Childermass

Today is the feast of the Holy Innocents, sometimes known as Childermass.

One way of marking the day was to beat your children on Holy Innocents Day as, presumably a kind of spiritual empathy. I like to imagine that in most families this was more a ritual observance than actual corporal punishment, but maybe enough to drive the point home about unmerited punishment. It is a practice that is doubtless not recommended by modern child psychologists, social reformers or the ‘Nanny State’.

There is an account of it from History Daily at Childermass. The reference to King Edward IV not wanting to be crowned on this day cannot refer to his Coronation which was in June. I assume it is a garbled reference to the Crown wearing ceremonies associated with major religious feasts. The story may also refer to the concept that today is the unluckiest day of the year as set out in an article from CBC at Why Dec. 28 is the unluckiest day of the year

This idea of ill omen was also applied for the ensuing year to the day of the week upon which the feast occurred. The Earl of Manchester’s Reginent of Foote site has the following:

….from Cornish translator and antiquary Richard Carew in 1602:

That proves as ominous to the fisherman as beginning a voyage on the day when Childermas day fell doth to the mariner.

and John Melton’s 1620 attack on superstitions in his Astrologaster:

That it is not good to out on a new sute, pare ones nailes, or begin any thing on a Childermass day.

The feast also was the end of the tenure of the Boy Bishop’s term of office. I will write about that separately.  

May the Holy Innocents pray for us and for the protection of the unborn and the young.