Anno Domini 2025 February 1

Beloved of the Lord:

Today is Saturday, 1 February, in the year of our Lord 2025. The scheduled services are as-follows:

• Sunday (tomorrow): 8:30 AM, Deacon's Liturgy, Purification of the BVM. 10:00 AM, Mass, Purification of the BVM.
• Monday: 10:00 AM, Mass, S. Blasius, Bishop & Martyr.
• Tuesday: 5:30 PM, Mass, Gilbert of Sempringham, Abbot.
  6:30 PM, Holy Rosary & Evensong.
• Wednesday: 12:10 PM, Mass, S. Agatha, Virgin & Martyr.
• Thursday: 6:30 PM, Mass, S. Titus, Bishop & Confessor, followed by Supper & Study.
• Friday: 9:00 AM, Mass, S. Romuald, Abbot, with the Gregorian Canon.
  Immediately following, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
• Saturday: 10:00 AM, Holy Communion, S. John of Matha, Confessor.
• Sunday: 8:30 & 10:00 AM, Mass, Epiphany V.

As you read above, the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be the Feast at both Sunday services. This is one of the two Marian Feasts listed as days of Obligation in the Book of Common Prayer. For we Anglicans, it is also known as Candlemas, when the candles to be used in the Church are blessed, before being used.

It has been the custom for some years at Saint Matthew's that I drive to NOVA, and get all of the candles that we will use over the coming year. They are then Blessed on Candlemas, that all things may be done decently, and in-order. This year, Candlemas falls on a Sunday ~ it is a Feast of Obligation in the Church, meaning that the faithful are required to attend, which will be made easier this year, as it falls on the Sabbath.

The Feast commemorates the Purification of the BVM, and the presentation of Christ in the Temple which took place forty days after His birth, as the Jewish Law required. It was kept locally at Jerusalem from circa 350 on 14 February and later on 2 February. In 542 the Emperor Justinian ordered its Observance at Constantinople as a thanksgiving for the cessation of the plague, and it thence spread throughout the East, where it was called "The Meeting", i.e. of Christ with Simeon. Somewhat later, it began to be widely kept in the West.

The blessing of candles is now the distinctive rite on this day in the West. Beeswax candles, which are blessed, distributed, and lit whilst the Nunc Dimittis is sung, are carried in a procession commemorating entrance of Christ, the 'True Light' into the Temple. As it has been done in time-past, so do we now, at Saint Matthew's.

On Monday, we will observe the Feast of Saint Blasius. This is ~ for us ~ always accompanied by the blessing of throats. Given the season, and the state of things in the World, I hope to see many joining us to receive these gifts ~ the Holy Sacrament, and a Blessing against illness. I remain

in His praise,

The Rt. Rev'd T. L. Crowder

Pastor, Saint Matthew's Parish