You’ve heard of Christmas, but have you ever heard of Candlemas or know what it celebrates? Observing Candlemas can be a great way to extend the celebration of Jesus’ birth each winter. First, in the four weeks leading up to Christmas, Christians celebrate a meditative Advent to prepare their heads and hearts for the holy day. Then they celebrate Jesus’ incarnation on December 25, which begins the 12 days of Christmas. That observation ends on January 6 with the Feast of the Epiphany (or the Three Kings). The observances around the birth of Christ do not end there, however. Christians may also recognize Candlemas as another feast day in the following month.
So what is Candlemas, and what does it celebrate in terms of the incarnation of Jesus?
I’ve been a Christian for over 30 years, and even though I attend a liturgical church, I had never heard of Candlemas before conducting research for this article. To learn about this special observance, we need to go back many hundreds of years to find its origin and purpose. Once you learn more about it, you may also consider acknowledging the significance of Candlemas, and create a special way to observe it yourself.
What Is Candlemas in the Christian Tradition?
Though you wouldn’t know it from its title, Candlemas is a day that celebrates events that took place 40 days after Jesus’ nativity. In those days, Jewish families would travel to the temple in Jerusalem to perform rites called for in the Jewish law (found in Exodus 13 and Leviticus 12). After the birth of a child, mothers had to perform rites of purification, and a firstborn son was to be dedicated to the Lord in a “rite of redemption.”
Joseph, Mary, and Jesus made this ritual trip from Bethlehem as noted in Luke 2. Arriving in Jerusalem, Mary would have had to wash in a pool of natural water to be “purified” after giving birth (she would have been considered “unclean” because of birth-related discharge). In the temple, they would have followed the Mosaic Law ceremony to consecrate Jesus to the Lord, offering a sacrifice of a pair of doves or two young pigeons. These would be given by families who were too poor to provide a lamb for sacrifice. God’s plan for Jesus’ life on earth even included this “irony." The family couldn’t provide a lamb for sacrifice to redeem their son, but this same son was the lamb that would one day be slain as a sacrifice for the sins of the world.
Now, this event is acknowledged by many liturgical churches each year, but why is it called “Candlemas”?
Where Does the Name "Candlemas" Come From?
According to Britannica, an annual celebration of Christ’s dedication was being held in Jerusalem as early as the 4th century, but was celebrated on February 14. By the 5th century, Emperor Justinian I had moved the date to February 2 (40 days from Christmas Eve). The custom of using lighted candles and naming the ceremony “Candlemas” also began. Similar to “Christmas,” meaning “Christ Mass,” “Candlemas” is another way of saying “Candle Mass.” It refers to the custom of blessing and giving candles to the congregation to light and carry as part of the procession.
Candlemas may be called different names by different denominations. Anglicans call it “The Presentation of Christ in the Temple." The Greek Orthodox Church calls it “Hypapante” or “meeting." Catholics call it “The Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord," but some also call it The Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary."
What is the Biblical Basis for Candlemas?
Again, Luke 2 tells the story of Joseph and Mary completing the rites following the birth of their first male child according to Mosaic Law. After they completed the rites, Joseph and Mary were approached by a man named Simeon, whom God had promised would live until he saw the Messiah. Simeon prophesied that Jesus would be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel” (Luke 2:32). There was also a prophetess named Anna who lived at the temple who also approached Joseph, Mary and Jesus and “...coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem." Therefore, on Candlemas, some churches encourage people to bring candles that can be blessed in church and may use special candles in the mass/service’s procession.
According to EWTN, the late Pope John Paul II, leader of the Catholic Church worldwide from 1978-2005, had this to say about the events at the temple that day:
“In the mysterious encounter between Simeon and Mary, the Old and New Testaments are joined. Together the aging prophet and the young mother give thanks for this Light which has kept the darkness from prevailing. It is the Light which shines in the heart of human life: Christ, the Saviour and Redeemer of the world, ‘a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for the glory of his people Israel.'"
How is Candlemas Celebrated Around the World?
Different countries have their own way of celebrating Candlemas, if they celebrate at all. A few examples of traditional practices, according to daysoftheyear.com, include:
- Mexico’s adoration and decoration of the Christ child, carrying of a statue of “Virgen de la Candelaria”, and traditional meal including tamales.
- Luxembourg’s children march through the streets with lanterns singing traditional songs, and hoping for a treat from the various neighbors they pass.
- France’s tradition is to have candles lit throughout the house on this day and to keep the nativity scene displayed from Christmas until Candlemas.
As mentioned, Candlemas is observed in many liturgical churches, but the attention to the lighting of candles and marching in procession serve to support Simeon’s prophecy, and elsewhere in the Bible where Jesus is referred to as “the Light." For instance:
- Jesus said, “‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
- The Apostle Paul wrote, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6)
- In the vision given to John in the Book of Revelation, it says, “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.”(Revelation 21:23)
How Can Christians Observe Candlemas Today?
We can certainly observe Candlemas in a church service that celebrates the day each February 2. But we can do much more on our own, inspired by the Holy Spirit. Since it is a relatively unknown observance, we can start by setting aside a day or number of days to reflect on the events of Luke 2:22-35. Perhaps ask God to lead you through the story as if you were there and what it would have been like for Mary, Joseph, Simeon, and Anna to have that encounter together. What would it have been like for Mary and Joseph to hear this prophecy about their son from someone they didn’t know? How would Mary feel when Simeon said Mary’s soul would be pierced? And not just Simeon, but Anna’s prophecy that Jesus was the one everyone was looking forward to bringing about the redemption of Jerusalem? Imagine the conversation on the way back home!
We can also look up every reference to Jesus being the light of the world and write each out on an index card. If we read them every day, we can hide God’s word in our hearts and remind ourselves of another promise of God: that Jesus would shine light into the darkness of men’s hearts.
Perhaps this would be a great time to create an area of your home, like a dining table, where you work with your kids to make a light centerpiece. The candles do not have to match; in fact, using different-sized and shaped candles may remind us that Jesus’ light is for everyone. Though Groundhog Day is on February 2, you can redirect your kids’ attention away from a creature looking for light to the Savior of the world, who is their light when things get dark.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/D-Keine
Mary Oelerich-Meyer is a Chicago-area freelance writer and copy editor who prayed for years for a way to write about and for the Lord. She spent 20 years writing for area healthcare organizations, interviewing doctors and clinical professionals and writing more than 1,500 articles in addition to marketing collateral materials. Important work, but not what she felt called to do. She is grateful for any opportunity to share the Lord in her writing and editing, believing that life is too short to write about anything else. Previously she served as Marketing Communications Director for a large healthcare system. She holds a B.A. in International Business and Marketing from Cornell College (the original Cornell!) When not researching or writing, she loves to spend time with her writer daughter, granddaughter, rescue doggie and husband (not always in that order).
