Official feasts used to be an important part of the human community. People would gather together to remember something sacred, express their faith and hope for the future, and / or just be together formally, recognizing each other as being part of a shared community. Few things express a desire for shared companionship and social intimacy more than dining together. Sadly, the gathering together for feasting is increasingly a relic of the past – at least here in the West.
It need not be so! Today we will remember the ancient feasts.
The Feast Day of St. Thorlak
The Feast Day of St. Thorlak is a celebration of a 12th century Icelandic Bishop. He is credited with dozens of miracles, described in the Icelandic saga Þorláks saga helga (the Saga of Saint Thorlak.) The sage was republished in Icelandic when John Paul II visited the country in 1989. Thorlak is the patron saint of Iceland.
Who is St. Thorlak?
Thorlak Thorhallsson (Icelandic: Þorlákur Þórhallsson; 1133 – 23 December 1193) is the patron saint of Iceland. He was Bishop of Skálholt from 1178 until his death. Thorlak’s relics were translated to the Cathedral of Skalholt in 1198, not long after his successor, Páll Jónsson, announced at the Althing that vows could be made to Thorlak.
His status as a saint did not receive official recognition from the Catholic Church until 14 January 1984, when John Paul II canonized him and declared him the patron saint of Iceland. His feast day is 23 December, when Thorlac’s Mass is celebrated in Iceland.
Career
Born in 1133 at Hlíðarendi in the see of Skálholt in southern Iceland, Thorlak was from an agrarian family. He was ordained a deacon before he was fifteen and a priest at the age of eighteen. He studied abroad at Paris with the Victorines, where he learned the Rule of Saint Augustine from roughly 1153 to 1159, and then studied canon law in Lincoln.
Returning to Iceland in 1165, Thorlak founded a monastery of Canons Regular at Þykkvabær after refusing to marry a rich widow. There he devoted himself to a strictly religious life, refusing to marry (many other Icelandic priests were married) and devoting himself to reciting the Our Father, the Creed, and a hymn, as well as fifty Psalms.
Thorlak was consecrated a bishop by Augustine of Nidaros and worked to regulate the Augustinian Rule in Iceland, as well as eradicate simony, lay patronage, and clerical incontinency.
Canonization
Thorlak’s life and dozens of his miracles are described in great detail in the Icelandic saga Þorláks saga helga (the Saga of Saint Thorlak), republished in Icelandic on the occasion of John Paul II‘s visit to Iceland in 1989. It seems likely that Thorlak’s informal sanctification in the Church in Iceland, promoted by Latin texts on which this was based, “was arranged in Icelandic ecclesiastical circles, clerics of both dioceses being conspicuous in reports of early miracles”.
Thorlak was officially recognised as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church on 14 January 1984, when John Paul II canonized him and declared him the patron saint of Iceland.
The sacred reliquary of Thorlak was maintained in the Diocese of Skálholt until it was destroyed in the Reformation, and his mortal remains were strewn about the cathedral grounds. The only known remaining relic of Thorlak is a bone fragment contained with other saints’ relics in a lead box in sanctuary’s end wall (“The Golden Locker”) of the St. Magnus Cathedral, Faroe Islands.
Novena
A novena, or nine-day devotional prayer, in honor of Thorlac was approved in May 2018, by the Bishop of Reykjavík, Iceland, for use by all faithful.
Thorlak’s mass
The Mass of St. Thorlak (Þorláksmessa; Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈθɔrˌlauksˌmɛssa]) is an Icelandic holiday celebrated on December 23. The celebration honors Saint Thorlak. The day is also celebrated in the Faroe Islands, where it is called Tollaksmessa (Faroese pronunciation: [ˈtʰɔtlaksˌmɛsːa]).
In modern times, Þorláksmessa has become part of Christmas, or the last day of preparations before Christmas. Many people buy Christmas presents and finish decorating their houses and Christmas tree. On Þorláksmessa evening in Reykjavík, many stroll down Laugavegur.
Fish was usually eaten on Þorláksmessa since 23 December was the last day of the Catholic Christmas fast. In the remote Westfjords, it is customary to eat buried and fermented skate along with potatoes on Þorláksmessa. The ammonia-infused odor of fermented skate is quite strong, similar to that of hákarl. This pungent dish is eaten as a continuation of tradition. The skate is usually served with boiled or mashed potatoes, accompanied by a shot of brennivín.
What do you eat for The Feast Day of St. Thorlak?
There are a lot of Icelandic traditions for this feast day meal, and those traditional meals overlap with their Christmas meals. the article above discusses the tradition of eating fermented skate. With all due respect to my friends in the North Atlantic, I am going to opt for a recipe suggestion a bit less pungent (there isn’t exactly a great supply of high quality skate where I live, either way.) Another traditional Icelandic Feast Day / Christmas meal is what I went with, instead.
Hangikjöt með Uppstúf – Smoked Lamb with Béchamel Sauce
Ingredients:
For the Hangikjöt (Smoked Lamb):
– 1 kg (2.2 lbs) hangikjöt (smoked lamb)
– Water, enough to cover the meat
– 1 onion, peeled and quartered
– 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
– 1 bay leaf
– 5-6 whole black peppercornsFor the Uppstúf (Béchamel Sauce):
– 50g (3 1/2 tbsp) butter
– 50g (1/3 cup) all-purpose flour
– 500ml (2 cups) milk
– Salt and pepper, to taste
– Pinch of nutmegInstructions:
1- Place the hangikjöt in a large pot and cover it with water. Add the onion, carrot, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1-2 hours, or until the meat is tender.
2- While the meat is cooking, prepare the uppstúf. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk continuously for 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth and bubbling.
3- Gradually whisk in the milk, ensuring there are no lumps. Cook the sauce, stirring constantly, until it thickens and comes to a simmer.
4- Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set it aside.
5- Once the hangikjöt is tender, remove it from the pot and let it cool slightly. Slice the meat thinly.
6- Serve the sliced hangikjöt with the uppstúf poured over the top. Enjoy your delicious Icelandic dish!
What is a prayer to say for the Feast Day of St. Thorlak?
As mentioned above, a novena in honor of Thorlac was approved in May 2018, and I will share an excerpt of that prayer below. (via praymorenovenas.com)
St. Thorlak Novena – Day 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Thorlak as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the openness to Your will that he showed in responding generously to Your call to serve You in the priesthood.
St. Thorlak, you were inclined toward serving God from a very young age. You followed your parents’ direction to begin instruction in the Faith as a child. You were ordained as a deacon before age fifteen, and as a priest in God’s service when you were just eighteen.
Please bring my intentions before God Whom you served so generously!
You willingly chose to devote your life to serving God. You faithfully carried out the duties of your vocation as a priest, and later as a bishop.
Pray for me, that I may serve God as wholeheartedly in my vocation as you did. Pray that I can discern and hear God’s voice with clarity. Pray that I can move forward with my vocation in confidence.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Thorlak, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Thorlak Nov
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Thorlak as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the holiness he showed in entering monastic life and in practicing it worthily.
St. Thorlak, you were attracted to monastic life shortly after becoming a priest. While you studied theology, you chose to begin following the monastic rule of St. Augustine to serve God in an even more wholehearted manner.
Please pray for my needs, as you’ve prayed for so many others!
You established an Augustinian monastery in your home country, in order that others might practice this way of life along with you. Even when you had to leave your monastery to serve God as a bishop, you continued on in the practice of holiness that you began in monastic life.
Pray for me, that I may persevere in holiness my whole life, as you did. Pray that I can find peace in my days and in my work, and that I will make time for prayer each week.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Thorlak, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
When is the Feast Day of St. Thorlak celebrated?
The Feast Day is celebrated annually on 23 December.
I hope everyone who celebrates has a wonderful day!