The traditions and the indissoluble bond with Sant’Agata.
Candlemas Day 2024 falls exactly 40 days after Christmas, therefore on February 2nd. It has origins in the pre-Christian pagan tradition, but in Christian culture it is known as the day of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple.
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Candlemas Day on February 2, 2024: history and meaning
There are numerous traditions around the world linked to the Candlemas Festival on 2 February 2024, also known as Groundhog Day. American tradition, in fact, wants this to be the day on which the marmot leaves his den to enjoy the first sun. Traditionally, some beliefs attribute the transition from winter to spring to it, given that it is a day that is halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.
For many communities, the Candlemas Festival is a rite that symbolizes light and the exit from darkness: in the liturgical celebration, in fact, candles, the symbol of Christ, are blessed. The Second Vatican Council also underlined the centrality of the figure of Christ in the Feast of Candlemas: the name “Christ” means “light that illuminates the people”.
The Candlemas Festival 2024 also has its roots in various pagan rites which had light as the main protagonist. In popular beliefs of peasant origin, this day coincides with the end of winter and the beginning of spring. In fact, the weather forecast on February 2 determined the weather conditions of the following weeks, which could be positive or negative for the crops.
What are the three days of Candlemas and what do you do
The various traditions carried out over the years are concentrated on this day, dominated by the two concepts of light and purification.
The blessing of the candles, in fact, transforms them into “sacramentals”, a sort of extension of the sacraments, channels of divine grace. Tradition requires the faithful to bring their candles to the local church for blessing: at the end of the ritual, several faithful bring the blessed candle, still lit, from the church to their home, to illuminate their path. The light and its blessing will thus also extend to the home and to one’s family members, especially the sick.
The connection with Sant’Agata
There are various traditions linked to this festival, but in the case of the city of Catania the bond becomes closer and more indissoluble: the candelabra, in fact, are one of the most evocative elements of the festival of Sant’Agata.
They are enormous candles covered with handcrafted decorations and enriched with gilded wooden cherubs, flowers and flags, as well as representations of scenes of martyrdom and depictions of the story of Saint Agatha. Usually we can “meet” them in Catania several days before the festival, in January, while during the procession of the Relics they precede the fercolo.
Once they served to illuminate the passage, today they are an evocative cultural element to be admired in all their beauty. They are carried on the shoulder and there are 11 in total, each representing a specific professional order or group. In particular, the candlesticks of Sant’Agata are (in order): the small candle wanted by Monsignor Ventimiglia, the candlestick of the inhabitants of San Giuseppe La Rena (known as the “Rinoti”), that of the gardeners and florists, that of the fishmongers, that of greengrocers, that of butchers, that of pasta makers, that of pizzicagnoli, that of taverns, that of bakers (the largest and heaviest, called “Mamma”) and, finally, that of the Circolo Cittadino of Sant’Agata ( the smallest and most recent).
Phrases and proverbs about Candlemas
Among the proverbs and phrases related to the Candlemas Festival 2024, two are certainly the best known by Sicilians:
At Cannilora, every hen comes to lay eggs
On Candlemas day every hen starts laying eggs.
Pappa Cannalora looked out, but if it was a yes, in another forty days there is no
On Candlemas winter leaves, but if it hasn’t gone it will be there for another forty days. In essence: if the weather on Candlemas Day is good, then winter is about to end. In case of rain and wind, there will be another 40 days of winter with a cold and rainy March.