Dear friends,
Tomorrow we celebrate Candlemas – the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, at
9.15 am Hutton (Revd Christine)
9.15 am Rosedale (me)
10.45 am Lastingham (me).
In addition we will be remembering that this is Holocaust Memorial Week, so we will be having a quiet space towards the end of the service at Lastingham so that we can light candles while Maddy plays quiet music.
Please feel welcome to attend any service.
The Festival of Candlemas has a very ancient tradition. Look, for instance, at Candlemas on Wikipedia.
We celebrate the presentation of Jesus in the Temple, while his mother Mary offers a purification offering. The later service of Churching of Women still in the Prayer Book relates to this, but is very little practised today, at least in Britain. Revd Christine has only once been involved in such a service, and I, never.
Also, people in Anglican tradition would bring candles to church on this day to be blessed, and in the Middle Ages made offerings of candles to the church for its use throughout the year.
Finally – although there is lots more about Candlemas on the web – while some people take down Christmas decorations on Twelfth Night, they are often left up until Candlemas. Since the Wise Men only arrive in our cribs and Nativity sets (strictly) at Epiphany, taking them away six days later hardly gives us a chance to enjoy them, so that’s another reason to leave decorations in place until February 2nd1
With prayers and blessings,
Revd David