History

As mentioned in our introductory post on St. Sophia and her daughters, Pisti (Faith), Elpida (Hope), and Agape (Love), this beloved mother and her day on May 15th have long been associated with the “Ice Saints,” the Eisheiligen, whose feast days are traditionally associated with the last possibility of frost in many northern hemisphere countries. According to tradition, the saints’ feast days that fall in early and mid May can be surprisingly cold, reminding Christians that they perhaps ought to wait until after Sophia’s day to plant outside.

It is for this reason that St. Sophia has received the name kalte Sophie (“cold Sophie”) in Germany or “wet Sophia” in many other central European countries. Even to this day, many astute and Christian calendar-aware folks will wait until these days are over to bring out their plants or seed their garden. It is thought that it is only after these days that summer truly begins and nature awakens all of its glory.

As many of our German ancestors might have said or friends continue to say today, “Vor Bonifaz kein Sommer, nach der Sophie kein Frost,” “No summer before Boniface, no frost after Sophie.”

St. Sophia Ice Crown

This illuminative description of “Cold Sophie” provides much inspiration for her day and offers a plethora of ways to celebrate the saint in mid-May! Of course, planting your garden, putting out your plants, and generally spending time outside are great ways to “usher in summer” in commemoration of her and remember when exactly her and her daughters’ day falls within the cycle of Christian commemorations.

However, running with the ice theme, there are a few other ways that Sophia’s day can be remembered. For one, consider drinking a bottle of “ice wine” in commemoration of her, a luxurious dessert wine made from grapes that have frozen on the vine naturally. Pressed while still frozen to extract the concentrated juice, the drink is especially fruity and sweet. This “icing” of the grapes happens in the fall; however, the popular and delicious drink often isn’t available for consumption until slightly later in the year, making it a great choice for a bottle to break out for Sophia’s May celebration.

Another non-alcoholic option that we offer here is the creation of a St. Sophia “ice crown” that can help you break out your punch bowl not only to toast to this wonderful mother and her faithful daughters but also to remember this saint’s martyrdom and her rejoining her daughters in heaven.

Use a bundt cake or fluted cake pan to create your ice crown that will float in a bowl of punch or other festive libation. The rosemary sprigs help create the visual of the crown that St. Sophia and her daughters now wear, and the festive use of berries, citrus, flowers, herbs, and the like adds a feminine touch for these female saints. Finally, the use of the color red in the punch and ice ring helps remind Christians of the color of martyrdom and the blood that these young girls were forced to shed for the name of our Lord.

Perfect for the May party season (a month of graduation parties, confirmation parties, and the like), we hope that you enjoy making and consuming this crown for St. Sophia and can be strengthened in your own faith as you learn about her and her daughters who fearlessly died for our Lord Jesus Christ.