Tomorrow is the Feast of St. Brigid of Kildare (Brigit, Bridget, Bridgit, Bríd or Bride) (c. 451–525). Yes, it's also the Eve of the Feast of the Presentation - one of the rare times it actually falls on a Sunday.
Actually, Brigid begins quite a Triduum of Feast Days on the first three days of the second month: It's Brigid on the first of February, the Feast of the Presentation on the second (which some celebrate as the Feast of St. Anna the Dancing Queen), and the Feast of St. Blaise on the third.
I'll have more to say about Brigid tomorrow (there are so many wonderful stories about her, she deserves her own day), but I do want to say something about this one aspect of The Feast of the Presentation, also known as Candlemas.
So, Candlemas is on the Feast of the Presentation, which was also known as the Feast of the Purification of Mary, even in the 1549 BCP.
Back in the day, you know, before we completely eradicated sexism and misogyny and the Equal Rights Amendment was not only passed but published by the (woman who is) US Archivist, the church celebrated sexist events like the Purification of Mary - the ancient ritual wherein a woman had to be "purified" of the Icky Stuff of Childbirth, according to Mosaic law, known as the mikvah.
If you are so persuaded, you might count the days from the Feast of the Nativity (12/25) to the Feast of the Presentation (2/2) and come up with 40 days, exactly.
According to the Law of Moses, a woman who gave birth to a son was considered "unclean" for 40 days, at which time she would have typically completed the normal flow of blood after childbirth. She would have to take a mikvah - a ritual bath - which every woman took after her menses - and then go to the priest for special prayers of purification.
This ritual, sans mikvah, was carried out in the Church of England 1549 BCP which occurred at the entrance to the church, with the following prayer:
"O ALMIGHTIE God, which hast delivered this woman thy servant from the great payne and peril of childbirth: Graunt, we beseche thee (most mercifull father), that she through thy helpe may both faithfully lyve, and walke in her vocacyon accordynge to thy will in thys lyfe presente; and also may be partaker of everlastyng glorye in the lyfe to come: through Jesus Christ our lorde. Amen.There follows this rubrical note:
"The woman that is purifyed, must offer her Crysome (a white cloth, anointed by the priest with holy oil and used for baptism) and other accustomed offeringes. And if there be a communion, it is convenient that she receive the holy communion.But, you know, communion only if it is "convenient".
The service was renamed The Thanksgiving of Women after Childbirth in the 1552 BCP and renamed, again, A Thanksgiving for the Birth or Adoption of a Child in the 1979 BCP.
We don't have any prayers for purity for women or men in the BCP, except the prayer on the 4th Sunday of Advent: "Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself".
"Purify our conscience," comes from Hebrews 9:14 which refers to the idea that Jesus's blood cleanses people's consciences from dead works. Which is odd for the 4th Sunday in Advent, but hey, as it will say on my tombstone, "Nobody asked me."
It is meet and right, I think, that we have shifted our emphasis to the presentation of Jesus in the Temple as the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Incarnation, as testified by Simeon and Anna.
Candlemas originated in Jerusalem in the late 4th century as a celebration of the light of God in Christ. The name comes from the custom of blessing and distributing candles before Mass. The festival was celebrated in the Western church to honor the Virgin Mary, and in the Eastern church to honor Christ.
Today, in the Episcopal Church, we bless candles in church and take them home to remember Jesus as the Light of the World. We might use them to bless throats on the Feast of St. Blaise, but I'll save that story when it's her feast day.
My rector tells me that he will be blessing candles for distribution on Sunday. I can't remember the last time I was in church when that happened. There's something that excites something in the middle of the middle of my soul about participating in the ancient customs of the church.
It doesn't change a thing. Nobody is "purified" or "cleansed" - except in the collect, we do pray that "we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord."
I much prefer the new, reformed Collect, which is more to the point. It comes to us from the Canterbury Book of New Parish Prayers by M J Kramer (which I recommend highly).
"God of all nations, whose servant Simeon saw in the child Jesus the revelation of your ancient promises, and whose servant Anna spoke of his truth to all who were seeking redemption, stir up within us your gift of faith, that our eyes may see our salvation in Jesus Christ and our lives be turned to his service, in words of conviction and deeds of compassion, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."So there, now that you know almost everything you need to know about Candlemas, your palate has been cleansed for the stories of the Triduum of Women Saints: Brigid, Anna, and Blaise.
I hope something good happens to you today.
Bom dia.
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