On 2 February, the Catholic Church celebrates the Presentation of the Lord, commonly called Candlemas, because on this day are blessed candle, symbol of Christ "light for revelation to the Gentiles," as the baby Jesus was called by the aged Simeon at the time of the Temple in Jerusalem, which was prescribed by law for the firstborn Jewish males.
The festival is also called the Purification of Mary, because, according to Jewish custom, a woman was considered unclean for a period of 40 days after the birth of a male and had to go to the temple to purify themselves: February 2 falls just 40 days after December 25, the birthday of Jesus
ancient times this festival was celebrated on February 14th (40 days after the Epiphany), and the first witness in this regard is given to us by Egeria in her Itinerarium Egeriae (ch. 26). The name "Candlemas" popularly given to the party comes from the similarity of the rite of Lucerne, which speaks Egeria: "Do all the lamps and candles, making a great light "(Itinerarium 24, 4), with the ancient rituals that were made in the torchlight Lupercalia (ancient Roman festival that celebrated its mid-February). But the most significant similarity between the two holidays we have in the idea of \u200b\u200bpurification : in the one on the use Jewish
"When a woman will become pregnant and give birth to a male, shall be unclean for seven days, shall be unclean as in time of its rules. On the eighth day you circumcise a child. Then it shall continue for thirty days to purify his blood will not touch any hallowed thing, nor enter the sanctuary until the days are made of its purification (Leviticus 12.2-4) with regard to the other
februatio (see Ovid, The Fasti 2, 19-24, 31-32ss [The ancestors of the Romans said Februar atonement: and yet many clues that confirm sense of the word. I ask the king and the popes flamen wools that were said in the language of the ancient februar. Ingredients purifiers, farro and toasted grains of salt, which takes the lictor homes predetermined, said they were also februar. (...) Thus the name of the month, because luperci leather strips running throughout the city, and consider it a rite of purification ...]). During his episcopate (between 492 and 496 AD), the patriarch of Rome, Gelasius obtained from the Senate the abolition of Lupercalia which was replaced in the popular devotion to the feast of Candlemas precisely. In the sixth century the feast was anticipated by Justinian on February 2, when we celebrate today.
