Remembering Sankta Lucia, as the Year draws to a close
- Millie
- 12 minutes ago
- 3 min read
A candlelit evening of song, stillness and shared tradition, with a quiet Christmas feeling.
As December draws to a close and the year begins to slow, it feels like the right moment to look back at one of its most beautiful evenings.
On 15 December, we gathered once again at York Minster for the annual Sankta Lucia service. It has become a much-loved part of the YASS year, and this December marked the twelfth time the festival has been held here. Each year feels special in its own way, but this one felt particularly luminous. Calmer, gentler, and quietly memorable.
Lucia arrives by breaking the silence with candlelight and the famous Sankta Lucia song, the a cappella voices filling the Minster with a calm that feels almost tangible. The lights dimmed, the Minster grew still, and the procession appeared, Lucia at the front, crowned with light, with the singers walking slowly behind her, their voices moving together in soft harmonies.
Everyone remained seated, listening. Some closed their eyes. Others simply watched. There was nothing to distract from the moment, just light, sound and a shared sense of calm.
The Swedish Lucia songs drifted through the Minster, filling the space without ever overwhelming it. Some of my own favourites were there too. Det strålar en stjärna, Gläns över sjö och strand and Jul, jul strålande jul always seem to land a little deeper in this setting, carrying both tenderness and a quiet Christmas warmth that feels especially fitting at this time of year.
This service is always a reminder of why Lucia matters. Honouring Saint Lucia as the bringer of light, it has grown into a symbol of hope and unity during the winter months. Deeply rooted in Swedish tradition, the ceremony has gradually found a home here in York, connecting cultures and offering a message that feels universal.
Over the years, the service has become something people look forward to well beyond the local Scandinavian community. It now draws visitors from across the UK and from further afield, yet it never loses its intimacy. Even in a space as vast as the Minster, Lucia still feels personal.
This year’s service felt especially serene. Perhaps it was the purity of the a cappella singing, perhaps the softness of the candlelight, or perhaps it was simply that many of us were ready for a pause. A moment to sit quietly before Christmas, before the year turned again.
We were also grateful to once again have Pernilla Tweddle guiding the service, gently introducing the meaning of Sankta Lucia and its significance to the Minster audience. Her words helped frame the evening with warmth and clarity, grounding the tradition in both history and feeling. Behind the scenes, Stine Blowers was, as always, quietly making everything come together. From coordination to invitations, her work ensured the evening unfolded with the calm and care that makes Lucia feel so special.
As a society, we feel lucky to be part of this tradition and grateful to everyone who helps make it possible year after year. We are also incredibly fortunate to have Caroline Key, one of our committee members, who captured the evening so beautifully. Her photographs reflect exactly what it felt like to be there. The glow of candlelight, the slow movement, and the calm that settled over the Minster.
As we move towards the New Year, these images feel like the perfect way to close the chapter on the year just passed. A reminder of light shared, traditions carried forward, and the quiet strength of coming together.
