Community Center

Virgin Islander Chosen as Saint Lucia at Sweden's Prestigious Adolf Frederick Music School

Natalya Bacot, a Virgin Islander who attends the prestigious Adolf Frederick School of Music in Sweden, was chosen this month as Saint Lucia, a coveted honor for the ubiquitous December commemoration in the European country. "The Lucia tradition is as integral to Swedish culture as midsummer and crayfish parties. Immensely atmospheric, this 400-year-old custom brings peaceful joy each year on 13 December – and it’s spreading across the world," reads a description of the tradition on Visit Sweden, a website about the country. Lucia Day – also called Saint Lucy’s Day – can be traced back to the 4th century. A Christian feast day, it commemorates the martyr Lucia of Syracuse, who, as legend has it, brought food to Christians hiding in Roman catacombs, lighting her way with a candlelit wreath on her head, the website says.  The December 13 was the historic Julian calendar’s shortest day, and according to Swedish folklore, the long night was dangerous, with dark spirits out in force. S...