Groundhog Day And How Punxsutawney Phil Got Saved

The Groundhog Day tradition dates back to the days of Reconstruction during the 1880s. This groundhog is named “Punxsutawney Phil,” a mascot for a borough in southern Jefferson County, Pennsylvania called Gobbler’s Knob, and for one day out of the year, it’s the center of the meteorological world.

A good portion of the country understands two things about Phil:

He’s not really 144 years old. He’s like a college mascot of a live animal whose great-great-great grand groundhog kicked things off.
If you like or loathe cold weather, that shows what you want to happen to Phil’s shadow.

However, most of us know this day because of a rather fantastic movie with Bill Murray.

Yet, despite the myths of being stuck in time and Phil’s dreaded shadow, Groundhog Day actually has a deep connection to the church. Yes, it’s a “Christian celebration.”

Groundhog Day fans, meet Candlemas

In the 4th century, long before mustachioed men celebrated dragging a sizable rodent out of the ground, churchgoers celebrated the born Christ at the Temple on February 2. His mother, Mary, is ritualistically cleansed, and the baby is presented to the Lord in the Temple of Jerusalem, as was customary at that time (Luke 2:22-23). Later, the Roman Catholic Church and other Eastern Orthodox denominations would refer to this moment as Candlemas, which marks the return of light and sustains prosperity and protection. This is also the official end of Christmas.

“Mas” means mass, which is a communion service. So, “Christ-mas” celebrates the birth of Christ in that manner, and “Candle-mas” is a time to announce the light to the world Christ brought us all. In Luke 2:32, Simeon, the prophet, declared Jesus to be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles.” The official term of the day that marks 40 days after Christmas is known as the “Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” recorded in Leviticus.

In the Anglican Church, it’s called the “Presentation of the Lord.” In the Greek Orthodox Church, it’s called “Hypapante” (Greek for meeting). Other religions celebrate February 2, too. Since the 10th century, Celtic priests have called this day Imbolc, also known as Saint Brigid’s Day, for Ireland’s patroness saint. They celebrate the midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox. Wiccans use Imbolc to celebrate rebirth and a quickening of pregnancy with fire rituals and bonfires.

It’s also National Tater Tot Day, and who doesn’t thank God for those?!

History of Punxsutawney

There have been moments throughout history when Pagan rituals have become Christian celebrations (see Christmas and Mother’s Day) and vice versa (see New Year’s Day and resolutions). That notwithstanding, Candlemas actually helped spark interest in the little rodent meteorologist. While Christians are taking their candles to church and hoping for household blessings for the winter, an English folk song comes to be.

If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Come, Winter, have another flight;
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Go Winter, and come not again.

Eventually, the song made it to Europe and then to Germany. Some fans introduced an animal hiding in the ground to the idea of bringing along a “Second Winter.” They needed all the help they could get for crops. Cold weather doesn’t work well with an agro-economy. Six long weeks of winter get even longer when you’re not making money. Some of those animals underground hibernate, like bears and snakes and badgers and the random hedgehog.

There were rumors of sailing to the New World, and some German settlers wanted to see what the hubbub was about in America. They brought the second winter theory with them. Since some of those wayfaring Germans found their way to the Second Commonwealth of America, the legend of Punxsutawney was born. Phil may as well be a real weatherman because he’s only correct 40% of the time.

The furry Christian is a legend. He even has his own fan club. God bless him.