Groundhog Day/Candlemas

February 2

Groundhog Day on Feb. 2 has its origin in European religious history and the Christian feast day called The Feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary, or Candlemas Day.

In the tradition of the Hebrews, is the Pidyon Ha-Ben "Consecrate to Me every first-born; man and beast, the first issue of every womb among the Israelites is Mine." [Exod. 13:1-2] The intent to make priests of these firstborn was altered (by tradition) when the priesthood was given to the Levites. The firstborn had to be released from his obligation through a payment made to the priest who takes his place.That is, the firstborn son had to be redeemed. In the tradition of the Hebrews, a woman recovered from childbirth had to be purified before re-entering the temple. So the purification of Mary is necessary before she and Joseph can enter the temple to redeem their firstborn. The rite of purification invloved the immersion in payim hayim "living" waters - ocean or stream.

The Christian feast can be traced to at least 543. The day is set aside to commemorate the presentation of Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem and the Feast of Lighted candles is mentioned by Bede and St. Eligius, who was bishop of Noyon from 640 to 648. The feast quickly became a popular as did the verse:

If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Come, winter, have another flight.
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Go, winter, and come not again.

A traditional reading for the feast is:

Deck thy bridal chamber, O Sion, and receive Christ, thy King, embrace Mary, who is the gate of Heaven; for she carries the King of glory of the new light; a virgin, she standeth bringing in her hands the Son begotten before the daystar; and receiving Him in his arms, Simeon hath declared to the nations that He is the Lord of Life and death, and Saviour of the world.

Also from Luke2:26 is the story of Simeon to whom it had been revealed "that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:

The Nunc Dimittis

Now Master, you are letting your servant go in peace as you promised;
for my eyes have seen the salvation
which you have made ready in the sight of the nations;
a light of revelation for the gentiles
and glory for your people Israel.

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. Bears or badgers are watched in some European countries, but the German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania found an abundance of groundhogs and late in the 19th century a few residents in Punxsutawney began celebrating the groundhog as weather prophet. In the off-season Punxsutawney Phil lives in a climate-controlled space in the local library. Rumor has it that he has abandoned the traditional groundhog diet of roots and vegetables and favors dog-food and ice cream.

Other traditions for February 2 include the Celtic Imbolc and the Greek Thesmophoria.

Imbolc comes at the start of February, the month of cleansing ( februarium in Latin). "Imbolc" is from Old Irish, and may mean "in the belly." Imbolc is the holiday of the Celtic Brigid, whose nature rules smithcraft, poetry/inspiration, and healing. Brigid's fire is a symbolic transformation offering healing, visions, and tempering. The warming of the earth releases waters (Brigid is also a goddess of holy wells) -- all that was hindered is let flow at this season. It is traditional upon Imbolc, at sunset to light every lamp in the house or candles in every room to honor the Sun's rebirth.

  Hail reign a fair maid with gold upon your toe, 
Open up the West Gate and let the old year go; 
Hail reign a fair maid with gold upon your chin, 
Open up the East Gate and let the New Year in; 
Levideu sing Levideu the water and the wine, 
The seven bright gold wires and the candles that do shine.

Another association is that of Bride (Brighid). A statue or representation of Brigid is decorated with shells and ribbons and a hymn is sung:

Early on Bride's morn Shall the serpent come from the hole, I will not harm the serpent, nor will the serpent harm me.

As a Chrisitan festival the day is associated with calving and Saint Brigid and celebratory dairy dishes are appropriate as would be this prayer:

I will place this herd before me,
As was ordained by the King of the World,
Brigid to keep them, to watch them, to tend them,
On ben, in glen, on plain;
Brigid to keep them, to watch them, to tend them,
On ben, in glen, on plain.

Arise, you Brigid, the gentle and fair,
Take you your lint, your comb, and your hair,
Since you made to them the lovely charm
To keep them from straying, to save them from harm;
Since you made to them the lovely charm
To keep them from straying, to save them from harm;
To keep them from straying, to save them from harm;

Mary Mother, tend you the offspring all,
Fair-handed Brigid, encompass my herd,
Kindly Columba, saint of many powers,
Nurture the cow mothers to bring me more beasts.
Nurture the cow mothers to bring me more beasts.
"Power of Raven, Wisdom of Serpent" by Norragh Jones

Thesmophoria in ancient Greece are the rites associated with the disappearance and reappearance of Persephone the daughter of Demeter, goddess of the harvest. The feast includes roast pig - and the tossing of bones into a cavern which after a time and following purification of the priestesses - the bones are recovered and sewn with the new seed in Spring - marking the return of Persephone and the new harvest to come.

The pig is taboo in Egypt as elsewhere, but there is one feast day where pork was eaten - a day (no date found yet) associated with Set, who was hunting boar when he discovered Osiris body and cut it up into 14 pieces and cast it into the Nile.

In England and France the Lords of Misrule hold sway from Oct 31 (All Souls Day) to February 2 - during which time Fools and masquerades and pranks are played.

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