On the darkest day, a tale of two “Lucys”

Published December 15, 2015 · Updated December 14, 2015

Santa Lucia and Lussi-Long Night: the Saint and Witch battling for control of the solstice Judith Gabriel Vinje Los Angeles It’s a tradition that marks the beginning of the Christmas season. On December 13, Norwegian and Swedish girls wearing candlelit wreaths portray and celebrate Santa Lucia, a fourth century Sicilian girl who became a Christian martyr. Santa Lucia pageants also remain popular among many Scandinavians in the U.S., such as the one held each year at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, Calif., where Santa Lucia and her escorts are elected by the student body, and Santa Lucia processions at Sons of Norway julebord events. Not emergi

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