If you haven’t taken down your Christmas lights yet, Monday, February 2 is the day for it. Of course, if they are still up at this point they are frozen in the snow, so good luck with that.
February 2 is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Liturgically we already finished the Christmas season with the Baptism of the Lord, but the Presentation of Jesus in the temple and the purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary are the last mysteries of the infancy narratives we celebrate.
Simeon heralds the infant Jesus as “a light for revelation to the Gentiles” (Lk 2:32). Therefore, on this feast we begin Mass with a blessing of candles, and a candlelight procession. Hence its nickname “Candlemas.” In the darkness of winter, the light of Christ shines. It reminds us of the candlelight procession which begins our Easter Vigil, connecting the Nativity of Christ with his Paschal Mystery.
February 2 is the last day we sing the Marian antiphon “Alma Redemptoris Mater.” On Tuesday we begin singing the “Ave Regina Caelorum,” which continues until the end of Lent.
Here are the words in Latin:
Ave Regina caelorum, ave Domina Angelorum, Salve radix, salve porta, ex qua mundo lux est orta; Gaude Virgo gloriosa, super omnes speciosa, Vale o valde decora, et pro nobis Christum exora.
And the English translation:
Hail Queen of Heaven, hail Lady of Angels; Hail root, hail door, from whom unto the world Light has arisen; Rejoice, glorious Virgin, lovely above all others, Hail O most beautiful one, and pray for us to Christ.
~ In Christ, Fr. John