The Santa Lucia Feast with its Christmas trade fair

Author: Serena

This is the most ancient and loved tradition in Verona. According to the legend, during the XIII century, all Verona’s children were affected by an epidemic disease that attacked their eyes. For this reason the local population decided to ask Santa Lucia (the protectress of the eyesight) for a saving grace organizing a pilgrimage towards its statue. In order to convince their children to take a part in the pilgrimage their parents promised to them that Santa Lucia would thank them for their participation with some gifts. So children accepted, the pilgrimage was done, and the epidemic finished.

From that moment every year on the 13th December night children come to churches for the “Eyes Blessing” ritual and, still now, on the 12th December night they wait for the Santa Lucia’s arrival in their homes: she traditionally arrives with her flying burro called Gastaldo carrying many gifts. Before going to sleep children leave a dish full of food both for Santa Lucia and for her burro and, when they get up on morning, they find this dish full of sweets (like the traditional “S. Lucia pastries” made in different shapes) together with the sugared almonds called “ghiaia dell’Adige” (“Adige’s gravel”).

The “S. Lucia pastries”

From the last century there also is the traditional Santa Lucia’s trade fair that occurs still now before the 13th of December in Bra’ Square where you can find the “bancheti de Santa Lussia”: stands full of toys and of various desserts.

The “bancheti de Santa Lussia”

This fair is traditionally ornamented by the presence of the sculpture by Olivieri: a big enlightened Christmas star that starts from the inner part of the Arena to arrive at the centre of Bra’ Square inviting you to visit the traditional Nativity Sets International Exhibition organized in the Arena.