«For the saint Candelora we are in the winter, but if it rains or the wind blows, we are in the winter ». The popular saying is all Italian, but it is not the only one referring to the day of February 2.
Across the Atlantic is the day of the marmotta the one in which Phil, the marmot in fact, comes out of his hole and decides if winter is about to end or not.
THE DAY OF THE MARMOT
The February 2, is the day of the groundhog, the one that Bill Murray relived indefinitely in I start over. The one in which the Americans are waiting for an answer: will spring come or will there still be the cold winter to endure? TO Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania expects nothing else for the whole year, al Groundhog Club, the marmot club in fact.
The legend says that the marmot Phil, on this day, come out of his trunk and pronounce the sentence. She just has to put her face out, usually she does it at dawn. If it sees its shadow, winter will still be at least six weeks long. If he doesn’t see it, spring is near.
THE CANDLEHOLDER
However, Europe also has an anniversary on this day, from which the day of the marmot derives according to the official website of Punxsutawney. And the Candelola, the feast of candles that were blessed on this day when the Church celebrates the presentation in the temple of Jesus according to Jewish custom as the firstborn male. We are 40 days before Christmas and 40 days after giving birth the women went to purify themselves in the Temple. So did Our Lady and the feast is also called purification of Mary. In the Celtic liturgy it is called Imbolc the festival that marks the transition between winter and spring with the return of light.
Especially in the South it is the day until which the nativity scene can be kept at home. The tradition has also passed to the Christmas tree. For those who do not give up it is the last day to remove the festive decorations.
POPULAR SAID
“For the holy Candlemas if it snows or if we are plora of winter we are fora”. So goes the popular tradition. And he continues: “but if it’s the sun or the sun we are always in the middle of winter”. In practice, if on this day, February 2, it rains or snows, winter can be considered over, if instead there is sole the winter season is still halfway through. There are versions of it in almost every Italian dialect. The refrain and the date also apply to take stock of the crops whether it is vine or wheat.
«Of the waxes the day, the Vernata shows you: if you see minute rain, the Vernata is complete; but if you see the sun clear, March will last until January ». This says a version and then there is: “For the holy Candlemas we are in the winter, but if it rains or the wind blows, we are in the winter.
THE GERMAN Hedgehog
In the German tradition the times are exactly like the American ones with 6 weeks of winter if the hedgehog, this was the reference animal in Germany, it sees its shadow. They were the first German immigrants to Pennsylvania to bring this habit with the marmot to replace the hedgehog. The news of the groundhog day is for the first time in the local newspaper in 1886 and the following year the club was born with Phil officially proclaimed marmot of the weather.
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