Swedish community celebrates Santa Lucia in style at Palma Cathedral

The real candles are now sometimes replaced with battery-powered ones, but there is still a special atmosphere when the lights are dimmed and the sound of the children singing grows as they enter from an adjacent room.

Related news

Mallorca's vibrant calendar: Our top events of the year

Tradition has it that Santa Lucia is to wear ‘light in her hair’, which in practice means a crown of electric candles in a wreath on her head. Each of her handmaidens carries a candle, too. Parents gather in the dark with their mobile cameras at the ready.

The event was a huge success. Every year the Swedish school elects one of their pupils to be Santa Lucia. On this occasion it was Melonie Marsh, who admitted to being slightly nervous before the event.

In the end everything went according to plan and it was a most memorable occasion.