Good question.....glad Elizabeth answered that...as I was wondering myself. > > >Please tell me what Candlemas Day is and then the particulars regarding > > the Candlemas Day massacre.<< -- Administrator for Ma-Bay-Colony-L@rootsweb.com Bunnydust@attbi.com MBC archiver (postings) http://archiver.rootsweb.com and put Ma-Bay-Colony in the box > In a message dated 1/6/03 6:15:57 AM !!!First Boot!!!, Kat0952@aol.com > Here you go, google to the rescue <VBG> > Eliz > Candlemas is a traditional Christian festival that commemorates the ritual > purification of Mary 40 days after the birth of her son.   It also marks the > presentation of the infant Jesus in the temple.  Christians were observing > this holiday in Jerusalem as early as the 4th Century A.D.   This goes back > to a Jewish tradition that women were considered unclean after the birth of a > child and were not permitted to enter the Temple to  worship.  This was 40 > days after the birth of a  son and 60 days after the birth of a daughter.  At > the end of the 40 or 60 days, the mother was brought to the Temple or > synagogue and ritually purified.  Now she can go to religious services again, > and generally go out in public.  So we celebrate the ritual Purification of > the Virgin Mary, the specified forty days after she gave birth to Jesus (or, > we used to.) > > > http://boe.cabe.k12.wv.us/ona/candlemas.html > > > > > > ==== MA-BAY-COLONY Mailing List ==== > New Hampshire: > Strafford County NHStraff-L@rootsweb.com > Rockingham County NHRockin-L@rootsweb.com > list moderator: BunnyDust@attbi.com > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 >