Boy bishop

Boy bishop or Chorister Bishop is the title of a tradition in the Middle Ages, whereby a boy was chosen, for example among cathedral choristers, to parody the adult Bishop, commonly on the feast of Holy Innocents on 28 December.

This tradition links with others, such as the Feast of Fools and the Feast of Asses.

In England, the boy bishop was elected on 6 December, the feast of Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children, and his authority lasted through Holy Innocents' day (28 December).^[1]

The adult Bishop, symbolically, steps down at the deposuit potentes de sede of the Magnificat ("he hath put down the mighty from their seat"), and the boy takes his seat at et exaltavit humiles ("and hath exalted the humble and meek").

After the election, the boy dressed in full bishop's robes with mitre and crozier, and, attended by other boys dressed as priests, made a circuit of the town blessing the people.

Typically the boy Bishop and his minions took possession of the cathedral and performed all the ceremonies and offices, except Mass.

This custom spread to many parishes.^[1]

Notwithstanding the intervention of various Church authorities (see Feast of Fools), the popularity of the custom made it resilient.

In England, it was abolished by Henry VIII in 1542, revived by Mary I in 1552, and, finally, abolished by Elizabeth I.

This tradition continued among Germans, in the so-called Gregoriusfest [de] probably founded by Gregory IV.^[1]

This tradition continues in Spain.

This tradition includes many time-honored legends, such as recognizing a mini-effigy in Salisbury Cathedral as a boy Bishop; however, this is likely a tertiary burial of removed organs (sexual organs or viscera) of an adult Bishop.

According to rumors, they may belong to Richard Poore.