Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

"Cellophane flowers of yellow and green
Towering over your head.
Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes
and she's gone.

Lucy in the sky with diamonds.
Lucy in the sky with diamonds.
Lucy in the sky with diamonds."
- The Beatles



"Pre-Christmas celebrations of Swedish-speaking Finns include the Lucia festival. Thousands of people line the streets to greet the radiant Lucia and her maidens. The Lucia is chosen from among ten candidates by popular vote, and the winner is crowned at a ceremony at the Helsinki Cathedral on 13 December at 5pm. At 6pm the Lucia descends down the steps of the cathedral and begins her procession from the Senate Square.

According to the old Julian Calendar, Lucia Night was the longest of the year and was therefore full of dangers, as the power of Lucifer was at its greatest. In some parts of Europe, Lucia is considered to be the bride of Lucifer. According to researchers, the Lucia cult reflects Christian elements as well as possibly two pagan gods, representing good and bad. The worship of these pagan gods eventually gave rise to the celebration of the saints.



THE LEGEND OF LUCIA

Lucia was a young maiden from Syracuse who converted to Christianity. However, her mother Eutykia had promised the girl to a pagan chief for his bride. Lucia refused to comply, and as a result of the disagreement Eutykia became ill. When the doctors failed to cure her, Lucia managed to persuade Eutykia to pray. Upon doing so she got better and converted herself to Christianity.

This infuriated the pagan chief, who turned in the maiden. The punishment for converting to Christianity was to be burned alive. On the stake Lucia prayed to God for salvation, and the flames did not harm her. The executioner finally thrust his sword through the maiden’s neck. It took a long time for Lucia to die, and even with the sword in her neck she was able to talk to the crowd and to receive sacraments.

According to another legend, a Roman man fell in love with Lucia’s beautiful eyes and began courting the young maiden. Lucia was so distraught that she tore out her eyes and gave them to the man. After this a miracle occurred: the maiden got new eyes that were even more beautiful than the first. She still refused to give herself to the Roman, who eventually killed her. On the basis of this legend, Lucia is to this day the Patron Saint of the blind and seeing impaired.

Lucia celebrations began to spread after the year 600. The tradition became popular among Swedish Finns in the last century."
- Hot Winter Helsinki