The Church celebrates the feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2, also called Candlemas named after the custom of using lighted candles.

Originally, the feast was celebrated on February 14, the 40th day after Epiphany (January 6). As Christmas was not yet celebrated as an own feast, the feasts of Nativity, Epiphany, Baptism of the Lord (Theophany), and the feast celebrating Christ's first miracle at the wedding in Cana were all celebrated on the same day.

By the last quarter of the fourth century, however, the Church at Rome had begun to celebrate the Nativity on December 25, so the Feast of the Presentation was moved to February 2, 40 days later. Among the Orthodox it is known as the Hypapante (“Meeting” of the Lord with Simeon).

The Church at Jerusalem observed the feast as early as the first half of the fourth century, and likely earlier.

Candlemas

Inspired by the words of the Canticle of Simeon ("a light to the revelation of the Gentiles"), by the 11th century, the custom had developed in the West of blessing candles on the Feast of the Presentation. The candles were then lit, and a procession took place through the darkened church while the Canticle of Simeon was sung. Because of this, the feast also became known as Candlemas.

At the beginning of the eighth century, Pope Sergius inaugurated a candlelight procession; at the end of the same century the blessing and distribution of candles which continues to this day became part of the celebration, giving the feast its popular name: Candlemas.

Fulfilment of the Old Covenant

Jesus’ presentation in the Temple reflects how he fulfills the Old Covenant. According to Old Testament law, a sacrifice had to be offered in the Temple when a child was consecrated to the Lord. Mary and Joseph honor this tradition, as testified in Luke 2:22-24.

Simeon, a devout and upright man, had been told by the Lord he would meet the Messiah before his death. When Jesus comes to the Temple, we see the fulfillment of this prophecy.

Simeon and the prophetess Anna, acting – in the words of Pope John Paul II – as “representatives of the Old Covenant” – recognize Jesus’ Lordship as Messiah in this culmination of their watchful waiting. When Simeon receives Jesus, he blesses him, and prophesies Jesus’ future as Savior, proclaiming him the Light of the world.

Living a Consecrated Life

On this day, we also reflect on the gift of consecrated life. While the momentary satisfaction of selfish living ultimately leads to emptiness, living a life of holiness, dedicated to God’s service, will give true contentment and peace. As Pope Francis has expressed:

Consecrated life is born and reborn of an encounter with Jesus as he is: poor, chaste and obedient… And while worldly life soon leaves our hands and hearts empty, life in Jesus fills us with peace to the very end, as in the Gospel, where Simeon and Anna come happily to the sunset of their lives with the Lord in their arms and joy in their hearts.

The feast is also known by the following names around the world
• Our Lady of the Candles
• Presentation of the Infant Jesus in the Temple
• Presentation of the Lord
• Purification of the Blessed Virgin
• Candelas (Spanish)
• Candelora (Italian)
• Chandeleur (French)
• Hromnice (Feast of Candles among the Slovaks and Czechs)
• Lichtmess (German)
• Stretenije Gospoda (Meeting of the Lord by the Slavs of the Eastern Rite)
• Svijetlo Marijino (Light Feast of Mary in Yugoslavia)

Other Saints of the Day
1. Saint Catherine del Ricci
2. Saint Maria Domenica Mantovani
3. Saint Jean-Théophane Vénard
4. Saint Jeanne de Lestonnac
5. Saint Burchard of Würzburg

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