Do you know what La Candelera is?

February 2 is the Candelera, a festivity in the middle of winter, which closes the Christmas cycle. But what is celebrated?

Religious origin

It is a religious festival that is celebrated 40 days after Christmas, commemorating the day of the presentation of the child Jesus in the temple of Jerusalem, as well as the purification of his mother. This is a Jewish tradition, introduced by Pope Gelasio in the year 946, whereby mothers had to wait 40 days after childbirth to purify themselves and present the baby to the religious authorities. The ritual was carried out with the offering and blessing of wax candles.

Our groundhog day

In addition to its religious origin, La Candelera coincides with the popular Pennsylvania Groundhog Day that marks the middle of winter. It occurs 44 days after the winter solstice and 50 days before the vernal equinox.

That is why it is considered an ideal time to make a meteorological forecast on the duration of the cold. Because of this, there are different sayings such as:

“On the eve of Candelero, winter outside or back to the brazier”

“If the Candelaria snows, thirty more with it.”

“If it rains in Candelaria, put out the embers”

“Candelaria day, the stork in the bells; And if it’s not cold, the swallow will look for its nest.

“When the Candelaria cries, the cold is out; when the Candelaria laughs, the cold is alive; but whether she laughs or cries, midwinter is out”

In Spain we do not observe marmots as in Pennsylvania, but there is a popular saying that says “For the Candelera, the bear comes out of the cave“. The explanation is simple. It is believed that the bear left its shelter on this date to observe the moon. If there was a full moon, it prolonged its lethargy. If there was a new moon, he definitely woke up from it.

La Chandeleur in France

La Chandeleur is celebrated on February 2, something like crêpe day. During this day, each family eats crepes, usually sweet, but savory crepes or “galettes” (made with buckwheat) can also be made. It is usually done with the family and is celebrated in the afternoon. In fact, there is a superstition that crepes should be flipped with your right hand while holding a gold coin in your left. If the crepe falls well in the pan, it is a sign of prosperity for the new year.

This celebration has a pagan origin. It is linked to a rite of fertility of the earth, indicating the beginning of the end of winter. In the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I made it a Catholic holiday.

Why did they eat crepes? In its origins it is believed that Pope Gelasio I ordered the distribution of “galettes” to all the pilgrims who arrived in Rome on this date. In a more practical sense, pancakes were eaten to use up leftover wheat before a new harvest.

In any case, it is always good to celebrate special and marked dates, the passage of time, the end of one cycle and the beginning of the next in order to also continue fulfilling dreams.

Do you dare to celebrate it? If so, here is a proposal for crepes and galettes recipes.

Of course, don’t forget to pair it with one of our underwater wines.