Write-up about Imbolc by Philip Carr-Gomm from http://www.druidry.org/obod/text/lewes/druid-path/eight-foldyear.html
"The next Festival occurs on 2 February, or the night of 1 February. It is called Imbolc in the Druid tradition, or sometimes Oimelc. Although we would think of Imbolc as being in the midst of winter, it represents in fact the first of a trio of spring celebrations, since it is the time of the first appearance of the snowdrop, and of the melting of the snows and the clearing of the debris of Winter. It is a time when we sense the first glimmer of Spring, and when lambs are born. In the Druid tradition it is a gentle, beautiful festival in which the Mother Goddess is honored with eight candles rising out of the water at the center of the ceremonial circle.
"The Goddess that ruled Samhuinn was the Cailleach, the Grey Hag, the Mountain Mother, the Dark Woman of Knowledge. But by Imbolc the Goddess has become Brighid, the Goddess of poets, healers and midwives. And so we often use Imbolc as a time for an Eisteddfad dedicated to poetry and song praising the Goddess in her many forms. The Christian development of this festival is Candlemas - the time of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. For years successive Popes had tried to stop parades of lit candles in the streets of Rome at this time, until seeing that it was impossible to put a stop to this pagan custom, it was suggested that the populace enter the churches so that the priests could bless the candles." -- Philip Carr-Gomm
And some notes by Ovate Padraig on the Christian parallels with Imbolc:
"The Festival of Imbolc has quite clearly been assimilated by both Eastern and Western Christianity in their rituals and observances, indicating how powerful a time this early moment of spring is.
"As our Chosen Chief Philip has noted above, the Roman Church incorporated the use of candles at this Festival into its own rituals, as has the Byzantine Church as well. Of even deeper significance are the two commemorations of this time: on February 1 of St. Brigid, and on February 2 of the 'Encounter of Christ with Simeon and Anna in the Temple' as it is known among Eastern Christians, and 'The Presentation' or 'Candlemas' as it is known in the Western Church.
"As is well known, St. Brigid - Muire na nGael (Mary of the Gael), is the most popular and powerful woman saint among the Irish. Some suggestions about how the Goddess was translated into a Christian Saint and her parallels can be found at
http://www.wicca.drak.net/ladybrid/brid.html and http://www.brighidsfire.com/well/well5.html
Her feast is well celebrated by both Eastern and Western Christians on the first two days of February, and the characteristics of the Goddess are faithfully transferred to the Saint in her hospitality, healing, care for the Sacred Fire, and work with the Arts. In connection to the festive character of Imbolc, it is said that St. Brigid was the nursemaid of Christ, an historical anachronism for the 5th-6th AD century Saint unless we realize that this mythos is a Christian interpretation of the Goddess Brigid's nursing and care for the Solar Child Deity of New Light, born at the Winter Solstice / Christmas."The Feast of the Encounter or the Presentation gives even more evidence of the important parallels with Druid spirituality. For both Eastern and Western Christians, 2 February is the end of the Christmas Season, 40 days after 25 December just as Ascension Thursday is 40 days after Pascha (Easter). In the City of Rome, the manger scenes are left up until 'Candlemas,' and in the Western Church, throats are blessed on the following day, 3 February: The Candles which are clearly a sign of the Brigid Fire are used to provide healing. In Byzantine Christian practice the whole stock of the year's candles is blessed, and the blessed candles are kept and used at Home and in Church throughout the year for blessing, prayer and healing. Brigid, Saint and Goddess is still at work protecting both Temple and Hearth with her Sacred Fire!
"Byzantine Christians make this parallelism with Pascha (Easter) clear by calling the whole pre- and post- Christmas Season "The Winter Pascha," and by referring to this 40 days after Christmas as "The Season of the Epiphanies," that is, the time in which the "Sun of Righteousness" reveals himself to the world as the New Light. It is not difficult to see the more ancient mythos working here, as the Light, born again at the Winter Solstice, slowly grows into youth between 21 December and 2 February, revealing its power gradually even while winter continues. At Imbolc, the New Light is grown bright enough for us to sense that Spring is coming!
"It may be suggested that in the story of the Encounter in the Temple, there are also aspects of the ancient celebrations. The Child Jesus is brought to the Temple in Jerusalem, and amidst the rituals, his Mother Mary presents him to the awaiting elders Simeon and Anna. (See Luke 2:22-40). In the Byzantine calendar, this is a feast of both Christ and of the Theotokos, the only such male/female feast in the Byzantine year.
"Is this the New Light coming into the Temple of the Eternal City of Peace so that the previous year's Light (represented by Simeon who by tradition was blind) may safely pass away? Upon holding the Child, Simeon sings the 'Nunc Dimittis' ('Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen ... a light to lighten the Nations...'). The New Light is strong enough now to be noticeable for the first time at Imbolc, and so we do not fear to bid final farewell to the old Year's Light and look forward to Spring. Is the triple aspect of the Goddess represented under the esoteric veil as Mary (according to the Christian understanding both Maiden and Mother) and Anna (The Crone)?
"In comparative studies of mythos and ritual, one can rarely if ever draw absolute conclusions, but the themes of the revelation and recognition of the rebirth of the Light, the nurturing of the growing youth by the Goddess, the passing of the winter darkness and the beginnings of spring seem to be present in the Christian mythos of February 1 & 2 as well as in the Druid Imbolc festival. The ancient wisdom is never lost, only expressed in myriad ways and vesture, and the Divine Pattern is enacted in our lives and histories unto ages of ages!"
Ovate Padraig
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