Tag Archives: Candlemas

Presentation of Christ: The Encounter

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This 10th century Byzantine manuscript illumination depicts the Presentation of Christ when he was 40 days old, described inthe Gospel of St. Luke.

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Presentation of Jesus–an early episode in the life of Jesus, describing his presentation at the Temple in Jerusalem is described in the Gospel of Luke and which combines the purification rite with the Jewish ceremony of the redemption of the firstborn (Luke 2:23–24)–is celebrated as one of the twelve Great Feasts, and is usually called Hypapante (“Meeting” or “Encounter” in Greek).

In this episode, Christ encounters the elderly Simeon and Anna, representatives of the Chosen People who anxiously await the coming of the Messiah. The emphasis is less on his presentation in the temple (which was to “buy back” the first-born son, a Jewish practice that looks back to the death of the first-born in Egypt) or the purification of his mother (women were considered impure because of the blood shed during childbirth) and more on this face-to-face meeting of Christ and those who look for him. This encounter becomes the model for the encounter between Christ and all those who pray, receive Holy Communion, or otherwise look to meet Christ in the circumstances of their own lives. Simeon and Anna become the model for all the faithful throughout history.

In Western Christianity, there is an additional name for this day: Candlemas. This feast day is also known as the Purification of the Blessed Virgin or the Presentation of the Lord. In the Roman Catholic Church, the Presentation is the fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary. Also, in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion and the Lutheran Church, the episode was also reflected in the once-prevalent custom of “churching” new mothers–coming to church for the first time–forty days after the birth of a child.

Candlemas (February 2, 2019)=Beginning of Spring

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Marking the 40th day after Christmas, Candlemas celebrates the triumph of light/spring over darkness/winter. Candles blessed on this day were among the most powerful talismans available to ordinary folk in the Middle Ages.

Candlemas, the name taken from the custom of blessing the year’s supply of candles on this day, is the 40th day after Christmas and marks the day Jesus was brought into the Temple by the Mother of God and acclaimed by the elder Simeon as “the light of revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of … Israel.” He also told the Mother of God that a sword would pierce her own heart during the ministry of her Son.

Candlemas, attached to the older feast of Imbolc and the quarter-day between Winter Solstice and Vernal Equinox and thus marking the first day of spring, was even more popular than Christmas in many areas (such as those under the influence of Byzantium and Byzantine Christian culture). People would flock to the churches to obtain the candles blessed on this day as the power of these candles to dispel darkness, death, illness, demons, and nearly anything else that might be considered dangerous to humans was widely reputed to make them the most powerful weapons in the medieval arsenal against evil.

It was also common in western Europe for new archbishops or other leading churchmen to receive their pallium (the “stole,” a vestment similar to a scarf that drapes around the shoulders) on this day, woven from wool sheared from lambs on St. Agnes’ day (January 21).

10th century illumination of St. Gregory the Great wearing his pallium.

10th century illumination of St. Gregory the Great wearing his pallium.

Spring is Sprung!

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Snowdrops at a creek announce Imbolc. The first blooms of snowdrops or blackthorns or the first birth of the new lambs were often considered the announcement of Imbolc's arrival. (photo by Tony Eaglehart)

Snowdrops at a creek announce Imbolc. The first blooms of snowdrops or blackthorns or the first birth of the new lambs were often considered the announcement of Imbolc’s arrival. (photo by Tony Eaglehart)

The Celtic — and magical! — festival of Imbolc, celebrated February 1-2, was considered the first day of spring in Celtic cultures and across Europe in general during the medieval period. Although we nowadays generally consider the solstice or equinox the first day of a season (December 21 as the first day of winter, March 21 as the first day of spring, June 21 as the first day of summer, and September 21 as the beginning of autumn), those days were previously considered the mid-seasons. (That is why we can sing Christmas carols about “midwinter” in December and have Midsummer night dreams in June!) The traditional changes of the seasons were the “quarter days” which marked the midpoints between the mid-seasons. So we get the Celtic/magical festivals of Samhain (October 31, the first day of winter), Imbolc (February 1-2, the beginning of spring), Beltane (May, the first day of summer), and Lammas (August 1, the beginning of autumn).

Because Imbolc is the beginning of spring, it is often associated with various means of predicting the coming weather which is so crucial during the planting season of agricultural societies. Hence, we consult the groundhog to determine if he sees his shadow or not in order to know if cold and snow will last another six weeks or not. In Serbia, a bear who wakes from his hibernation to stumble out of his cave and see his shadow will know whether to go back to sleep for another six weeks or not, based on whether he sees his shadow. Imbolc was believed to be when the Cailleach—the divine hag of Gaelic tradition—gathers her firewood for the rest of the winter. Legend has it that if she wishes to make the winter last a good while longer, she will make sure the weather on Imbolc is bright and sunny, so she can gather plenty of firewood. Therefore, people would be relieved if Imbolc is a day of foul weather, as it means the Cailleach is asleep and winter is almost over. At Imbolc on the Isle of Man, where she is known as Caillagh ny Groamagh, the Cailleach is said to take the form of a gigantic bird carrying sticks in her beak.