Parishioners of Columbus St. Patrick Church gathered on the rainy evening of Wednesday, Feb. 2 to celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, popularly called Candlemas. Father Peter Fegan, OP, parochial vicar, was the celebrant and homilist.
Father Peter Fegan, OP (right) blesses candles before the Candlemas Mass on Wednesday, Feb. 2 at Columbus St. Patrick Church. Assisting him is Brother Paul Marich, OP. CT photo by Ken Snow
Candlemas has become a popular liturgical celebration at the downtown parish in recent years, due in part to special customs, unique to the Dominican Order, that the friars at St. Patrick share with the parishioners.
“About a decade ago, we had a friar at St. Patrick’s who had made an extensive study of the Dominican liturgical traditions of this feast,” said Brother Paul Marich, OP, the parish director of liturgy, currently on a diaconate pastoral year assignment at St. Patrick’s.
“The rich symbolism of the blessing and offering of candles provides a vivid reminder of everyone’s baptism, in which we are consecrated to God. For the friars and sisters at St. Patrick’s, it takes on a further expression, reminding us of our religious consecration.”
The Mass began in the parish hall with the blessing of candles, followed by the procession to the church. Parishioners were encouraged to bring devotional candles from home to be blessed. The parish choir, under the direction of Kathleen Tully, enriched the celebration with traditional Dominican chants for the various parts of the liturgy.
During the Offertory of the Mass, the faithful took part in the uniquely Dominican aspect of the liturgy. Before the offering of the gifts of bread and wine, the faithful brought their lit candles forward to the celebrant, who placed them in a stand beside the altar.
This rite, called the Oblatio Candlearum, is a traditional practice for Dominicans on the feast of the Presentation in which the people’s candles are brought forward as a sign of their offering to God. Their candles remain lit beside the altar during the Eucharistic Prayer, signifying that their prayers and offerings are united to Christ’s offering of his body and blood in the Eucharist.
The parish also keeps its Nativity scene up until the conclusion of the Candlemas celebration, which is a common practice in many European countries. This allows the faithful to ponder and reflect on the mystery of Christ’s birth and infancy beyond the Christmas liturgical season to the feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, which is 40 days after Christmas.
Father Stephen Dominic Hayes, OP (center front) is followed by Brother Paul Marich, OP during a procession to the altar at St. Patrick Church before the start of the Candlemas Mass. In the foreground with lighted candles are (from left) Paul Azzola, Catherine Azzola and Crystal Bender. CT photo by Ken Snow