Celebrated in our churches February 3, 2019


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Candlemas in Swedish traditions

The accurate Candlemas Day is February 2. This year 2019 Candlemas is celebrated in Church of Sweden on Sunday, February 3. That day is the end of the Christmas part of the ecclesiastical year. Former they said that it is halvtime winter this day.

candle

The subject of the texts at church this day is that Jesus, who is symbolized as the Candle of the World, was taken to the temple by his mother, the virgin Mary. That is why this day in the ecclesiastical year is named "Virgin Mary's Templegoing Day" (Literal translation of the Swedish name of this day).

The symbol of this day is a candle marked with alfa and omega, the first and the last letter in the Greek alfabet. Jesus says, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." Rev. 22:13 . Candles like this one are used as baptism candles .

christening candle

Nowadays this day is celebrated in the churches as a Candle Feast. E. g. family service with ceremonies of lighting candles, the children may brings their christening candles and light them in the service, the service can hold a ceremony of reminding the baptism.

In the middle ages the households of the parish brought their dipped candles to get those blessed at the altar candles. In many churches they bless the candles which are to be used in the church services during the next year.

Candlemas Day is celebrated as a special day of church music in Church of Sweden.

notes from Anita's pictures

Personally I usually have the electric Christmas lights in my windows lit until Candlemas, the finishing day of the Christmas ecclesiastical period. In this dark country I don't want to unlight already at St Canutus.

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Sources: Some Swedish books,
My Swedish manuscript translated by me

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