Today is Candle mas. Candles are blessed today. This is to commemorate the day Jesus was recognised as the Messiah by Simeon the Righteous. The link to candles is because he said that Jesus was the light to light up the world:
Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all peoples; a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel (Luke 2:29-32).
This took place forty days after the birth of the baby Jesus . Mary went to the temple to be blessed or cleansed after child birth. A sacrifice was given in this case two doves.
In Tudor England (1480-1547 & 1553-1558 Excl Elizabethan & Edward's reign)
Women went to be 'Churched' after child birth, forty days after birth of a boy and thirty days for a girl.
Candle mas marked the end of Epiphany. It was officially the end of the Christmas season. to mark this the Christmas decorations would be removed from the house on this day or on Candle mas eve.
This would have been the last feast day of the Christmas season. So dairy products and meat were on the menu, if you had them!
In this country this is when the first signs of spring start to show themselves in nature. The buds on trees are starting to swell and the snow drops are blooming and the daffs are starting to wake up. In my case next door's daffs have been in full flower for a week or so already. So it is a significant time to remove the Christmas decorations after nature has been asleep and is starting to wake.
Pendean Farm house has been furnished as it may have been in approximately 1630. At this time there were differing factions of the Christian faith in this country. Some -the Puritans- not decorating or celebrating Christmas at all. In fact anything they considered Idolatry or Superstitious was deemed inappropriate.
The museum have interpreted Pendean as a Catholic residence, whilst Poplar house (furnished as it may have been in 1630 but a Puritan residence) has no signs of any festive cheer at Christmas.
This has no reflection on the actual people who lived in these dwellings at these times. But is used as an educational device.
In fact we do not really know what people inwardly thought or practised. Very much like today. But people would be outwardly conforming to what was acceptable practise of their time, keeping their heads below the bunker, as it were.
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