Television loves Groundhog Day, with the opportunities to put Punxsutawney Phil or Buckeye Chuck on the news, but did you know that February 2nd is a Christian/Catholic feast as well as an important pagan feast--especially for the Celts? February 2nd is a "cross-quarter day," the midpoint of winter, halfway between winter solstice and spring equinox. These cross-quarter days were important for some pagans, who celebrated the feast of Imbolc on this day. Christians, after fixing the Nativity of Jesus at December 25th, right near winter solstice, appropriated the cross-quarter day as their own, celebrating the Purification of the Virgin Mary and the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple. This feast was sometimes known as "Candlemas," because on this day the year's candles were blessed and distributed. On February 3rd, these candles were held in a v-shape over the throat of the faithful as the blessing of St. Blaise was uttered--a blessing against diseases of the throat. That blessing is still done to this very day in many churches.
Happy Groundhog Day, Imbolc, Purification of the Virgin, Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple, Candlemas Day, and Feast of St. Blaise!
For some information on this day, click on or copy this link into your browser, and read about Imbolc: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/7280/imbolc.html
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