In our home growing up we celebrated San Biagio/Saint Blaise on February 3rd.
We didn't go to mass or anything. Due to the influence of a number of different ethnic groups in our own family, we celebrated Feb 2nd, the end of winter and the return of the light, La Candelora, by lighting candles and eating crêpes, because it was the French-Canadian custom, and "when in Rome", and because my aunt really liked them.
The French agrarian tradition was to make an offering of crêpes to the fairies and nature spirits. San Biagio was mentioned in passing on the third, and my aunt would recount the story of the saint best known for "curing throat illnesses". She baked cookies and lit a candle to honour him and ward off throat illnesses. What's amazing to me is I woke up with a swollen gland on my neck under my left ear. I've been fighting off a sore throat since last week. I placed my hand on the swelling while I read about San Biagio and felt the swelling shrink almost down to normal as I was typing this very blog entry.
I kid you not.
Superstitions
As a poem by Robert Herrick records, the eve of Candlemas was the day on which Christmas decorations of greenery were removed from people's homes; for traces of berries, holly and so forth will bring death among the congregation before another year is out.
In the British Isles, good weather at Candlemas is taken to indicate severe winter weather later. This is also the date bears emerge from their winter hibernation to inspect the weather; and wolves who choose to return to their lairs on this day know that the severe weather will continue for another forty days at least. In the United States and Canada, Candlemas evolved into Groundhog Day celebrated on the same date.
The earliest American reference to Groundhog Day can be found at the Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore Center at Franklin and Marshall College:
February 4, 1841 - from Morgantown, Berks County (Pennsylvania) storekeeper James Morris' diary..."Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate." [1] (http://www.stormfax.com/ghogday.htm)
In France, Candlemas (French: La Chandleur) is celebrated with crêpes, which must be eaten only after eight p.m. If the cook can flip a crêpe while holding a coin in the other hand, the family is assured of prosperity throughout the coming year.
Sailors are often reluctant to set sail on Candlemas Day, believing that any voyage begun then will end in disaster.
As a poem by Robert Herrick records, the eve of Candlemas was the day on which Christmas decorations of greenery were removed from people's homes; for traces of berries, holly and so forth will bring death among the congregation before another year is out.
In the British Isles, good weather at Candlemas is taken to indicate severe winter weather later. This is also the date bears emerge from their winter hibernation to inspect the weather; and wolves who choose to return to their lairs on this day know that the severe weather will continue for another forty days at least. In the United States and Canada, Candlemas evolved into Groundhog Day celebrated on the same date.
The earliest American reference to Groundhog Day can be found at the Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore Center at Franklin and Marshall College:
February 4, 1841 - from Morgantown, Berks County (Pennsylvania) storekeeper James Morris' diary..."Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate." [1] (http://www.stormfax.com/ghogday.htm)
In France, Candlemas (French: La Chandleur) is celebrated with crêpes, which must be eaten only after eight p.m. If the cook can flip a crêpe while holding a coin in the other hand, the family is assured of prosperity throughout the coming year.
Sailors are often reluctant to set sail on Candlemas Day, believing that any voyage begun then will end in disaster.
-from Wikipedia
