DAVID JOLES • djoles@startribune.com - Dec. 13, 2010-Minneapolis, MN-] In Sweden and other Scandinavian countries Lucia is celebrated on December 13 in a ceremony where a girl is elected to portray Lucia - an Italian saint who was said to have been adopted by the Swedes. Wearing a white gown with a red sash and a crown of candles on her head, Lucia walks at the head of a procession of girls, each holding a candle. The candles symbolize light in the darkness of winter and the fire that refused to take St. Lucia's life when she was sentenced to be burned. During the American Swedish Institute's Lucia in the Mansion Linnea Cederberg, a junior at Roseville Area High School, was chosen Lucia 2010. Cederberg is member of the National Honor Society, Future Problem Solvers, and varsity swim team. Linnea has been a Lucia choir member for 14 years as well. This year there were 107 children and teens in the Lucia choir. In this photo:] Cederberg, left, walks the dark stairway with Nicole Ellis, Lucia attendant, middle, and Rutger Van Huber, Head Starboy, as they make their way through the mansion. Cederberg, who was born in Sweden and speaks Swedish, said she was honored to "represent someone who was a good person" and helped the poor as Lucia did. The event is a family affair for the Cederberg family - Linnea's mother Laurel directed the choir, her brother Gabriel was in the choir and her dad Christer photographed. (Deb Pastner — Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Lucia, aka Linnea Cederberg, led attendant Nicole Ellis and head star boy Rutger Van Huber through the American Swedish Institute mansion Sunday in Minneapolis. In Scandinavian countries, Lucia is celebrated Dec. 13 in a ceremony where a girl is elected to portray its namesake -- an Italian saint who was adopted by the Swedes. Wearing a white gown with a red sash and a crown of candles, Lucia walks at the head of a procession of girls, each holding a candle. The candles symbolize light in winter's darkness and the fire that refused to take St. Lucia's life when she was sentenced to be burned. Cederberg, a Roseville Area High junior, is a member of the National Honor Society, Future Problem Solvers and varsity swim team, and she has been a Lucia choir member for 14 years. The native Swede and Swedish speaker said she was honored to "represent someone who was a good person" and helped the poor, as Lucia did. The event is a Cederberg family affair: Linnea's mother, Laurel, directed the choir, brother Gabriel was in the choir and her dad, Christer, photographed.