Candlemas
| Part of | Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church  |
|---|---|
| Feast day | 2 February |
| Commemorates | Presentation of Jesus at the Temple |
| Day in year for periodic occurrence | 2 February, February 15 |
| Intangible cultural heritage status | National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage in France |
Candlemas, alias de Mary, anaa de Feast of de Holy Encounter, be sam Christian holiday wey dey commemorate de presentation of Jesus for de Temple. Ebe based upon de account of de presentation of Jesus for Luke 2:22–40 insyd. Under Leviticus 12, na dem for purify sam woman by say dem go present lamb as burnt offering, den either sam young pigeon anaa dove as sin offering, 33 days afta sam boy ein circumcision. Edey fall for 2 February top, wey traditionally be de 40th day (postpartum period) of den de conclusion of de Christmas–Epiphany season.[1] While ebe customary give Christians for sam countries say dem go comot demma Christmas decorations for Twelfth Night (Epiphany Eve) top,[2] menners wey dey oda Christian countries historically dey remove dem afta Candlemas.[3][4] For Candlemas top, chaw Christians (especially Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholics, den sam mainline Protestant denominations wey dey include Lutherans, Anglicans den Methodists) too dey take demma candles dey go demma local church, wer dem dey bless dem den use for de rest of de year;[5][6] for Christians, dese candles wey dem dey bless dey serve as symbol of Jesus Christ, who be Light of de World.[7]
Ein History[edit | edit source]
De Feast of de Presentation anaa Purification be one of de oldest feasts of de church. De pilgrim Egeria record how dem celebrate am for Jerusalem for de 380s insyd:[8]
Ein Customs[edit | edit source]
France den Belgium[edit | edit source]
Catholic churches wey dey France, Belgium, den Swiss Romandy dey celebrate Candlemas (French: La Chandeleur, Dutch: Maria-Lichtmis) for 2 February. Tradition dey talk say dem for nor put away manger scenes till Candlemas, wey be de last feast of de Christmas cycle.
Germany[edit | edit source]
Na Candlemas be sam important date (Lostag) for de year insyd. Na ebe associated plus payment deadlines, fixed employment relationships, den de beginning of de "farmer's year". For addition, chaw customs, weather proverbs, oda sayings, den rhymes be related for dis feast insyd.
Luxembourg[edit | edit source]
Sam descendant of sam ancient torchlight procession, de current tradition of Liichtmëssdag for Luxembourg be sam holiday wey dey children demma body. For small groups insyd, dem dey roam for de streets for afternoon insyd anaa evening of 2 February, wey dem dey hold sam lighted lantern anaa homemade wand, singing traditional songs for each house anaa store, especially "Léiwer Härgottsblieschen". For exchange for de music insyd, dem dey hope say dem go receive sam reward for de form of sweets anaa loose change (formerly bacon, peas, anaa biscuits).[9]
Puerto Rico[edit | edit source]
Dis festivity officially dey finalize de end of Christmas for Catholics for Puerto Rico insyd; de festivities dey include sam procession wer de statue of Nuestra Señora de Candelaria (Our Lady of de Light) dem dey carry am for demma shoulders top. Odas dey follow plus lit candles till dem go reach de church wer dem dey celebrate sam mass. For evening insyd, de festivities may continue plus sam giant bonfire den singing. Sam families for de countryside dey burn demma dried Christmas trees for dis date top as sam culmination of de holiday season.
Canary Islands den Philippines[edit | edit source]
La Virgen de la Candelaria or Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Our Lady of Light anaa Our Lady of Candles), wey dem popularly dey bell am La Morenita, dey celebrate de Virgin Mary for de island of Tenerife top, one of de Canary Islands (Spain). Our Lady of Light be de patron saint of de Canary Islands. De Basilica of Candelaria wey dey Candelaria insyd, dem dey consider Tenerife say ebe de main church wey dem dedicate give de Virgin Mary den sam Basilica minor since 2009.[10] Dem dey celebrate feast for 2 February (Candlemas, Fiesta de la Candelaria) den 15 August as de patronal feast of de Canary Islands.
For Philippines insyd, Our Lady of Candles sana be de patroness give Western Visayas region. For Silang insyd, Cavite, dem dey observe de feast locally as sam triduum from 1 go 3 February, plus 2 February as de actual feast day.[citation needed]
Guatemala[edit | edit source]
De Virgin of Candles be de patron saint give Jacaltenango, wey ein feast dey mark de end of de Christmas season.[10]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Knecht, Friedrich Justus (1910). A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture. B. Herder. p. 410. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
We keep a feast on the 2nd of February, forty days after Christmas, in memory of our Lord's Presentation in the Temple. This feast has several names. First, it is known as the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord Jesus. Secondly, it is called the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. But the usual and popular name for this Feast is Candlemas-day, because on this day candles are blessed before Mass, and there takes place a procession with lighted candles. Candles are blessed and lighted on this particular feast.
- ↑ A Study Guide for William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" (2nd ed.). Cengage Learning. 2016. p. 29. ISBN 9781410361349.
Twelfth Night saw people feasting and taking down Christmas decorations.
- ↑ Edworthy, Niall (2008). The Curious World of Christmas. Penguin Group. p. 83. ISBN 9780399534577.
The time-honoured epoch for taking down Christmas decorations from Church and house in Candlemas Day, February 2nd...Candlemas in old times represented the end of the Christmas holidays, which, when 'fine old leisure' reigned, were far longer than they are now.
- ↑ Roud, Steve (31 January 2008). The English Year. Penguin Books Limited. p. 690. ISBN 9780141919270.
As indicated in Herrick's poem, quoted above, in the mid seventeenth century Christmas decorations were expected to stay in place until Candlemas (2 February), and this remained the norm until the nineteenth century.
- ↑ Hothersall, Barbara. "Candlemas – Festival of Light". Fulwood Methodist Church Magazine. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
In some countries special candles are brought along to the blessing by the worshippers. These are often very elaborate and are highly treasured. Afterwards they are taken home and kept to be lighted at times of stress – during storms, in sickrooms and at the bedside of the dying.
- ↑ Pappas, Christopher A. (18 January 2012). "Ecumenical Candlemas (Feast of the Presentation)". Holy Trinity Anglican Church. Archived from the original on 10 January 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
- ↑ Mazar, Peter (6 March 2015). To Crown the Year: Decorating the Church Through the Seasons (2nd ed.). Liturgy Training Publications. p. 253. ISBN 9781618331328.
- ↑ Holweck, Frederick (1908). "Candlemas". The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 3. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- ↑ "Feste und Traditionen in Luxemburg" (PDF). Apropos (in Luxembourgish). The official portal of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Bayor, Ronald H. (31 July 2011). Multicultural America: An Encyclopedia of the Newest Americans. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9780313357862 – via Google Books.