The midwinter days marked by the winter solstice and the spring equinox (in the Northern Hemisphere, between late December and the third week in March) were dedicated to the new year in the Aztec calendar, and the beginning of the agricultural season in Mesoamerica. In a similar way in Mexico, after the Spanish conquest in the 16 th Century, Día de la Candelaria came to replace the Pre-Hispanic ceremonies connected to the earth (for fertility) and meteorological events (for abundance). For this reason, the feast became also known as Candlemas, or Día de la Candelaria , in Spanish. This date was easily accepted by new Christians in Rome, due to the correspondence to their already well-established dies Februatus purification dates small animals and birds, such as turtle doves, were a mandatory offering, but this practice was eventually abandoned, and candles were incorporated instead, as a symbol of purity and new life. ![]() ![]() According to ancient Jewish tradition, a new mother had to be purified forty days after giving birth, and present her baby at the temple, so, shortly after December 25 was fixed as Christmas Day by the Roman Catholic Church, sometime in the late 4th Century, the second day of February was marked as the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus and of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |