happy? – Feb 2 (Candlemas)

Subject: happy? – Feb 2 (Candlemas)
From: Abby Sale
Date: 02 Feb 06 - 09:28 AM

         It was on Candlemas Day and all in the morning,      [ie, Feb 2]
          They visited The Temple with our heavenly king,
          And was this not a joyful thing,
          And "sweet Jesus," they called him by name.
  
                  "All in the Morning," sung by Sam Hinton on 'Tis the Season

Copyright © 2005, Abby Sale - all rights reserved
What are Happy's all about? See Clicky

Subject: RE: happy? – Feb 2 (Candlemas)
From: Padre
Date: 02 Feb 06 - 07:33 PM

Candlemas

Also known as the Purification of St. Mary the Virgin or the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. I just celebrated a mass for this day. The feast originated in the latter part of the 4th century in the Church at Jerusalem. The Emperor Justinian introduced the feast at Constantinople in 542AD; not long afterwards it was celebrated in Rome, being recorded in both the Gelasian and Gregorian Sacramentaries.

The blessing of candles on this day cannot be traced back earlier than the 11th century.

Padre

Subject: RE: happy? – Feb 2 (Candlemas)
From: Mr Happy
Date: 02 Feb 06 - 07:50 PM

see also here:



thread.cfm?threadid=88483

Subject: RE: happy? – Feb 2 (Candlemas)
From: Jeanie
Date: 03 Feb 06 - 04:25 AM

An old saying from my old mum:

"If Candlemas Day be fair and bright,
Winter will take another flight."

So - was it fine and bright where you live ? If so, keep the thermal undies and the snowboots handy.

- jeanie

Subject: RE: happy? – Feb 2 (Candlemas)
From: Abby Sale
Date: 03 Feb 06 - 09:29 AM

Thanks, Padre. I take it it would be seen pretty much the same in the Eastern Church?

Yep, Many of these holidays did double or triple or even quintuple duty. Especially when one religion overlays another.

Jeanie, where did yer mum learn this? Or at least, where was she brung up?

Subject: RE: happy? – Feb 2 (Candlemas)
From: Jeanie
Date: 04 Feb 06 - 06:37 AM

Abby: My mum was born in 1919, and was brought up on a farm in Lisvane, just outside Cardiff, South Wales, UK. She was full of these kinds of sayings about weatherlore and various "lucky" and "unlucky" things to do (e.g. it's lucky to spit three times if you see a white horse). She died last year, but the tradition goes on - I inflict all this stuff on my daughter, now.

- jeanie

Subject: RE: happy? – Feb 2 (Candlemas)
From: Padre
Date: 04 Feb 06 - 04:16 PM

Abby - I'm not sure how the Eastern Churches treat Feb 2 - probably as a feast of the BVM - but I don't think they do the candle blessing.

Padre

Subject: RE: happy? – Feb 2 (Candlemas)
From: Peace
Date: 04 Feb 06 - 04:20 PM

Origins and History of Candlemas




Candlemas - February 2nd - celebrates the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple and the Purification of the Virgin Mary. As with many festivals in the liturgical calendar, this one has its origins in ancient Rome.

In Roman times, this date was dedicated in honor of Februa - the mother of Mars. Candles were carried through the streets and women observed purification rites. Even today, in many countries, women who had borne children the year before participate in candlelit processions - an activity the Church gladly welcomes as it symbolizes the purification of the Virgin Mary.

In ancient Celtic cultures, the period between February 1st and 2nd is called Imbolc - the first day of spring, midway through the dark half of the year. It was a time when the stirring of new life manifested itself in the first flow of milk in the udders of pregnant ewes - a sure sign that the lambing season was about to begin. The Church tried to replace Imbolc which was dedicated to the Goddess of Youth and Fertility - Bride. Thus, in the 5th century, February 1st became St. Brighid's Day and February 2nd became Candlemas.

There's a popular legend which explains why Candlemas falls immediately after St. Brighid's Day. Mary was very nervous about bringing the infant Jesus to the crowded Temple. St. Brighid promised to help her by distracting the crowds. She did this by appearing to the multitude wearing a headdress bearing many lighted candles. In gratitude, Mary decreed that a feast day honoring St. Brighid should take place the day before Candlemas.
The origin of the term Candlemas in all probability is from the custom of bringing candles to church to be blessed by the priest on February 2nd. They are then take home where they serve as talismans and protections from all sorts of disasters. This custom is the origin for the name Candle-mass.

In Ireland, Candlemas lapsed during the time of the Penal Laws but was revived afterwards. People donated candles to their local church or took their own to be blessed. These would then be used on special occasions such as station Masses or when the holy sacraments were administered to the sick.

Weather forecasts were often made on this date. It was once believed that if the day was sunny and fair, more winter weather was to come, but if a lark was heard singing, that was a sign of an early spring.



I cut and pasted that in full rather than provide a link because the site has lotsa pop ups. It is from

www.twilightbridge.com/festivals/ groundhog_day/candlemas.htm

Subject: RE: happy? – Feb 2 (Candlemas)
From: Abby Sale
Date: 04 Feb 06 - 05:39 PM

Ah. THanks Padre. Yep I caught your 11th c. thing so it couldn't be the same in both.

Here's the Orthodox America take. Each country is essentially independant.

This feast, celebrated on February 2, is known in the Orthodox Church as The Presentation of Christ in the Temple. Another name for the feast is The Meeting of our Lord. Roman Catholic and Protestant Christians call the feast, The Purification of the Holy Virgin. About 450 AD in Jerusalem, people began the custom of holding lighted candles during the Divine Liturgy of this feast day. Therefore, some churches in the West refer to this holy day as Candlemas. The Feast of the Presentation concludes the observances related to the Nativity of Christ, a period that opened on November 15 with the beginning of the Nativity fast.

Jospeh and Mary were not wealthy, so they took two turtle doves with them to offer as a sacrifice at the Temple.
Biblical Story

The story of the Presentation is told in Luke 2:22-29.
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This is one of those fun cases where the Orth calendar is solar.
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Jeanie, thanx. I have a number of such sayings/predictions as printed by the Opies but not that one.