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February. 1662 Book of Common Prayer: Presentation of Christ in the Temple
The
Presentation of Christ in the Temple,
Commonly Called, The Purification of Saint Mary the Virgin.
Commonly Called, The Purification of Saint Mary the Virgin.
The Collect
Almighty and everliving God, we humbly beseech thy Majesty,
that, as thy only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in
substance of our flesh, so we may be presented unto thee with pure and clean
hearts, by the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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February. 1662 Book of Common Prayer: Presentation of Christ in the Temple
The Purification of St. Mary the Virgin. The
alternative title ("the Presentation of Christ in the Temple"),
though not used in common parlance, suggests the lesson drawn by all the
services of the day. It carried out, indeed, the old idea: for the Festival was
called the Hypapante or "Meeting" (with Simeon and Anna) on
its first institution in the East, and only received the name of "the
Purification" in the West and much later. Its date is necessarily fixed by
Christmas. The name "Candlemas Day" is derived from the custom of a
procession with torches, superseding (it is thought) the heathen festival of
torches to Ceres in the early part of February, with a reference to the true
"light to lighten the Gentiles". -- February 2nd.
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