RIYADH: A celebration of light and traditional choir singing illuminated the Swedish Embassy in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter on Wednesday evening for the country’s Lucia festival.

Based on ancient pre-Christian traditions intertwined with the story of Saint Lucy, who is depicted wearing a crown of candles, the festival is cherished for bringing some respite from the dark Scandinavian winter.

The Riyadh embassy hosted a number of dignitaries and members of the Swedish community in Saudi Arabia, with catering provided by Ikea.

Swedish Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Petra Menander spoke to Arab News about the significance of the festival.

“It's a very, very old tradition that leads back to our peasant times when we needed to fight the darkness with light,” she said.

“And so we actually adopted an old tradition from Italy where Lucia comes with light in her hair and that made us all feel very, very comfortable.

“And it’s something that we actually celebrate just as much as the other holidays, like Christmas or so on. It’s inescapable, at all schools, everywhere.”

Holding the festival in Riyadh was particularly special as it not only brought a glimpse of Swedish culture to Saudi Arabia, but also helped Swedish nationals living in the Kingdom reconnect with their homeland.

“I think it’s a very nice way to bring Swedish culture overseas, but it’s also a nice way of getting the Swedish community together,” said Menander.

“We just have many people who come from mixed backgrounds and they’re very happy that they can introduce their children to this tradition even if they’re living very far away from Sweden. So, it’s a very warm feeling for me.”