INTERNATIONAL
SOCIETY
ESIEA
CHANDELEUR 2018
In February 2018, our team introduced the foreign students of the school to "La Chandeleur":
​
We did French crepes for the Chandeleur. We taught them how to cook crepes, but we realized that they were better at doing it than us! That was very funny and tasty.
​
We also tried to explain the origins of this tradition, and we talked about the different “kind of crepes” around the world.
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY...
​
Each year on the 2nd of February, families and friends join together to eat crepes on the occasion of what we call in French "La Chandeleur". But what is it ? Why crepes ?
​
"La Chandeleur", better known as "Candlemas" or even "The feast of the Purification of Mary" was basically a Pagan feast which then became a Christian religious feast.
​
Deriving its name from the word "Chandelle" (candle), Candlemas was at the time of the Romans a celebration to venerate the god Pan and during which believers walked in the streets of Rome holding torches.
On the 2nd of February 472, the pope Gelasius I organized torchlights processions and made it a feast commemorating the presentation of Jesus at the Temple. During these processions, each believer had to get a lighted candle from the church and bring it home. Only one simple rule: he had to keep the candle lit all way long.
BUT WHY CREPES ?
​
This tradition comes from an old myth stating that if one does not eat crepes on Candlemas, the wheat would be damaged all year round.
​
You have also certainly heard about another custom which still exists nowadays:
Whilst cooking crepes, whoever suceeds in turning/flipping his crepe in the pan whitout it falling on the ground or sticking to the ceiling would be lucky until next Candlemas.
​
​