Yule Log Festival Friday, January 8th, 2010 Saturday, January 9th, 2010 7:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. |
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United Methodist 1221 Quarrier Street Charleston, WV 25301 304.342.0192 Tickets: $10 / Festival Seating |
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Several stories come down to us regarding the boar and how it came to be celebrated at Christmas. One of the more popular stories from England is that an Oxford student was walking through the woods and was attacked by a wild boar. In order to save his life, the student choked the boar with a copy of Shakespeare's writings. The boar was carried back to Oxford and a celebration ensued. The first Boar's Head Festival on record was held at Queens College in Oxford, England in 1340. It was a popular Christmas tradition in the manor houses of England and was later brought to colonial America. |
| The first festival was held at Christ Church on January 6, 1991. Since then, the festival has grown into a two-night event with a cast of over 150 people in full medieval or biblical costuming. A 40-voice choir and 16-piece orchestra lead all those who are gathered in singing and merry making. |  |
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As the festival begins, the choir and clergy enter the candle lit hall and sing an Alleluia to the Christ Child. The church bells are then rung announcing the beginning of the festival. The bell tower of Christ Church (which survived the fire of 1969) is patterned after the Magdalen College Tower located in Oxford, England. |
| The Yule Sprite enters the darkened church with a lighted candle symbolizing the coming of the Light (Christ) into the world. The church, represented by 2 monks, receives the light, and from this flickering flame rise the lights of the church. |  |
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The Beefeaters, the guardians of the King, process the boar into the hall. The head is decorated with greenery and a lemon is placed in its mouth as a symbol of plenty. The boar was considered a menace to the farming communities in the Middle Ages and was a symbol of evil. The black banner preceding the Boar's Head is symbolic of the world before Christ. The Christ Banner following the Boar's Head contains the "Chi Rho" which is the oldest known symbol for Christ. This portion of the procession is a symbol of good triumphing over evil. |
| The Boar's Head feast was often a 17-course meal and would last for days. Good and sweet things from the feast included Plum Pudding, Peacock Pie, and cookies. The Peacock Pie was second in importance to the Boar's Head because the peacock's feathers were used in extravagant holiday decorations. |  |
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The King and Queen of the Realm would enter followed by the Lords and Ladies and their Ladies in Waiting. The Yule Log was cut from an apple tree and carried in by the woodsmen who cut it down. The log symbolizes the New Year and is lit from the remaining embers of the previous year's log. As the log burns, it destroys all old misunderstandings and hatreds. Envies vanish and the spirit of good fellowship reigns supreme for the Christmas season and the year to come. Father Christmas, our modern representation of St. Nicholas, was born in the 4th century at Patria in Lycia (Asia Minor). St. Nicholas is the patron saint of children. Sharing in the beauty of the season are decorations that adorn the Yule Log and the Hall. Ribbon Bearers, Holly Bearers, and Flower Girls enter in order to decorate the hall. |
| The festival was open to all. Exuberant in spirit with the special gifts of God to youth, the servants come sharing gladness. Poor young men and women who wait tables and work in the manor houses coax the congregation with their spirit of celebration. |  |
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Mummers were entertainers and actors and were so called because the masks that they wore made them sound like they were mumbling. Mummers were used to entertain crowds and were heavily disguised. The king eventually outlawed them because people in mummers costuming were committing crimes. The identity of the mummers was always kept secret. |
| Once all are assembled, all are encouraged to dance in celebration of the season. As the crowd is now all assembled in the hall and the sun is setting lower in the winter sky, servants come to light more candles for the events to follow. |  |
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As in the prophecy of old, we once again await the coming of the Savior. In the middle of the festival, the emphasis switches to the Nativity of Jesus Christ. Mary and Joseph enter the church and take their places in the center of the stage. An angel appears and stands watch over the manger. The shepherds enter after hearing of the birth from the angel. |
| A Moravian Star enters the room guiding the three Wise Men and their pages to the Christ Child. Upon arriving at the nativity scene, they offer their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. |  |
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At the end of the festival, everyone encircles the Nativity. Those gathered kneel in adoration of the Christ Child. Then, the Yule Sprite returns to receive the light from the monk. This symbolizes the light of Christ being taken from the church out into the world. The joy felt by the acolytes and the monks shows as they follow the Yule Sprite out into the world. |
| After the festival, a medieval-themed reception is held in the Great Hall of Fellowship. |  |
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Questions? Contact David Donathan at ddonathan@ccumwv.org