Catholics on the other hand celebrate the Feast of the Purification when Mary presented herself to the temple for ritual purification as was set out and commanded in Leviticus.12.2-8 (abridged)
Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them. If a woman having received seed shall bear a man child, she shall be unclean seven days, according to the days of the separation of her flowers. And on the eighth day the infant shall be circumcised. But she shall remain three and thirty days in the blood of her purification. She shall touch no holy thing: neither shall she enter into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification be fulfilled. But if she shall bear a maid child, she shall be unclean two weeks, according to the custom of her monthly courses, and she shall remain in the blood of her purification for sixty-six days.
The day is also called "Brigits Day", in honour of the Irish Goddess Brigit where at her shrine in Kildare nineteen priestesses (no men permitted) kept a perpetual flame burning. A Goddess of fire patroness of smithcraft, poetry, and healing, another form of the name was Bride thus bestowing her special patronage to any woman about to be married, the woman being called bride in her honour.The catholic church canonised her to saint Brigit so as to keep the Irish people 'sweet' so to say. In time they managed to swop the bonfires for candles, using Candlemas as the day to bless all the church candles that would be used for the coming year.
The differing sects of pagans vary in their celebrations of Candlemas even as to what date it should be on, most have some ritual or other to mark the day, witches in various countries place a lighted candle in every window of the house at sunset on Candlemas Eve leaving them in place till sunrise, some covens meeting on Candlemas Day to make and bless their years supply. Another custom is the weaving of "Brigit Crosses" from straw or wheat hanging them up to protect the house, "Brigit beds " to ensure fertility of mind and spirit, performing rites of spiritual cleansing and purification, the making of "crowns of light" using candles for the high priestesses to wear for the Candlemas Circle, the Festival of Lights being sacred to the young Maiden Goddess.
