Although Our Lady was not bound by the Law of purification, being ever-virgin and immaculate, she willingly submitted to the Law to fulfill all righteousness. Her action is an image of perfect humility, obedience, and solidarity with sinful humanity. This voluntary submission is often praised by the Church Fathers:
“She came to be purified, she who had no need of purification. She bore Him who sanctifies others, and yet she presented an offering for her own purification.”
— St. Bede the Venerable
👶 The Presentation of Christ – The True Temple Comes to the Temple
Christ, the Light of the World, is presented in the temple, fulfilling the prophecy of Malachi 3:1:
“And suddenly the Lord whom you seek will come to His temple.”
In the hagiography of this event, the Temple itself receives its Lord. The ancient world is illuminated not by the golden menorah, but by the infant Christ—the Light to enlighten the Gentiles, as declared by Simeon in his Nunc dimittis (Luke 2:29–32).
🕯️ Simeon and Anna: Saints of the Old Dispensation
The figures of Simeon and Anna stand out as elderly saints representing the faithful remnant of Israel, waiting for the consolation and redemption of Jerusalem.
- Simeon is described as just and devout, awaiting the Messiah. The Holy Ghost revealed to him that he would not die before seeing Christ. When he sees the Child, he takes Him in his arms and utters the great canticle that the Church has recited nightly for centuries: “Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace…”
- Anna the Prophetess, a widow of great age, speaks of the Child to all who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem. She, too, bears witness to the arrival of the Messiah.
Their inclusion in the narrative gives the feast a hagiographical depth, showcasing holy anticipation, the reward of persevering faith, and the intersection of the Old and New Covenants.
🕯️ Candlemas: Liturgical and Devotional Hagiography
The name Candlemas derives from the traditional blessing and procession of candles that occurs before the Mass of the day. The blessed candles symbolize:
- Christ as the Light of the World
- The purity of the Virgin
- The light of faith given to the baptized
There is a rich devotional tradition around this procession, in which the faithful carry candles in honor of Christ and His Mother. In older Roman and Gallican traditions, this was often seen as a kind of final illumination before Lent, a spiritual transition from Christmas light to penitential preparation.
⛪ Theological Significance in the Saints’ Lives
In Traditional Catholic hagiography, many saints held this feast in special reverence:
- St. Anselm, in his sermons, emphasized the mystery of the encounter—“the meeting” or Hypapante in the East—between the New and Old Covenants.
- St. Bernard of Clairvaux and other Cistercians associated Mary’s purification with the interior cleansing of the soul, making this feast a day for renewal and devotion.
- In the Carthusian tradition, the Feast of the Purification was linked with the monastic vocation of silent waiting, modeled after Anna and Simeon.
✠ Summary: Hagiographic Themes of February 2
| Theme | Hagiographic Insight |
|---|---|
| Humility of the Virgin | She submits to the Law she transcends |
| Light of Christ | Christ is revealed as the true Light for the nations |
| Faithful Remnant | Simeon and Anna exemplify patient, holy waiting |
| Liturgical symbolism | Blessed candles = Christ’s light, Mary’s purity |
| Meeting of Covenants | Old meets New; Temple receives its true Lord |