Candlemas (Feast of the Presentation)

Join us Sunday, February 2, as we celebrate Candlemas, also known as the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord.

On Sunday, February 2, we gather to celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord, also known as Candlemas. This feast marks the moment when the infant Jesus was brought to the Temple in Jerusalem, where he was recognized as the light to the nations by the prophets Saints Simeon and Anna. Historically, Candlemas has been a day to bless candles, symbolizing Christ as the light of the world. This celebration invites us to reflect on Christ’s light shining in the darkness and calls us to carry that light into the world through our witness and service.

After the 10:30 am service, we’ll gather in Trinity Commons for our annual meeting. This is a time to give thanks for the ways God has worked among us in the past year and to look forward with hope as we discern where the Holy Spirit is leading us in the year ahead.

We hope you’ll join us for this day of worship, reflection, and fellowship!

The History of Candlemas
The Feast of the Presentation began in the late 4th century in Jerusalem, where it was observed on February 14th, marking forty days after the Epiphany. When the Feast of the Nativity was established on December 25 in the East, the date of the Presentation shifted to February 2nd. Over time, the observance spread to the Western Church. Then, in the late 7th century, Pope Sergius I of Rome, introduced a candlelit procession accompanied by the singing of the Nunc dimittis. This practice earned the feast its popular name, "Candlemas." Earlier editions of The Book of Common Prayer titled the day "The Purification of Saint Mary the Virgin," but the 1662 revision restored the older tradition, naming it "The Presentation of Christ in the Temple, commonly called The Purification of Saint Mary the Virgin."