Before we left for two weeks in the U.S., it seemed like Basel was about to enter full spring mode. Leaves had replaced most of the blossoms on the ornamental cherry trees, the apple trees were starting to bloom, tulips were up, and the forecast predicted 25° days (77 Fahrenheit). I landed in Missouri appropriately dressed for Basel weather and unprepared for the cold front that had blown across the Midwest.
The last two weeks here have been January-like except with red buds and leaves instead of bare tree branches. It rains almost daily, usually during my commute. The sky is the same color as the houses — the white ones, not the blue ones. We had graupel and hail over the weekend, and I can see snow on the hills surrounding Basel.
It seems we should expect fluctuating temperatures until at least mid or late May, after the Eisheiligen. I first heard of these through Gabe, who described them as frost demons or gremlins. Because my German remains at roughly the same level as a year ago, I thought, “Ice… holies?” Closer — the Eisheiligen are the Ice Saints, saints whose feast days fall in mid-May and are thought to coincide with a cold snap. Once the Ice Saint days pass, so should the danger of frost.
France, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, and Austria are among the countries who know these saints, and depending on where you are, there are between three and five saints. St. Mamertus, St. Pancras, and St. Servatius make up the main Ice Saint trio, and their feast days fall on May 11, 12, and 13th. Certain countries also recognize the Ice Sainthood of St. Boniface of Tarsus on May 14. The Alsace, Germany, Poland, and at least this corner of Switzerland include St. Sophia or “Cold Sophie” (kalte Sophie), whose feast day is May 15. After Cold Sophie, you can plant your tomatoes. There are various sayings to remind gardeners about the timing like, “Pflanze nie vor der Kalten Sophie” (never plant before Cold Sophie.”
Since learning about Cold Sophie, we blame her for all the chilly weather.
“Shouldn’t it be warm by now? That Cold Sophie!”
“Chance of snow this weekend? Cold Sophie!”
“Will it ever stop being gray and cold?” “It’s Cold Sophie’s revenge for you blaming her for all that other cold weather.”
The association of cold May weather with the Ice Saints originated in the Middle Ages as a rough guide for medieval farmers to determine when to sow their crops. Students of Galileo recorded temperatures between 1655-1670 and noted frosty temperatures around the Ice Saint days. Then in 1902, the President of the Royal Meteorological Society used “modern statistical techniques” to prove the Ice Saints were unscientific. That hasn’t diminished their legend, though. We’re still talking about Cold Sophie. Swiss news outlets write about her and reference her and the Ice Men when reporting on unusually warm May weather. The Swiss Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology’s “Weather and Climate from A to Z” includes an Ice Saints entry. It notes that while May regularly brings at least one or two frosts, they don’t happen with any notable frequency during the Eisheiligen.
Because Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar in 1582, replacing the Julian calendar, the Ice Saint feast days technically moved to May 19-23. Nothing reflects that, but that Cold Sophie might still be hanging around six days after her recognized feast days. I’ll keep my winter clothes handy for at least another month.
Cold Sophie probably wouldn't like Texas. . .