This article was born from a quiet spring morning in Austria, walking beside Christa Berger, who introduced me to a tradition I had never encountered before: the eating of nettles on Gründonnerstag, the Thursday before Easter. As I followed her through the awakening countryside, she showed me which nettles to gather, how to prepare them, and what this dish meant—culturally, spiritually, and personally.
The experience was documented in a short video, which I’ve included below. What follows is a reflection not only on how nettles are prepared, but also on why they matter, and what they might still teach us.
1. The Origins of Gründonnerstag — Weeping or Greening?
Traditionally, Gründonnerstag has been interpreted as deriving from the Old High German gronan or greinen, meaning “to weep.” This linked the day to penance, sorrow, and purification before Easter.
But Christa Berger challenges this etymology. In her blog post and personal conversations, she suggests a more life-affirming interpretation:
„Man geht davon aus, dass das ‘Grün’ ursprünglich nichts mit der Farbe zu tun hatte, sondern auf das althochdeutsche ‘grīnan’ – also weinen – zurückzuführen sei. Ich habe da meine Zweifel.“ „Der Gründonnerstag war seit jeher mit grünen Speisen verbunden. Warum also nicht doch die Farbe? Warum nicht das Erwachen der Natur als Hinweis auf das spirituelle Erwachen in der Karwoche?“
“It is assumed that ‘Grün’ originally had nothing to do with the colour but derived from the Old High German ‘grīnan’ – to weep. I have my doubts. Gründonnerstag has always been associated with green foods. So why not the colour? Why not the awakening of nature as a reflection of spiritual awakening in Holy Week?”
Her insight reframes the day. It suggests that people weren’t just weeping—they were welcoming. That “green” wasn’t just an accident of language, but a symbol of the world reawakening—and of ourselves doing the same.
2. A Meal Rooted in Ancient Practice
As Christa explained and I witnessed, this is not just about cooking—it’s about ritual. The gathering of wild plants marks our reentry into nature after winter. The softening of their sting mirrors a kind of inner gentling. The final dish becomes a rite of seasonal transition.
This practice predates Christianity. In Celtic and Germanic spring rites, bitter herbs symbolised vitality and purification. The Church adopted this into Holy Week fasting traditions. A 14th-century Benedictine text from Regensburg describes a “Donnerstagssuppe” made from nettles, daisies, sorrel, and chervil—all considered spiritually and physically cleansing.
“In der Klosterregel des heiligen Benedikt war die Einnahme einfacher, grüner Speisen am Gründonnerstag vorgesehen.” (The Rule of St. Benedict prescribed the consumption of simple green dishes on Maundy Thursday.) — Kühn (1907)
3. The Chemistry of Transformation
Christa explained with calm certainty that the sting disappears with heat. The tiny trichomes—hollow hairs on the nettle—are filled with histamine, formic acid, serotonin, and acetylcholine. These sting when touched. But once blanched or soaked in hot water, they collapse, their chemicals denature, and what remains is nutritious, mild, and tender.
The plant becomes rich in chlorophyll, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, potassium, and antioxidants.
This transformation is not just physical. It is symbolic: what was once painful becomes healing. It’s chemistry, yes—but also metaphor, theology, and memory.
4. Historical and Traditional Uses of Nettles
4.1. Bronze Age Culinary Use Nettle stew has been identified in archaeological remains from Bronze Age Britain, indicating its role in early diets (The Guardian, 2011).
4.2. Ancient Nettle Pudding The oldest known British recipe, dating back to c. 6000 BCE, includes nettle pudding made from foraged herbs and grains (AntiquityNOW, 2015).
4.3. Medieval European Practices Nettles were commonly used by medieval monastic communities in soups, teas, and beers due to their nutritional and medicinal value (Duncanson, 2022).
4.4. Indigenous North American Use Native American tribes, such as the Winnebago and Coastal Salish, consumed nettles as tonics and used them in spiritual and medicinal contexts (North Cascades Institute, 2018).
4.5. Irish Nettle Soup Tradition Generations of Irish families consumed nettle soup as a seasonal tradition, especially in spring (Stair na hÉireann, 2022).
4.6. Lenten Practices in Tyrol Lenten nettle soups are still consumed in parts of Austria, where fasting traditions permit nourishing soups during Ash Wednesday (Seefeld Tourism, 2024).
5. Nettles in Catholic and Christian Contexts
5.1. St. Hildegard of Bingen St. Hildegard described nettle juice as a treatment for forgetfulness and circulatory ailments, reflecting Benedictine medicinal traditions (Book of Deer, 2023).
5.2. St. Benedict’s Mortification According to Pope Gregory the Great’s Dialogues, St. Benedict used nettles and brambles to mortify his flesh and overcome temptation (Cooper, 2013).
5.3. Mortification Practices at Fatima The child seers of Fatima used stinging nettles in acts of self-mortification as part of their penance and prayer rituals (Diocese of Westminster, 2023).
6. Culinary and Liturgical Applications
6. 1. Cornish Yarg Cheese This cheese, wrapped in nettles and aged in a monastic-inspired method, illustrates a religious-adjacent tradition of nettle use in food preservation (Wikipedia, 2024).
6.2. Monastic Lenten Soups Nettle soups were part of monastic menus during Lent, offering sustenance while adhering to dietary restrictions (Duncanson, 2022).
7. The Preparation: As Christa Makes It
Here is how Christa prepared it, as I watched—and later tasted:
Step 1: Soaking in hot water She begins by soaking the nettles in hot water. This neutralises the sting and draws out minerals into the water. She sets that water aside.
Step 2: Removing the hard stems She cuts away the coarse lower stems, which would remain tough even after cooking.
Step 3: Blanching the leaves again A second blanch in hot water finishes the softening, enhances colour, and prepares the leaves for cooking.
Step 4: Roasting onions and garlic In a pan, she roasts chopped onion and garlic. Their sweet and pungent base is a nod to both Austrian countryside kitchens and monastic simplicity.
Step 5: Adding the nettles She stirs the softened leaves into the pan, gently folding them into the golden aromatics.
Step 6: Reintroducing the soaking water The strained water from Step 1 is poured back in—vitamin- and mineral-rich, it becomes a kind of broth.
Step 7: Simmering to finish Everything is simmered until soft and fragrant—a quiet, humble green stew.
Step 8: A final touch of nutmeg Right at the end, Christa adds grated Muskatnuss (nutmeg). This warming spice was once considered medicinal, even sacred. It brings a final harmony to the dish—both grounding and fragrant.
8. Why Nettles? Why Now?
Nettles are everywhere. They are common, overlooked, even cursed. But when treated with respect and understanding, they become nutrient-rich, flavourful, and deeply symbolic.
They grow where soil has been disturbed—like people, they thrive despite trouble.
Their sting teaches caution. Their transformation offers hope.
They embody the central movement of Holy Week: what stings becomes a blessing; what is bitter becomes whole.
9. Final Reflection
Had Christa not guided me through the meadow that morning, I might never have known this tradition. But now, having picked the nettles, watched them transform, and tasted them by her side—I see it clearly:
This is what tradition is meant to be. Alive, personal, seasonal, shared.
This article is for her, and for everyone returning to the green.
Watch the Meal Being Made
(Video embedded on this page.)
About the Contributor
Christa Berger is an Austrian writer, folklorist, and cultural educator whose blog Der Steirische Brauch celebrates the enduring traditions of rural Styria. Her work weaves together history, food, and spirituality, bringing old customs to life through storytelling and practice. She introduced me to the Gründonnerstag nettle meal, and her reflections shaped every part of this article.
References
Here is the combined and alphabetically ordered reference list in proper academic style:
References
AntiquityNOW. (2015). Ancient Nettle Pudding: Britain’s Oldest Recipe. Retrieved from https://antiquitynow.org
Christa Berger (pers. comm.), 2025. Field notes and preparation instructions.
Cooper, A. (2013). Benedict Among the Brambles: A Revisionary Reading of Gregory the Great’s Life of Benedict. Academia.edu. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/3863423
