Boar's Head Festival, St John Forest Park IL

The colorful ceremony of the Boar's Head has been part of the Christmas celebration in England since the Middle Ages. In Medieval England the boar was considered the sovereign of the forest, a ferocious beast that was a danger and menace to all and, consequently, became a symbol of evil. The presentation of the boar's head at Christmas signifies the triumph of the Christ Child over sin. Over the c

ourse of centuries the entertainment offered as part of the festival has changed, but basic to all occasions has been the Boar's Head Procession, a restaging of the nativity story, and the silent pageantry to accompany the music. The tradition of the Yule Log (whose embers burn all year and then light the next year's log) was added, symbolizing our "Light of the World." The Festival came to America in colonial days where it was first observed in New England. From these beginnings, the Boar's Head Christmas Festival has spread to be celebrated in many Christian settings. John Lutheran Church continues this ancient tradition, giving it new life through music and pageantry.