Candelaria

Candelaria or Candlemas, also known as the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, is a Christian holiday celebrated on February 2nd each year. It commemorates the presentation of Jesus at the Temple, as described in Luke 2:22-40, when Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem, fulfilling Jewish law.

The feast is based on Jewish tradition, where a woman was required to undergo purification 40 days after childbirth (Leviticus 12:1-8). Since Christmas is celebrated on December 25, Candlemas occurs 40 days later, on February 2. It was celebrated as early as the 4th century in Jerusalem and later spread to Rome by the 7th century. By the Middle Ages, it became associated with the blessing of candles, symbolizing Christ as the “Light of the World” (John 8:12).

In many Catholic churches, priests bless candles brought by parishioners. Some Catholic communities hold processions with lit candles before or after Mass.

In Mexico and Latin America, it is linked to Día de la Candelaria, where families gather for meals, often eating tamales. In France, it is called La Chandeleur, and people celebrate by making crêpes. In some European countries, Candlemas is considered the traditional end of the Christmas season.

In the Philippines, Candlemas is celebrated as “Fiesta de la Candelaria” (Feast of Our Lady of Candelaria). The devotion is centered around Our Lady of Candelaria, a title of the Virgin Mary, which originated from the Spanish Canary Islands and was brought to the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period.