Hari OM
Story-day is for cultural exploration, puraanas and parables and finding out about leading lights in spiritual philosophy.
Today is celebrated as Candlemas in many churches. This commemorates the ritual purification of Mary, 40 days after the birth of her son Jesus. It also marks the ritual presentation of the baby Jesus to God in the Temple at Jerusalem. The Christian aspect of this ritual stems back to a Jewish tradition that women were considered unclean after the birth of a child. For 40 days for a boy and 60 days for a girl, women weren't allowed to worship in the temple. At the end of this time, women were brought to the Temple or Synagogue to be purified. After the ceremony women were allowed to take part in religious services again.
The reference to candles, though, is a follow-through from pagan times, when this mid-point between the winter solstice and spring equinox was marked by the lighting of lamps and candles all around homes, to 'blow away' the gloom of the season. The Christian Church took this day and used it to bless all candles to be used in the church throughout the next twelve months - hence a 'mass for the candles'.
