The Feast of Saint Lucia in Siena

Among the various traditions carried forward in the city of Siena , there is one that is celebrated every December 13th. This is the feast of Saint Lucy , commemorated with a city fair, where it is possible to purchase Christmas decorations and various sweets, including those made by Nannini.

Who was Saint Lucia?

Saint Lucy was a Latin martyr who died a martyr on December 13, 304, the day on which she is celebrated, during the Diocletianic persecutions in Syracuse.

The records of her martyrdom tell of a young woman from a wealthy Syracuse family who had been promised in marriage to a pagan. Saint Lucy's mother was gravely ill, and the two had gone on a pilgrimage to Saint Agatha's tomb to pray for her healing. Saint Lucy saw Saint Agatha in a dream, and after her mother was healed, she decided to devote herself to Christ.

After Saint Lucy 's refusal, her suitor denounced her as a Christian, given that Diocletian's persecutions were in effect at the time. At the end of her trial with Archon Pasciano, Saint Lucy was beheaded.

Popular devotion has always invoked Saint Lucy as the protector of sight. The saint, in fact, is depicted with eyes on the cup or plate. However, the episode of Saint Lucy gouging out her eyes is unfounded and is absent from many accounts, at least until the 15th century.

The Santa Lucia Fair in Siena

Every year on December 13th, the "Fiera di Santa Lucia" (Saint Lucia Fair) is held in Siena near the Church of Santa Lucia. During this fair, you can purchase Christmas decorations, items produced by the city's volunteer associations, ceramic bells painted in the colors of Siena's districts, and dried fruit and sweets , including those by Nannini.

This year, due to the current health crisis, the Fiera di Santa Lucia has been canceled. But that doesn't mean we should forget this ancient tradition. That's why Nannini has decided to promote this Sienese festival, deeply rooted in the city's traditions, with an eye to the future. He hopes that as early as next December, people will be able to stroll the streets of Siena again to shop for Christmas gifts, both sweets and souvenirs, such as the ceramic bells, the symbol of the Fiera di Santa Lucia.

The tradition of making ceramic bells that are sold through the streets of Siena during the “Fiera di Santa Lucia” has very ancient roots.

When the day to be dedicated to Saint Lucy was decided, in the first half of the fourteenth century, the winter solstice was December 13th and, given the connection between Saint Lucy and light, it was decided to establish the winter solstice as the Saint's day.

The connection between Saint Lucy and light can be traced back to the history of the sacred and anthropology. As already mentioned, Saint Lucy was originally from the city of Syracuse, where a temple of Artemis stands. Artemis was the goddess of light, and it is thought that this is why Saint Lucy is also associated with the sacred attribution of light.

Since the solstice marks the transition from one season to the next, this "catastrophic" transition needs to be marked by chaos. Therefore, the day dedicated to Saint Lucy also requires noise and chaos. To achieve this, in the city of Siena, as in other Italian cities, small bells were used.

Excavations at the kiln in Pispini have uncovered ceramic bells used during that period. Thanks in part to this circumstance, the ceramic bells painted in the colors of Siena 's districts are now the symbol of the "Fiera di Santa Lucia."