THOUSAND OAKS : Lights Festival at Cal Lutheran Honors Martyr

Cal Lutheran opened its Christmas season Wednesday with its annual Santa Lucia Festival of Lights, based on an age-old Scandinavian ceremony commemorating the violent death of Christian martyr Santa Lucia in 304 A.D.

Each year the campus votes on a court, including four “brides,” five “wise men” and Santa Lucia, all of whom are elected for demonstrating the Christian attributes of faith, hope, charity and compassion for humankind.

The brides, wearing white robes tied with a sash and accompanied by the tuxedo-outfitted wise men, glided down the aisle of the campus’ Samuelson Chapel to the strains of the organ playing the “Santa Lucia Hymn.”

Santa Lucia, portrayed this year by senior Annie Merz, 21, had a little tougher time of it, balancing on her head an iron crown, woven with plastic holly leaves and berries that support eight thin, white candles.

After each bride and wise man spoke at the chapel pulpit about one of the virtues represented by Santa Maria, he or she walked to the seated Santa Lucia and lit one of the crown candles.

“It’s definitely an important ceremony because it’s a Christian one, and that’s what Cal Lutheran’s all about,” Merz said after the chapel service.

Sylvia Rahlfs, 53, another Cal Lutheran student, said the festival celebration moved her to tears.

“The ceremony made me cry, because of all these young people in it, attempting so hard to lead a Christian life, one that is morally upright,” she said.

Santa Lucia was born to noble parents in the third century A.D. and raised as a Christian, according to the story recited at the festival. When very young, she secretly vowed to dedicate her life to God, but this vow was threatened when her mother tried to marry her to a prominent and wealthy pagan, the story goes.

Lucia repudiated her suitor and revealed her vow, but her enraged betrothed had her brought to trial as a Christian, and she was sentenced to burn at the stake, according to the story.

Although the flames enveloped Lucia, they did not burn her. Finally, her suitor thrust his sword through her heart, and as she died, she was transfigured by such an intense light “that the soldiers and her betrothed fell prostrate, as if they had been struck by lightning,” said the students reciting the story from the pulpit.