On Feb. 2, the Catholic Church observes the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also known as Candlemas Day, celebrating when Joseph and Mary presented Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem 40 days after His birth.
The feast is observed with blessing and processing with candles, symbolizing Christ as the Light of the World, as noted by Catholic Culture. Though the Feast of the Presentation was first celebrated by the Eastern Church, the candle tradition for the feast originated in sixth-century Gaul, or modern-day France, where Catholics celebrated with a candle procession.
“The glow of candlelight evokes the Christmas celebration, symbolizing how the darkness of sin was dispelled by the light of Christ,” as CatholicVote previously reported. Until 1969, the feast was regarded as the conclusion of the Christmas cycle, according to Catholic Culture.
The Gospel for the feast’s liturgy (Luke 2:22-40) recounts the whole Presentation story and includes both the Canticle and the Prophecy of Simeon, who was in the Temple when the Holy Family came for the Presentation.
The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die before seeing Christ. After taking the Child Jesus in his arms, Simeon prays his Canticle (Luke 2:29-32):
"Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
Theologian Marcellino D’Ambrosio has observed that given the context of when and where the prophecy was given, the reference about the Gentiles may seem unusual.
The Holy Family was “standing in the Temple precincts, probably in the inner courtyard of Israel where Gentiles were forbidden to tread under pain of death,” D’Ambrosio wrote in an article for the Crossroads Initiative.
Continuing, he explained, “The Lord suddenly comes to his Temple (Mal 3:1). But he comes not to stay there. Neither is the plan for him to go forth from the sanctuary to enlighten just his own people. No, he has come to set the whole world ablaze.”
St. Sophronius, who was the Patriarch of Jerusalem in the seventh century, also reflected on the feast’s theme of light.
“Through Simeon’s eyes we too have seen the salvation of God which he prepared for all the nations and revealed as the glory of the new Israel, which is ourselves. As Simeon was released from the bonds of this life when he had seen Christ, so we too were at once freed from our old state of sinfulness,” the saint said, according to an excerpt published by Crossroads Initiative.
“By faith we too embraced Christ, the salvation of God the Father, as he came to us from Bethlehem,” he continued. “Gentiles before, we have now become the people of God. Our eyes have seen God incarnate, and because we have seen him present among us and have mentally received him into our arms, we are called the new Israel.”
Feb. 2 is also observed as the World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life, instituted by Pope St. John Paul II.
He chose the date because of Candlemas, “because the consecrated men and women are to be the light in the world, imitating Jesus, the Light of the World,” Catholic Culture explains.
Until 1969, the Feast of the Presentation was known in the West as the Feast of the Purification of Our Lady, and was regarded as the conclusion of the Christmas cycle, according to Catholic Culture, which notes that “there is a strong Marian dimension to this feast” even after the feast name changed due to the prophecy of Simeon.
The prophecy of Simeon is recounted in chapter 2 verses 34-35, in which Simeon says to the Blessed Virgin Mary:
"Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.”
Referring to the prophecy of Simeon, Catholic Culture suggests the faithful to observe the day in part by “[meditating] on the constant fiat of Our Lady of Sorrows, who embraced the will of God even as Simeon predicted that a sword would pierce her heart.”
In his sermon for the feast day, St. Sophronius also spoke about Our Lady’s role in bringing Jesus to those in darkness.
“The Mother of God, the most pure Virgin, carried the true light in her arms and brought him to those who lay in darkness,” he said. “We too should carry a light for all to see and reflect the radiance of the true light as we hasten to meet him.
“The light has come and has shone upon a world enveloped in shadows; the Dayspring from on high has visited us and given light to those who lived in darkness. This, then, is our feast, and we join in procession with lighted candles to reveal the light that has shone upon us and the glory that is yet to come to us through him. So let us hasten all together to meet our God.”
This story originally appeared Jan. 31, 2025, on CatholicVote and has since been updated.