Candelora in Italy, Imbolc among the Celts, Saint Brigid in Ireland, Candlemas in England, Gŵyl Fair y Canhwyllau (Festival of Mary of the candles) in Wales, are all connected with the promise of the arrival of spring and the celebration of longer days and more light. As Shelley, who stayed in Bagni Di Lucca just over two hundred years ago, famously wrote in his ‘Ode to the West Wind: ‘If winter comes can spring be far behind?’
We’ve certainly had the wind and the rain, and my journey this morning to Penny supermarket at Borgo a Mozzano was cut short when I was informed that the road leading to the Ponte della Maddalena was underwater since the river Serchio had flooded through its banks.
Here is a video taken by a brave journalist from our local paper last night:
Christianity has adopted many pagan festivals and Candlemas refers liturgically to a passage in Saint Luke’s gospel when Jesus was presented at the temple after his mother Mary had received ritual purification according to Jewish custom, forty days after his nativity,
The text relating to this incident is worth quoting in full:
And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord” and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”
Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel.”
And his father and his mother marvelled at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
“Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.”
And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Have you lit your candle for today? For as the Italian rhyme goes:
Quando vien la Candelora
de l’inverno semo fora;
ma se piove o tira vento
de l’inverno semo dentro.
My Trans:
When Candlemas comes
we’re out of winter ;
but if it is raining or windy
we’re still in winter .
(O dear….)
