It’s almost hot chocolate season.
As the days get a little cooler, crisper, and shorter, a warm mug filled with a cozy beverage is beginning to feel like exactly what we all need.
If hot chocolate is your drink of choice, you may be surprised to learn that your favorite cozy drink wouldn’t be what it is today if it wasn’t for Catholics!
It all begins with the ancient Mayan and Aztec civilizations, where a frothy, bitter chocolate drink called xocoatl was a common beverage. Made from ground cacao beans, water, and spices like chili, it bore little resemblance to the sweet, creamy concoction we know today. Luckily for us, Catholics soon stumbled upon this drink and made a few sweet adjustments.
When Spanish conquistadors led by Hernán Cortés encountered the Aztecs in the early 16th century, they took note of this strange, dark drink served by Emperor Montezuma himself. But it wasn’t until the Spanish brought cacao back to Europe that chocolate’s transformation began.
At first, the drink remained quite bitter, and it didn’t immediately catch on. But as cacao spread through Spain, it underwent a Catholic refinement.
Monks in Spanish monasteries were among the first to experiment with the cacao beans, adding sugar, cinnamon, and milk to tame its bitterness. They recognized that chocolate had potential not only as a satisfying treat but also as an aid to their rigorous fasting routines. Drinking chocolate was not considered breaking the fast, as liquids were permitted even when food was not. This made it a perfect solution for priests and monks during Lent and other periods of religious fasting.
From Spain, hot chocolate spread to Italy, where the Catholic elite, particularly within the Vatican, embraced it with enthusiasm. The Italian Jesuits, known for their missions in South America, were instrumental in promoting chocolate back in Europe. By the 17th century, hot chocolate had become popular in French and Austrian courts as well, especially when Italian-born Queen Marie Thérèse of France made it her drink of choice, influencing royal tastes across Europe.
What’s fascinating is how chocolate became entwined with Catholic hospitality. In monasteries and convents, visitors were often offered a cup of hot chocolate as a gesture of warmth and generosity. Even today, in some parts of Spain and Mexico, traditional hot chocolate is still prepared for special Catholic celebrations, like Christmas and feast days.
This fall and winter, as you enjoy your hot chocolate, remind yourself of its Catholic roots and your own Catholic Faith with this beautiful Sacred Heart Prayer Mug! This sturdy ceramic mug features an image of Our Lord’s Most Sacred Heart and the heartfelt prayer, “Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like Yours.” A charming kitchen accessory that will help you grow in humility and love for Our Lord even as the weather gets chilly. Get yours today at The Catholic Company!
