# History of Groundhog Day > HISTORY OF GROUNDHOG DAY Podcast version   roundhog Day comes from Candlemas Day, observed for centuries in parts of Europe on February 2. The custom was for the clergy to bless candles, representing how long winter would be, and distribute… > URL: https://billpetro.com/history-of-groundhog-day/ > Last modified: 2026-02-02T19:22:23+00:00 Reading Time: 3 minutes ## [](https://i0.wp.com/www.billpetro.com/wp-content/uploads/groundhog-773623.jpg?ssl=1)HISTORY OF GROUNDHOG DAY [*Podcast version*](https://open.spotify.com/episode/5JCiuMLxZuiRXHNzfR3G04?si=4901bed04b454f71)   **Groundhog Day** comes from **Candlemas Day**, observed for centuries in parts of Europe on *February 2. *The custom was for the clergy to bless candles, representing how long winter would be, and distribute them to the people.   *What are the pagan, Christian, and secular roots of this holiday?*   Table of Contents Toggle - [Connection to a Pagan Holiday?](#Connection_to_a_Pagan_Holiday) - [A Christian Holiday](#A_Christian_Holiday) - [What is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord?](#What_is_the_Feast_of_the_Presentation_of_the_Lord) - [How Does This Fit in the Church Calendar?](#How_Does_This_Fit_in_the_Church_Calendar) - [What is Candlemas?](#What_is_Candlemas) - [Whether the Weather Will Change](#Whether_the_Weather_Will_Change) - [Modern Groundhog Day](#Modern_Groundhog_Day) - [Related](#Related) ### Connection to a Pagan Holiday? The pagan celebration of *Imbolc* – the Feast of the goddess Bridget, or *Brigid* in Ireland – is observed by modern pagans.   ### A Christian Holiday In Christian Ireland, it’s **St. Bridget’s Day** – the Abbess of Kildare and the patron of midwives – and the “cross-quarter day” comes at the midpoint between the [Winter Solstice](https://billpetro.com/science-of-winter-solstice) and the [Spring Equinox](https://billpetro.com/history-of-the-spring). The Roman Legions, it is said, initially brought the tradition to the Germans.   ### What is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord? Candlemas is 40 days after Christmas, the [birth of Jesus Christ](https://billpetro.com/history-of-christmas-nativity/). In the second chapter of his Gospel, Luke records that Jesus was brought to the Temple in Jerusalem “to *present* him to the Lord,” as is required by the Jewish Law of Moses for the firstborn son. The feast was called “The Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin ” in the Roman Catholic Church, at least until the Second Vatican Council. In the Eastern (Greek Orthodox) Church, however, it is known as “The Meeting of the Lord,” with old *Simeon* and *Anna*—also mentioned in Luke 2:25–38— who rejoiced to see the Messiah in their lifetimes.   Presentation at the Temple (Georgia, 12th century). Image: [Wikipedia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Presentation_at_the_Temple_%28Georgia%2C_12th_c.%29.JPG)   Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms, blessed God, and said: *“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, **according to your word;* *for my eyes have seen your salvation **that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,* *a light for revelation to the Gentiles, **and for glory to your people Israel.”* In 542, Roman Emperor **Justinian** established this feast throughout the East Roman Empire. The Western Church introduced it under **Pope Sergius I** in the late 7th century.   ### How Does This Fit in the Church Calendar? The winter holiday cycle in the ecclesiastical calendar goes like this: - [**Advent**](https://billpetro.com/history-of-christmas-advent/) begins with the four Sundays before Christmas Day and ends on Christmas Eve (December 24) - **[Christmas](https://billpetro.com/history-of-12-days-of-christmas/)** extends Twelve Days between Christmas and Epiphany (January 6) - [**Epiphany**](https://billpetro.com/history-of-epiphany-12th-night/) ends on Candlemas Day (February 2)   *If you haven’t yet taken your Christmas decorations down, you may do so without fear of ridicule.*   ### What is Candlemas? Blessing beeswax candles once a year for the whole year became common in the 11th century. This practice was a reference to Simeon’s prophecy that Jesus would be the “*light for revelation to the Gentiles*” (Luke 2:32). In more modern times, says the old Scottish couplet: *“If Candlemas Day is bright and clear There’ll be two winters in the year **If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,* *Go Winter, and come not again.”*   ### Whether the Weather Will Change In ***Hungary***, there is an old folk tale that says if a **bear** emerges from hibernation on Candlemas (February 2) and sees its shadow because the sun is out, it will return to hibernation because of the cold. If clouds are in the sky, winter is almost over. Hungarian zoos are still watched for bears predicting the coming of [Spring](https://billpetro.com/history-spring/). In ***Germany***, when bears became scarce, the weather predictor became the **badger**. Since medieval times, German farmers have based their weather predictions on whether the badger would see its shadow on Candlemas, also known as “Badger Day” (*Dachstag*). When Germans immigrated to ***Pennsylvania*** in the U.S., badgers were not as plentiful as back in Germany. By the 1840s, the following idea caught on among German immigrants. Their folk traditions now had people looking to **hedgehogs** for their shadows on a sunny day.   ### Modern Groundhog Day In 1886, the editor of *The Punxsutawney Spirit* newspaper dubbed the day “Groundhog Day.” If the **groundhog** sees its shadow on a “bright and clear” day, six more weeks of winter are ahead. **Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania**, is the headquarters of the celebration where the groundhog “Punxsutawney Phil” regards his shadow at [Gobbler’s Knob](https://www.groundhog.org/), a wooded knoll just outside the town. And **Bill Murray** visited this location (repeatedly) in his movie *[Groundhog Day](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107048/)*. Tens of thousands have gathered annually at Gobbler’s Knob for the event.   *Happy Groundhog Day.*   Bill Petro, your friendly neighborhood historian [billpetro.com](https://billpetro.com)   *Podcast*:     [*Subscribe*](http://g003.enterprise.ipost.com/billpetrofriend/prefs) to have future articles delivered to your email. 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