Recently, I started researching a celebration that many people don't know well: Candlemas Day. It turns out that February 2nd marks an important moment in Christian tradition, specifically when Mary and Joseph took the Baby Jesus to the Temple to present Him before God.

The historical logic makes sense. According to the customs of the time, after 40 days from childbirth, mothers were required to present themselves at the Temple for purification. So, February 2nd is not an arbitrary date but exactly marks those 40 days since Jesus' birth. When they arrived at the Temple, they met Simeon, a man described as righteous and wise, who recognized the Child as the Savior. Interestingly, Simeon called Him "a light for revelation to the nations," which is where the name Candlemas comes from: because the celebration includes the blessing of lit candles carried in procession.

What’s fascinating is how this religious tradition blended with indigenous beliefs, especially in Latin America. In Mexico, for example, February 2nd carries an additional layer of meaning. Many Mexicans bring images of the Baby Jesus to church to be blessed, but there’s also this connection to the Aztec calendar, which marked the blessing of maize on this same date. It’s an interesting syncretism: Christian faith intertwined with pre-Hispanic traditions.

There’s a very particular custom among Mexicans: when someone takes out the figurine of the Baby Jesus from the Rosca de Reyes, that person must prepare tamales and atole to share with family on February 2nd. Some bring their figures of the Baby Jesus dressed in different professions: doctors, teachers, soccer players. They do this to attract prosperity and blessings for the family.

In Spain, the celebration is also significant, especially in the Canary Islands. They say that in 1392, the Virgin of Candlemas appeared to two Guanche shepherds in Tenerife, which led to special celebrations including parades before the President and the King, with festivities lasting several days at the Basilica dedicated to the Virgin of Candlemas.

What’s interesting is that for Mexican migrants in the United States, this date remains central in their cultural and religious calendar. They keep alive that blend of Christian faith and ancestral traditions, passing their practices down through generations. February 2nd becomes a bridge between the sacred and the cultural, between what they inherited from their roots and what they live today.