When most Americans gather around the Thanksgiving table, the story often begins with the Pilgrims of Plymouth. But the spirit of thanksgiving—the act of pausing to give praise for blessings received—reaches much further back. Before it became a national holiday marked by turkey and parades, Thanksgiving grew from centuries of Christian tradition. Its roots wind through medieval Catholic rituals, echoing hymns like the Te Deum and customs like Lammas Day, long before the first settlers ever set sail across the Atlantic.
Background: Gratitude Before the Feast
In medieval Europe, thanksgiving wasn’t merely a sentiment—it was a sacred act. The Catholic Church wove gratitude into its very fabric of worship. One of the most recognizable expressions of this was the Te Deum, a hymn of praise sung after victories, healings, or divine favors. Kings and peasants alike would gather to sing its solemn verses, offering thanks to God in both public triumphs and private blessings. It was not just a prayer; it was a declaration of dependence on divine providence.
These acts of thanksgiving were more than seasonal gestures. They reflected a worldview where every good harvest, every safe return, and every answered prayer pointed to God’s generosity. In this sense, the Pilgrims’ later feast was not an invention, but an inheritance—a continuation of a much older rhythm of gratitude.
Medieval Catholic Liturgy: The Heart of Thanksgiving
At the center of medieval Catholic thanksgiving stood the Eucharist, a term itself derived from the Greek eucharistia, meaning “thanksgiving.” Every Mass was, and still is, a sacred offering of gratitude—an act of thanksgiving for Christ’s sacrifice and the continual gift of grace. Through the Eucharist, believers joined heaven and earth in a single act of praise.
Other prayers echoed this theme as well. The chant Non nobis, Domine—“Not to us, O Lord, but to Your name give glory”—often followed military victories or great blessings, humbling even kings before God’s majesty. Thanksgiving was woven into daily life: from the farmer’s field to the monastery choir, from royal chapels to small parish churches. Gratitude was not reserved for one day a year; it was a posture of the soul.
English Traditions: Gratitude at the Harvest
In medieval England, the connection between faith and the harvest was profound. One of the earliest thanksgiving feasts was Lammas Day—celebrated on August 1st—marking the first fruits of the wheat harvest. On this day, the faithful brought loaves of bread to church to be blessed and shared, a literal “thank offering” to God. This act carried both spiritual and communal meaning: bread symbolized sustenance, and its blessing sanctified the work of human hands.
Another custom, Harvest Home, brought together neighbors to celebrate the completion of the harvest season with hymns, food, and rejoicing. While these events were cultural, their tone was deeply religious, rooted in the gratitude and humility of medieval Catholic life. The Church’s liturgical calendar gave rhythm to agricultural life, reminding believers that gratitude belonged to God first.
Transition to Protestant Traditions
When the Reformation reshaped England in the sixteenth century, much of the medieval Catholic liturgy was altered or removed. Yet not everything disappeared. The Church of England, established under Henry VIII, retained certain elements of Catholic thanksgiving—the harvest blessings, prayers of gratitude, and even the singing of Te Deum on special occasions.
Public days of thanksgiving became common after deliverance from national crises, such as the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. These observances blended old Catholic forms with the new Protestant identity—less formalized than a Mass, but still sacred in intent. Gratitude remained a spiritual necessity, even in a time of religious division.
Pilgrims and the First Thanksgiving
When the Pilgrims left England for the New World, they carried with them a lifetime of religious tradition. Their journey was not simply an escape from persecution but a pilgrimage toward spiritual renewal. In 1621, after their first successful harvest in Plymouth, they held what history remembers as the First Thanksgiving—a three-day feast shared with the Wampanoag people.
While the feast reflected their Puritan sensibilities, it also echoed their English and medieval Catholic heritage. The rhythm of harvest gratitude, the act of giving thanks after survival and provision—all of this had deep spiritual roots. Even their prayers and psalms of thanksgiving resembled those sung by their ancestors in English churches generations before. The Plymouth Thanksgiving, in its essence, was not a break from tradition but the rebirth of one—shaped by hardship, faith, and the enduring human need to give thanks.
From Altars to Tables, Catholic Roots of Thanksgiving
The Thanksgiving holiday we know today—complete with family dinners and community outreach—stands at the crossroads of faith and history. From medieval Catholic Eucharistic celebrations and hymns like Te Deum, to Lammas Day blessings and Harvest Home feasts, the spirit of gratitude has always united people across cultures and centuries.
What began as sacred thanksgiving in medieval cathedrals found its way across the ocean and took root in a new land, reshaped by the Pilgrims and their descendants. Today’s Thanksgiving table, though stripped of formal liturgy, still carries the same heartbeat: gratitude for life, sustenance, and the hope of renewal. The ancient prayers may have faded, but the message remains timeless—thanksgiving is not a day on the calendar; it’s a way of seeing the world.
Heinlein, M. R. (2024, November 27). The origins of Thanksgiving: Simply Catholic. Simply Catholic | Helping Catholics know & love the Lord and his Church.
Ahlquist, D. (2023, November 22). The Catholic origins of Thanksgiving. Catholic World Report.
FAQ Section
Was Thanksgiving influenced by medieval Catholic traditions?
Yes. The first Thanksgiving in Plymouth echoed centuries-old Catholic practices of gratitude, such as singing the Te Deum, celebrating the Eucharist, and blessing the harvest during feasts like Lammas Day. These medieval customs helped shape the spiritual foundation of giving thanks that the Pilgrims brought to the New World.
What is the Te Deum, and how was it used in thanksgiving rituals?
The Te Deum is a hymn of praise from the early Church, often sung to thank God for deliverance, victory, or divine blessings. In medieval times, it was performed in both cathedrals and small parishes as a joyful expression of gratitude — the kind of spiritual tone that influenced later thanksgiving traditions.
How did Lammas Day relate to the modern Thanksgiving holiday?
Lammas Day, celebrated on August 1st, marked the first wheat harvest in medieval England. People brought loaves of bread to church to be blessed, symbolizing gratitude for God’s provision. This act of communal thanksgiving foreshadowed the harvest feasts that inspired early settlers in Plymouth.
Did the Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving have religious meaning?
Absolutely. The Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving in 1621 was more than a meal — it was a faith-driven expression of gratitude after surviving hardship. Their celebration reflected both their Puritan beliefs and the harvest thanksgiving customs inherited from their English and medieval Catholic roots.
What is the connection between the Eucharist and thanksgiving?
The very word “Eucharist” means “thanksgiving” in Greek. For medieval Catholics, attending Mass was the ultimate act of gratitude — offering thanks for Christ’s sacrifice and life itself. This deep sense of sacred thanksgiving shaped Western religious culture long before the Pilgrims’ feast.