That’s what families in Scandinavia might have traditionally said to one another on St. Stephen’s Day!
In that region, families would bring their horses to the church on St. Stephen’s Day to be blessed by the priest before riding them around the church triumphantly. The day might then be crowned with a sleigh ride!
But what, you ask, does this have to do with St. Stephen, the Church’s first martyr, whose feast we celebrate today? How did he traditionally come to be venerated as the patron of horses?
According to a legend related in an ancient poem, Stephen was an able horseman, and when his steed fell ill, Christ Himself healed the ailing animal. Others say that medieval farmers generally gave their animals a time of rest during the 12 days of Christmas, so horses were blessed and celebrated on Stephen’s Day.
In Sweden, St. Stephen’s story became intertwined with that of a different Stephen (Staffan) who they say was martyred in that country in the 11th century. According to various legends, he was a stable boy and an unbroken foal carried his body to its final resting place. So both Stephens are traditionally celebrated in that country on December 26th and are commemorated with equine activities!
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