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What is Candlemas?

In bygone centuries, Christians said their In many churches on this feast there will
last farewells to the Christmas season on be a procession of the whole
Candlemas. So what exactly is Candlemas? congregation with lighted candles –
often inside the whole building, going
There are three reasons for this festival, into every ‘dark’ corner. Everyone

which is held each year on the second of carries their own lighted candle, which
February. they are encouraged to take home and

Firstly, it’s the halfway point between the light there also.
shortest day and the Spring Equinox, so One of the prayers that may be used:
from that date on the daylight hours get Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of
longer. In pre-Christian times, this day the universe.
was known as the 'Feast of Lights' and You make our darkness to be light.

celebrated the increase strength of the For with You is the well of life
life-giving sun as Winter gave way to and in Your light shall we see light.
Spring. Christ is often called the ‘Light of the

Secondly, it’s when we remember Mary World’ who came to bring light, hope,
and Joseph taking their baby Jesus, to the and peace into our darkness. Have a
Temple 40 days after His birth to think about those places that are dark
‘present Him to the Lord’. for you and perhaps you do not like

And the third reason is linked directly to going there or will not go there.

the name of the feast – Candlemas. It Perhaps they are too painful or scary.
was so called because on that day each Just pause for a short time with a lit
year all the candles for the coming year candle and imagine Jesus going there for
were brought into the church to be you or with you. Lighting your way.
blessed at a ‘mass’. Remember that Making it safe. He came to give us life –
candles were important in those days, and life to the full – even in those dark

not only because there were no electric places.
lights; people thought they gave Revd Dr Jo White
protection against plague and illness and
famine.

The story of how Candlemas began can be found in Luke 2:22

-40. Simeon’s great declaration of faith and recognition of
who Jesus was is of course found in the Nunc Dimittis, which
is embedded in the Office of Evening Prayer in the West. But
in mediaeval times, the Nunc Dimittis was mostly used just on
this day, during the distribution of candles before the
Eucharist. Only gradually did it win a place in the daily prayer
life of the Church.

Rembrandt’s Presentation of Christ - National Museum, Stockholm

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