Christian: cattle and tradition
The ox of the Nativity, the blessing of animals, and saints' days on the farming calendar.
In Christian tradition the ox stands beside the manger at the Nativity, one of the most familiar images of Christmas. The ox is also the symbol of Saint Luke the evangelist. Saints of the farming calendar, such as Anthony the Abbot, Isidore the Farmer and Brigid of Kildare, are linked with cattle and their care, and blessings of animals are held on their feast days. Through the Middle Ages, much of Europe's farming was organised by monasteries, which kept large herds and helped to shape several breeds.
The ox and the ass
The Gospels do not mention an ox at the birth of Jesus, but early Christian writers linked the Nativity with the words of Isaiah: the ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib. By the early Middle Ages the ox and the ass had become part of the scene. In 1223, Francis of Assisi set up a living Nativity at Greccio in Italy, with a real ox and donkey, a custom that spread through Europe and the world.
The ox of Saint Luke
The four evangelists are each shown with a symbol drawn from the visions of Ezekiel and the book of Revelation: a man for Matthew, a lion for Mark, an ox for Luke and an eagle for John. Luke's ox, usually winged, is often explained as a symbol of sacrifice and service, because his Gospel opens in the Temple. The winged ox appears in carvings, stained glass and illuminated books across Christian Europe.
Saints of the farm
Saint Anthony the Abbot, whose feast is on 17 January, is the patron of domestic animals in much of Europe, and animals are blessed on his day. Saint Isidore the Farmer of Madrid, remembered on 15 May, is said to have had angels plough with his oxen while he prayed. Saint Brigid of Kildare, whose feast on 1 February marks the start of spring in Ireland, is linked with cows and dairying, and stories tell of her generosity with milk and butter.
Monasteries and breeds
Monasteries were major landholders in medieval Europe and kept large herds of cattle. They cleared land, drained marshes and kept records. Several European cheeses and some local cattle lines are linked by tradition with monastic farms. In Ethiopia, the Orthodox Church's calendar of fasts, when no animal products are eaten, shapes the pattern of milk and meat use through the year.
Worth knowing
- The Nativity ox: Beside the manger at Christmas
- Greccio: Francis of Assisi's living Nativity of 1223
- Saint Luke's ox: Winged ox of the evangelist
- Saint Anthony the Abbot: Patron of domestic animals
- Saint Isidore the Farmer: Patron of farmers, with his oxen
- Saint Brigid: Irish saint of cows and dairying
Sources and further reading
- Nativity scene on Wikipedia
- Luke the Evangelist, Wikipedia
- Anthony the Great, Wikipedia
- Isidore the Laborer, Wikipedia
Original text by the EveryCow desk, written with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Customs are described as tradition, not as advice. If we have something wrong, tell us.
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