Candlemas

Candlemas (also known as Crêpes day, or Chandeleur) is a Catholic holiday that corresponds with the presentation of Jesus at the Temple. It falls on February 2, which is 40 days after Christmas.

History

The Feast of the Presentation is one of the oldest feasts of the Catholic Church, celebrated since the 4th century AD in Jerusalem. There are sermons on the Feast by the bishops Methodius of Patara (died 312), Cyril of Jerusalem (died 360), Gregory the Theologian (died 389), Amphilochius of Iconium (died 394), Gregory of Nyssa (died 400), and John Chrysostom (died 407). It is also mentioned in the pilgrimage of Egeria (381 - 384), where she confirmed that the celebrations took place in honor of the presentation of Jesus at the Temple.

XXVI. [The Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary.] But certainly the Feast of the Purification is celebrated here with the greatest honour. On this day there is a procession to the Anastasis; all go in procession, and all things are done in order with great joy, just as at Easter. All the priests preach, and also the bishop, always treating of that passage of the Gospel106 where, on the fortieth day, Joseph and Mary brought the Lord into the Temple, and Simeon and Anna the prophetess, the daughter of Famuhel, saw Him, and of the words which they said when they saw the Lord, and of the offerings which the parents presented. And when all things have been celebrated in order as is customary, the sacrament is administered, and so the people are dismissed.

Christmas was, in the West, celebrated on December 25 since, at least, the set year of 354 AD, by Pope Liberius. Forty days after that was automatically February 2. In the Eastern parts of the Roman Empire, Roman consul Justin established the celebration of the Hypapante on February 2, 521 AD.

Consequently, Pope Gelasius may have contributed to the spread, and not necessarily invented, this celebration. Moreover, the link made by Cardinal Baronius between presentation of Jesus at the temple and Lupercalia is likely inaccurate since Lupercalia was not celebrated at Jerusalem and that that was there only that one finds some celebrations of the presentation of Jesus at the temple made around this date. But it appears that it was made important around the time of the Plague of Justinian in 541 before having spread slowly West.

Lupercalia

The ancient Romans celebrated the Lupercalia festival on February 15, a celebration that inspired Lupercus, God of fertility and shepherds. The celebration of Feralia occurred at the same time.

The Lupercalia festival has frequently been linked to the presentation of Jesus at the temple, particularly by Cardinal Cesare Baronio of the 16th century especially for the purification goals that the two festivals both have. Another, Pope Gelasius I wrote a letter to senator Andromachus, who was wanting to reestablish the Lupercalia festival for purification purposes, and the Gelasius sacrament mentioned the celebration of Chandeleur, some have concluded that Pope Gelasius wanted to substitute the pagan festival for a Catholic celebration. The ceremony of making pancakes was similar to the custom of the Vestals at Lupercalia, offering cakes made with wheat old crop so that the following crop is good. At the same time, the Gelasius sacrament suffered a strong influence gallicane and was written between 628 and 731 AD, it is possible that the addition of the celebration was not due to Pope Gelasius. Moreover, when Pope Gelasius addressed Andromachus, he never demonstrated authority, but was content to show, for example, that the Lupercalia festival would no longer have the effect it once had and it was incompatible with Christian ideals. This could be interpreted as evidence of a limited influence the Pope had on the Roman aristocracy.

Imbolc

Among the Celts, the pagan celebration of Imbolc occurred on the first of February. This was in honor of the goddess Brigid celebrated the purification and fertility at the end of winter. The peasants would carry torches and cross the fields in procession, praying to the goddess to purify the ground before planting.

In the churches, they replaced the torches with blessed candles of which their glow was supposed to take away the evil and invite the Christ, the light of the world. Christians returned to their homes in order to bring protection to their homes.In 1372, this celebration would be equally associated with presentation of Jesus at the Temple, in other words, their relevailles.

Crêpes with their round form and their golden color is reminiscent of the sun, which is appropriate symbolism during Candlemas, as this is the time of the year as the days get longer. It is also the time of year when the winter seeds begin to grow. The people therefore used the excess flour to make these crêpes symbolizing of prosperity for the coming year.

The celebration has taken on a Marian character after the appearance of the image de Notre-Dame on the island of Tenerife. In 1497, after the conquest of Tenerife, Alonso Fernández de Lugo, celebrated the first Candlemas dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

The bear

For a long time in Europe, from antiquity to the Middle Ages, bears were symbolic in cult worship. Germans and Scandinavians and, to some extent, the Celts, celebrated the hibernation of the bears at the end of January and beginning of February. However the date (January 24 for most of Europe) was considered the most important part of the celebration. It was the moment when the bears would leave their den and see if the temperature was mild. This festival was characterized by costumes or disguises bear, and mock rapes and abductions of young girls.

For a long time, the Catholic Church sought to eradicate this pagan worship. To do this, it instituted the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple which is celebrated on February 2, which is the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary.

However, the celebrations of the bear and the return of light would continue during bonfires and other torchlight processions. Pope Gelasius I in the fifth century therefore instituted the feast of candles.

From the twelfth to the eighteenth century, Candlemas was called "chandelours" in many areas (including the Alps, Pyrenees, Ardennes) where the memory of the cult of the bear was still very present.

Christian sovereigns and churches in Europe have sought to eradicate long persisted pagan cults. The bear origin hypothesis would, according to some, operative in Rome in the mid-fifth century, where Christmas was set for December 25, and Jerusalem, where the liturgical practice has developed to celebrate the Presentation. There was no need for this light, the Christian calendar itself was changing. Indeed, we see that Candlemas is fixed to February 2, and St. Bridget to February 1 (Brigitt being the name of the Celtic goddess celebrated equivalent date). There is also the Aosta Saint-Ours, St. Blaise (which means "bear"). Moreover, Candlemas is the opening of the carnival period; Golden Bear is the carnival animal par excellence..

Persephone

Still, the candelarum celebration was commemorated in Rome in search of the Goddess of Light Persephone kidnapped by the King of the Other World Hades by her Mother Goddess of Life Demeter. Persephone no longer in our world, the darkness was everywhere, her mother then informed his research with a torch, and ended up getting her daughter would be on Earth and Olympus for 2/3 of the year (period clear), and the Other World (Hell) for 1/3 of the time (winter season). The festive candles symbolizes the return of Light.

February also takes its name from the Latin verb 'februare' which means "purification". Christianity has therefore placed the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin at the time. The purification in question is that of the output of the "winter darkness ". Myths of Sleeping Beauty or Theseus and Ariadne (for example) narrate the release of light (Dawn of the year) by the "solar knight"

Symbolism

France, Belgium, and Swiss Romandy

Chandeleur, also known as crêpes day.

Today Candlemas (candle festival) is always celebrated in the churches on February 2, although it is known equally as crêpes day. Tradition attributes the custom to Pope Gelasius I, who was distributing pancakes to pilgrims arriving in Rome. To celebrate Candlemas, all the candles in the house should be lit. Tradition also asks not put away the manger until Candlemas, which is the last Christmas Day cycle.

It is also said that the pancakes by their round shape and gold, reminiscent of the solar disc, referring to the return of spring after winter dark and cold.

Preparation

There is still today a symbol linked to the preparation of the crêpes. One tradition dating back to the late fifth century and linked to a fertility rite, is to whip the crepes with the right hand while holding a gold coin or failing currency in the left hand, to enjoy prosperity throughout the year and ensures that the pancake lands properly in the pan. It is also said that the first crepe made should be kept in a cupboard to ensure a plentiful harvest later in the year. It is sometimes placed at the top of a wardrobe so the pancake is not seen as moldy so as to not lengthen misery and deprivation.

Luxembourg

Distant relative of an ancient torchlight procession, the current tradition of Liichtmëssdag is a party centered around children. In small groups, they roam the streets in the afternoon or evening of February 2, holding a lighted lantern or homemade wand, to sing traditional songs in each house or store, especially "Léiwer Härgottsblieschen". In exchange for the music, they hope to receive a reward in the form of sweets or loose change (formerly bacon, peas, biscuits).

Mexico

In Mexico, it is traditional to celebrate the presentation of the Christ child in the temple on February 2. The dressing and adoration of the Jesus and family meals around tamales is a very important tradition for Mexicans.

This festival is closely linked to that of the Epiphany, during which, the tasting of the rosca de reyes (kings cake) will determine who will be responsible for organizing Candlemas. Indeed, the one who finds the muñeco (bean-shaped Christ child) in the cake is named as godfather of the child. It is he who will dress the little God (image of the Christ child in the form of dolls of varying size) on Candlemas with richly decorated clothes. It is then brought to the church to be blessed. The memories of these events are often passed from generation to generation in families.

Following this is the family meal. Whoever draws the bean to the Epiphany must also prepare tamales, to remind the Mexican religious past with corn offerings. The whole family is invited to this meal (often the same people for tasting the Rosca to Epiphany), which gives the festival a family dimension and sharing. These celebrations take place not only in Mexico but also in Mexican communities around the world, particularly France. This is why the Mexican tradition also appears among the intangible cultural heritage of France.

United States and Canada

The celebration of Candlemas has largely been replaced in the media by groundhog day.

Poetry

At Candlemas, winter is dying or takes effect.
At Candlemas the open, the big pain.
At Candlemas, great snow and coldness.
At Candlemas, the snow is at its height, which means that it is often at this date that the thickness of the snow is highest in Quebec.
At Candlemas the cold pain.
At Candlemas, the day grows an hour, colloquially
At Candlemas, there it is one hour.
At Candlemas pancakes Quéré to no time .
At Candlemas, Rose did feel that the smell .
Dew Candlemas, winter to its last hour.
If Candlemas crying, winter home.
If the sky is clear or beautiful, we will have more wine than water.

— translation of a Bordelais poem

See also

• Liturgical year

Bibliography

• Mythologie chrétienne, Ph.Walter, éd: Imago.
• La Mémoire du temps. Fêtes et calendriers de Chrétien de Troyes à la Mort Artu., Ph.Walter. Paris : Champion, 1989.
• Proverbes et dictons de toujours. Marie-Odile Mergnac et Thomas Köhler. Paris, Archives et cultures 2008.