Seeking Holiness in the Liturgical Year: Candlemas Day

We are all seeking the light.

For most of my life I have associated February 2nd with groundhogs (and a 1993 Bill Murray movie). February 2nd is also my birthday. My brother will sometimes text me on my birthday “I hope you didn’t see your shadow…” So imagine my delight when I learned that February 2nd is about much more than a groundhog casting shadows in the sunlight but indeed has everything to do with the light of Christ; and it is celebrated with lots of candles!

Candlemas, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, has so many beautiful layers. Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple forty days after his birth in accordance with Jewish custom. On the occasion of their visit to the temple, they were offering their first-born son for consecration, and it was also a time of ritual purification for Mary. We know that Jesus did not need to be consecrated to God; He is God. Mary did not need to be purified; she is immaculately pure. And yet, Mary and Joseph were faithful obedient Jews and adhered to the demands of the Mosaic laws.

In the temple they met Simeon and Anna who had been waiting in the temple for just this moment. Simeon and Anna had been waiting to meet the Lord. Simeon declared:

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go
in peace, according to your word,
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and glory for your people Israel.”

So all this time that I had been associating the day with groundhogs, it was really a beautiful feast day to honor Jesus and his mother and the fulfillment of the prophecies. Funny thing though, it turns out that the whole groundhog/weather thing originated here anyway!

Most certainly the traditions around Candlemas come from all sorts of places. Ancient Roman Candlemas Day saw women carrying candles in liturgical procession through the streets. The ancient Gaelic festival of Imbolc celebrates the goddess Brigid and is a celebration of fire and light to celebrate first signs of spring. As early as the 5th century we see these two traditions colliding as Catholics honored St. Brigid on February 1 and Candlemas on the 2nd. As early Christianity spread throughout the world, Catholics often incorporated local customs into their religious celebrations.

Candlemas is forty days after Christmas, and right in the middle of winter. We’re halfway to the Spring Equinox, and we are seeking the light!

If Candlemas Day be fair and bright, Winter will have another flight.
If Candlemas Day be dull with rain, Winter’s gone and won’t come again.
(Old English poem)

Catholic traditions are sometimes like snowballs, picking up bits and pieces of the cultures they have passed through, and Candlemas is no different. The American groundhog bit of this feast day originates in Germany. When German Catholics immigrated to America in the 1800s they brought their faith and their culture. Badgers were associated with predicting the onset (or not) of Spring weather in Germany, and groundhogs where similar to badgers. The focus shifted to a cute rodent and stuck. Eventually, in a centuries-old game of telephone, carrying candles in procession to represent the light of Christ being presented to the nations. . .became a weather predicting groundhog named Phil being featured on national television on February 2nd each year.

Liturgy in the Church This Week

We are about halfway through this season of Ordinary Time, but this week feels anything but ordinary thanks to a Feast of the Lord on Monday.

Only once I began deep diving into liturgical living several years ago did I discover that candles were traditionally blessed on February 2nd (Candlemas):

“Jesus is the Light of the World, so this is the day when the Church blesses candles for use throughout the year. Traditionally, families would bring their own candles to church to be blessed on this day for us to use in our homes. We like to do this still.” Catholic All Year Compendium, 133

Well whatever Kendra was doing with her family, I wanted to try to do with mine. So, I procured some beeswax candles to use at home and took them to my priest to have them blessed. Check.

A few years later, once I started working in liturgy at my parish, instead of simply living the liturgy at home, I discovered that this feast is much bigger than blessing candles to use at home. You might notice the part of her commentary that said: “The church blesses candles for use throughout the year”. This is important! And it turns out, the church actually asks a lot for the celebration of this feast of the Lord! A ‘Feast of the Lord’ is not quite a ‘solemnity’ but ranks higher in the Church than many other feasts, including ordinary time Sundays (as in 2025). Even though this is a weekday feast, it’s still a feast and should feel extra special!

The collect and prayers in the Mass remind us of the gift of Jesus’ humanity.

Collect

Almighty ever-living God, we humbly implore your majesty that just as your Only Begotten Son was presented on the day in the Temple in the substance of our flesh, so, by your grace, we may be presented to you with minds made pure.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

The Communion Antiphon recalls the words of Simeon which are also prayed each night in Compline (night prayer).

Communion Antiphon

My eyes have seen your salvation,
which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples.

The prayer that is prayed by the priest just before the close of Mass ties us together with Simeon as we have the opportunity to welcome Christ into our lives each day, while we simultaneously await eternal life with Him in Heaven.

Prayer after Communion

By these holy gifts which we have received, O Lord, bring your grace to perfection within us, and, as you fulfilled Simeon’s expectation that he would not see death until he had been privileged to welcome the Christ, so may we, going forth to meet the Lord, obtain the gift of eternal life.
Through Christ our Lord.

Liturgical Bonus:

I really hope your parish offers a procession and candle blessing on Candlemas. This is the vision of the Church as she offers two forms for opening Mass on February 2nd: a solemn entrance or a procession. Both forms include the faithful holding candles to be blessed.

In my life up, until recent years, I do not know how often I happened to attend a Mass on February 2nd, but I can tell you I don’t remember a single time that I attended a properly celebrated Candlemas Mass until just a few years ago.

Sometimes priests and parish staff are caught up in preparing for Lent or are otherwise unprepared or underprepared for celebrating this feast. You can celebrate this feast in your domestic church (your home), but you can also help be the change to bring this feast the attention it deserves in your parish. Be kind of course, but don’t be afraid to encourage your parish leadership to give the Feast of the Presentation the attention it demands. It does take some extra effort, so be willing to help too! It is truly the vision of the Church that “domestic churches” should be inseparably intertwined with the life of the parish in giving and in receiving. Be the light!

Liturgical colors this week

The liturgical color Sunday is green this week as we continue ordinary time. You will see white, or even gold, on Candlemas, and a little red this week as we celebrate a few martyred saints.

Liturgical living at home this week

February 2nd -Feast of the Presentation

There are lots of options to celebrate Candlemas at home! In France, La Chandeleur is also called “crepe day,” while in Mexico Candelaria is celebrated with tamales. Whether you enjoy crepes or tamales today (or even both!) of course this would be a great day for dinner by candlelight.

If you don’t want to celebrate with food, pray compline (which includes the prayer of Simeon) or just take a deep dive on the celebration and symbolism of Candlemas. It’s such a beautiful feast! You could start HERE, HERE, or HERE.

February 3rd – St. Blaise

A throat blessing might be done at your parish on this day, but your head of household can also bless the throats of family members. Blessing can be found HERE.

February 5th – St. Agatha

Now this is one of those instances when liturgical living is particularly on the nose. St. Agatha was a virgin martyr in the third century. She was tortured in many ways to include having her breasts cut off. How have Italians traditionally honored this saint? The traditional food for this day is minne di Sant’ Agata, pastries shaped like Agatha’s breasts. Go HERE to learn more. Catholic culture is fascinating!

Other saints to celebrate this week: St. Brigid, St. Simeon, St. Paul Miki and Companions

Holly is a homeschool mom and military wife in the Pacific Northwest. She works as the liturgist in her parish and coordinates the Seven Sisters Apostolate for her diocese. She has a passion for liturgical living in the home, reverent liturgies, and beautiful words. You can find more of her work on Substack at Quaerens Sanctitatem and on CatholicMom.com.