Saint Lucia of Syracuse
Have you ever been in a house when the power goes out? Or have you ever been camping when the only light you have is the moon and stars? Winter is a time marked by darkness; the days grow shorter and shorter and the nights stretch longer and longer. In Scandinavian countries like Sweden, Norway, and Finland, the nights are even longer. Parts of these countries can go months without seeing the sun.
In December, Christians celebrate the Feast Day of Saint Lucia, whose name means light. Lucia was born in Syracuse, Italy, in 283. When she was five, her father died, leaving Lucia and her mother without a guardian or provider. Lucia wanted to be a nun and dedicated her life to God. But her mother was sick and worried that if she died, no one would take care of Lucia. So her mother arranged a marriage for Lucia.
On a trip to visit the tomb of another female saint, Agatha, Lucia had a dream that her mother would get better. When she woke up, she talked to her mother about giving away their money to the poor. But the man she was supposed to marry was not happy about that. He thought he would get all of the money when they got married and so he turned Lucia in for being a Christian, which was against the law in Rome at the time. The governor of the province ordered Lucia to burn a sacrifice to the emperor and she refused because she believed only God should be worshipped. St. Lucia was killed.
On December 13, Swedish Christians (and Christians all over) celebrate Saint Lucia’s Day, to remember this remarkable young woman who bravely defied a governor. Because Lucia’s name means light, the youngest woman in each Swedish household wears a crown or wreath of candles and a white dress with a red sash. She brings rolls or cookies to her family members as they honor the woman who reminds us what 1 John says…
“GOD IS LIGHT. IN HIM THERE IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL.”
Even though it seems like these long dark nights of winter will never end, we can remind each other that God’s light is always with us.
let’s get crafty
StoryMakers made cardboard candles to remind us that the light overcomes the darkness, even in the long nights of winter.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
CARDBOARD TUBES (TOILET PAPER ROLLS OR PAPER TOWEL ROLLS, CUT IN HALF WORK WELL)
PAINT
GOLD CUPCAKE LINERS CUT INTO FLAME SHAPES
CARDSTOCK CIRCLES (ROUGHLY THREE INCHES IN DIAMETER)
GLITTER GLUE
SCISSORS
MARKERS
the steps
STEP 1: CUT SLITS ON EITHER SIDE OF ONE END OF THE CARDBOARD TUBE
STEP 2: PAINT CARDBOARD TUBE
STEP 3: GLUE GOLD FLAME ONTO THE CENTER OF A CARD STOCK CIRCLE
STEP 4: DECORATE THE CIRCLE WITH GLITTER GLUE
