Deepertruth: St Boniface and The Christmas Tree Tradition

St Boniface and The Christmas Tree Tradition

One of my Hero’s of the Faith is Bishop Boniface who was born in modern day England in 672 A.D. and from an early age developed a great love for Jesus Christ.

He would become a missionary to the Germanic peoples who were still enslaved by Paganism. St. Boniface is remembered as “The Apostle of the Germans” and today is the Patron Saint of Germany.

He was the first Archbishop of Mainz. The action of St. Boniface in reaching the Pagans (centered in Germany) at his time reminds me very much of Elijah challenging the Prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:1-46).

In a town called Geismar stood a large Oak tree that held much superstition surrounding it.

The local people in the area called this tree the “Donar Oak” the tree of Thor. When the Romans occupied the land, they called the tree “The Jupiter Tree“. Thor and Jupiter were Pagan gods of “Thunder“.

St. Boniface began to challenge the people about the superstition of the “Donar Oak” and threatened to cut it down. He challenged the gods to strike him dead for cutting down the tree.

A great wind erupted causing the people to think this was a miraculous sign. The wind blew the tree down leaving St. Boniface standing there totally unharmed.

St. Boniface would use the triangle shaped fir tree to teach the doctrine of the Trinity much like St. Patrick used the shamrock.

St. Boniface popularity and fame didn’t protect him from those who thought they could rob him of gold and precious stones.

He died at the hands of those who could not recognize the treasure found in the Word of God. But the people remembered this great man of God and by the 12 century, the tradition of the fir tree was refereed to by the people as “God’s Tree”.