The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-02-02
CANDLEMAS DAY
ITS SIGNIFICANCE
Also How the Peculiar Weather Sign
Got Its 0risn--Did the Ground
hog Sec His Shadow
To-day?

Washington, Feb. To-day was
Candlemas day, or Ground Hog day
as it more generally known, II Is the
day that Is supposed to mark the turn
ing point between winter and spring
but whether spring comes or winter
stays longer depends on sunshine and
shadow and Che little grIond-hog. Al
least, 80 say the oldtime prophetic, and
while the experts Of the weather bureau
and the agricultural department sniff at
such prophecies as being groundless sup
erstitions, the ground hog will not lack
millions Of deyotees to-day. For IL
it not written in the old iingles;
"As far as the sun shines on Candlemas
day,
So far win the snow blow in before
May.
AS far as the snow blows in on Candle.
mas day,
So far will the sun shine out before
May"
II all depends upon the weather on
that day, and the little ground hog a.
TO what the weather for the next six
weeks win be. The ground hog, II when
he energies from his winter alternating
place, chances to see his shadow he win
beat a hasty retreat 70 his little hole
and wait for fairer weather, knowing
that meteorological change is due. But
il it is dark and gloomy when he emerg-
es and he sees no shadow the little an.
imal will figure that winter is almost
gone and that above ground is the place
for him. Ii is the habit OF the ground
hog that gave this feature of custom
otherwise 50 different.
The custom was instituted by Celia
sius in the latter part of the fifteenth
century. In many respects il resembles
some OF the pagan celebrations and part
icularly that Of the pagan Februalia,
which was held at about this same per.
iod.
In fact, the Candlemas day celebration
IA a substitution Of the Februalia which
furnishes the only logical reason for
the lxc Of the candles in The festivities
attendant.
February has been dedicated to the
internal gods by the Gentiles because
at its beginning Pluto stole Prosperine
and her mother: Ceres sought and res
eued her at night and carried lighted
candles. The Febnlalia celebration was
in honor Of Ceres and the celebrants car
ried lighted candles, too
The holy fathers tried TO stop the
celebration, but failed and decreed that
which had been done unto Ceres should
be done unto virgin. This Is how the
festival came to be known as the Puri-
fieation of the Blessed Virgin During
the Middle Ages it was also favorite
time for the ceremony among Christian
mothers analogous TO the Greek present
alton in the temple.
With the Reformation though came
reaction against the custom and from
that time since 1t has lost the greater
part of its religious aspect even in the
Latin countries. In 1854 John Ball ia
sued proclamation declaring that too
much honor was being done to the virgin
and that the honor done unto her should
be done unto Christ. This brought the
character OF the celebration back to its
Greek meaning.
II IL from England, Germany and
Scotland though that the Ground Hog
day custom comes There the day IS
as one Of celebration in some
parts, but mostly day for weather pro
Many Of the rhymes that
one hears about the day are from English
and the Scotch. In Scotland on this day
Il IL custom for the children to bring
presents to the teachers. Each tries to
rival the other in the amount OF tho
gift and the boy and girl that give the
most costly ones are nailed as King and
queen. School is then dismissed and
The children march through the village
'treets carrying the king and queen upon
heir shoulders.