page_title: Day of the Little Candles
section_title: Background
hierarchical_section_title: Day of the Little Candles / Background
caption_attribution_description: Español: Esta obra es una de las Inmaculadas de Bartolomé Esteban Murillo con aspecto más juvenil, lo que la vincula con la tradición sevillana del también pintor sevillano Francisco de Zurbarán, y con las recomendaciones sobre la representación de este tema manifestadas por Francisco Pacheco en su Arte de la pintura, que escribió en 1649. Además, hay varios dibujos preparatorios para esta obra ejecutados por Murillo, lo que demuestra que el pintor sevillano se preparó concienzudamente para ejecutarla, y es conocida como Inmaculada del Escorial porque aparece citada por primera vez en las colecciones reales del monasterio de El Escorial en 1788, durante el reinado de Carlos IV de España.
context_page_description: Little Candles Day is one of the most observed traditional holidays in Colombia. It is celebrated on December 7, on the eve of the Immaculate Conception, which is a public holiday in Colombia. This day is the unofficial start of the Christmas season in the country.
  On this night, people place candles and paper lanterns on windowsills, balconies, porches, sidewalks, streets, parks and squares; in short, everywhere they can be seen, in honor of the Virgin Mary and her Immaculate Conception. On December 8 it is customary for houses to hoist a white flag with the image of the Virgin Mary all day. They also hold numerous events, from firework shows to competitions.
context_section_description: The celebration of the Night of the Little Candles dates to December 7, 1854, when Pope Pius IX defined as dogma the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, published in his Apostolic constitution Ineffabilis Deus. In anticipation of this decision, people lit candles and paper lanterns to show their support and belief in this idea.
  In Colombia, as in many places all over the world, this announcement was observed by lighting candles. The Catholic Church of Colombia kept alive the celebration and made an annual tradition of lighting candles the night of December 7.
  Some places celebrate the night of the little candles several nights before December 8, particularly in the Paisa region.  This is believed to derive from a hanukkah tradition since a large number of paisas are from Jewish descent. This can be affirmed with the beginning of the Novenas in which thru the 16th of December families gather and give aguinaldos, presents, to each other, similar to the Hanukkah celebration.
caption: Mary, mother of Jesus, as the Immaculate Conception. Bartolomé Esteban Murillo.  Museo del Prado.
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