When is Saint Lucia National Day?
This public holiday in Saint Lucia is always celebrated on December 13th.
It is Saint Lucia's National Day and marks the Feast Day of Saint Lucia, the patron saint of the island.
History of Saint Lucia National Day
The Windward Island now known as Saint Lucia was first discovered by Europeans in the late 15th or early 16th century. The first settlers were French and they named the island after Saint Lucia.
Did you know?
Saint Lucia is the only country in the world named after a female.
Saint Lucy (Lucia) of Syracuse was a young Christian martyr who died during the Diocletianic Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire in 304 AD. According to legend, she converted to Christianity after an angel appeared to her. Lucy dedicated her life to Christianity and started giving away her family's wealth to the poor and needy. She was betrothed to a man from a pagan family and when he heard that Lucy was giving away his dowry, he reported her to the authorities. Refusing to honour the Roman gods, she was put to death.
By the 6th century, Lucy had become a widely venerated saint with her popularity spreading to England, France and Scandinavia.
Her Latin name derives from the same as that for light - lux, and this made her feast day a popular day as it fell on the Winter Solstice in the Julian calendar - the longest night of the year, when you want all the light-based help you can get.
Indeed, in Saint Lucia, The National Festival of Lights and Renewal starts on the evening before Saint Lucy's day heralding the Christmas period. Castries, the capital of Saint Lucia is illuminated by many light numerous decorative lights. Local workers will compete to make the best-decorated lantern and festivities end with a fireworks display.
December 13th was also known as 'National Horseracing Day', though the races stopped during COVID-19.
Interestingly, Saint Lucia is also the patron saint of another small island - Malta, which also has a public holiday on December 13th. This is Republic Day, which marks the day in 1974 when Malta became a republic. She is the patron saint of the blind, throat infections, epidemics, writers, and salesmen.
