Candlemas Day is celebrated on February 2 of every year. It is a Christian holiday. According to the Christian faith, Candlemas Day celebrates three instances; the first one is the presentation of the Lord Jesus, the next is Jesus’ 1st entry into the temple, and the last one is the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In Spanish-speaking countries, this day is also called Candelaria. Many Christians observe this day worldwide, but Candlemas Day is not a public holiday in countries like the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada. This day is also known as “The Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary” and “Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus.“
“Our lighted candles are a sign of the divine splendor of the one who came to expel the dark shadows of evil and to make the whole universe radiant with the brilliance of his eternal light. Our candles also show how bright our souls should be when we go to meet Christ.”
History of Candlemas Day
Candlemas Day is celebrated on February 2 of every year because this date is typically the 40th day of the Christmas Epiphany season. Candlemas Day focuses on Jesus’ early life. Many Christians around the world trust that Jesus’ mother, Mary, gave him to God in Jerusalem at a Temple after observing the 40 days of purification following his birth. It is a tradition for Christians in a few countries to remove the decorations they made on Christmas on the Twelfth Night, i.e., Epiphany Eve. Still, few other Christians in other Christian nations historically remove the Christmas decorations on Candlemas Day. Many believe Jesus is the ‘light of the world,’ as this name suggests. Candles are blessed on Candlemas, and a candle-lit celebration precedes the mass. On this particular occasion, many orthodox Christians also bring their candles to a local church, and they request for these candles to be blessed. Then, they use these blessed beeswax candles in the church or at home for the rest of the year. On this Candlemas day, it is a tradition in some parts of Europe, like France, to eat crepes. Everyone from a family prepares and makes a pancake on Candlemas by holding a coin. By doing this, it is believed to assure happiness and wealth until the next Candlemas Day.
Other Celebrations on February 2
February 2 is also celebrated as
- National Hedgehog Day
- Marmot Day
- National Crepe Day
- World Wetlands Day
- National Tater Tot Day
- World Play Your Ukulele Day
- Lung Leavin Day
- Groundhog Day
- National Sled Dog Day
- Bubble Gum Day
- National Working Naked Day
- National Wear Red Day
How to Celebrate the Day
On this day, like the traditional belief, take some candles to your local church, get them blessed, and use them for the rest of the year. As eating crepes on Candlemas is a habit in a few countries, you can also enjoy eating pancakes on this day with your family members and friends. Then, post pictures and share your thoughts about the day with others on social media using the hashtag #Candlemasday.
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