Professional paper

ABOUT THE HOLIDAY OF ST. LUCY

Maja Alujević ; Etnografski muzej Split

Abstract

From the whole of Christmas holidays, with the exception of Christmas as a central religious and traditional holiday, the most of pre-Christmas events (folk customs and different celebrations) are connected with the holiday of St. Lucy which is celebrated on the 13th of December. It is known in the whole Europe and deeply rooted in Croatia, especially in Dalmatia and some parts of Slavonija. Therefore, it deserves a special thematic unit. Christmas cycle of folk customs begins with the holiday of St. Lucy: planting of the wheat, fortune-telling… She is the saint-patron of the sight and the one that brings the light. She will give presents to all those children that St. Nicolas did not visit. She will not be followed by the ‘krampus’ (devil), because she will scare the bad children as the black hag Lucy. This duality is explained through the contact of the pre-Christian Lucy and the bright Christian Lucy.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

107763

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/107763

Publication date:

15.12.2006.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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