On February 2nd or the nearest Sunday we celebrate the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, a Feast which is also known as Candlemas and, in the Book of Common Prayer, as The Purification of Saint Mary the Virgin.  The liturgical colour is white.

In St Luke’s Gospel we read about the early ceremonies that occurred in the life of Jesus.  First was his naming and circumcision which took place eight days after his birth and which we celebrate on January 1st each year.  Next came a two-fold rite – the purification of Mary and the presentation of Jesus in the Temple.  This required a journey to Jerusalem for the Holy Family`(1).

According to Jewish Law, every mother was regarded as legally unclean for 40 days following the birth of a boy, and 80 days following the birth of a girl.  During these “days of her purification” the mother was subject to various restrictions; for example, she could not participate in public worship.  When the days of purification were completed, the mother came to the Temple where she offered appropriate sacrifices and was then legally clean.  A lamb was the normal burnt-offering and a pigeon or turtle dove was the sin-offering.  However, if the mother could not afford a lamb, she was allowed to offer a turtle dove or pigeon instead.  So Mary’s offerings of two turtle doves or two pigeons were the offerings of a poor mother.

Jewish Law also required that every first born son be presented or consecrated to God.  You can read the whole account of the Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Jesus in Luke 2:22-40.  Simeon’s canticle in verses 29-32 which begins, “Lord, lettest thou thy servant depart in peace” is the familiar Nunc Dimittis which we sing or say at Evensong and Compline. This is a song of joy for all, for it tells us that Jesus came to save everyone – all peoples and all races.  And the candles we burn in church remind us that Jesus is indeed a Light to lighten the whole world.

But Simeon also mentions the sword that will pierce Mary’s soul and so, at a time when we end our celebration of Christmas, we are pointed forward to Good Friday and beyond that to Easter.  There’s a lovely Candlemas hymn in Common Praise (number 80, tucked away in the Christingle section!) which sums all this up in the last two lines.  You can also access the hymn here.  Common Worship Eucharistic resources for Candlemas are available here on page 194.

In olden times there were a number of customs associated with Candlemas.  People gathered in their parish churches for the blessing of candles and there would be processions with lighted tapers.  Christmas decorations, such as holly and mistletoe, were removed on Candlemas Eve and replaced with box.  The snowdrop is a flower dedicated to Saint Mary the Virgin, and at the Feast of the Purification there used to be a procession of girls, dressed in white, who sang:

“The Snowdrop, in purest white array,
First rears her head on Candlemas Day” (2)

At Blidworth in Nottinghamshire, the church is dedicated to St Mary of the Purification.  In 1922, an ancient Candlemas custom of rocking the baby was re-introduced and still takes place.  The baby boy rocked is the one in the village who was born nearest to Christmas Day.  The cradle given in 1922 is still used for the rocking and is covered with flowers for the occasion.  The year 2012 was the 90th anniversary of the re-introduction of this custom and the service was held on Sunday, 5th February.  The Bishop of Sherwood, the Right Reverend Tony Porter, gave the sermon and rocked the baby. (3) (See photos on next page).  It is alleged that this ancient rocking custom dates back to the 13th century and its re-introduction followed an interval of at least a century. (4)

References

1. Ward, B. (1915) The Holy Gospel according to St Luke, London: Catholic Truth Society.

2. N. and Q., vol 160, Jan to June 1931, p160, cited in Wright, A.R. (1938) (edited Lones, T.E.) British calendar customs.  England. Vol II: fixed festivals, London: William Glaisher Ltd.

3. Thanks to Rev Hazel Robinson, Vicar of St Mary of the Purification, Blidworth, for kindly supplying this information.

4. Wright, A.R. (1938) (edited Lones, T.E.) British calendar customs.  England. Vol II: fixed festivals, London: William Glaisher Ltd.

Short talks

Short talks for Candlemas entitled The Gift of Faith, Life's Search and Offering are available in this section of the Holy Faith website.

Photographs from Rocking Baby Service, February 2012

Many thanks to Rev Hazel Robinson, Vicar of St Mary of the Purification, Blidworth, for kindly supplying these lovely photographs and giving permission for them to be displayed on the Holy Faith website.

The decorated cradle

The 2012 Rocking Baby family with the Bishop of Sherwood, the Right Reverend Tony Porter

Rocking Baby and family, with the Bishop and seven other previous 'Rockers' aged from one year to 80 years!

The Light of the World

Dark world.  Dark stable.  A Baby – God Himself – born to be its Light.

Dark hillside.  Good News proclaimed to shepherds.

Dark night.  Bright star guides kings to worship the infant Light of the world.

Years of teaching, healing, loving.

Darkness from the sixth to the ninth hour.  The Light dies on a Cross to bring light to the world.

Third day the Light blazes out again, never to be extinguished.

Two thousand years on and more - and still the Light invites people to pass from darkness to light.