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St. Lucia Day is observed on December 13. Before the reform of Gregorian calendar in the 16th century, St. Lucy's Day fell on the winter solstice.

In the days of early Christian persecution, legends say that St. Lucia carried food to Christians hiding in dark tunnels. To light the way she wore a wreath of candles on her head. Spurning marriage and worldly goods, she had vowed to remain a virgin in the tradition of St. Agatha, at whose tomb she prayed for help. But her angry suitor denounced her as a Christian to the local Roman authorities, who sentenced her to be removed to a brothel and forced into prostitution.

According to legend, this order was thwarted by divine intervention, and Lucia became immovable and could not be carried away. She was next condemned to death by fire, but she proved impervious to the flames. Finally, her neck was pierced by a sword and she died.

In actuality, Lucia was probably a victim of the wave of persecution of Christians that occurred late in the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian. References to her are found in early Roman sacramentaries dating from 400. As evidence of her early fame, 2 churches are known to have been dedicated to her in Britain before the 8th century, at a time when the land was largely pagan.

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