Candlemas

"...give the light of thy heavenly benediction to these candles, which we thy servants desire to carry in honor of thy Name: that by offering them to thee, our Lord God, we may be inflamed by the fire of thy sweet love, and made worthy to be presented in the holy temple of thy glory..."
~ From the blessing of Candles on Candlemas

​The feast of the Purification of Our Lady and the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, also known as Candlemas, is celebrated by the blessing of candles before the festive Mass, a beautiful ceremony with special chants and prayers.

"A light to the revelation of the Gentiles,
and the glory of thy people Israel."

After the five prayers have been said and the candles have been sprinkled with holy water and incensed, they are distributed to the faithful during the chanting of the antiphon "Lumen ad revelationem" and the Canticle of Simeon.

​The newly blessed candles are held lit during the Gospel and again from the beginning of the Canon to the Communion.

​The candle represents Christ: the wax of His humanity hid the wick of His divinity throughout His earthly life. Like the candle which gives light at the cost of its own substance, in His burning love for His creation, Christ offered His very life for our salvation.

"Simeon received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death till
he beheld the Christ of His Lord." ~ Communion antiphon