From the Associate Rector - February Manifest '22
February 2nd is a favorite day of mine. First off, it’s my Half Birthday, which was really only a big deal when I was a kid. But it’s also Candlemas, Groundhog’s Day, and the Feast of St. Bridget (also known as Lá Fhéile Bríde in Irish, and also known as the Celtic Pagan holiday Imbolc). All of these feasts are closely linked, well with the exception of my Half Birthday!
In the darkness of winter, The Feast of the Presentation is another feast of light in Epiphany, celebrating as the Prophet Simeon proclaims, “a light for revelation to the Gentiles.” In 542, the Emperor Justinian introduced the feast to the entire Eastern Roman empire in thanksgiving for the end to a great pestilence afflicting the city of Constantinople. Perhaps this is when Pope Gregory I brought the feast to Rome. Inspired by Simeon’s words, by the 11th century, the custom had developed in the West of blessing candles on the Feast of the Presentation. Candles would be lit, and processions would form through darkened churches as the Song of Simeon would be sung. For many Christians, Candlemas marks the actual end of the Christmas season, which means that one indeed may leave their Christmas lights and decorations up until February 2nd if they so wish!
Candlemas is also halfway from the Winter Solstice to the Spring Equinox, and it became linked to weather predictions about the end of winter. Groundhog’s Day is actually adapted from the observance of Candlemas. The Germans had a tradition of marking Candlemas as “Badger Day:” if the weather on Candlemas was sunny, and a badger emerged to see a shadow, it predicted the prolonging of winter. Once in America, the Pennsylvania Dutch changed out the badger for the groundhog, and thus started that tradition.
In Ireland, the 1st to 2nd of February is also St. Bridget’s Day, or Imbolc. It is also a festival of light: it’s the start of spring over there. I realize we are still very much in the throws of winter (there is a foot of snow on the ground as I write this), but may these festivals of light and upcoming spring help us through. I invite us all to light a candle this week. Watch the flickering of the flame. Feel the warmth of the light. As followers of Jesus, we are to reflect and refract the light of Christ so that others may absorb it and feel its warmth and nurture.
I’ll be away from the 31st of January through the 21st of February. Know that you will all be in my prayers, and I hope you will keep me in yours.
Faithfully,
Elise
Tags: Newsletter / Latest Posts