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First Covenant hosts final Lucia Breakfast
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .During First Covenant Church's Dec. 3 Lucia Breakfast, Ashley Hayley performed "Sancta Lucia" and entered the breakfast as the patron saint of the event, wearing a crown of candles and bringing hope, peace, and light.
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .For many Boardman families, the Lucia breakfast was an honored family tradition. The Dec. 3 event was the 40th and final Lucia event. Family members Linda Sciortino (left), Libbie Anderson, Jani Anderson, Steff Knabe, Hannah Knabe, and Laine Hendy enjoyed their last Lucia Breakfast together.
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .The Swedish elves danced around First Covenant Church's Christmas Tree during the last Lucia Breakfast at the facility on Dec. 3.
By SARAH FOOR
A centuries-old tradition in Sweden and Italy made its way to Boardman’s First Covenant Church in 1971. And now, after 40 great years, First Covenant hosted its final St. Lucia Breakfast on Dec. 3.
The legend behind the tradition starts with a young Italian girl who gave all her money to the poor and brought food to Christians in hiding, wearing a crown of candles to light her way in the dark. In Sweden and Italy, the tradition has become a family observance where an eldest daughter awakens her family and serves coffee and Lucia buns.
Event co-chair Lori Mitzel, who organized the event along with Kathy Bodamer, said that the St. Lucia tradition is an important one.
“St. Lucia helps welcome the Christmas season and she is meant to be a symbol of hope, peace and light,” Mitzel explained.
First Covenant Church has used its St. Lucia Breakfast as a fundraiser for the church’s women’s group, as well as community projects.
The final celebration included the sale of Swedish crafts and ornaments, as well as authentic Swedish bread that Mitzel and her husband picked up in Jamestown, N.Y.
The breakfast included three seatings, where guests enjoyed coffee, tea and cookies by candlelight. The Lucia singers performed a recital sharing traditional Swedish Christmas carols. Young members of the First Covenant Church congregation joined in the carols and danced around the Christmas tree as “pepparkokar, ” or gingerbread cookies, and “tomtar,” or Swedish elves.
“The recital was absolutely beautiful and brought tears to our eyes,” said Jani Anderson, who attended with her family.
“It’s a very dear tradition in our family and we are sad to see it go,” Anderson added.
Mitzel said the event is a massive undertaking, including 80 volunteers and many more performers. Many years ago, First Covenant primarily consisted of Swedish immigrants, but now the congregation is more diverse. For these reasons, the Dec. 3 event was the final breakfast.
‘It’s bittersweet and a bit sad to leave that cultural tradition behind, but we know that it’s time,” Mitzel said.