Candlemass Day

[Paul T. McCain]

Sometimes I think it is "Groundhog Day" -- the movie -- on this forum!

: )

(One of my favorite movies).

[John_Hannah]

In Mexico it is "Dia de la Candelaria."

[Rev. J. Thomas Shelley, STS]

Candlemas? Where are you people coming from? It's GROUNDHOG DAY! And the liturgies are played out only in Punxsatawny, Pa., with the notable Punxsatawny Phil. As some of us still say over on the Ecunet Board, Bunga! Bunga! Draw the Sacred Circle!

Actually I come from York County, Pennsylvania, home to two hibernating marmots, York's "Poor Richard" who, since his unfortunate demise, is summoned by seance (yes, the holiday has degenerated that far) and, from the land of the great "Intelligent Design" litigation of a few years back, "Dover Doug".

It is folklore based on observation that the "cross quarter days" --the midpoints between the equinoxes and solstices--tend to be inversely predictive.  The weather on those days in generally opposite what will characterize the next 90 days.  After fourteen years of daily weather observations I would state that this is correct at least 75% of the time.

Now how this relates to Candlemass:  Imagine gathering near sunrise for the Eucharist which, of course, begins with the lighting of individual candles and processing into the Nave.  If the day was dark and forbidding the glow of the candles would be quite noticeable and downright cheering; if, by contrast, the day was clear and bright the candles' light would be barely noticeable (and some might even grumble, "Why are we doing this?").  The weather predictions quite aside, a clear day could understandably be perceived as an ill-omen.

How der Grundsau enters into this I'm not completely sure, despite having Pennsylvania Dutch roots that extend into the mid eighteenth century.  But living on five wooded acres I know that many animals begin to stir from their hibernation at this stage of the winter.  Several mornings a week I am greeted by the stench of skunks, the residue of the males' overnight mating battles.  And I have seen an occasional groundhog on warm afternoons.

Still, it is a failure of liturgical catechesis that more Christians know more about Groundhog Day than they do about Candlemass.   

So much for "revealing to the nations."

Simeon and Anna would weep with heart-pierced sorrow.

[Team Hesse]

OK, permission granted to mention Groundhog Day in whatever context you wish for the next 36 hours only, starting now.

Cool.

We were going to wait 'til tomorrow to comment on our favorite holiday -- we hope everyone celebrates Ground HOG day !  Sausage for all!

Lou & Debbie
pork producers in the PNW

[Kurt Weinelt]

Still, it is a failure of liturgical catechesis that more Christians know more about Groundhog Day than they do about Candlemass.   

So much for "revealing to the nations."

Simeon and Anna would weep with heart-pierced sorrow.

Fascinating thread.  Since I don't remember anything about Candlemass growing up as a PK in a traditional Lutheran family, I did web search to learn more. Celebrating the presentation and the Song of Simeon seems like a great tradition.  However, the second part may explain why Lutherans may back off this a bit.  Maybe it is just as well this second part is overlooked by many.

...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 popular, the day is set aside to commemorate the presentation of Jesus Christ in the Temple of Jerusalem. Jesus has been circumcised, marking him as a member of God's chosen people, through whom world salvation was to be achieved.

The background to the passage from Luke today is seen in the Book of Leviticus Chapter 12:1. This taught that:
On the eighth day after the birth of a boy, he was to be circumcised
Then the woman was to wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding

Here is the reading from Leviticus 12:1 if you find it helpful:

The LORD said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites: 'A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding.

"'When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. He shall offer them before the LORD to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood.

"'These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.'"

Read the whole article at http://www.thisischurch.com/christianinfo/candlemass.html

Kurt

[Harvey_Mozolak]

and has no one mentioned the strange evolution that has taken the day once observed and noted in TLH as The Presentation of our Lord and the Purification of Mary (SBH, not) and in LBW and ELW dropped the blessed Virgin so as not to extoll her too much, emphasize her need for purification too much, pc the event since it emphases something about women that is not true of men, at least in the OT.  The LSB interestingly reverses the order and calls the observance The Purification of Mary and the Presentation of our Lord.   Anyone know the most ancient of the titles for Candlemas.  Oh, anyone recall the scene in Bergman's Virgin Spring... the poor maid is on her way with candles when she is wayraped by the brothers.... vomit, retch...  what a wild overplacement of purity with evil and vice versa.  Harvey Mozolak

[John_Hannah]

It is folklore based on observation that the "cross quarter days" --the midpoints between the equinoxes and solstices--tend to be inversely predictive.  The weather on those days in generally opposite what will characterize the next 90 days.  After fourteen years of daily weather observations I would state that this is correct at least 75% of the time.

Now how this relates to Candlemass:  Imagine gathering near sunrise for the Eucharist which, of course, begins with the lighting of individual candles and processing into the Nave.  If the day was dark and forbidding the glow of the candles would be quite noticeable and downright cheering; if, by contrast, the day was clear and bright the candles' light would be barely noticeable (and some might even grumble, "Why are we doing this?").  The weather predictions quite aside, a clear day could understandably be perceived as an ill-omen.

Still, it is a failure of liturgical catechesis that more Christians know more about Groundhog Day than they do about Candlemass.   

So much for "revealing to the nations."

Simeon and Anna would weep with heart-pierced sorrow.

Have you noticed that St. Martin's Day is the other "cross-quarter day." It was often a holiday in parts of Europe. It was, some believe, chosen deliberately for the Armistace of WW I and has become our Veterans Day. (It is also Luther's baptismal day, of course.)

Peace, JOHN HANNAH

[Rev. J. Thomas Shelley, STS]

and has no one mentioned the strange evolution that has taken the day once observed and noted in TLH as The Presentation of our Lord and the Purification of Mary (SBH, not) and in LBW and ELW dropped the blessed Virgin so as not to extoll her too much, emphasize her need for purification too much, pc the event since it emphases something about women that is not true of men, at least in the OT.  The LSB interestingly reverses the order and calls the observance The Purification of Mary and the Presentation of our Lord.   Anyone know the most ancient of the titles for Candlemas.  Oh, anyone recall the scene in Bergman's Virgin Spring... the poor maid is on her way with candles when she is wayraped by the brothers.... vomit, retch...  what a wild overplacement of purity with evil and vice versa.  Harvey Mozolak

LBW # 184, verse 2, acknowledges the place of the Theotokos in this Festival:

In the arms of her who bore him,
Virgin pure, behold him lie

[Rev. J. Thomas Shelley, STS]

Have you noticed that St. Martin's Day is the other "cross-quarter day." It was often a holiday in parts of Europe. It was, some believe, chosen deliberately for the Armistace of WW I and has become our Veterans Day. (It is also Luther's baptismal day, of course.)

Peace, JOHN HANNAH

Actually, the other cross quarter days are May 1 (St. Philip and St. James, Apostles); August 1 (nothing on our calendar now, but St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, on the Julian calendar, hence the notation "Lammas Day" in some almanacs, a contraction of "Lawrence's Mass"); and November 1 (All Saints' Day).

All of these are high "holy" days on the Wiccan calendar, and are usually termed Beltane, Lammas, and  Halloween respectively.

All the more reason for Christians to celebrate the Holy Mysteries those days.

[Rev. J. Thomas Shelley, STS]

Sausage for all!

Lou & Debbie
pork producers in the PNW

Ach der lieber, it's Hogmaw you must have, onest!  Sausage, onions, diced potatoes, and spices baked in, well, surely a pork producer can figure out the rest.

[Gladfelteri]

So, Irl, do you begin the Candlemass celebration in Violet vestments for the Procession and then change into White at the Eucharist as per the 1962 Missal, or stay with White throughout?

Since the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is a Solemnity, I stay with white throughout.

Blessings,
Irl

[Charles_Austin]

Tomorrow night, I host an annual Groundhog Day feast. The liturgical form varies in alternate years. In odd-numbered years, we celebrate and praise the beast as an example of exalted rodent-hood. In even-numbered years, the gardeners among us take over and we denounce the viscious varmint as ravager of gardens and thief of produce.
In odd-numbered years, we eat the vegetables that He so enjoys.
In even-numbered years, we eat him. 

[Kurt Weinelt]

Hmmm....I see marketing opportunity here.  I had never considered that high-browed Northerners ate those furry rodents. We have way too many armadillos here in South Texas; maybe we should ship them up north and sell them as "Groundhog on the Half-Shell?"
Kurt

[janielou13]

In this part of the country, we eat groundhog on Groundhog's day,,,,,, road kill or othewise.

[Gladfelteri]

Road-kill ain't bad, y'all . . . just eat the part between  the tire tracks.  (With apologies to Rush Lindbaugh . . .)