Christmas in Pre-Christian Britain and Western Europe

Midwinter in Europe and the Mediterranean region

By now, it is a well-known fact that the period around the Winter solstice was a time of festivities in Mediterranean region and Europe long before it was Christianised and turned into an event to remember the birth of the Galilean Jew Jesus (or Yeshua יהושוע ) of Nazareth.

The ancient Egyptians for example celebrated the birth of the Sky-God Horus (a.k.a. 【ḥr】) around this time. [I] 

In ancient Greece, the rebirth of Dionysos ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΣ was celebrated during the rural Dionysia, shortly after the winter solstice. [II] 

In ancient Rome, gifts were exchanged and the house was decorated with greenery for the Saturnalia (Click here for more on the Saturnalia). In Late Roman times, the cult of the Sun-God Sol Invictus competed with Christianity for dominance over the winter holiday season. [III] [IV] 

When it comes to the ancients that lived in Northern and Western Europe however, it is a lot less clear what they were up to around this time of the year. In Viking Age Scandinavia, there appear to have been Yule-tide celebrations [V], so it is possible that the Ancient Scandinavians also did something along those lines. 

For Western Europe however, it is almost impossible to tell to what extent they would have followed the Roman Saturnalia, the Germanic proto-Yule-tide or perhaps other, local traditions of Celtic or Belgic origin.

Midwinter on the British Isles

When it comes to the British Isles, there is one tiny piece of evidence that may tell us something about the local Midwinter celebrations in Antiquity:   

Let us have a look at an excerpt from the 8th century work The Reckoning of Time (De Temporum Ratione) by the Northumbrian monk Beda Venerabilis.

Translation:

"The English people [...] began the year on December 25th, when we celebrate the birth of the Lord.

 That very night, which is now sacred to us, they at the time referred to by the gentile word modranicht, that is, ‘night of the mothers’, because of －we suspect－ the ceremonies they conducted staying up all night.”  

Latin original:

Anglorum populi [...] Incipiebant autem annum ab octavo Calendarum Ianuariarum die, ubi nunc natale Domini celebramus. Et ipsam noctem nunc nobis sacrosanctam, tunc gentili vocabulo Modranicht,  id est, matrum noctem, appellabant, ob causam, ut suspicamur, ceremoniarum quas in ea pervigiles agebant.

[VI]

Unfortunately, this is not very much to go on at all. Apparently, Beda did not know much about the matter, and what he does tell us, he does not seem too sure about.

If what he tells us is true though, the Mothers that were honoured during the nocturnal ceremony might be related to the Celtic and Germanic Goddesses called the “Matronae”, or alternatively “Matres”.

It is not clear whether the worship of the Matronae was originally Gaulish or Germanic, but by the Roman period, inscriptions altars with inscriptions mentioning the Matronae can be found in Roman Germania, Gallia and Britannia.

Usually, They are not simply addressed by the name “Matres” or “Matronae”, but rather by “Matres” or “Matronae” followed by a second element that may refer to a place, tribe, specific function etc. Some of these appear to be Gaulish/Celtic in origin whereas others are more likely Germanic.

Germanic MATRES ALMAHAE MATRONAE FERNOVINEHAE MATRES MARSACAE MATRONAE MAHLINEHAE MATRONAE VALLAMAENEIHIAE ...

Celtic / Gaulish MATRES EBVRNICAE MATRES MOGONTIONES MATRES NEMAVSICAE MATRES OLLOTOTAE MATRES SVLEVIAE …

[VII]

 

We do not have any ancient literature to find out more about the Matres, so the only things we have are brief devotional figurines, and inscriptions and reliefs on altars.

They are depicted sitting in a chair, alone or in threes. Sometimes They have fruit or dogs on Their laps which both suggest that the Matronae are chthonic fertility Deities.

Other depictions show them carrying one or two infants. The theme of birth and the start of new life fits in nicely with other midwinter traditions.

Figurines and reliefs produced in the area of modern-day Cologne, once the home of a Germanic tribe called the Ubii, show the Matronae with an Ubian bonnet (or hairdo). Sometimes the Lady in the middle has a different hairstyle, and other times, all three look the same. [FIG]

In Gaul and on the British Isles however, all three lack this bonnet.

If we are right to see a connection between Modranicht and the Matronae, similar celebrations to the ones in Britannia may have existed in other places where the Matronae were worshipped (present-day Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands…).

Sources:

 [I] Massey, Gerald (2007) Ancient Egypt: The Light of the World. Cosimo, Inc.: p572.

[II] Taylor-Perry, Rosemarie (2003) The God who Comes. Algora Publishing: p55～56.

[III] Sfetcu, Nicolae (2014) "Sol Invictus and Christianity" in About Christmas.

[IV] Forbes, Bruce David (2008) Christmas History. University of California Press: p29～30.
[V] Davidson, Hilda Roderick Ellis (1988) Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe: Early Scandinavian and Celtic Religions: p39.

[VI] Beda Venerabilis (8th century) De Temporum Ratione. Read in context here: http://www.monumenta.ch/latein/text.php?tabelle=Beda_Venerabilis&rumpfid=Beda%20Venerabilis,%20De%20Temporum%20Ratione,%20%20%2015&nf=1

[VII] Beck, Noémie (2009) Goddesses in Celtic Religion: The Matres and Matronae. Available at: https://brewminate.com/goddesses-in-celtic-religion-the-matres-and-matronae/