The Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Candlemas)

This feast is 40 days on from the Nativity, and the biblical account (Luke 2.22-40) of it shows that various ritual requirements were being fulfilled as Jesus was brought to the Temple by his parents.

On seeing then Simeon recognised in Christ the Light of the nations and Anna proclaimed him as the Redeemer.

The feast goes back at least to the fourth century. The term "Candlemas" refers to the blessing of candles on this day for use in church throughout the year, some of which were also distributed to the faithful for use at home. It was the last day on which any Christmas decorations could be kept in the house, the day on which cows were removed from land to be sown, a quarter day … and happens also to be the feast of my own Nativity too. (You can tell how premature I was since the name David had already, I think, been earmarked if I proved to be a boy as his feast day a month later was the expected date of arrival. I suppose it explains a lot!)

Collect

Almighty and ever-living God,
clothed in majesty,
whose beloved Son
   was this day presented in the Temple,
in substance of our flesh:
grant that we may be presented to you
with pure and clean hearts,
by your Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Filed under: Celebrating the Saints