Presentation of the Lord

Definition and Meaning

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord commemorates the occasion on which Mary and Joseph of Nazareth brought the infant Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem and presented him to God. The Korean term for "presentation" (bongheon, 奉獻) means to offer something up with reverence. The feast is generally observed on February 2, the fortieth day after Christmas (December 25). The Eastern Orthodox Church, focusing on the infant Jesus' encounter with Simeon in the Temple, calls the day the "Meeting of the Lord" (Hypapante). In the West, the tradition of blessing candles on this day has given the feast the English name "Candlemas."

Biblical and Historical Background

The feast is based on Luke 2:22-40. The Law of Moses required that every firstborn male be presented to God as belonging to him (Exodus 13:2, 13:12) and that a woman who had given birth to a son undergo a rite of purification after forty days (Leviticus 12:2-8). Luke records that, in keeping with these provisions, the family offered "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons" (Luke 2:24). Because Leviticus 12:8 permits this offering for those who cannot afford a lamb, many interpreters read the passage as an indication of the family's poverty. In the Temple, Simeon and Anna recognized the child. The song Simeon sang on this occasion (Luke 2:29-32) is known as the Nunc Dimittis, from its opening words in Latin, and has long been sung in the liturgy (worship conducted according to prescribed forms).

The observance of this day is reported to appear in the account of Egeria, a pilgrim who visited Jerusalem in the late fourth century. Because the church in Jerusalem at that time celebrated the Nativity on January 6, the feast was kept on the fortieth day after that date. It later spread widely throughout the East and the West. The Catholic Church long emphasized Mary's purification and called the day the "Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary." Since the revision of the liturgical calendar in 1969, it has used the name "Presentation of the Lord," which places Jesus Christ at the center.

Practice in Korean Churches

In Korea, the day is formally observed mainly by churches that place particular emphasis on liturgy.

• The Catholic Church observes it as the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord and holds a rite of blessing candles. The day is also kept as the "Day for Consecrated Life," honoring members of religious orders.
• The Anglican Church of Korea and the Lutheran Church in Korea include this feast in their church year and hold services using the appointed Scripture readings around February 2.
• The Revised Common Lectionary (a list of Scripture readings appointed for each Sunday according to the church year), which is used by a number of denominations, also assigns Luke 2:22-40 as the reading for this day.
• Many Presbyterian, Methodist, Holiness, Baptist, and Full Gospel churches do not observe the day separately. However, some churches that preach according to the church year may address this passage during the season of Epiphany.