On the Feast of the Purification, Casey Zinn Crain was baptized by his Grandfather, the Rev. Benjamin Lawrence, Curate of Saint Luke’s Anglican Church in Redding, CA
The March issue of The Shepherd’s Staff, our provincial newsletter, is full of news, photos, and inspiration from parishes around the province:
Registration information for the Diocesan Synod (Walnut Creek, CA)
See’s Candy fundraiser returns
Baptism celebrated at St. Luke’s (Redding, CA)
“Love is the Last Word,” a sermon from the Archbishop Morse archives
“Presentation of the Virgin at the Temple” fresco by Domenico Ghirlandaio, 1486-1490
On February 2nd, we will celebrate the feast of The Presentation of Christ in the Temple, commonly called the Purification of the Saint Mary the Virgin, or Candlemas. This year, the holy day falls on a Sunday. The Tables of Precedence in our prayer book give this holy day “precedence of any other Sunday or Holy Day,” so it will replace of the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany in our Liturgy this year.
What happened? The Presentation of Christ in the Temple is a Biblical event that describes Mary and Joseph bringing the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem 40 days after his birth. The event is described in Luke 2:22-32.
Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Temple to fulfill the Mosaic Law, which required the consecration of the firstborn son to God. Mary also underwent ritual purification as required by Leviticus 12:2-8. Mary and Joseph offered a sacrifice of two turtle doves or two young pigeons, as required by the law.
Simeon and Anna, two devout people who had been waiting for the Messiah, recognized Jesus as the Savior. While there, the aged Simeon took Jesus into his arms, and uttered what we now call the Nunc Dimittis: “Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace…”
When is it celebrated? The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple” is celebrated by the Orthodox Church and many western churches 40 days after Christmas on February 2nd.
What does it signify? The feast is called Candlemas because the blessing of candles, which traditionally occurs on this day, recalls Simeon’s declaration regarding Jesus, who is the “light to lighten the Gentiles, and… the glory of thy people Israel.”
The Presentation of Christ in the Temple shows how Jesus fulfilled the Old Covenant. It also shows that God honors pious devotion, and that he fulfills all his promises in Jesus.
The accompanying picture is a fresco by Domenico Ghirlandaio, done in 1486-90 and entitled “Presentation of the Virgin at the Temple. ” It is displayed in the Cappella Tornabuoni, Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Italy.
