Santa Lucia

Riga Student's Palace Girls Choir "Riga"

Riga Chamber Choir

Boys ensemble of Riga Technical College

conductor Irīna Švarcbaha

soloist Elizabete Laura Porgante

Marimba solo Reinis Tomiņš

accompaniment Jānis Švarcbahs

St. Lucia's Day
The celebration of Lucia is one of the foremost cultural and loved traditions in
Sweden, with a clear link to life in the peasant communities of old: darkness
and light, cold and warmth. The day is dedicated to St. Lucia and is observed on
December 13. Lucia is seen as a symbol of the good forces in life and a beacon
of hope and light in the dark winter. Her mission is to bring light and kindness,
which is related to the meaning of “Lucia” (in Latin “lux” – light). The tradition
of having public Lucia processions in Swedish cities started in 1927. Today most
cities, schools, workplaces, and associations in Sweden celebrate St. Lucia’s day
by appointing its own Lucia every year. Lucia, wearing a white gown with a red
sash and a crown of candles (or lights), leads the Lucia’s procession, followed
by several Lucia maidens.

Concert organizer: