Candlemas, also known as the Presentation of the Lord or the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, is a Christian festival that takes place on February 2nd. It commemorates the occasion when the Virgin Mary, in obedience to Jewish law, went to the Temple in Jerusalem both to be purified 40 days after the birth of her son, Jesus, and to present him to God as her firstborn (Luke 2:22–38).
The festival is rooted in Jewish tradition, as it was customary for mothers to bring their firstborn sons to the Temple to be consecrated to God. According to the Bible, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the Temple to be presented to God and to be circumcised, as required by Jewish law. They also offered a sacrifice, as prescribed in the Law of Moses.
The festival was formerly known in the Roman Catholic Church as the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and is now known as the Presentation of the Lord. In the Anglican Church, it is called the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. In the Greek Church, it is called Hypapante (Meeting), in reference to Jesus' meeting in the Temple with the aged Simeon.
The feast of the Presentation of the Lord is celebrated with special liturgical ceremonies such as processions, the blessing of candles and the singing of hymns. In some parts of the world, it is a custom to light candles in the church and to carry them in a procession. This custom symbolizes the light of Christ, the light of the world, being brought into the temple.
In addition, many Christian communities also observe this day as a day of fasting and abstinence, as it was traditionally a day of penance and repentance.
In conclusion, Candlemas, also called Presentation of the Lord or Presentation of Christ in the Temple or Hypapante, is a Christian festival on February 2nd commemorating the occasion when the Virgin Mary, in obedience to Jewish law, went to the Temple in Jerusalem to be purified 40 days after the birth of her son, Jesus, and to present him to God as her firstborn (Luke 2:22–38). It is celebrated with special liturgical ceremonies such as processions, the blessing of candles and the singing of hymns. In some parts of the world, it is a custom to light candles in the church and to carry them in a procession, symbolizing the light of Christ, the light of the world, being brought into the temple. It's also observed as a day of fasting and abstinence in some Christian communities.