NOTICE - This article was submitted by the author for inclusion in the Arts and Science Archives of the Barony of Dragon's Laire. Copyright to the contents of this file remains with the author. While the author will likely give permission for this work to be reprinted in SCA type publications, please check with the author first or check for any permissions granted at the end of this file. ----Thank you, Rycheza z Polska, webminster
What is the significance of February 2nd??? Throughout ancient, medieval and modern history this day has been very important. It has the unique position of being 40 days after the Birth of Christ…. And scientifically or mathematically speaking, it marks the day that winter is half over! After February 2nd, Winter is on the downside. It is not one holiday, it is FOUR!!
Candlemas, St. Brighid's Day, Imbolc and Groundhog Day. Both the Christian and Pagan traditions celebrate the festival with candles and a sense of a new beginning, the return of Spring, and optimism about the upcoming year.
It is a mark of the mid-point of winter. In the past, women would check their cupboards then, to see if they were indeed only halfway through their winter provisions.
TODAY is
Candlemas: In everyday modern life we are hardly aware that on February 2nd we celebrate an ancient feast, common to the Church of both East and West. Candlemas is a traditional Christian festival that commemorates the ritual purification of Mary 40 days after the birth of her son. It also marks the presentation of the infant Jesus in the temple. At the end of the 40 days, the mother was brought to the Temple or synagogue and ritually purified. Now she can go to religious services again, and generally go out in public. So we celebrate the ritual Purification of the Virgin Mary, the specified forty days after she gave birth to Jesus (or, we used to.) This is the official END of the Christmas Holiday.
The Feast of Purification is called Candlemas because that was the day on which the year's supply of candles for the church were blessed. Christians were observing Candlemas in Jerusalem as early as the 4th century AD.
By the middle of the 5th century, candles were lit on this day to symbolize that Jesus Christ was the light, the truth and the way.
Finally, Candlemas is a cross quarter day, halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. Many northern European pagans (persons who were not Christian, Jewish or Muslim) celebrated in various ways on the quarter days and cross quarter days. The early Christians made a big celebration out of
Candlemas, which gave new Christian converts something else to do when they might otherwise have been tempted to backslide. This is a very old tradition. We celebrate Christmas on December 25 because the early Roman Church wanted its flock to have something else to do during the pagan celebration of Saturnalia.
TODAY is St. Brighid's DAY : In Ireland, the Candlemas holiday is called Là Fhèill Brìghde nan coinnlean (The feast day of Brìghde of the candles). Bìghde is Bridget of Kildare, the Celtic goddess of fire, the hearth, smithy, fields, poetry, and childbirth. She also gives blessings to women who are about to marry. Women still bear her name on their wedding day to honor her. They are called [a] Bride for the day, in honor of the Goddess Brigit. At her shrine, which was the ancient Irish capitol of Kildare, a group of 9 priestesses kept a perpetual flame burning in her honor. She was considered a goddess of fire, patroness of
smithcraft, poetry and healing (especially the healing touch of midwifery).
When Ireland was Christianized, veneration of the Pagan Goddess Brigid was transformed into that of St. Brigit, said to be the human daughter of a Druid. The St. Brighid's Cross made from straws is famous … as at her father's deathbed she used it as an example of how THREE can also be ONE in explaining the Holy Trinity. Upon his deathbed she is credited in converting him to Christianity. To this day, households place a St. Brighid's cross over the doorway to keep away hunger and bless the house. St. Brighid is second ONLY to St. Patrick as the most important Saint of Ireland.
St. Brigit became a saint after her "death" and was supposedly converted and baptized by St. Patrick. Pagan lore was incorporated into the Christian traditions and legends associated with Her as a saint. She was associated with miracles and fertility. Into the 18th century a women's only shrine was kept to her in Kildare (meaning Church of the Oak) in Ireland. There, nineteen nuns tended Her continually burning sacred flame.
Today is
Imbolc! : Imbolc, or Imbolg, and Oimelc. Imbolg means “in the belly (womb)”: in the womb of Mother Earth, life is stirring anew. Oimelc means “ewes’ milk”, because this time marks the beginning of lambing season when the lactating began. Originally, the festival might have varied from one locale to another. Brighid is midwife to Spring, and is honoured at the Druidic feast of Imbolg
(Candlemas), on 2 February. “Candlemas” is the Christian name for this feast day. The kindling of sacred fires was the main activity of
Imbolg, since She personified the fire of birth and healing, the fire of the forge, and the fire of poetic inspiration; bonfires were lighted on the beacon
tors. Another activity that took place on Imbolg was the making of all the candles that would be needed for the coming year.
Chandlers (candle-makers) considered Imbolg a special holiday. The “candle” symbolism of Imbolg was appropriated by the Catholic Church, using “Candlemas” as the day to bless all the church candles that would be used in the coming year. Traditionally, the festival begins on the evening of February 1st. When the Catholic Church abolished the celebration of Imbolc in the ninth century, they substituted the holy day of
Candlemas, on the 2nd of February.
TODAY is Groundhog Day! February 2nd, also known as Groundhog Day in the United States. (The groundhog being the counterpart of the British hedgehog, also known to predict the next six weeks' weather.)
A Scottish Poem:
If Candlemas day be fair and bright, Winter will have another flight.
If Candlemas day be shower and rain, Winter is gone and will not come again.
Can YOU see YOUR Shadow today???
Permission is granted for republication in
SCA-related publications, provided the author is credited and receives a copy.
Contact the
webminster
for more information or additional permissions.
Checkout our activities on the Candlemas page or return to: Article Archive/Arts and Science Archives/Home Page