The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, celebrated on February 2, commemorates the moment when the infant Jesus was brought to the Temple in Jerusalem, marking His first public appearance in the house of God. The origins of this ancient celebration can be traced back to the early centuries of Christianity.
Historical insight into the feast comes from the late fourth century through the writings of Etheria, a pilgrim who journeyed to Jerusalem. Her travel diary, rediscovered in 1887, offers a rare and valuable account of early Christian liturgical practices. Among the solemn celebrations she recorded were the Epiphany on January 6 then widely observed as the feast of Christ’s birth and a grand procession held 40 days later in honour of Jesus’ Presentation in the Temple, which at that time was celebrated on February 15.
The focus of the feast has always been on Christ’s entry into the Temple, highlighting His revelation to Israel, rather than solely on the ritual purification of Mary, as prescribed by Jewish law. Over time, the celebration gained prominence and gradually spread across the Western Church during the fifth and sixth centuries.
As the Western Church fixed the celebration of Christmas on December 25, the date of the Presentation was adjusted accordingly and observed on February 2, exactly 40 days after the Nativity.
A significant development in the feast came in the early eighth century when Pope Sergius I introduced a candlelight procession as part of the liturgy. By the end of that century, the blessing and distribution of candles became a permanent feature of the celebration. This tradition, symbolizing Christ as the Light of the world, gave rise to the popular name by which the feast is widely known today Candlemass.