CHAPTER IV 
CANDLEMAS TO LAMMAS 
February 2. — To-day is the old Scotch Spring' Term day; it 
is also an old Church festival day. Both in the Romish 
Church and in the Anglican Church Calendar it is the 
Festival of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 
It used to be celebrated by processions bearing candles 
and by the lighting up of churches. The word Candle- 
mas is from the Anglo-Saxon Candelmaesse, and comes 
from an old Christian festival commemorating Simeon’s 
declaration that Christ was a light unto the Gentiles. 
This in turn is said to have sprung from an ancient 
Roman festival held in honour of Februa, the mother of 
Mars, the war-god, when, on the night of February 2, people 
went about in procession with lights. Pope Sergius is 
credited with trying to sanctify this old custom by or- 
daining that Christians should offer their candles to the 
honour of Our Lady. 
There is a curious old rhyme still quoted : 
If Candlemas Day be dry and fair, 
The half o’ winter’s to come and mair ; 
If Candlemas Day be wet and foul, 
The half o’ winter’s gane at Yule. 
The old Scotch spelling of February was Feueryher. There 
was also an old Scotch custom called a Candlemas Bleeze, 
when a bonfire of whins was made and folk danced 
round it and made merry. In Jedburgh a big football 
match is still, I believe, played on Candlemas Day. “ On 
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