What is La Chandeleur?

Do you know about this fun holiday the French celebrate by eating crepes? It takes place 40 days after Christmas on February 2, and it commemorates the presentation of Jesus at the temple.

Like the Feast of the Epiphany, la Chandeleur began as a pagan celebration that came to be associated with the Catholic church. In ancient Rome, it was a celebration to honor Pan, god of the wild, shepherds, and flocks. In the evening, large processions passed through the streets, with everyone holding torches.

The Tradition

In AD 494, Pope Gelasius I adapted the pagan tradition for the Church, using candlesticks (aka chandeliers) to celebrate the purification of the Virgin Mary. According to legend, he rewarded and fortified pilgrims who has made the long journey to Rome with crêpes. It is said the round, golden shape of a crêpe resembles the sun, and reminds people of the warmth and fertility of spring.

La Chandeleur is a superstitious day for the French. According to folklore, in order to foresee financial luck, one should hold a coin in one hand and flip the crêpe in another. If you flip the crêpe without dropping it to the floor, you will have a prosperous year.

Fun Fact

Napoléon Bonaparte was also superstitious. He believed if he successfully flipped crêpes, he would win battles. In 1812, while Napoléon was preparing his military campaign into Russia, he flipped several crêpes until one fell to the floor. Despite this prophesied misfortune, Napoléon pursued his campaign which ended in tremendous carnage for the French troops not only in battle, but also in a Moscow fire and a terrible Russian winter. It is said that in retreat Napoléon cited the fallen crêpe as the reason for his misfortune.

Photo Credit

The beautiful photo in this post is credited to Les Gourmandises de Lou. If you are not familiar with her beautiful blog, you should definitely check it out. Not only does “Lou” share wonderful crêpe recipes, but also many other traditional French delights.