if candlemas be fair and bright
Candlemas, given its occurrence in the beginning of February, also became a day on which people would prognosticate the arrival of spring according to its sunny or cloudy skies, as the lyrics of one old English song goes, "If Candlemas be fair and bright, / Come, Winter, have another flight; / If Candlemas bring clouds and rain, / Go, Winter, and come not again." If Candlemas day be shower and rain, Winter is gone and will not come again. Even before our friends the groundhogs got involved, Candlemas was associated with predicting when spring would come. Three loud cracks sounded as its branches broke. At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus the Word made flesh. bell represents a day that will pass before the unfortunate news is learned. And if this saying is true, there's hope for that. The mother continued to stay at home for 33 days for her blood to be purified. According to North American folklore, if a groundhog emerges fromor is coaxed fromits burrow, where it has been dreamily hibernating, on February 2 (which is about midway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox), then sees its shadow and subsequently retreats into its burrow, the sleepy rodent of the squirrel family thereby presages six more weeks of wintery weather. Candlemas became an important date to these Christians in the centuries following their conversion. marked the mid-way point between the Winter Candlemas is known as Ground-hog Day, for on that day the ground-hog comes annually out of his hole, after a long winter nap, to look for his shadow. And that tradition of processing with candles on this day is a very old one. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Something shared (winter) on a completely different note, considering I live in Mexico. His department always has a Groundhog Day party, even in perennially-sunny Los Angeles but he says you don't have to be a "marmot enthusiast" (as he describes himself) to get something out of the day. The Christian church later expanded this idea into the festival of Candlemas, which commemorates the moment when the Virgin Mary went to the Temple in Jerusalem 40 days after Jesus' birth to be purified and present him to God as her firstborn. Germany went a step further by making animals specifically hedgehogs part of the proceedings. Phil did not see his shadow. the West, the date of Christmas is now fixed at December 25, and Candlemas Copyright 2023 NPR. Forty days after His birth, Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple for the rites of purification and dedication as prescribed by the Torah. "There's the instincts and the intuition and the imagination that every human being has that has to come into balance with logic and reason.". A rhyme called "Ceremony upon Candlemas Eve" by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674) Second, Candlemas Day also was important in the lives of farmers. It made me think about the passage and circle of time, of the constancy of the land on which we live and the transient nature of human life. indoors. The sun is nice today; Id like more of that, please, Im ready to laze in the hot place with a book. The holy family wouldnt even be living in Bethlehem by then, rhey were only there for a brief visit, to participate in the census. Due to the poor weather at Daniel Blumstein is a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UCLA who studies marmots, the group of 15 species of large ground squirrels that includes groundhogs. "I hope that people have some greater appreciation of marmots and nature, and I hope that people have a chuckle over the idea that it's the middle of the winter and we're hoping that a rodent will tell us what the future is," says Blumstein. If Candlemas be fair and bright, Come winter, have another flight. Attended at the Cathedral in the morning at the ceremonies of Candlemas Day .. More than several/a few/a couple of you have asked. get nicer. the birth and nursing of the spring lambs as a sign of the first stirrings late? He held baby Jesus in his arms and blessed God, saying, Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace; you have fulfilled your word. This custom of trusting a hibernating animal to prognosticate the arrival of spring is believed to have European roots and, incidentally, falls on the same day as the Christian feast of Candlemas. My mum came out with the Doric version yesterday, one day I dont think I would mind snow! If Candlemas Day be fair and bright Winter will have another fight. For my eyes have witnessed your saving deed, displayed for all the peoples to see: A revealing light to the Gentiles, the glory of your people Israel (Lk 2:29-32). Is the Real Stone of Scone Hidden at Finlaggan? Yay! At the same time, technological advances have made us less in tune with the changing of the seasons: People once looked up to the stars and sun to determine the time of day or year; now they look down at their cell phone screens. He has a theory for why Groundhog Day became, and remains, so popular in the U.S. "Throughout history, whenever there has been a real strong emphasis on science, its counterpart of intuition, instinct, emotion, imagination the right side of our brain pushes back a little bit," Harman says, explaining that Groundhog Day took off right around the time of the industrial revolution. But most people in the Church know it as Candlemas. Jesus the light who shines in the darkness and who guides us on our journey in the darkness that so often seems to surround us. It dates back to ancient traditions first pagan, then Christian marking the halfway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox, says Troy Harman, a history professor at Penn State University who also works as a ranger at Gettysburg National Military Park. But if it be dark with clouds and rain, winter is gone and will not come again. The procession represents the entry of Jesus as light of the world into the temple. Its nice to think of it being warm elsewhere. The If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Winter will not come again." Ritual purification stems back to a Jewish tradition that women were considered unclean after the birth of a child. My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord! So if the bright sun overshadows the brightness of Candlemas Day, there will be more winter. Candlemas hot or cold is a world of difference. One moose, two moose. In England, they used a hedgehog as a meteorologist; in Germany, a badger. (Anonymous Scottish poem) Plus, if it is sunny out, marmots are theoretically big enough to cast a shadow by standing up. of winter, with the promise of spring to come. Some of the best insights into the history of families and communities in this province can be garnered from the pages of the hundreds of diaries that have been deposited into archives in the province. Go hereto sign up for occasional emails that always include some exclusive photos and news of my writing and life. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute("id","a1b60d840fe181a41e8e61828534ddea");document.getElementById("b2348bb89a").setAttribute("id","comment"); John Rogers, the first Protestant martyr of Mary I, http://www.wellscathedral.org.uk/worship/the-seasons-at-wells-cathedral/candlemas/. The verb to present (paristanai) also means to offer, which evokes Jesus being presented as the priest who will offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice to free us from the slavery of sin, seal the new and eternal covenant with His blood, and open the gates to the true promised land of heaven. (One could say it's almost like the 1993 comedy "Groundhog Day" or even exactly like that.). In Branch, St. Marys Bay an expression that is particular to Candlemas Day was the expression: Half your prog and half your hay, On Groundhog Day, the fate of spring is determined in the quaint town of Punxsutawney, Pa. These cookies do not store any personal information. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. It was believed that women were impure for six weeks after giving birth and Let me give you a clue to the first two titles. Various traditions developed about Candlemas, including the following: Weather Predictions Candlemas was the day when some cultures predicted weather patterns. It appears that the practice of blessing candles was frowned upon after the Reformation, with Archbishop Thomas Cranmer writing to Bishop Bonner on 27th January 1548 informing him that the Lord Protector has decided "that no candles should be borne upon Candlemas Day, nor also from henceforth ashes or palms used any longer." Farmer's Proverbs 'A farmer should, on Candlemas Day, Have half his corn and half his hay.' 'On Candlemas Day if the thorns hang adrop, You can be sure of a good pea crop.' German Proverb. The groundhog is a woodchuck. 638,586. Here in southern B.C., we usually experience only a few days of snow, but this year it lasted over a month. The half o' winter gane at Yule. In the Anglican church, it is called the Presentation of Christ at the Temple in Jerusalem. "I see a shadow on my stage, and so no matter how you measure, it's six more weeks of winter weather," a handler read off the scroll he said Phil had chosen. If Candlemas be fair and bright, Come, winter, have another flight; If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Go winter, and come not again. Though it incorrectly states that Jesus waa presented at the temple in Bethlehem. Copyright The Learn English Network - All Rights Reserved. Winter will have another fight. If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain, Our Autumn/Spring will begin soon , Ive nominated you for a Versatile Blogger Award : In the Greek Church, it is called Hypapante (a word for "meeting"), in reference to Jesus' meeting in the temple with the aged Simeon, to whom it had been revealed that he would not die before the meeting of the Messiah. We must be the beacon that guides others to Christ. It is believed to be an alteration of either the Ojibwa otchig or the Cree otcheck, both of which mean "fisher" or "marten.". Thats title number one. People believed that Candlemas predicted the weather for the rest of the winter. In the diaries of Edward Morris,Mr. Morris observed on February 2, 1871. Its the same tradition that is celebrated in the old English rhyme which also gives us the second of the five titles: If Candlemas Day be fair and bright,Winter will have another flight;If Candlemas Day be wind and rain,Winter has gone and will not come again. All have the same theme: sunny and cold is bad news, windy and wet is good. This tradition may have European roots and coincides with the Christian holiday of Candlemas, which was about the purification of the Virgin Mary, but also used to indicate the first signs of spring. In fact, the feast of the Presentation of Jesus thats title number three counting Christmas Day as day one, is kept 40 days after Christmas as it has been since the 4thcentury. Allow us to elucidate. Another tradition holds that anyone who hears funeral bells tolling on Candlemas It was a campsite halfway between the Allegheny and the Susquehanna Rivers. If Candlemas Day be fair and bright, Winter will have another flight; If Candlemas Day be wind and rain, Winter has gone and will not come again. And a tradition which in normal times we keep at St Johns in common with Christians around the world as we celebrate the light of Jesus in our lives. How many did you get? The first Gobbler's Knob ceremony took place the next year, and the rest is history. Therefore, as a light, each of us must bear witness to Our Lord. therefore falls on the following February 2. In both events, light is significant: it creates shadows and guidance. May the Light of Christ always shine upon us, and in us, and out from us into our world. Tick them off as we go through the sermon. In the time of Jesus and the Jewish Law with its rules on what was clean and unclean, it was thought that a mother needed cleansing after the birth of a child. How does the Last Supper relate to Passover. of the Virgin Mary at the same time. That may or may not be true who knows? In pre-Christian times, it was the festival of light. Unfortunately, on this blustery winter morning, he didn't find it. If its windy and wet or snowy then winter is coming to an end, so he emerges because spring is round the corner. The story of our redemption unfolds. A farmer should on Candlemas day, Have half his corn and half his hay. Spring is just around the corner. Simeon, a just and pious man, who awaited the Messiah and looked for the consolation of Israel, was inspired to come to the temple. In the past, when there was no electricity, candles were a source of light and warmth. For some people, different superstitions surround this festival. In both heathen and Christian calendars it is a day for lighting candles and celebrating the return of the light. "I strongly suspect that the people that go to Gobbler's Knob are fully aware of the power of science, but at the same time want to hold on to traditions and a deeper vibe," he says. The ceremony of Candlemas Day, a ritual celebratedthroughout the Christian world that Mr. Morris observed was the blessing of the annual supply of the Churchs candles. A shadow isn't all that scary. Rachel Treisman (she/her) is a writer and editor for the Morning Edition live blog, which she helped launch in early 2021. severe weather would continue for another forty days at least. They immediately return for another sleep if it is sunny on 2 February because they know the winter will continue. He says the thinking was that if there was a high-pressure system in early February, things likely weren't changing and it would probably continue to be cold, while a low-pressure system suggests the potential for better weather ahead. Morris when writing in his diary about Candlemas he also wrote:The day fine enough but the walking very rough.. The groundhog arguably the most famous member of his species and the most recognizable of all the country's animal prognosticators did what he has done for the last 137 years: search for a sign of spring in front of a group of top hat-wearing handlers and adoring fans at Gobbler's Knob in Pennsylvania. This Candlemas (2nd of February) post was originally published in 2014. You will have to wait until Tuesday to see what the weather is like and find out whether if the old rhymes are right winter is over or not. "If Candlemas be fair and bright, come winter, have another flight. I guess my part of the world has taken all the snow this winter. Nice post, the quote out of Sisters on the Edge Of The World was powerful. It just so happens that shadows occur on sunny days. who if they chose to return to their lairs on this day was interpreted as meaning Note Joseph and Mary made the offering of the poor (Lk 2:24). This redemption was a kind of payment for the Passover sacrifice, by which the Jews had been freed from slavery. What Eucharistic miracle inspired the Feast of Corpus Christi? Holding onto culture is important, as is embracing new culture, Harman says. The festival was formerly known in the Roman Catholic church as the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary but is now known as the Presentation of the Lord. "If Candlemas Day be fair and bright, winter will have another fight. candles should be made of beeswax. Get the latest business insights from Dun & Bradstreet. An oliphaunt fallen. In Christian belief this festival When the Lord comes, may you go out to meet Him with all the saints in the heavenly kingdom (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults). Then there was a procession in which people carried lighted candles while the choir sang. Read the articleRoman Aberdeenshire features in authors new bookfrom Grampian Online. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Review from Terry Tyler: Its a fabulous story, a real page-turner and so well written. If Candlemas Day be fair and bright This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. We're not meteorologists, but the science behind this forecast is questionable. If Candlemas Day be fair and bright, Winter will take another flight; If Candlemas Day be foul and rain, Winter is gone and won't come again. As one English folk song put it: "If Candlemas be fair and bright / Come, Winter, have another flight; If Candlemas brings clouds and rain / Go Winter, and come not again.". A large industrial centre situated in Dolny lsk (Lower Silesia), Wrocaw is the fourth largest city in Poland. evolved into Groundhog just before sunset? If Candlemas Day be bright an fair, theres half the winter tae come and mair! Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. before the year was out. Saint Sophronius was a bishop of Jerusalem in the early 7thcentury. If Candlemas bring clouds and rain, Go winter, and come not again. Candlemas, or the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple and the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, is celebrated on 2nd February. If a hedgehog saw its shadow, there would be a "second winter" or six more weeks of bad weather, according to German lore. An oliphaunt fallen. Well, while you try and think of all the different titles for February 2nd, and Ill be amazed if anyone can get all five, Ill start to work my way through them. Latin Mass Society - Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. There are many weather rhymes associated with the festival. Candlemas, given its occurrence in the beginning of February, also became a day on which people would prognosticate the arrival of spring according to its sunny or cloudy skies, as the lyrics of one old English song goes, "If Candlemas be fair and bright, / Come, Winter, have another flight; / If Candlemas bring clouds and rain, / Go, Winter, and There was a brief moment of sunshine on Candlemas Day 2 February but any animal emerging from hibernation would have been lucky to surface at the right moment to see its shadow. A sort of Catch 22 situation. If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain, winter . Some people lit candles to scare away evil spirits on the dark winter nights. If Candlemas day be sunny and bright, Winter again will show its might. As Candlemas traditions evolved, many people embraced the legend that if the sun shone on the second day of February, an animal would see its shadow and there would be at least six more weeks of winter. As part of that research, Blumstein spends time on skis, in the snow, waiting for the yellow-bellied marmots to come out from hibernation. Ooh icicles! On Thursday morning, thousands of early risers either tuned in or bundled up to watch Punxsutawney Phil emerge from a tree stump and predict the weather. For 40 days for a boy, and 60 days for a girl, women weren't allowed to worship in the temple.