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TODAY is Candlemas, also known as Candlemass, the formal end to the Christian season of Christmas.
Christian ceremonies often echo ceremonies held in pagan communities which pre-date Christianity – and Candlemas is no exception. Many early communities marked the end of the dark days of winter with a festival of light, and the Christian feast of Candlemas blesses candles, the givers of light.
Early communities often exchanged and ate round cakes at Candlemas – to mark the fact that the sun was about to return. Round pancakes are traditionally eaten in many European countries at Candlemas. So let’s cheer up: Spring is round the corner!
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Thought for today
The Thames Today
