Spring should return for good in Switzerland in May. But according to a belief from the agricultural world, the Ice Saints systematically cause the return of frost, cold and sometimes even snow in mid-May. Really?
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When will the Ice Saints take place this year?
In 2024, the Ice Saints will return to Switzerland from Saturday May 11 to Wednesday May 15. They take place every year on the same date.
What will the weather be like at Ice Saints 2024?
In recent weeks, plant lovers have had to fear for their gardens. Indeed, during cold nights, temperatures dropped below freezing in many places, leading to frosts. But what about the Ice Saints of Ascension?
Frost hurts plants.Image: imago images
From Thursday, Anticyclone Thomas above the North Sea will ensure milder weather.
“From Friday to Sunday, the weather will in principle be warm and sunny”
Meteonews
Temperatures will reach maximum values of 22 to 24 degrees. From Monday, the weather will certainly become more unstable again, but we will stay away from frost with minimum temperatures between 8 and 12 degrees. The Ice Saints will therefore not be there this year.
Where do the Ice Saints come from?
The Ice Saints are several Catholic commemorations in the month of May. Every year, from May 11 to 15, certain bishops and martyrs of the 4th and 5th centuries are commemorated. Traditionally, farmers invoked these Christian figures to benefit from favorable weather.
How many ice saints are there?
This is where minds divide. In northern Germany there are basically five Ice Saints, in southern Germany, Switzerland and Austria only four. Our French neighbors only have three: Saint Mamert, Saint Pancrace and Saint Servais.
The cold weather coming from the north, the weather situation is therefore difficult in these regions and the risk of frost in mid-May extends over more days.
What are the ice saints called?
The Ice Saints are all bishops and martyrs of the early Christian era. Most of the stories about them are myths and legends, only a few elements are historically reliable. Here are the Ice Saints and their origins in the Christian faith:
May 11: Mamert
Mamert lived in the 5th century in the south of France. He was appointed bishop of Vienna in 461. After an earthquake, a fire broke out in the city, following which Mamert organized three supplication processions for help from God. The city eventually managed to contain the fire.
May 12: Saint Pancras
Pankratius was a 4th century early Christian martyr who was beheaded under the Roman emperor Diocletian. His body was to be thrown to the dogs, but brothers managed to take it away and bury Pankration in the catacombs of Rome.
May 13: Saint Servais
The second bishop among the Ice Saints was called Servais. He was bishop of Tongres, in the territory of present-day Belgium, from around the middle of the 4th century.
14: May: Saint Boniface
Boniface is said to have traveled from Rome to Tarsus (a city located in present-day Turkey) in the 4th century and there to have witnessed the persecution of Christians under the emperor Galerius. Faced with horror, Boniface converted to Christianity and was also executed.
May 15: Hagia Sophia
Sophia of Rome, known in Switzerland as “Cold Sophia,” also suffered martyrdom under Emperor Diocletian in the 4th century. In the 9th century, his bones were placed as a relic in the Roman church of Santi Silvestro e Martino ai Monti.
What is the peasant rule regarding the Ice Saints?
The period of the Ice Saints was set in the Middle Ages – at that time, according to the Julian calendar. They are meant to mark the end of winter and the beginning of spring, when farmers can sow. The peasant rule is as follows:
“You are never safe from night frosts until Sophie has passed”
This refers to the fact that on some nights in May there are still frosts on the ground which kill freshly sown plants. After the Ice Saints, these short periods of frost should no longer occur and temperatures will stabilize. This way, the seedlings will at least be safe from frost from that point on.
Frost in May, is it the fault of the ice saints?Image: KEYSTONE
However, in the 16th century, the reform of the Gregorian calendar took place without the date of the Ice Saints being moved. Thus, in the Middle Ages, peasant rule applied at the end of May and not in mid-May as today.
Is it always cold during Ice Saints?
Meteorological studies have shown that there is no increased risk of frost on the date of the Ice Saints. This applies to both the Gregorian and the Julian variants of dates. MeteoSwiss data shows, using the Payerne measuring station, that ground frost only occurs regularly in Switzerland until the end of April. The peasant rule is therefore refuted in its strict interpretation.
However, you should know that there is always the risk of frost on the ground in May in Switzerland. It is therefore true that frost can harm plants during this period.
Additionally, it should be noted that climate change has caused temperatures in Switzerland to be higher than 500 or even 1000 years ago, when the myth was born.
(Translated and adapted by Chiara Lecca)
