The Meaning of Candlemas: Mary’s Offering and the Light of Christ
Dominican Friars | February 2, 2025

On the Feast of the Presentation, also known as Candlemas, Mary and Joseph bring the infant Jesus to the temple, fulfilling the law and offering Him back to God. This act of profound surrender foreshadows Christ’s ultimate sacrifice and invites us to follow Mary’s example of trust and devotion.
Candlemas is also a feast of light, reminding us that Christ is the Light of the World. Just as Simeon rejoiced upon seeing the long-awaited Messiah, we too are called to recognize and receive Christ’s light—and, like Mary, to carry it into the world.
This call to deeper devotion is at the heart of the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage. Just as Mary leads us to Christ in the temple, she leads us in prayer along the path of the Rosary, drawing us closer to the mysteries of His life.
To explore the full significance of this feast, read more from the Dominican Friars.