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This is one of my favourite paintings in the National Gallery of Scotland. It is by John Duncan and is called St Bride.

The story is that Bride/Bridget was taken by the angels to the nativity to serve as a handmaiden to Mary.

There is another legend which says that when Jesus was born it was actually twins. The first child was a girl and God knew that a girl would never be able to do all S/He hoped so the girl was spirited away by the angels to begin the Celtic Church, where women were respected. Good, eh?

I love the colours in the painting, and the angels faces and the stories told in their robes. I adore the sky and the celticness of the waters and creatures. For a while when I was a student at Tisec we studied in the CofS building near the Botanics (can’t remember the name) and the original sketch for this painting was in the dining room at the head of the table. I’ve adored it ever since.

Now what has St Brigid got to do with Candlemas, I hear you cry? Well, quite a lot actually. For St Brigid’s feast day is 1 February. She began her life as a pagan goddess and ended up a Christian saint. Brigid was the fire and fertility goddess and in her temple at Kildare she was tended by the vestal virgins who kept the eternal fire going. On her feast day her statue was carried into the sea to be washed (purification) and then trawled around in a cart surrounded by candles.

The legends about this Brigid gradually became associated with Saint Brigid who founded the first convent in Ireland – at Kildare, of course. In the Highlands on this day women dress a corn-doll and put her in a basket (the Bride’s Bed). Then a wand, candle or other phallic object is laid across her. (I’ll leave you to decide what ‘other phallic object’ that might be.)

In time the RC church, is it was wont to do, superimposed a Christian festival on to a pagan one. 40 days after the birth of a male child (80 days if it was a girl – and what’s THAT all about?) Jewish women went through a purification ceremony. In the 6th century, 2 February (which is 39 days after Christmas) was declared the Feast of the Purification of Mary thereby forging a link between the two days.

The custom was that candles were brought to church on this day to be blessed. When they are taken home they act as talismans and protection from disaster.

Liturgically it is all about the candles. Candles everywhere. Candles in windows, candles on any ledge, candles lit all over the place, and candles for the people too. Traditionally, along with Twelfth Night, Christmas decorations would be taken down today so our crib will finally be taken down to signify the end of Christmastide.

Food-wise you might want to enjoy some pancakes. This is probably because Shrove Tuesday can fall pretty close to Candlemas. But it also good to eat grain-based foods so cakes will do! Pancakes are considered sun symbols because of their shape and golden colour. (Not when I make them, they’re not.)

If you have a real fire at home you can give the hearth a good clean out and light a new fire. Then you can meditate on your hopes for the coming year. What do you hope to accomplish? What seeds do you want to sow? Write down your thoughts in your journal and then when Lammas comes (2 August, Feast of first harvest) you can look back and see what you have achieved.

Since Candlemas is a time for new beginnings, this is a good day to celebrate all that is new. Let your creative side run riot. Make some resolutions. Use the symbols of fire, water and seeds in some way. Light a candle, wash your face, and plant some seeds, asking for a blessing while you’re at it.  It might also be a good time to spring clean the house. (I said ‘might’.)