null
Happy Candlemas, February 2nd.

Happy Candlemas, February 2nd.

2nd Feb 2015

Happy Candlemas, February 2nd

Candlemas Feb 2nd

Happy Candlemas, February 2nd – the month of February is derived from the Latin word “februm” which is an implement used in ritual purification. A festival variously known as Februa, Februalia and Februatio which is thought to be pre-Roman in origin was held on the 15th of the month. It was the spring festival of washing and purification. Later the festival was subsumed into the festival of Lupercalia which ran from the 13th to the 15th and it had the similar purpose to banish evil spirits and purify the city, releasing health and fertility.

Candlemas occurs exactly 40 days after Christmas on 2nd of February and is also known as the "Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary”. It arises out of the Jewish tradition (Mosaic law or the law of Moses) where women were considered unclean for a specified period after childbirth. When this period had expired mothers visited the temple to undergo a ritual ceremony of purification. Mary was pure but decided to attend anyway as it was an opportunity to present Jesus to the world.

Wikipedia has the following entry on the subject.
Some authors claim that Pope Gelasius I (494–96) replaced Lupercalia with the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but researcher Jack Oruch says that there is no written record of Gelasius ever intending a replacement of Lupercalia. Some researchers, such as Kellog and Cox, have made a separate claim that the modern customs of Saint Valentine's Day originate from Lupercalia customs. Other researchers have rejected this claim: they say there is no proof that the modern customs of Saint Valentine's Day originate from Lupercalia customs and the claim seems to originate from misconceptions about festivities.

Henry Ansgar Kelly, in "Chaucer and the Cult of Saint Valentine" (Leiden: Brill) 1986, pp. 58-63

Michael Matthew Kaylor (2006), Secreted Desires: The Major Uranians: Hopkins, Pater and Wilde (electronic ed.), Masaryk University (re-published in electronic format), p. footnote 2 in page 235, ISBN 80-210-4126-9

Jack B. Oruch, "St. Valentine, Chaucer, and Spring in February" Speculum 56.3 (July 1981:534–565)

www.TheIrishRose.com - The Irish Rose. To nourish, cultivate, and preserve our Irish culture. Authentic Irish gifts and Irish coat of arms. Irish flags, Irish glassware, and Irish family coat of arms gifts.