On February 2 the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Candlemas or purification of the Virgin after giving birth ( habit of Jews ) ritual started in the middle of the 6th century at the behest of Emperor Justiniano I, but is actually a superposition of a pagan holiday, the feast of purification in honour of Februa, mother of the Roman god Marsthe Romans were held to prepare for the start of the year, because in the past year began in March. Both in the past and later in Christianity was a procession carrying candles ( 41 candles; looking forward to the end of winter and the arrival of spring ( the return of Persephone (Persephone ) the world of the dead to the world of the living ).