1. Yesterday it was Kyndelsmässodagen according to the Swedish calendar. Today, in the morning newspaper, I could read how the reporters had asked 5 individuals at random encountered in the street if they knew what Kyndelsmäss meant, why it was celebrated. None could answer. A typical answer: 'No idea. I recognize the word, has it to do with religion?' Sweden is probably the most secularized state in the world. Another, aged 64 and a teacher, said he would ask his wife because she was a priest. If people knew just a little about the meaning of words they could have deduced the day in some way had to do with making fire, to kindle. Kyndel is an old Swedish version of the English kindle. From kindle it is a small step to candle and from there to Crux via 'Candelabra of the Andes'. A footnote in the morning paper informed the readers that February 2 was 40 days after the birth of Christ and the time when he was brought to the Temple (cfr at The Two Wives of Sun). In the preceding hour (the 13th) our perspective has changed from heliacal rising to culmination at midnight. A whole new spectrum of possibilities has opened up. Let's try to consolidate these ideas by using Candlemas as an example. First we should count from February 2 backwards.
From the beginning of the year to February 2 there are 31 + 2 = 33 days, a number we remember as significant for the situation north of the equator in contrast to how south of the equator the number should be 35 days. This pair of numbers evidently allude to the distance from winter solstice to the heliacal rising of the Pleiades (cfr at Structure of the G Text):
... Under Mosaic law, a mother who had given birth to a man-child was considered unclean for seven days; moreover she was to remain for three and thirty days 'in the blood of her purification', which makes a total of 40 days ... There are 7 days from the birth of Christ to the end of the year. January 1 - 7 days = December 25 (Christmas Day). To complicate matters it should be added that in Sweden there is a much better known day than Kyndelsmäss, viz. Tjugondedag Knut ('20-day Knot'). Knut is a male name in Sweden but no one seems to understand there is any connection between this name and knut = knot. 20 days after December 25, viz. in January 13, the Christmas Tree should be thrown out and all the other signs of Christmas stored away until next year. We remember similar events from Sahagun: ... When it was evident that the years lay ready to burst into life, everyone took hold of them, so that once more would start forth - once again - another (period of) fifty-two years. Then (the two cycles) might proceed to reach one hundred and four years. It was called 'One Age' when twice they had made the round, when twice the times of binding the years had come together. Behold what was done when the years were bound - when was reached the time when they were to draw the new fire, when now its count was accomplished. First they put out fires everywhere in the country round. And the statues, hewn in either wood or stone, kept in each man's home and regarded as gods, were all cast into the water. Also (were) these (cast away) - the pestles and the (three) hearth stones (upon which the cooking pots rested); and everywhere there was much sweeping - there was sweeping very clear. Rubbish was thrown out; none lay in any of the houses ... Thus there seems to be a structure which has cycles of 52 in pairs. When such a cycle is ending everything is sweeped away and 'cast into the water'. Swedish custom adds that the 'binding' (the knot) should be 20 days after Christmas day. After another 20 days, at Candlemas, a new fire should be kindled. 7 + 13 + 20 = 40. 2 * 52 = 104 is a signficant number in the G text, for instance:
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