March 1 was Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the 40 days of Lent. For Christians, this is traditionally a period of penance and fasting in recompense for our sins and a time to prepare for Easter, the biggest holy day of the year, the madness of Christmas gift-giving notwithstanding.
Hundreds of years ago in parts of Western Europe, people were very concerned about death's arrival before their sins had been properly forgiven. They feared the Divine Reckoning that sends the good to heaven and the bad to hell, as depicted by many sculptures of the Last Judgment found above cathedral doors. And so, they created an all-purpose remedy for this dilemma — the sin-eater.
Sin-eaters were drawn from the lowest class of people. Many were beggars. For a fee, they would eat bread and drink wine or beer, or even consume a full meal that had been placed on or passed over the body of the recently deceased. This was especially important if the person had died suddenly and without the benefit of the last rites administered by a priest. These rites include an anointing with holy oil, blessings and if the person is still conscious, a last confession of sins.
The family believed that by having a sin-eater dine on the food and drink the spirits, he or she would consume the sins of the deceased, thus preparing the way for redemption. They also trusted that the ceremony would prevent the dead from being discontented and wandering about the countryside for all eternity. Remember, this was an age when the belief in vampires was prevalent in parts of Europe.
Sometimes, the sin-eater would give a short speech at graveside. A sample incantation was: "I give easement and rest now to thee, dear man. Come not down the lanes or in our meadows. And for thy peace I pawn my own soul. Amen."
The sin-eater would be compensated with roughly a half-shilling. That's no more than a few dollars today. However, the sin-eater was considered a pariah by the local community because it believed he or she was a bubbling swamp of the sins consumed; sins that grew with each new occasion. The sin-eaters were also condemned to carry these sins for the rest of their lives, thus assuring them of eternal damnation.
No one knows where this practice began. Some scholars trace it back to a tradition of the Hebrews during Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. On this holy day, Jews are expected to atone for their sins of the past year. In ancient times, priests would transfer the sins of their congregations onto goats and then release them into the wilderness to be devoured by wild beasts. Incidentally, this is where we get the term scapegoat.
Other cultures have legends that echo the sin-eater. The Aztecs goddess Tlazolteotl, who represented earth, motherhood and fertility, was thought to cleanse a repentant person's soul at the end of life by "eating its filth."
Sin-eating is still practiced in Upper Bavaria. A special "corpse cake" is placed on the dead person's breast and then consumed by the nearest relative. In parts of Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo, Romania and other countries that comprise the Baltic Peninsula, small bread images of the deceased are baked and eaten by the family as part of the funeral. Similarly, the Dutch have "dead-cakes," and residents of parts of northern England distribute "burial-cakes" as a funeral tradition.
The Church has never condoned the practice of sin-eating, because it preempted the role of priests. It preaches that forgiveness and redemption must only come through confession and the forgiveness of sins. Sin-eating also was thought to be a false substitute for Christ who alone can take the sins of the world upon Him and grant forgiveness. Besides, sin-eating smacked of superstition and witchcraft, something the Church had always endeavored to stamp out.
Sin-eaters are not part of our funeral arrangements in Carroll County. Instead, we have other quaint customs. In some of the local post-funeral luncheons I've attended, catered by church ladies in church halls, there is usually a large array of Jell-O salads. One luncheon impressively featured 14 distinct recipes and flavors, with and without fruit, as noted by one of my easily amazed children. In this case, the only sin-eating involved was if you consumed all 14, and then went to the dessert table.
Frank Batavick writes from Westminster. His column appears Fridays. Email him at fjbatavick@gmail.com.
