CANDLEMASS

TODAY IN THE TRADITIONAL LATIN RITE IT IS THE PURIFICATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY & CANDLEMASS

Today in the 'modern ordinary form' the Church celebrates the feast of the Presentation of the Lord which occurs forty days after the birth of Jesus and is also known as Candlemas day, since the blessing and procession of candles is included in today's liturgy.

However, in the Traditional Latin Rite today is the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is also the end of the Christmas season (rather than the first Sunday after Epiphany, as in the ordinary rite). Of course, Mary did not have to be purified but she remained obedient to the Mosaic law which stated that a woman had to undergo purification after seven days of giving birth to a male child.

TODAY IS THE DAY THAT ALL OF 

THE CANDLES TO BE USED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ARE BLESSED BEFORE MASS

THE PRIEST ALSO BLESSES CANDLES WHICH CATHOLICS USE FOR DEVOTION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IN THEIR HOME.

(and after all, we should always be ready for the 
Three Days of Darkness - click here )