Saint Lucy's Day
13 December 2026 — Ding-ding! The little donkey brings gifts and light for the children!
On 13 December the Catholic Church remembers Saint Lucy (Lucia) of Syracuse, a Christian from Sicily who died as a martyr in the early 4th century (around 304) during the persecution of Christians. Her name comes from the Latin word lux, meaning light, which is why she is the patron saint of eyesight and light. In northern Italy – for example around Bergamo, Brescia, Verona and Mantua – popular tradition says Lucy travels through the night before 13 December bringing gifts to children. She is often accompanied by a donkey, and children leave out water and food for it; in the morning they find sweets, tangerines and small toys. In Sicily, including Syracuse, the dish cuccìa, made of boiled wheat, is traditional. The day also has a calendar link: before the Gregorian reform of 1582, 13 December fell near the shortest day of the year, hence the saying “Santa Lucia, il giorno più corto che ci sia” – the shortest day there is. Today the solstice falls around 21 December, but light remains at the heart of the celebration.
Flying across the sky: A delicate bluish-silver star figure of a little donkey made of bright dots and fine lines, like a constellation drifting across the sky
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