Candlemas

Candlemas or the feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple occurs forty day after his birth. In Leviticus (12:1-4), when a woman gave birth to a male child,
she was considered “unclean” for seven days. On the eighth day, the boy was circumcised (The Naming of Jesus – 1 January) and then after the forty days,
the parents bring the child to the temple for the rite of purification. Part of this was the offering of a sacrifice.
For a poor couple this was two pigeons or two turtledoves.
Simeon and Anna recognise in Jesus the Messiah, the Anointed one, who would save his people..

Virgin-born, we bow before thee;
blessèd was the womb that bore thee;
Mary, mother meek and mild,
blessèd was she in her child.

Blessèd was the breast that fed thee;
blessèd was the hand that led thee;
blessèd was the parent’s eye
that watched thy slumbering infancy.

Blessèd she by all creation,
who brought forth the world’s Salvation,
blessèd they for ever blest,
who love thee most and serve thee best.

Virgin-born we bow before thee;
blessèd was the womb that bore thee;
Mary, mother meek and mild,
blessèd was she in her child.

Reginald Heber