Thursday, December 13, 2007


Even though the Scandinavians "appropriated" this patron saint of the blind, and of the light, she was from Syracuse, Sicily!! Go here to hear Enrico Caruso singing the traditional melody with the Italian words.
Below are the Swedish words that go with St. Lucy's Day celebrations, and a not quite convincing translation from a website that offers translations. Before the Catholic church insisted that December 14th was "the" day, Scandinavians had this festival of lights on the morning after the longest night of the year (Winter Solstice).
*Natten gar tunga fjat The night walks heavvy steps
*runt gard och stuva around farm and cabin
*Kring jord som sol'n forlat Around dirt that the sun forgave
*skuggornar ruva the shadows dwell
*Da i vart morka hus Then in our dark house
*stiger med tanda ljus steps in with candels lit
*Sankta Lucia, Sankta Lucia Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia.
*Natten var stor och stum The night was big and silent
*nu hors det svingar now we hear swinging
*i alla tysta rum sos sum in all the silent rooms av vingar (sic. maybe avenger?) of wings
*Se pa var troskel star Look in our door stands
*vitkladd med ljus i har dressed in white with candels in the hair
*Sankta Lucia, Sankta Lucia Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia.
*Var halsad skona morgonstund Greetings beautiful morning hour
*som av profeters helga mun ar whom the prophets wholy mouth is (nonsense in swedish too)*oss bebadad vorden us watched(?) was
*Du stora dag du salla dag You might day, you seldom day
*pa vilken himlens val behag an nu on what the heavens choise still
*besoker jorden. visits the earth
*Unga sjuna med de gemla The young sings with the old
*ig (?) for samla jordens boner ?? to collect the earths prayors
*kring den storste av dess soner. around the biggest of all its sons
*Sju vackra flickor i en ring Seven beautiful girls in a ring
*Sju vackra flickor i en ring Seven beautiful girls in a ring
*vackraste flickor haromkring i bland most beautiful girls around here in a mix
*de flickor alla. All the girls
*Tomtarnas Julnatt The elfs Christmasnight
*Nu tandas tusen juleljus pa jordens Thousands of christmas lights on the earth(s)
*morka rund och tusen tusen strala ock dark round, and thousand and thousand shimmers too
*pa himlens djupbla grund. on the dark-blue sky
*Och over stad och land i kvell gar and over the land tonight goes
*julens glada bud the happy message of christmas
*att fodd ar Herren Jesus Krist that the Lords Jesus Christ is born
*var Fralsare och Gud. our saivor and god
*Hosianna David's Son! Hosianna, son of David!
*Valsignad vare han, valsignad Davids Son, Blessed be he, blessed be the son of David
*som kommer i Herrens namn. Who comes in the name of the lord
*Hosianna i hojden, Hosianna, hosiannas. Hosianna in the sky (actually "high up"), Hosainna, Hosianna.

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