Dedicated to Brigid the Goddess of Fire and Inspiration. Goddess of Fertility, that which was born at Solstice now begins to manifest. This is also the day of initiation, the Rite of passage for Witches. This is a time to plant the seeds of short term goals and foe the new cycle and new energy. The candle procession symbolizes the Feast of the Waxing light celebrating the Rebirth of the Sun.
Oimelc ("ee-melc"), is known in Modern Irish as Imbolc and as La na Feile Bride (Festival of "Saint Bridget"), in Manx as Laa'n Arragh (Day of Spring), and as Candlemas in English. Brighid, Bride or Bridget is yet another Pagan deity turned by the Christians into a "saint," in order to co-opt Her worship. This was a triple - aspected deity ( originally a Sun Goddess) of Poetry / Divination, Healing, and Smithcraft, whose followers kept an eternal flame burning in Her honor. It celebrates the birth of sheep, goats, and human babies (remember, it's nine months after Beltane!), and is especially sacred to Brigit and other deities of the fires of inspiration. It is most often celebrated with feasting and bardic competitions.
By analogy with the Gaelic names of the other High Days, we may assume that the holidays was originally called La'aOimelc and was the festival of the lactation of the ewes. In Paleopagan days (and, indeed, until the recent past) the sheep was a very important animal, providing both food and clothing. The occasion of the birth of lambs (not to mention kids and calves) was a cause for rejoicing and a sign of life in the "dead" world of a Northern Winter.
The name "Candlemas" is a Christian term for a holiday occurring February 1st or 2nd. This supposedly is in honor of a "Saint Blaise" and has no official connection with "Saint" Bridget and Her cult of fire, nor with the fact that this day was one of four major fire festivals of Paleopagan cultures throughout Western and Northern Europe. Of course, they don't mention a certain Slavic god named Vlaise, who was the Patron of cattle, wealth and war, and who was worshipped with fire... Oimelc begins the spring season of Earrach.
February 2nd is also known as Groundhogs Day, a holiday so - called because American groundhogs were the local counterpart to the Irish hare that was sacred to Bride. Celtic belief is that good weather on Oimelc means that winter will continue, and that bad weather means winter is on the way out -- hence the importance of the presence or absence of a sacred animal's shadow.