Also known as:
• Our Lady of the Candles
• Candlemas
• Purification of the Blessed Virgin
• Our Lady of the Candles
• Candlemas
• Purification of the Blessed Virgin
Feast
• 2 February
About the Feast
According to the Mosaic Law, 40 days after the birth of a child a new mother had to “purify” herself by offering a sacrifice to God. Today would be 40 days after Christmas, and therefore the Purification of the Blessed Virgin.
The practice of “Churching a Woman” after childbirth is a throwback to this Old Testament, post partum purification. Back when Roman Catholicism was much more fun, it was very common that mothers did not come to church, even for their newborn’s baptism, prior to 40 days after birth and their “full recovery”. There is a short ceremony in the church vestibule, the priest, vested in surplice and white stole, sprinkles her with holy water in the form of a cross. Recites scripture and leads her into the church. It is still pretty common in Ireland I’m told.
Traditionally, all the candles used in church are blessed on this day commemoration of the words of Simeon concerning Christ “a light to the revelation of the Gentiles” and a procession with lighted candles is held in the church to represent the entry of Christ, the Light of the World, into the Temple of Jerusalem. In the Middle Ages there were candles everywhere in the Cathedrals, like a warehouse of wax, laying around today waiting for the Bishop to bless them. This blessing ceremony is why we call it “Candlemas”.
The tradition of “Groundhog Day” is really a Protestantization and debasing of a Middle Ages custom for this day, it was said:
If Candlemas be clear and bright then winter shall put up a fight;
If Candlemas there be rain then winter shall not come again
Or:
If Candlemas be dry and fair
The half o' winters to come, and more
If Candlemas day be wet and foul
The half o' winter's gone at Yule.
All apologies to Puxatawney Phil, but why did we need to change this holy day into paying reverence to a rodent?
• 2 February
About the Feast
According to the Mosaic Law, 40 days after the birth of a child a new mother had to “purify” herself by offering a sacrifice to God. Today would be 40 days after Christmas, and therefore the Purification of the Blessed Virgin.
The practice of “Churching a Woman” after childbirth is a throwback to this Old Testament, post partum purification. Back when Roman Catholicism was much more fun, it was very common that mothers did not come to church, even for their newborn’s baptism, prior to 40 days after birth and their “full recovery”. There is a short ceremony in the church vestibule, the priest, vested in surplice and white stole, sprinkles her with holy water in the form of a cross. Recites scripture and leads her into the church. It is still pretty common in Ireland I’m told.
Traditionally, all the candles used in church are blessed on this day commemoration of the words of Simeon concerning Christ “a light to the revelation of the Gentiles” and a procession with lighted candles is held in the church to represent the entry of Christ, the Light of the World, into the Temple of Jerusalem. In the Middle Ages there were candles everywhere in the Cathedrals, like a warehouse of wax, laying around today waiting for the Bishop to bless them. This blessing ceremony is why we call it “Candlemas”.
The tradition of “Groundhog Day” is really a Protestantization and debasing of a Middle Ages custom for this day, it was said:
If Candlemas be clear and bright then winter shall put up a fight;
If Candlemas there be rain then winter shall not come again
Or:
If Candlemas be dry and fair
The half o' winters to come, and more
If Candlemas day be wet and foul
The half o' winter's gone at Yule.
All apologies to Puxatawney Phil, but why did we need to change this holy day into paying reverence to a rodent?
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