St Lucy's Day · Ruz-e Sant Lusia

Culture of origin: Christian · Cultural

Holiday sources: Australia (national) · Canada (federal) · Christianity · France · Germany (nationwide) · United Kingdom (England and Wales) · United States (federal)

St Lucy's Day honours Lucy of Syracuse, a young Christian martyred under Diocletian in 304, whose name comes from the Latin lux, "light". Under the Julian calendar her day fell near the winter solstice, the longest night, and it became a festival of light. In Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland a girl in white with a crown of candles leads a procession of singers bringing saffron buns; in Sicily the saint's statue is carried through Syracuse.