The Quickening

Sunday February 2nd 2025
Candlemas -- Marianne Stokes

Candlemas — Marianne Stokes

You can feel the change in the northern hemisphere at this turn in the year — St Brigid’s Day, Candlemas, the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin. From the Philippines to Poland, 1-2 February are celebrated with candlelight.

It is Imbolc, one of the four corners of the year on a Gaelic calendar. The others are Samhain at Halloween, May Day, and Lughnasadh on 1 August. These are all on the first day of the month of a fixed sign. Imbolc is in Aquarius season, Samhain in Scorpio, May Day in Taurus and Lughnasadh in Leo. These are at the very centre of a season, but also, from this moment on, you feel the pull of the coming time. At Halloween, we look forward to the months of growing darkness, and now at Imbolc, we look forward to the light.

Not only do we look forward to the coming equinox, we can feel the days are longer. Even though in many places there is still long to go before winter’s end, there is a quickening in the air. And indeed some etymologists suggest that the word Imbolc is connected to the belly, or pregnancy.

In Ireland, St Brigid or St Bride’s Day has become a three-day celebration of Irish women, and in many  Catholic countries this is a day especially dedicated to the Virgin. In Rome, in classical times, this day was celebrated as the anniversary of the founding of the Temple of Juno, the mother goddess. The word February derives from the Latin word for purification. The Lupercalia in mid month was a festival of purification for the whole city.

Interestingly, this connects with Chinese practice at this time of year, when the house is spring cleaned for days before the New Year, which comes at the New Moon at this time.

So get out your candles and your broomsticks. It’s time to purify and sanctify your home.

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