My Moravian Heritage: From a 10th Generation Moravian

By: Stella Bovender

I’m Moravian, which means on Christmas Eve, I get burned by the very hot beeswax that drips from serving candles to churchgoers at Lovefeast. I’m Moravian, which means on Easter, I’m awake at 12 in the morning proclaiming the Lord’s resurrection with a saxophone on the streets of Old Salem. I’m Moravian, which means I’m related to at least a quarter of the graveyard you live next to at Salem College.

If you haven’t guessed already, I’m Moravian! 10th (or 9th) generation on my mom’s side, and at least 6th generation on my dad’s side. I like to say Moravians were Protestants before Protestantism was cool because our martyr, Jan Hus, called out the abuses of the Catholic Church before the famous Martin Luther nailed his theses to the door. The history of the Moravians is vast, but in short, the Moravians came over from Germany to escape religious persecution and established the settlement in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Then they came to North Carolina and established Bethabara, Bethania, and Old Salem respectively.

My family has connections not just in Old Salem, but from the older Moravian settlements of Bethabara and Bethania. I have family buried in each graveyard (mostly at Bethania). I’m related to the Spach family, who built buildings in Old Salem. I have yet to discover my full Moravian family tree but believe me when I say I have a lot of cousins everywhere in Winston-Salem. 

One of the things I like about being Moravian is our traditions. I’m sure some of y’all have heard about Moravian Lovefeasts. If you love to eat and drink in church, then come to a Moravian Lovefeast, where we eat bread, drink coffee, and get burnt by candle wax. If you’re free one Christmas Eve, come by a Moravian church! We welcome all!