Dusty Feasts

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. Adela of Pfalzel

This Christmas Eve saint was an 8th century Frankish noblewoman is thought to have been the founder and first abbess of a Benedictine monastery in Pfalzel, near Trier.

Who is St. Adela of Pfalzel?

Adela of Pfalzel (d. 734 or 735), sometimes called Adula or Adolana, was a Frankish noblewoman, abbess, and Catholic saint. Some sources state that her father was Dagobert II and that her sister was Saint Irmina of Oeren. She married a man named Alberic; after he died, she entered the Benedictine monastery of Pfalzel, near Trier; she might have been the monastery’s founder and first abbess. She died in Pfalzel in 735. Her feast day is on December 24 in the Orthodox Church; and on January 3 in the Catholic Church.

Life

Adela’s father was Dagobert II; her mother’s name was Matilda, an “Anglo-Saxon princess” whom Dagobert married while hiding in Ireland from his enemies. She had one brother and three sisters, including Saint Irmina of Oeren. It is not proven, however, that she was the daughter of Dagobert II and the sister of Saint Irmina. She married Alberic; one source states that they had several children, but another source states that they had one son.

According to the Acta Sanctorum, Adela was the founder and first abbess of the Benedictine monastery of Pfalzel, near Trier, which she entered after her husband died. According to hagiographer Agnes Dunbar, however, the monastery was built for her by Dagobert II and Saint Modwald, archbishop of Trier, whose sister, Saint Severa, was the monastery’s first abbess, although Adela succeeded her. Hagiographer Omer Englebert states, “”Her riches and her beauty brought many suitors for her hand; but following the example of her elder sister, she, too, became a nun and founded, about 690”, the convent at Pfalzel.

There is also some conflict in the sources regarding a story about Saint Gregory of Utrecht; the Acta Sanctorum states that he was either Adela’s grandson or nephew, while Dunbar states that he was her grandson. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, though, Gregory was related to Addula, another abbess of Pfalzel: “On account of the similarity of names, and in consequence of a forged last will, Addula has been frequently confounded with Adala (Adela), daughter of Dagobert II of Austrasia”. According to the story, Saint Boniface stopped at Pfalzel during his travels; Gregory was so impressed with Boniface’s teaching that he became “one of his most zealous disciples”, despite Adela’s objections.

Death and legacy

Adela died at the Pfalzel monastery on December 24, 735. She left everything in her will to the monastery, except for an estate she bequeathed to her son. Her tomb was removed in 1802; her coffin, with its relics, was taken to Saint-Martin de Luché Church, a parish church in Northern France. The coffin was opened in 1868, but nothing was found inside except for a copy of her will and “a report from 1802”. Also in 1802, the lead tablet and original cover of the tomb was discovered behind the church’s high altar. In 1933, Adela’s head and bones were found hidden under the same altar.

According the Acta Sanctorum, Adela’s sainthood is questioned, although it is reported in a medieval lectionary, which also states that Adele was buried at the monastery in Pfalzel. Her “worship seems uncertain” and medieval scholars Luc d’Achery and Jean Mabillon did not refer to her as a saint, but as “pious”. The Acta Sanctorum states, however, that “she has a local and popular cult” and lists two feast days: December 18 and December 24, which she shares with Saint Irmina. Adela’s feast day is listed as December 24 in the French Martyrology and is mentioned, along with Irmina, in several other martyrologies.

This saint is pretty obscure, and as a result, there is some doubts about her. However, she was very popular for centuries in the region from which she was from.

What is a food to eat to celebrate the Feast Day of St. Adele of Pfalzel?

I recommend a local bit of German cuisine, local to the region, that will probably not go amiss to celerate this saint and Christmas eve.

Apfelstrudel

Ingredients 

Strudel Dough

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (188g)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup lukewarm water
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

Apple Raisin Filling

• 3/4 cup salted butter melted
• 2/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 2 lbs apples peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
• 2/3 cup golden raisins plumped in hot water for 10 minutes, then drained
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions 

• Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer. Using the paddle attachment, add in the water, oil, and vinegar while mixing on low speed until you get a soft dough. Change out the paddle attachment for the dough hook, then knead the dough on medium speed until a soft ball forms.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour,¼ teaspoon salt,⅓ cup lukewarm water,2 Tablespoons vegetable oil,½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead for 2-3 minutes, until smooth. Slam the dough onto the work surface a few times to enhance gluten development, then shape into a ball and transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, giving the dough a quick torn to lightly coat it in oil on top so it doesn’t dry out. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 60-90 minutes.
• When the dough is almost done resting, heat the oven to 375°F. Place the raisins in a bowl of hot water to soak. Peel, core, and slice the apples into thin slices. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Cover your kitchen table or large counter space with a clean tablecloth or sheet.  2 lbs apples,2/3 cup golden raisins,½ cup granulated sugar,½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• To stretch the dough, first move it from the bowl to a clean, dry surface and cut it cleanly in half with a bench scraper, pizza cutter, or large knife. Set one half of the dough to the side. Shape the other half of the dough into a ball and roll it out as thin as you can.  
• Gently lift the dough and transfer it to the clean, flat surface covered by the tablecloth. Working gently, lift and stretch the dough a little at a time. When you first start, you can use your knuckles (be sure to remove all jewelry first) underneath the dough to stretch it like a pizza with the back of your hands. Continue to stretch the dough by lifting gently from the thicker edges and wafting a little air under the dough as you pull away from the center of the dough. As it thins out, the weight of the dough will mostly hold it in place on the tablecloth while you stretch out one side, then the other, increasing the size of the dough and stretching it thinner and thinner each time. As you lift and gently pull, you will see areas where the dough is thinning out and you will know the dough is thin enough when you are able to see the pattern of the tablecloth through the dough.
• Continue to stretch and pull the dough until it is paper-thin and a large rectangular shape. If there is a thick band of dough around the edges, remove it by gently tearing it away or carefully tug on the band, stretching the dough even a bit further to thin that thick band of dough out.  
• Using a your hands (or a very soft pastry brush, although I find that my hands work best), gently spread ¼ cup of the melted butter over the entire surface of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle half of the breadcrumbs over half of the dough, then place half of the sliced apples on top of the breadcrumbs. Cover the apples evenly with half of the raisins (and walnuts, if using) and half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture.  ¾ cup salted butter,2/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• Fold the short end of the dough over onto the filling, then fold the sides over as well to create a sort of envelope edge that will keep the filling in place as you roll the strudel. Grab the tablecloth close to the short, filled end of the strudel and lift it, allowing the strudel to roll or fold onto itself. Keep lifting the tablecloth, rolling the strudel into a log, making sure the filling stays tucked inside.
• Carefully transfer the strudel onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining half of the dough and filling ingredients, reserving ¼ cup of melted butter. Both strudel should fit side by side on the same baking sheet with space between them. Brush the tops of both strudel with the remaining melted butter.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the dough is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow strudel to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.Powdered sugar

What is a prayer to say for the Feast day of St. Adele of Pfalzel?

via prayersandpetitions.org

Saint Adele, you remind us that we need to always stay alert and open to God’s plans for us. Even though we may be following one path, God may give us a new way to share our gifts and talents with others.

Saint Adele, pray for us to listen for God’s call and be open to new ways of sharing our gifts and talents with others. Amen

When is the Feast Day of St. Adela of Pfalzel celebrated?

This Feast Day is celebrated annually on 24 December.

I hope all who celebrate have a wonderful day!