Christmas, Symbols of—Mistletoe, a Sacred Plant in the Pagan
Religion of the Druids
Source: Francis X. Weiser, Handbook of Christian
Feasts and Customs (New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, Inc.,
1958), pp. 103, 104. Copyright 1952 by Francis X. Weiser. Used by
permission of the publishers.
[p. 103] The mistletoe was a sacred plant in the pagan
religion of the Druids in Britain. It was believed to have all sorts of
miraculous qualities: the power of healing diseases, making poisons
harmless, giving fertility to humans and animals, protecting from
witchcraft, banning evil spirits, bringing good luck and great
blessings. In fact, it was considered so sacred that even enemies who
happened to meet beneath a mistletoe in the forest would lay down their
arms, exchange a friendly greeting, and keep a truce until the following
day. From this old custom grew [p. 104] the practice of suspending
mistletoe over a doorway or in a room as a token of good will and peace
to all comers…
After Britain was converted from paganism to
Christianity, the bishops did not allow the mistletoe to be used in
churches because it had been the main symbol of a pagan religion. Even
to this day mistletoe is rarely used as a decoration for altars. There
was, however, one exception. At the Cathedral of York at one period
before the Reformation a large bundle of mistletoe was brought into the
sanctuary each year at Christmas and solemnly placed on the altar by a
priest. In this rite the plant that the Druids had called "All-heal" was
used as a symbol of Christ, the Divine Healer of nations.
The people of England then adopted the mistletoe as a decoration for
their homes at Christmas. Its old, pagan religious meaning was soon
forgotten, but some of the other meanings and customs have survived: the
kiss under the mistletoe; the token of good will and friendship; the
omen of happiness and good luck and the new religious significance.
