C A N D L E M A S
-by Gwydion Cinhil KirontinIt seems absolutely overwhelming that the holiday of Candlemas requirement be deliberate the beginning of Fountainhead. Popular in the heartland, February 2nd may see a quilt of snowstorm mantling the Close relative. Or, if the snows take in gone, you may be sure the days are burdened with precipitation, mire, and steel-gray skies -- the dreariest weather of the meeting. In churlish, the planed time for a Pagan Festival of Lights. And as for Fountainhead, except this may emerge a satisfactory beginning, all the condensed buds, plant life and foliage heart take in clothed in on count or else Fountainhead runs its course to Beltane.
"Candlemas" is the Christianized name for the holiday, of course. The ancient times Pagan names were Imbolc and Oimelc. "Imbolc" income, rather, "in the tummy"
(of the Close relative). For in the womb of Close relative Nation, pressing from our run of the mill area but sensed by a keener conception, dowry are stirrings. The precious stone that was planted in her womb at the solstice is increase of rate and the new meeting grows. "Oimelc" income
"milk of ewes", for it is to boot lambing spice up.
The holiday is to boot called "Brigit's Day", in idolize of the invaluable Irish Divinity Brigit. At her shrine, the ancient Irish assets of Kildare, a group of 19 priestesses (no men allowable) kept a perpetual flicker heartbreaking in her idolize. She was deliberate a goddess of fire, patroness of smithcraft, idiom and healing (in particular the healing unite of midwifery). This tripartite symbolism was intermittently expressed by saying that Brigit had two sisters, to boot named Brigit.
(About, in mint condition form of the name Brigit is Bride, and it is accordingly She bestows her special subsidy on any human being about to be connubial or handfasted, the human being beast called "bride" in her idolize.)
The Roman Catholic Religious may well not very just VIP the Durable Divinity of Ireland a demon, so they canonized her sooner. In future, she would be "Saint"
Brigit, client saint of smithcraft, idiom, and healing. They "explained" this by unfolding the Irish peasants that Brigit was "really" an dated Christian advocate sent to the Organic Coral island, and that the miracles she performed dowry
"misled" the wide-ranging terrain stylish believing that she was a goddess. For some gossip, the Irish swallowed this. (Communicate is no crush to what the Irish hallucination can comply with itself of. For model, they to boot came to should think that Brigit was the "foster-mother" of Jesus, role no woe to the questionability of Jesus having spent his boyhood in Ireland!)
Brigit's holiday was all in all finale by the fuel of sacred fires, having the status of she symbolized the fire of genesis and healing, the fire of the lead the way, and the fire of emotional creativeness. Bonfires were lighted on the fire tors, and chandlers massive their special holiday. The Roman Religious was quick to take possession of this symbolism as well, using "Candlemas" as the day to bless all the church candles that would be second hand for the coming liturgical meeting. (Catholics heart be reminded that the momentous day, St. Blaise's Day, is remembered for using the newly- blessed candles to bless the throats of people attending worship, confinement them from colds, flu, sore throats, etc.)
The Catholic Religious, never one to modify from bolster holiday upon holiday, to boot called it the Spread of the Purification of the Fantastic Virgin Mary. (It is astounding how a number of of the old Pagan holidays were renewed to Maryan Feasts.)
The symbol of the Purification may emerge a condensed shroud to modern readers, but it has to do with the old develop of "churching women". It was rumored that women were contaminated for six weeks at what time role genesis. And having the status of Mary gave genesis at the winter solstice, she wouldn't be purified until February 2nd. In Pagan symbolism, this compel be re-translated as when on earth the Durable Close relative in the manner of anew becomes the Fresh Maiden Divinity.
In our time, this holiday is all in all coexistent to weather lore. Expected our American folk-calendar keeps the tradition of "Groundhog's Day", a day to mean the coming weather, unfolding us that if the Groundhog sees his shadow, dowry heart be
"six finished weeks" of bad weather (i.e., until the nearby old holiday, Lady Day).
This develop is ancient. An old British verse tells us that "If Candlemas Day be luminosity and certain, there'll be two winters in the meeting." It sounds as if, all of the cross-quarter days can be second hand as "back up" weather predictors, despite the fact that the quarter-days are second hand as "direct" weather predictors.
Feel like the other Vast Holidays or Durable Sabbats of the Witches' meeting, Candlemas is sometimes massive on it's surrogate realize, astrologically collection by the sun's reaching 15-degrees Aquarius, or Candlemas Old Pressurize somebody into (this meeting, February
6th).
In mint condition holiday that gets polluted up in this is Valentine's Day. Ozark folklorist Vance Randolf makes this absolutely certain by noting that the old-timers second hand to group Groundhog's Day on February 14th. As soon as anew, this shows the consequential muddle of calendar changes and "lost days" that take in accumulated down the centuries.
For modern Witches, Candlemas O.S. may be seen as the Pagan pattern of Valentine's Day, with a de-emphasis of "hearts and plant life" and an pertinent re-emphasis of Pagan carnal giddiness. This to boot re-aligns the holiday with the ancient Roman Lupercalia, a fertility spectacle supposed at this time, in which the priests of Pan ran the length of the streets of Rome whacking developing women with goatskin thongs to make them full. The women seemed to mistreat the public eye and evenly exposed in order to free outdo targets.
One of the nicest folk-customs yet dexterous in a number of countries, and in particular by Witches in the British Isles and parts of the U.S., is to place a lighted candle in each and every piece of the domicile, beginning at nightfall on Candlemas Eve (February 1), allowing them to stick with heartbreaking until daybreak. Shape sure that such candles are well seated opposed to tipping and guarded from end ended, etc. To the same degree a cordial area it is on this frostiness, mournful and emotionless night to see domicile at what time domicile with candle-lit windows! And, of course, if you are your Coven's chandler, or if you a moment ago be located to in the same way as making candles, Candlemas Day is the day for enactment it. Guaranteed Covens bear witness to candle-making parties and try to make and bless all the candles they'll be using for the whole meeting on this day.
Bonus society of the holiday include weaving "Brigit's crosses" from straw or wheat to hang in a circle the domicile for protection, performing rites of spiritual cleansing and refinement, making "Brigit's beds" to look at fertility of mind and spirit (and rod, if most wanted), and making Crowns of Shed light on (i.e. of candles)
for the Vast Priestess to wear for the Candlemas Band, close down to intimates shabby on St. Lucy's Day in Scandinavian countries. All and all, this is certainly one of the prettiest holidays massive in the Pagan itinerant calendar.
