SAINT LUCY: TRADITION FROM BARCELONA TO NAPLES

Fira de Santa Llúcia in Barcelona, 1953

Today is December 13, Saint Lucy and you must visit two incredible Mediterranean cities. 

Tina Picotes is in Barcelona, in the Gothic zone, next to the new Cathedral of Barcelona. In this beautiful place, every year you can find hundreds of little stands with Christmas details in La Fira de Santa Llúcia. Tina recommends two: The Tió and The Caganer.

More information: Fira de Santa Llúcia Official Site

The Tió, Christmas Log, is a big piece of cut wood. It is a character in Catalan mythology relating to a Christmas tradition widespread in Catalonia and some regions of Aragon. A similar tradition exists in other places, such as the Cachafuòc or Soc de Nadal in Occitania. In Aragon it is also called Tizón de Nadal or Toza.

The form of the Tió de Nadal found in many Aragonese and Catalan homes during the holiday season is a hollow log about thirty centimetres long. Recently, the Tió has come to stand up on two or four stick legs with a broad smiling face painted on its higher end, enhanced by a little red sock hat. a miniature of the traditional barretina, and often a three-dimensional nose. Those accessories have been added only in recent times, altering the more traditional and rough natural appearance of a dead piece of wood.

More information: Fira de Santa Llúcia de Barcelona

Beginning with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in December 8, one gives the tió a little bit to eat every night and usually covers him with a blanket so that he will not be cold. The story goes that in the days preceding Christmas, children must take good care of the log, keeping it warm and feeding it, so that it will poop presents on Christmas Day. 

Tina Picotes with some Tiós

On Christmas Day or, in some households, on Christmas Eve, one puts the Tió partly into the fireplace and orders it to defecate. The fire part of this tradition is no longer as widespread as it once was, since many modern homes do not have a fireplace. To make it defecate, one beats the tió with sticks, while singing various songs of Tió de Nadal.

The tradition says that before beating the tió all the kids have to leave the room and go to another place of the house to pray, asking for the tió to deliver a lot of presents. This makes the perfect excuse for the relatives to do the trick and put the presents under the blanket while the kids are praying.

More information: Caga Tió in Viladecans, El Baix Llobregat (Barcelona)

The tió does not drop larger objects, as those are considered to be brought by the Three Wise Men. It does leave candies, nuts and torrons. Depending on the region of Catalonia, it may also give out dried figs. What comes out of the Tió is a communal rather than individual gift, shared by everyone there.

The tió is often popularly called Caga tió, Shitting log. This derives from the many songs of Tió de Nadal that begin with this phrase, which was originally, in the context of the songs, an imperative Shit, log!. The use of this expression as a name is not believed to be part of the ancient tradition.

Caga tió, caga torró, avellanes i mató. 

Si no cagues bé et daré un cop de bastó. 

Caga tió!

Shit, log, shit nougats, hazelnuts and mató cheese. 

If you don't shit well, I'll hit you with a stick.

Shit, log!

The Caganer is a figurine depicted in the act of defecation appearing in nativity scenes in Catalonia and neighbouring areas with Catalan culture such as Andorra, Valencia, and Northern. It is most popular and widespread in these areas, but can also be found in Murcia, Portugal, and Naples.

Queen Elizabeth II in a Caganer figure

The name El Caganer literally means the crapper or the shitter. Traditionally, the figurine is depicted as a peasant, wearing the traditional Catalan red cap (the barretina) and with his trousers down, showing a bare backside, and defecating.

Catalonia and Naples were independent kingdoms and they were together during some years. The influence of Catalan traditions in Naples is strong. 

The Caganer is also a typical figure in Naples where there is one of the most beautiful suburbs that you can visit around the world: Santa Lucia. In front of the Mediterranean sea, Castel de l'Ovo emerges like an incredible fortress witness of the shared past.  

More information: Commune di Napoli

Claire Fontaine is in Santa Lucia, an historical rione of Naples. The area rises around the street of the same name and takes that name from the parish sanctuary of Santa Lucia a mare, of which the presence is attested since the 9th century, on the river of the sea, in spite of legend that would have it founded by a granddaughter of Constantine I. 

Santa Lucia in Naples, 1865

The territory of the ward coincides with that of the Parish and extends along via Santa Lucia and Orsini and their cross streets, the Islet of Megaride with the Borgo Marinari, the Castel dell'Ovo, and via Chiatamone, all features of the Partenope promenade. 

Santa Lucia has been identified with the history of Naples ever since the Greeks from Cumae landed here to found the small market harbour of Falero, which later gave rise, between the beach, the islet of Megaride and the Pizzofalcone hill, to the polis Partenope, from the siren who tried to enchant Ulysses; later that town would be known as Palepoli.
 

More information: Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II

In the preimperial Roman age, general Lucullus moved to the area and built his magnificent villa, known as Oppidum Lucullianum, to which the last Roman emperor Romulus Augustus exiled to live out his days. In the imperial age the area became famous for its proximity to the platamoniae caves, where magic rituals were held and in which Petronius set parts of his Satyricon. In the 7th century Saint Patricia from Constantinople, directed towards the Holy Land, was shipwrecked here and, according to legend, founded the sanctuary and decided to settle in Naples. 

Claire Fontaine and Castel de l'Ovo in Napoli

Already in 1845, the sea level rose considerably, making it necessary to bury the original sanctuary and build a new one on top of it; after the annexion of the Kingdom of Naples to Italy (1861) Santa Lucia underwent a complete transformation, including the enlarging and straightening of the Partenope promenade. It involved reclaining large tracts of land from the sea and the creation of new streets, all of which has served the area well in this age of modern tourism. 

Santa Lucia has been like subject of some traditional Neapolitan songs, among which is the most famous, Santa Lucia and Santa Lucia Luntana, a musical symbol of Neapolitans leaving home to emigrate to America.

Partono 'e bastimente pe' terre assaje luntane...
Cantano a buordo: so' Napulitane!
Cantano pe' tramente 'o golfo gia scumpare,
e 'a luna, 'a miez'o mare, nu poco 'e Napule

The ships are leaving for far away lands.
The Neapolitans sing on board.
They sing while in the sunset the bay disappears
and the moon, above the sea lets them see
a glimpse of Naples.

E.A.Mario