Kmflett's Blog

February 2nd is the start of Spring in the traditional calendar. Meterological Spring comes later

We’ve taken back control but don’t expect to find Boris Johnson or Nigel Farage tweeting about Candlemas which is the religious name for the day in the Christian Church.

It represents in the Christian calendar the end of the period after Christmas and the beginning of the time when the days are starting to get lighter. That meant, for example, beginning to put livestock out to graze on farm land again after winter confinement.

Of course the weather is often dreadful in February and March but you have to start somewhere.

Candlemas relates specifically to the tradition of lighting candles in churches on the day which was banned after the Church split under Henry V111.

In any case as with many such festivals the Christian Church had appropriated it from other religious and non-religious festivals at the same time of year, notably for example St Brigids’ Day held on 1st February:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigid_of_Kildare

Typically while St Brigid’s Day was celebrated with much eating and drinking on 1st February, ahead of Candlemas bread and water was the dictated diet although that was relaxed on the day itself