The Feast of the Presentation is celebrated on February 2, forty days after Christmas. This feast has been called other names, including the Purification of the Virgin Mary and Candlemas. In some traditions, this day represented the end of the Season of Epiphany, which was marked by a procession of lights to the streets, to represent carrying the light of Christ outside the church building into ordinary life. Aptly then, it was also thought of as the beginning of ordinary time and a countdown to Lent and Easter.
The blessing of candles is transferred to this Sunday, February 6. If you’re coming to the 8am service, please bring your candles that you will use in your home if you wish for God to bless them for your ordinary life–life of meals, of prayer, and of hospitality. Votive candles will be available for you to take home. If you’re attending to the 10:30am service online, bring your candles to the zoom screen. You may take a votive candle home when you next come to the campus.