Candlemas falls every year on the 2nd February. Also known as The Feast of the Presentation, it is one of the oldest feasts of the Christian church, celebrated since the 4th century AD inJerusalem. It is mentioned in the pilgrimage ofEgeria(381–384), where she confirmed that the celebrations took place in honour of the presentation of Jesus at the Temple.
The day commemorates the presentation of the infant Jesus as the Temple, in accordance with the ancient tradition of the Israelites. It is based upon the account of the presentation of Jesus in Luke 2:22–40.
Marking the 40th day in the life of the Christ-child, Candlemas is a reminder to pro-lifers of the precious nature of every little baby, and hence a spur to us to redouble our efforts to oppose the daily slaughter of the innocents through abortion.
On Candlemas, many Christians (especially Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans and Methodists) also take their candles to their local church, where they are blessed and then used for the rest of the year; these blessed candles serve as a symbol of Jesus Christ, who is the Light of the World.