Boar’s Head Feasts
Deep Mid-Winter Greetings!
As many of you have heard, we are planning to hold a “Boar’s Head Dinner” on Feb 14 beginning at 5:30. You can see Kris Tamash at church, or Laurie in the office on Mon, Tues, or Thur from 9:30-1:30 for tickets, which are limited to 100.
Boar’s Head Feasts have long roots within the church—going back to at least 1340, when one was hosted by Queen’s College, Oxford, England. However, they go much further back, both in England and in Germany, where the tradition likely developed from even more ancient sonargǫltr festivals.
By the High Middle Ages it had become common for many great manor houses to host these events for all the local villagers. Typically they were celebrated in the parish church most closely associated with the lord of each manor house—most great estates fully funded a parish church near the manor house. The settled priest in that church was frequently the next younger brother of the lord of the manor; his other brothers were usually settled into other scholarly professions, or served as officers in the military.
The lord of these manors would authorize the villagers to hunt and kill a boar on his lands (all wildlife belonged to the local lord) at some time in the winter. It can’t be overstated how dangerous wild boars were in Medieval Europe—they routinely killed people as they walked through the woods or worked in the fields. They had earned a particularly “evil” reputation in the minds of peasant and noble alike, because of this.
The church found an opportunity to communicate a theological truth through Boar’s Head Festivals: they urged the lords to host their Boar’s Head dinners during the Epiphany season—shortly after Christmas. Since the boar already held an evil reputation in the eyes of most people, he easily became synonymous with the Devil—a deceiver who brings death and destruction. It is likely no mere coincidence that Pope Leo X’s document “Exsurge Domine,” which formally excommunicated Martin Luther in 1521, referred to him as a “destructive wild boar from the forest.” He, too, understood the negative impression people had of wild boars.
The Christ Child served as the antithesis to the dangerous boar in these Feasts. He is the one who triumphs over the Devil and in so doing brings Light and Life to the world. The Christ-child encourages and helps us to be people of Light in the dark world. And as the days grow longer at this time of year the message of Christ defeating evil and shining his Light is made more complete.
Boar’s Head festivals were held in private homes in colonial New England, and returned to public celebration in churches in 1888—both at the Hoosick school in Hoosick, NY, and in Cherry Hill Presbyterian Church in Dearborn, MI. In the US the tradition has been carried along mainly in Episcopal and Lutheran churches and affiliated schools. They can be highly elaborate, or more simple meals (like ours), but they share an emphasis on Christ as God’s gracious gift to all people, and his victory over Death and the Devil. They are designed to be fun, and to celebrate Life as God’s gift to us…and to encourage us to be mindful of the needs of others. I hope you join us!
Peace,
Pastor Derek
