December 21 is the longest night of the year. Why then, is the Swedish feast day of Sankta Lucia celebrated on December 13? The Julian calendar. When Sweden reformed her calendar in 1753 switching to the Gregorian, they kept the original December 13 date for the celebration. Santa Lucia may be the patron saint of Syracuse, Sicily, but the Swedes honour the saint as a symbol of light for the dark Swedish winters. Lucia is one of many Swedish traditions but the most significant one for light.
I attended the procession and concert in Paris on December 13. Each year the Svenska Kyrkan (Swedish Church) in Paris celebrates with the Sankta Lucia procession. Tickets are sold for the procession in the church or the procession plus a concert. Another part of the annual holiday events, is the Christmas bazaar with Swedish Christmas decorations and lots of food on the fourth weekend before Christmas. The food market remains open certain days until the third Sunday of Advent or when the food supply disappears.
Swedish Church in Paris Background
In 1626 the parish of the Swedish Church was founded. To practice the Lutheran services, you went outside the city walls to “temples”. For Scandinavians and German-speaking members, chapels were set up in the Swedish and Danish embassies within the city walls. The current Swedish church is located on Rue Médéric in the 17tharrondissement. The red-brick church was built between 1911 and 1913.
In 2021, the Swedish government removed funding in 2021 for about 30 churches outside Sweden. The church clergy was going to sell the property to a developer due to the new debts, maintenance costs and renovations. With crowd funding among parishioners and the French community, the church was able to buy the property in 2025 from the Swedish government for a token one krona. With the funds collected, renovations and other work can now be done. A Happy Ending for 2025!
Words to the song Santa Lucia
- Night comes with heavy steps through our land, calling. Sunlight, the earth forgets; shadows are falling. However dark the night, rising with candles bright, Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
- Though long may be the night, hope, she is bringing, Hear now, the maid in white, silently winging, Hushed wonder in the air, Lights glowing in her hair, Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
- “The darkness soon shall flee valleys in shadow, Sunlight I can foresee, over over the meadows, The sun will come again! Rise in the sky to reign!” Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
- Translated from Swedish by Tamsyn Spackman. All rights reserved.
More Holiday Lights
The event is one of several in the city celebrating with lights. Others can be found on the Paris Tourist Office Paris je t’aime website. On the webpages you will find detailed information on family outings and activities, Christmas lights in the different arrondissements/districts, Christmas markets, illuminated walks. The Hôtel de Ville’s enchanted forest is lit up for the month of December.
