On what date is Saint Lucia's Day celebrated?

Saint Lucia's Day is celebrated on December 13 each year.

The feast day honors Saint Lucy, or Lucia of Syracuse, a Christian martyr associated with the early fourth century and the persecution under Roman emperor Diocletian. Her name is linked to the Latin lux, meaning “light,” which helps explain the holiday’s strong association with candles and illumination.

In Scandinavia, December 13 falls during the darkest part of winter. Lucia processions commonly feature a person dressed in white, wearing a red sash and a crown of candles, while participants sing and distribute saffron buns and gingerbread cookies. The date is sometimes confused with December 21, the modern winter solstice, because Saint Lucy’s Day once coincided more closely with the shortest day under older calendar calculations.

December 13 is also observed in Italy, especially in Sicily, where Saint Lucy is the patron saint of Syracuse. Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Italian, and other communities may emphasize different customs, but the feast date remains the same.