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Today is Candlemas, or the Feast of the Presentation of the Jesus at the temp. Although it’s officially been several weeks since Ordinary time began, there is a sort of subdivision of this time of the year into feasts as calculated by Christmas and the Epiphany, and feasts as calculated by Easter. Candlemas is the last feast to be calculated from Christmas. Forty days from the Nativity (Christmas), Candlemas always falls on February 2nd.
So it’s been upstaged in recent years by Punxsatawney Phil.
There is also an argument made that by its date Candlemas derives from Imbolc, a Celtic festival celebrating the decline of winter. I’m personally skeptical about the literal argument, inasmuch as Candlemas was first celebrates as such in Jerusalem (with a procession honoring both Jesus and Mary), whereas Imbolc would have been predominantly celebrated in continental Europe. Literally speaking, St. Brigid’s day is a better candidate for Imbolc, following on literally the same day and celebrated in the same regions. That said, there’s no reason to dispute the spiritual consonance between the two holidays. It’s often discouraging that people are so engaged with the factual nature of an argument (and Christian theologians are, I think, as guilty of this as anyone) that they sometimes neglect the non-coincidental presence of a universal theme.
That is, Candlemas marks Christs’ reception into society, and the extraordinary events of his Presentation prefigure those that will define his baptism, his ministry, and ultimately his sacrifice. While our calendars and minds tend to emphasize the Nativity, his actual birth, as a cause for celebration, Candlemas is unique in that it focuses on Christ’s social presence, an aspect of his life on earth equally essential to carrying out his mission.
Imbolc, given the Celtic preoccuptation with astronomy, is likely placed as the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. The word means “in milk” and celebrates the annual lactation of ewes who would give birth in the Spring. Not only did both holiday’s relate to spring, but they are all defined specifically in realtion to the literal genesis and response of life in the coldest and darkest times of the year. And this too, can be tied into Groundhog’s Day, which is itself an examination of temperature and darkness and new beginnings.
Some people will find Punxatawney Phil as credible a source as the Bible, and I’ve friends, actually, who do celebrate Imbolc. Other friends, atheists and agnostics, follow astronomy closely, and the lengthening of the days that noticibly accelerates this month is one of the first astronomical concepts to be acknowledged and understood. So we can vary in details, often significantly, but it’s useful to recall that in many ways, we also notice, respond to, and celebrate the same experiences.
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Want to celebrate? Fortunately, many of the varigated traditions discussed above coincide in their celebration. Firstoff, light candles. Several candles or several dozen candles: as many as you can light.
Second, if you have any Christmas decorations still up, take them down. This is your last chance to do so “seasonably,” though most likely you already have.
Third, fix a dinner of pancakes and eggs. They are grain-based products which ties into the agricultural roots. More significantly, they’re round and light in color, correspoinding to an increase in sunlight.
Fourth, take a moment to steep in the winter while thinking about Spring. Let them swirl around in your head and chest, like a cold would. Phlegmatically. Oh, has this blog gotten over New-Agey? Here then:
Fifth, it’s also a fertility festival. So…
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