What's going on with this junction box?

Post date: 2022-01-24 10:16:34

I removed a ceiling light in my apartment only to discover a junction box with wiring I did not expect. Photo here. Left to right: two-strand white wire; four-strand blue wire; single-strand red wire.

This is an old (late 1960s) apartment building in NYC, and I'm all but certain the box dates to that time. The white and red wires were connected to the old lamp. It's the blue wire that I'm confused by. (All wires had wire nuts before I removed them.) I was hoping to see a green grounding wire, but alas.

So, what's up with the blue wire? Do I need to be calling in an electrician here? Thanks for your advice.

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