Chandeleur or Candlemas Day
Candlemas Day, known as Chandeleur in French, is a liturgical festival commemorating the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple.
This fixed-date event occurs 40 days after Christmas, on February 2nd.
Originating from candlelight processions held during this festival, Candlemas Day derives its name from the French word for candle, “chandelle,” hence the term Chandeleur.
While Chandeleur is not official holiday in France, it is widely observed, with a tradition of preparing and enjoying French pancakes or crêpes on this day.
This culinary custom has become synonymous with Chandeleur, adding a delightful touch to the celebration of this religious occasion.
Candlemas Day’s Greek and Roman origins
The Roman festival of Candelabrum Festa was a celebration of light and Proserpina, the Goddess of Light, who was abducted by Pluto, the God of the Underworld.
Proserpina spent six months of the year alongside her husband as Queen of the Underworld during autumn and winter. For the remaining six months, she resided on Earth, aiding her mother Demeter, the Goddess of Agriculture and Harvest, in tending to spring and summer.
During the Candelabrum Festa, Romans would light candles at midnight as a symbol of purification, preparing for the Lupercalia festival. Lupercalia, a significant pagan celebration honoring Lupercus, the God of Fertility and Flocks, took place on February 15th.
In later years, the Church of Rome replaced Lupercalia with the celebration of St. Valentine or Valentine’s Day, shifting the focus from pagan rituals to Christian observances.
Celtic origin and Cult of the Bear
The Celts observed a similar festival known as Imbolc on February 1st, honoring Birgit, their Goddess of Fertility and Purification.
During Imbolc, men would traverse the fields with torches, invoking the goddess to purify the land before the planting season began.
In the Christian era, the Church of Rome replaced Brigit with St. Brigitte, celebrated on February 1st in the calendar of saints.
Some other pagan cultures celebrated the Cult of the Bear, a festival coinciding with the emergence of bears from hibernation. Chandelours, or candle bear, marked the return of light in late January or early February.
The Church of Rome sought to supplant these pagan festivals with Chandeleur, also known as the candlelight festival or Candlemas Day, during the 5th century.
However, it faced challenges eradicating older customs, particularly the Cult of the Bear festival, which included bonfires, torch processions, mock abductions of girls, and festive costume parties. These deeply ingrained traditions persisted despite the church’s efforts to establish new religious observances.
Christian Candlemas Day – Chandeleur
Christian priests played a significant role in the observance of Chandeleur, or Candlemas Day, by blessing candles whose light symbolized the divine light of Christ, believed to ward off evil. These blessed candles were then taken home to be used as torches, with the aim of protecting the household hearth.
By the 14th century, Chandeleur became associated with themes of purity and the Virgin Mary. However, throughout much of the Middle Ages, it continued to be known as Chandelours in many regions of France, reflecting the enduring influence of earlier pagan customs and traditions alongside Christian beliefs.
Candlemas Day’s crêpes – pancakes
The tradition of preparing wheat pancakes has been observed for centuries, with the French word for pancake, “crêpe,” originating from the Latin word “crispa,” meaning curled.
On Chandeleur day, it is customary to make French pancakes or crêpes. The round shape of pancakes symbolizes the sun and the return of daylight after the long winter months, signifying the vital light necessary for the first sowing of the year.
Using leftover flour to make pancakes is believed to ensure a new beginning, a good harvest, and prosperity for the year ahead. This tradition has given rise to many regional superstitions surrounding pancake making on Candlemas Day.
In order to bring prosperity for the coming year, it was believed that pancakes must be tossed and land flat in the pan. In some regions, the first pancake was kept in the food safe for the entire season to ensure a good harvest, with the appearance of mold considered a bad omen.
To further imbue the tradition with symbolism, people would eat their crêpes in the light of blessed candles, adding a spiritual dimension to the culinary custom of Chandeleur.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Header pancakes by Nicu Buculei CC BY-SA 3.0 – Presentation of Jesus to the Temple Source Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Bilddatenbank Public Domain – St. Birgid public domain
