Parishioners, friends and neighbors of St. Mary Parish in Conshohocken gathered on Monday, Feb. 2 to celebrate the Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas Day) as the church hosted a special Mass and candle blessing that marked the feast day.
After daily Mass in the morning, a Mass sung in Latin was celebrated that evening along with the candle blessing attended by dozens of people.
Each received a candle for the blessing and extra candles were made available for people to share with others who may have difficulty traveling from their homes.
St. Mary’s pastor, Father Carl Gismondi of the Priestly Society of St. Peter, presided over the liturgy and reminded everyone that the candles are a reminder of the Lord’s great grace.
A choir led the congregation in the opening hymn, “O Sanctissima,” inviting all to join in prayer.
Candles were lit and extinguished three times during Mass: at the altar rail after the opening procession; lit again during the Alleluia and put out after the Gospel; and relit during the Eucharistic Prayer and extinguished before distribution of holy Communion.
“The candle represents Christ,” said Father Gismondi.
The feast of the Presentation is celebrated 40 days after the Nativity of the Lord (Solemnity of Christmas) commemorating the event in the Gospel of Luke (2:22-40) as Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the Temple.
The account tells how the “righteous and devout” Simeon had awaited the Messiah, and how he expressed great joy over Jesus – “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”
In addition to the presentation of Jesus in the Temple, an ancient tradition recalls Mary’s ritual “purification” in accordance with the law of Moses, to which the Gospel alludes.
“Our Lord was presented in the Temple,” said Robert McMichael, a parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes in Philadelphia’s Overbrook section.
The Liturgy of the Word featured readings from the prophet Malachy (3:1-4) and St. Luke’s Gospel, both proclaimed by Father Gismondi.
During his homily, he referred to both the beeswax and the wick in a candle. Worker bees, always female, create the wax and are also known as “virgin bees.” Therefore the wax of a candle symbolizes the Blessed Virgin Mary because she was the “bee” that made the “wax” that supports the wick.
The wick represents Jesus in his humanity and divinity, according to Father Gismondi.
“Christ comes into this world as the Light of the World,” he said. “He offers himself as a complete offering.”
The evening Mass concluded with the choir leading all in a rendition of “Immaculate Mary,” Also known as the Lourdes hymn.
Some members of the congregation had celebrated the feast day in previous years while others participated for the first time. Among them were Lisa and Tony Liccione, members of St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish in Yardley.
“It was really a surprise blessing,” said Lisa Liccione. “It touched our hearts. The candle is the flame of our hearts.”
Among those longtime participants in St. Mary’s Candlemas Day celebration was Diana Jelski, a parishioner of St. Mary.
“We don’t miss a feast day,” she said. “This is the final celebration of Christmas. It’s the tradition.”
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