Lent, Mothering Sunday and Simnel Cake

Although I can have a good shot at bringing the word 'Advent' to its Latin roots, I realised very recently that I have no idea from where the word 'Lent' comes. Deciding that I ought to have some clue about this important Christian word I looked it up. 'Lenctentid' (spring-tide) was the Saxon name for March, because during this month it becomes obvious that the daylight hours are lengthening. As the main part of the great fast falls in March, this period of fast received the name 'Lencten-faesten', or Lent. The Fast of thirty six days was introduced in the fourth century and then in 487 Felix IV added four more days of fasting in the wilderness.

Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable says: 'Mothering Sunday is Sunday in Mid-Lent, a great holiday, when the Pope blesses the golden rose, and children go home to their mothers to feast on 'mothering cakes'. It is said that the day received its appellation from the ancient custom of visiting their 'mother church' and making offerings on the altar that day.' I had not known about the 'golden rose' or the 'offerings on the altar', but certainly nowadays we are encouraged to think of the church as a mother on Mothering Sunday, Lent IV. This Sunday is also sometimes called Refreshment Sunday, the Sunday mid-way through Lent when one may break one's fast and take a break, as it were, before continuing through to Passiontide, Holy Week and Good Friday.

The congregation at St Andrew's is invited to enjoy a piece of Simnel cake (kindly provided by Jackie Page) on Mothering Sunday. Although Simnel cake is now generally eaten at Easter, it was originally the cake which girls in service took to their mothers when they were allowed home on that Sunday. Brewer (he has a lot to answer for!) says: 'The eating of these cakes in Mid-Lent is in commemoration of the banquet given by Joseph to his brethren and the feeding of the five thousand.' In the Book of Common Prayer this latter story is the gospel of the day, but we have a different lectionary now.

The head of one primary school has banned the making of Mother's Day cards, to protect the children who are separated from their birth mothers. The Mothers' Union responded to this with the following statement.

'We understand that not all children have contact with their mothers. However, presumably all the children at the school have care, and it would be ideal if the school could promote and support carers by encouraging each child to make a card which thanks the person in their lives who does that mothering. That could be a dad, auntie, carer, foster mum or grandparent. All the children should be encouraged to think about the skills of mothering - and how they can be appreciated on this special day.'

May we enjoy and celebrate this long-established special day.

Valerie Baxter

March 2007

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