Saturday 10 December 2022

Enthroning the Boy Bishops

December is an extraordinarily busy month in the folklore and traditional events calendar and some dates in particular - especially towards the end of the month - become a complete car crash. 

I will, therefore, try to spread them out a little. And today we're looking at a peculiar practice that usually takes place around the 6th of December on the Feast of St Nicholas. 

It's the Enthroning of the Boy Bishops.
The concept of grand people humbling themselves at least once a year is a well documented phenomenon within the Christian faith. The custom of choosing a Boy Bishop from the members of a cathedral choir is thought to date from the 13th century. In England, it was abolished by Henry VIII in 1542, revived by Mary I in 1552, and then abolished again by Elizabeth I. However it was once again revived in the early 20th century. It seems to come and go depending on how pious and po-faced a monarch is.

Following his election the child is fitted out in full Bishop’s regalia including robes, mitre and crozier. During the ceremony the chosen chorister and his attendants enter the church, or cathedral, and the new Boy Bishop takes his place on the Bishop’s throne and receives a blessing. He then holds this post from the Feast of St Nicholas until Holy Innocents Day on the 28th December. During this period he enjoys many of the powers and privileges of the real thing.

This still goes on all over the UK - maybe even near you.    



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