What are these unusual yet familiar female forms that ressemble enormous vessels? Fleshy, sexual yet architectural at the same time. They stand tall in a strong and static poise on a geometrical basis. And then they offer openings, flowering buds, sharp bird beaks, outreaching horns in the form of fertile crescents.
During my studies of the old civilisations of Europe and the old belief systems of Goddesses and Gods of Old Europe I came across the tale of the Three Bethen, a female triad of pagan goddesses rooted in pre-Christian religion, that later were reformed into martyr saints.
South of Munich, there is a little valley with a river running through it. It is called Mühltal (Mill Valley). The area is especially known for its Celtic remains, including several hill grave cemeteries. It is remarkably rich with natural wells.
Branching off sideways from the valley, there is the tiny hamlet of Leutstetten. After entering the chapel at the village entrance the visitor notices an image of three women on the right wall. The image is from 1620 CE. According to local lore, it depicts three noble virgins who never married and gave all their money to church as a donation in order to enable the building of the chapel. The chapel was built and the image of the three women, who are known today as ‘the three sacred virgins’, was put inside in remembrance of their noble deed. Their names are inscribed as ‘AINPET, GBERPET, FIRPET’. Since there is a castle adjacent, one could think of three unmarried noblewomen devoting their lives to god and their money to the church, hoping for a good afterlife in paradise.
But Local historians have checked it and found not a single piece of evidence confirming its truth. The three virgins were apparently neither born nor did they die. And in the church registers, which have survived into our times safe and sound, the donation at Leutstetten does not shine up.
And this makes very good sense! Because Ainpet, Gberpet and Firpet never lived as humans. Nor are they Christian saints. They are pagan goddesses, deeply rooted in the pre-Christian European past. Pagan goddesses in a Catholic church?
Well, this is a long story!
In Bavaria, the three women in the chapel are mostly known as Ainbeth, Borbeth and Wilbeth. Since their names all end with ‚ beth‘, they are usually called‚ die drei Bethen’ (the three Bethen)
‘Beten’ in modern German means ‘to pray’. Probably the act of worshipping the Bethen was so important and widespread that their name left its mark on the word for praying to them. Firpet or Firbet, the name of the third woman on the Leutstetten image, in modern German sounds pretty much like ‘Fürbitte’ (intercession). In there early times people had no beds (German 'Bett') but would lay down on the earth, “in mother’s lap”. 'Sich betten', means to lay down for the night for sleep.
The Bethen were venerated especially in the presence of trees, wells and stones. This finds its expression in the terms ‘Bethelbäume'(Bethen trees),’Bethenbrunnen’ (Bethen wells) and ‘Bethensteine’ (Bethen stones). As we know, worship at wells, in forest groves and near unusual stones was a widespread feature in Celtic and Germanic religion, so we can safely assume that the Bethen cult has pre-Christian roots.
Some ‘Betensteine’ have been renamed into ‘Muttergottessitze’ (Our Lady’s seats)
Why are the Bethen three?
There are several theories to that.
One theory says that the Bethen are personifications of Sun, Moon and Earth, expressing the triad of heaven, earth and underworld.
Another theory says that the three Bethen represent the three stages in the fertility cycle of a woman. White is the state of the maiden, red (blood) is the state when a woman is able to have children, while black is the state of the old woman beyond her fertility. This would link the Bethen to the classical neopagan triad of ‘maiden, mother and crone’.
The Austrian author Georg Rohrecker gives an interpretation of the colors as follows: white – becoming, waxing – sunrise red – fertility, being in full blood – midday black – waning, going down, being at home – nightfall.
