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. Hewald the Dark and St. Hewald the Fair

This is a Christian religious celebration of two 7th century priests and missionaries named Hewald (sometimes Ewald), both native to north Umbria in England, who served among the German Saxons until their martyrdoms. They were distinguished from each other, in history, by their hair color.

The two Hewalds are patron saints of Westphalia, which is today northwest Germany.

Biography and Tradition – Feast Day Recipe – Prayer – Celebration Date

Who were Sts. Hewald the Dark and Hewald the Fair?

The ‘Two Hewalds’ (rarely “Ewalds”) were Saint Hewald the Black and Saint Hewald the White, martyrs in Old Saxony about 692. Both bore the same name, but were distinguished by the difference in the colour of their hair and complexions. They began their mission labours about 690 at the ancient Saxons country, now part of Westphalia, and covered by the dioceses of Münster, Osnabrück, and Paderborn. They are honored as saints in Westphalia.

Background

The two priests were companions, both natives of Northumbria, England. According to the example of many at that time, they spent several years as students in the schools of Ireland. Hewald the Black was the more learned of the two, but both were equally renowned for holiness of life. They were apparently acquainted with St. Willibrord, the Apostle of Friesland, and were animated with his zeal for the conversion of the Germans. Some sources number them among the eleven companions of that saint. More probably, however, they set out from England after St. Willibrord’s departure, in an attempt to convert their own cousins in Old Saxony.

They entered upon their mission about 690. The scene of their labours was the country of the ancient Saxons, now part of Westphalia, and covered by the dioceses of Münster, Osnabrück, and Paderborn. At first the Hewalds took up their abode in the house of the steward of a certain Saxon earl or ealdorman (satrapa). Bede remarks that “the old Saxons have no king, but they are governed by several ealdormen [satrapas] who during war cast lots for leadership, but who in time of peace are equal in power” (Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, V, 10). The steward entertained his two guests for several days, and promised to conduct them to the chieftain. They intended to convert him and so affirmed they had a message of considerable importance to deliver to him.

The pagan Saxons, witnessing these activities of the Christian priests and missionaries, began to suspect that the Hewalds planned to convert their over-lord, destroy their temples and supplant their religion. Inflamed with jealousy and anger, they resolved that the Hewalds should die. An uprising followed and both priests were quickly seized. Hewald the White was killed quickly by sword; Hewald the Black was tortured and torn limb from limb, after which both their bodies were cast into the Rhine. This is understood to have happened on 3 October at a place called Aplerbeck, today a district of Dortmund, where a chapel still stands. When the ealdorman heard of what had been done, he became angry and fearful of reprisals, and punished the murderers by putting them to death and burning their villages.

Christian sources describe various miracles after the priests’ deaths, including their martyred bodies being miraculously carried against the stream for the space of forty miles to the place in which the companions of the Hewalds were residing. As they floated along, says the Catholic Encyclopedia, “a heavenly light, like a column of fire, was seen to shine above them.” Even the murderers are said to have witnessed the miraculous brightness. Moreover, one of the martyrs appeared in vision to the monk Tilmon (a companion of the Ewalds), and told him where the bodies would be found: “that the spot would be there where he should see a pillar of light reaching from earth to heaven”. Tilmon arose and found the bodies, and interred them with the honours due to martyrs. From that time onwards, the memory of the Hewalds was annually celebrated in those parts. A spring of water is said to have gushed forth in the place of the martyrdom.

Pepin, Duke of Austrasia, having heard of the wonders that had occurred, caused the bodies to be buried in Cologne, where they were solemnly enshrined in the collegiate church of St. Kunibert. The heads of the martyrs were bestowed on Frederick, Bishop of Münster, by Archbishop Anno of Cologne, at the opening of the shrine in 1074. These relics were probably destroyed by the Anabaptists in 1534. When Saint Norbert visited Cologne, in 1121, he obtained two small vessels containing the relics of several saints, and among them were bones of the sainted Ewalds. These were deposited either at Prémontré or at Floreffe, a Premonstratensian monastery in the province of Namur. The two Ewalds are honoured as patrons in Westphalia, and are mentioned in the Roman Martyrology on 3 October. Their feast is celebrated in the dioceses of Cologne and Münster. The Saxons were eventually converted to Christianity by force in the 8th century by Charlemagne.

Until the martyrdom of Saint Boniface in 754, the Ewalds were the last missionaries to be martyred in this area. Franz Staab, a medievalist, attributes their deaths to a lack of support from the secular government.

Druten, in the east of the Netherlands, has a church dedicated to the Hewalds, with statues for the two made in the studio Atelier Cuypers-Stoltzenberg, owned by Pierre Cuypers and F. Stoltzenberg

What is a food you can eat to celebrate the Feast Day of Sts. Hewald the Dark and Hewald the Fair?

If you are celebrating the English Saxons who were martyred while serving a mission to their Saxon cousins in Westphalia (modern day Germany) one fun way to help celebrate their lives might be to serve a delicious traditional German dish.

I’ve got just the thing.

Kartoffelpuffer (Potato Pancakes)

Ingredients:

• 5 – 6 potatoes, peeled (see hints below)
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup (75 g) onions, grated
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
• 4 tablespoons (30 g) all-purpose flour or potato starch 
• butter and vegetable oil for frying (see hints below)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Put cookie sheet into oven.
2. Grate potatoes, either with a box grater or using the grating blade with your food processor. Drain grated potatoes (in batches) by putting them into a clean dish towel and squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible. 
3. Put drained grated potatoes into a large bowl. Add eggs, grated onion, salt, and flour. Mix well.
4. Using a large spoon, drop tablespoonfuls of the potato mixture into hot oil or butter in a large skillet. Use the back of the spoon to flatten them out. Fry over medium-high heat until golden brown (about 3 to 4 minutes), flip over, and continue frying until cooked through and crispy brown (about 3 to 4 minutes). If they are frying too fast, lower to medium heat.
5. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil and then transfer to the oven to keep them warm. Continue frying till all batter is used, adding more butter or oil as needed.
6. Serve with applesauce, sprinkled with sugar, or serve plain with sour cream on the side.

Notes/Hints:

• I use Yukon gold potatoes, but any starchy potatoes will work. Grate the potatoes as fine or as coarse as you wish. 
• Change the quantities as needed. Depending on how little or how much liquid is in your squeezed potatoes, you may need to add an extra egg yolk or you may need to add more flour. 
• Use a mixture of butter and oil for frying. Canola oil is great and it keeps the butter from burning.
• Adding the onion is optional. You could add green onions instead.
• Add some freshly ground black pepper to the mixture.
• Authentic german potato pancakes call for peeling the potatoes. Keeping the skin on when you have nice, new potatoes, though, is healthier (and quicker)

I definitely recommend following the link above, if you’re looking for more tips and information.

What is a prayer to say for the Feast Day of Sts. Hewald the Dark and Hewald the Fair?

Heavenly Father, We thank You for the lives of Saints Hewald the Black and Hewald the White, who dedicated themselves to spreading Your Word.

Grant us the courage they showed in their mission and the faith to stand firm in our beliefs.

May their example inspire us to serve others and to seek holiness in our daily lives.

Through their intercession, may we grow in faith and love, and may we always strive to follow Your path.

Amen!

When is the Feast Day of Sts. Hewald the Dark and Hewald the Fair celebrated?

This feast is celebrated annually on 3 October.

I hope that everyone who celebrates has a wonderful day!