The Sin Eater: A Harder Path
Guest article from - Joseph F Ryan, PhD
Historically, the sin eater is somewhat elusive. The earliest known reference to sin eating is from the late 17th century by John Aubrey (1626-1697), an antiquarian, natural philosopher and writer. He characterised the sin eater as a functionary at funerals who, in exchange for food and drink, and some money, would take the sins of the deceased upon himself through eating bread that had been placed on the corpse and drinking a cup of beer (Aubrey, 1686-87). Aubrey’s account underpins what is known of the legend of the sin eater.
Not much information about the ritual associated with the sin eater has survived (Andrei, 2003). Apparently, the sin eater was invited to attend a corpse upon whose breast a crust of bread and possibly other food, such as cake or cheese, had been placed. The sin eater would proceed to consume this nourishment, and also perhaps a drink of ale or other alcoholic beverage, before being given a small fee. The sins of the deceased were now considered transferred onto the sin eater. The former was able to ascend blameless to Paradise, while the latter was bustled out of the home as a figure of contempt and scorn: the sin eater was clearly weighed down by iniquity, and people would turn their gaze away and avoid this abomination (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1911).
Such a description is clearly based on Aubrey (1686-87, p. 35), who recounts: ‘The manner was that when the Corps was brought out of the house and layd on the Biere; a Loafe of bread was brought out, and delivered to the Sinne-eater over the corps, as also a Mazar-bowle of maple (Gossips bowle) full of beer, wch he was to drinke up, and sixpence in money, in consideration whereof he tooke upon him (ipso facto) all the Sinnes of the Defunct, and freed him (or her) from walking after they were dead.’ The final thought was significant, for the sin eater was seen as someone who could redeem the sinner and, thereby, prevent the person from ‘walking’ and haunting the living.
The origin of the role of sin eater is ancient, possessing affinity with the pharmakós, or scapegoat, of ancient Greece, with similar practices once found among the Hittites and Romans, in India and Tibet (Bremmer, 1983), in Mexico and ancient Egypt (Andrei, 2023). Perhaps more widely known is the practice recorded in the Old Testament of driving a scapegoat, with the sins of the Jewish people, into the desert (Leviticus 16). This practice is said to prefigure Jesus Christ as the perfect scapegoat for humankind, taking on the sins of the world so that others can live an eternal life through Him. Certainly, Christ must have felt like an outcast sin eater. The seven sayings of Jesus on the Cross include words expressing His feeling of abandonment: ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ (Psalm 22: 1). Christ must have known that the psalm he referenced goes on to declare: ‘I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people’ (Psalm 22: 6). Jesus implies, therefore, that He is like the worm that not only crawls over dirt, but also eats its way through the soil; thereby, it is not kosher and is abhorrent to the Jewish people. There are further parallels between Christ and the sin eater, as both would ‘eat the bread, drink the cup’ (Andrei, 2023), with the intention of absolving sin (Hughes and Gallagher, 2022).
A sin eater (Welsh: bwytawr pechod) was found mainly in the English-Welsh Marches, the border counties between the two nations (BBC News, 2010), but also in Scotland (Andrei, 2023). With successive waves of emigration, the role of the sin eater also travelled to the United States, at least in the novel of Francine Rivers (1998), who writes in The Last Sin Eater of its presence in the Appalachian Mountains. In relation to the sin eater, however, there remains some difficulty in establishing fact from fantasy, myth from the man or woman.
It is claimed that in the 18th century, sin eating ‘made a big comeback’ and was ‘common in many rural parts – and even in some urban areas’ (Andrei, 2023). Some say that the last real sin eater, Richard Munslow, died in 1906. His dilapidated grave at Ratlinghope Church, Shropshire, was restored in 2010 (BBC Local – Shropshire, 2010). Andrei (2023) claims that it is ‘unclear if sin eating ever really went away’. Indeed, Ross Heaven (2008) indicated that sin eating survived at least into the 1970s and 1980s. So, for example, Heaven (2008, p. 2) said that his mentor was a Celtic healer, adept at folk healing and spiritual herbalism, and a ‘devourer of human sins’.
The Apostle John stated that: ‘All unrighteousness is sin’ (1 John 5:17), with sin defined as an act of immorality held to be a transgression of divine or God-given law. After the Reformation of the 16th century, Protestants no longer felt the need for the intercession of a priest, instead directing their prayers and entreaties directly to God. This removed the requirement for the Sacrament of Reconciliation (or Confession). It was, however, very human to seek divine forgiveness for going astray and doing wrong, especially when the threat of damnation and Hellfire loomed over the sinner. There was, therefore, a strong felt need for confession and absolution. Today, however, the entire notion of sin has ‘all but dropped out of modern discourse’ (Sondergren, 2005), as people inhabit largely materialistic, secular societies. Once redemption came from the shaman or minister, but perhaps now it is the therapist who offers understanding, compassion, wisdom and a felt absolution. Therapy, however, is a relatively new innovation. Historically, in the absence of an absolving priest in Protestant countries, and before the advent of psychological treatments, the function of the sin eater emerged. Indeed, the Apostle James encourages people to: ‘Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much’ (James 5:16). People, therefore, turned to someone in their community who was yet available: the sin eater.
There was some tension between the religious authorities and the sin eater. Aubrey notes that according to one woman’s Last Will and Testament, the sin eater’s rite was ‘punctually performed’, whether the parish parson liked it or not (Aubrey, 1686-87, p. 36). Similarly, a sin eater was involved for a woman in the City of Hereford, who kept ‘many yeares before her death a Mazard-bowle for the Sinne-eater’ (Aubrey, 1686-87, p. 36). Such rites were performed elsewhere in Hereford, in Brecon and were probably ‘used over all Wales’; for example, the minister at Llangors in 1640, could ‘no hinder ye performing of this ancient custome’ (Aubrey, 1686-87, p. 36).
Later well-known accounts mentioning sin eating are found within Tours in Wales (Pennant, 1810) by Thomas Pennant (1726-1798), a Welsh naturalist, antiquarian and writer, and in Brand’s Popular Antiquities of Great Britain (Hazlitt, 1905). Both Pennant and Brand (1744-1806), however, were probably relying on earlier sources and tales about the sin eater, especially by Aubrey (1686-87), rather than having first-hand acquaintance with the rite. Indeed, reports of the sin eater seem reliant on secondary, not primary, sources. It is possible, therefore, that the sin eater is an amalgam of doubtful historical research, old tall tales, and a misunderstanding of the purpose of the funeral ‘wake’ or ‘watching’ (Puckle, 1926) as, for example, in Ireland, where food and drink are liberally offered to those who visit the home of the deceased to see the corpse and to pay their respects. Indeed, traditions in some regions suggest that the virtues, rather than sins, of the deceased can be transferred to the eater of food that has been placed on the corpse. In Bavaria, for example, dough was left to rise on the body before being baked into ‘corpse-cakes’ for the family and guests (Hartland, 1892). It seems likely, therefore, that sin eating may be just one of various customs associated with funerals that predate Christianity’s arrival into Britain, and more widely Europe, but was subsequently subsumed within Christian culture (Hughes and Gallagher, 2022). There is, however, a challenge to prove definitively the historical existence of the sin eater. One commentator, Mr N. W. Thomas of Oswestry (1895, p. 7), observed that, ‘There is, in fact, no evidence that he ever existed in Wales at all’ and noted, ‘All the stories’ can be traced back to Aubrey, who may be regarded as ‘none too strong a witness’. Wirt Sikes (1836-1883) argued that, ‘well-informed Welshmen have denied that any such custom as that of the Sin-eater ever existed in Wales at any time, or in the border shires; and it must not be asserted that they are wrong unless we have convincing proof to support the assertion’ (Sikes, 1880).
Whether sin eaters actually existed as depicted in the past or not, there is certainly a dire need for them in society today. The sin eater, however, may now be regarded as ‘a person who has the capacity to sense, draw out, and consume the suffering of others’ (DeLuca, 2005, p. 5). A modern equivalent of the sin eater, for example, is the therapist, whether counsellor, psychotherapist, psychologist or psychiatrist. The willingness to listen to the stories of others is an essential part in the course of healing that impacts both the client and the therapist. In this process, the therapist willingly takes on the pain of the client, or metaphorically ingests it, then facilitates a healing transformation.
There are others who have similarly taken on the mantle of the sin eater. The Sin Eaters Guild, which supports military personnel and veterans, and others within a wider community of those willing to make a positive difference in this world, suggests its company name has a link to sacrifice: ‘in hard times good people may have to embrace darkness in order to fight it, so that others are safe’ (Sin Eaters Guild, 2023a). The concept of the sin eater, therefore, is broader than before: some people embrace it gladly, but humbly, knowing that they stand between the forces of chaos and the vulnerable. So, sin eating now embraces first responders, and anyone with the moral fibre and backbone to stand up for what is right. Hence, the Sin Eaters Guild emphasises personal responsibility and service, with the refrain: ‘You are your actions’. As such, the Guild defines the sin eater as: ‘One who is willing to embrace darkness and suffering freeing his fellow man to enjoy a peaceful life’ (Sin Eaters Guild, 2023b). Armed forces personnel and veterans, people from the blue light services, therapists and social workers, doctors and nurses, and so many more, willingly sacrifice their lives, or the peace and tranquillity of their lives, for the sake of their comrades, colleagues, citizens or country. It is worth pondering, however, on the song lyrics of ‘My Soul’s Demise’, which say: ‘I’ll carry your sins / But who will carry mine?’ (Lyrics Translate, 2023). There has to be support, physical and psychological, for the tired or broken modern-day sin eater. This possibly may be found through a person’s regiment, friends, specialist charity, general practitioner or the National Health Service, but the wiser course would be for people to pay close attention to their own wellbeing first and not allow themselves to be shattered by their burdens, even as they try so hard to carry them while sinking into Hell for the sake of others. As the Sin Eaters Guild says: ‘Our job is never easy. We will pay a price for it personally. It will be thankless and we will be taken advantage of by those who could never be us. But we do it because we are capable and it must be done. We know who we serve’ (Sin Eaters Guild, 2022).
The modern sin eater is very aware of the challenges and hardships of life, but still attempts to make a positive difference. Lynch (2012, p. 18) writes, ‘we are all fellow pilgrims in search of a way home’. Likewise, today’s sin eaters must seek and discover a place of rest and peace. May you, too, find safe harbour at last.
Acknowledgements
To my wife, Edina Bozsó-Ryan, for her love, patience and understanding, and comments, during the writing of this article.
Author
Dr Joseph Ryan is a transpersonal counsellor in private practice in the UK, who works with armed forces personnel and veterans. Joseph trained as a Registered Nurse, served with the Royal Army Medical Corps (Reserve) and was later employed at the Ministry of Defence. In the modern parlance, he identifies as a sin eater. Dr Ryan may be contacted at: joseph_ryan@btinternet.com.
References
Andrei, Mihai. (2023, May 4). In medieval times, people would pay sin eaters to carry their sins. ZME Science. Retrieved from https://www.zmescience.com/science/history-articles/sin-eaters-medieval-16102017/, 6 May 2023.
Aubrey, John. (1686-87). Remains of Gentilisme and Judaisme. W. Satchell, Peyton, and Co., 1881. Retrieved from https://www.forgottenbooks.com/en/download/Remaines_of_Gentilisme_and_Judaisme_1686-87_1000698897.pdf, 7 May 2023.
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BBC News. (2010, Sep 19). Last ‘sin-eater’ celebrated with church service. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-11360659, 6 May 2023.
Bremmer, Jan. (1983). Scapegoat rituals in ancient Greece, Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. 87, pp. 299–320.
DeLuca, Isaac. (2005). Sin eater: A ministry of suffering. Lulu Enterprises, Inc. Retrieved from https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Sin_Eater/yfmnuhOuaIwC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22sin+eater%22&pg=PA7&printsec=frontcover, 2 May 2023.
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Hazlitt, William Carew. (1905). Brand’s popular antiquities of Great Britain. Faiths and folklore; a dictionary of national beliefs, superstitions and popular customs, past and current, with their classical and foreign analogues, described and illustrated. Reeves & Turner Charles Scribner’s Sons. Retrieved from https://archive.org/stream/cu31924027937949/cu31924027937949_djvu.txt, 24 June 2023.
Heaven, Ross. (2008). Plant spirit wisdom – Sin eaters and shamans: The power of nature in Celtic healing for the soul. O Books.
Hughes, Jon G. with Gallagher, Sophie. (2022). Witches, druids, and sin eaters: The common magic of the cunning folk of the Welsh Marches. Destiny Books.
Lynch, Thomas. (2012). The sin-eater: A breviary. Salmon Poetry.
Lyrics Translate. (2023). Blackbriar. My soul’s demise. A dark euphony. Retrieved from https://lyricstranslate.com/en/blackbriar-my-souls-demise-lyrics.html, 29 May 2023.
Pennant, Thomas. (1810). Tours in Wales, vol. 3. Wilkie and Robinson. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.uk/books?redir_esc=y&id=WnQ_AQAAMAAJ&q=funeral#v=snippet&q=funeral&f=false, 8 May 2023.
Puckle, Bertram S. (1926). Funeral customs: Their origin and development. Chapter IV: Wakes, mutes, wailers, sin-eating, totemism, death-taxes. T. Werner Laurie Ltd. Retrieved from https://www.sacred-texts.com/etc/fcod/fcod07.htm, 17 June 2023.
Rivers, Francine. (1998). The last sin eater. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Sikes, Wirt. (1880). British goblins: Welsh folk-lore, fairy mythology, legends and traditions. Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington. The sin-eater, Book III, Quaint old customs, chapter VII. Retrieved from https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/34704/pg34704-images.html, 17 June 2023.
Sin Eaters Guild. (2022, May 16). Facebook posting. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
Sin Eaters Guild. (2023a). The hanged man and the sin eater. Retrieved from https://sineatersguild.co.uk/pages/about-us, 2 May 2023.
Sin Eaters Guild. (2023b). Retrieved from https://sineatersguild.co.uk, 3 May 2023.
Sondergren, Andrew. (2005, Dec 22). The lost sense of sin in psychology, Catholic Culture. Retrieved from https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=6812&repos=1&subrepos=0&searchid=2314415, 24 June 2023.
Thomas, N. W. (1895, Sep 21). The sin-eater in Wales. Cheshire Observer. British Library Newspapers. Retrieved from link.gale.com/apps/doc/R3209291025/BNCN?u=greenwic&sid=bookmark-BNCN&xid=ba6d7f94, 17 June 2023.
Further resources
Blackbriar. (2023). My soul’s demise. [Music video]. Retrieved from
3 May 2023.
National Geographic. (2019, Mar 27). What is a sin eater? The Story of God, with Morgan Freeman and Sal Masekela. [Video]. Retrieved from
10 May 2023.
Stump, Jim. (2022, Nov 17). Sin eaters, Counselor’s Couch 101. [Video]. Retrieved from
10 May 2023.