darkness into light.
The Lucia tradition can be traced back both to the martyr St Lucia of Syracuse (died in 304) and to the Swedish legend of Lucia as Adam’s first wife. It is said that she consorted with the Devil and that her children were invisible infernals. The name may be associated with both lux (light) and Lucifer (Satan), and its origins are rooted in ancient Swedish superstition.
The present custom appears to be a blend of traditions. In the old almanac, Lucia Night was the longest of the year. It was a dangerous night when supernatural beings were abroad and all animals could speak.
We are blessed to be joined by the Adolf Fredriks Chamber Choir in Christchurch Cathedral on November 25. Adolf Fredriks is arguably the greatest chamber choir in Sweden - in 2018, they won the Fleischmann International Trophy Competition in Cork.
Christchurch Cathedral is their second home - they have been performing Sankta Lucia in the Cathedral every year since 2008, and it is a special fixture on Dublin’s cultural calendar.
Join us on November 25, to usher in the Christmas season and to celebrate the coming of the light in the darkness of winter.
Adolf Fredriks Chamber Choir - an internationally renowned Swedish choir
