The Franciscan Friars of Saint Anthony of Padua church, in Għajnsielem, celebrated the presentation of Jesus at the Temple, known as the Candlemas, earlier this week.

The celebration started with the rosary, followed by the blessing of lit candles. Fr John Azzopardi led a thanksgiving Mass.

The observance of the feast of the presentation of Jesus at the Temple spread throughout the Western Church in the 5th and 6th centuries. Because the Church in the West celebrated Jesus’s birth on December 25, the Presentation was moved to February 2 – 40 days after Christmas.

At the beginning of the 8th century, Pope Sergius inaugurated a candlelight procession. At the end of the same century, the blessing and distribution of candles, which continues to this day, became part of the celebration, giving the feast its popular name: Candlemas.

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