Candlemas

This is Candlemas Day! This is the church feast day when candles for the church traditionally are blessed for the year. Some people think of today as the Solemnity of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary while others call it the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple. Either way, it's Candlemas, and it's time for a party! At 6:30 tonight, they are having a Blessing of the Candles, Procession, and Solemn Pontifical Mass at St. Paul's K Street, plus a "reception" (read "light supper of heavy hors d'oeuvres with lots of wine") following in the parish hall, so I'll be popping in over there.

Tomorrow is the Feast of St. Blaize, the patron saint of throats. This is an important day for singers and speakers! The priests will lay their hands upon and bless the throats of any who care to go up for the ritual. I'm not sure how I'll work out my schedule on the morrow.....I have some other engagements that conflict with the service at St. Stephen, and I don't know that I want to go to St. Matthew's Cathedral, since the archbishop is also going to be dedicating a statue in the cathedral of the Blessed Teresa of Calcutta (formerly known as Mother Teresa) and then leading the Rosary and Benediction after Mass, which translates into LONG SERVICE.