Candlemas

On 2nd February, the 40th day after Christmas, the season of Epiphany is brought to a close with the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. The 1662 BCP, in common with pre-Reformation Latin liturgies, recognises the feast's Marian theme when it says of the Presentation, "commonly called the Purification of Saint Mary the Virgin". Recent liturgical reforms in the Anglican and Roman traditions have generally sought to remove the Marian theme, despite its prominence in Luke's account. Some contemporary Anglican liturgies, however, retain an acknowledgement of the Marian dimension - the Church of Ireland 2004 Rite directs that the Proper Preface of the Marian feasts is used on this day.

Before the time of cords and scourges and lamentation
Grant us thy peace.
Before the stations of the mountain of desolation,
Before the certain hour of maternal sorrow,
Now at this birth season of decease,
Let the Infant, the still unspeaking and unspoken Word,
Grant Israel's consolation
To one who has eighty years and no to-morrow.

T.S. Eliot A Song for Simeon.