Santa Lucia Festival of Lights

Since the University's early years, the Swedish tradition of the Santa Lucia Festival has been a part of the CLU Christmas celebration. Santa Lucia was a Christian martyr who died at the stake on Dec. 13 in 304 A.D.

Each year the CLU student community selects five female students to represent Santa Lucia and her attendants and five male students to be their escorts. The students are selected as those who represent the Christian attributes of faith, hope, charity and compassion to humankind that Santa Lucia demonstrated. The dramatic ceremony includes the lighting of Santa Lucia's crown of candles.

Admission is free. Limited parking is available in Chapel Circle and on Chapel Lane. Additional parking is available in the Pederson Administration Building parking lot at the corner of Olsen Road and Mountclef Boulevard and in the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center parking lot north of Olsen Road. Street parking on campus is by permit only Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Photo: 2008 Santa Lucia Roberta Gaugert '09 and escort Kyle Hansen '09 (Art Miller '01)