Presentation of the Lord, February 2
Forty days after Christmas, Mary and Joseph bring the child Jesus to the Temple, where the old man Simeon calls him “a light for revelation to the Gentiles.” Candles are blessed for the year, which gave the day its old name, Candlemas. It is also the World Day for Consecrated Life.
On the General Roman Calendar, February 2 is a feast: The Presentation of the Lord.
Other saints on February 2
- St. Joan de Lestonnac, foundress (1640)
- St. Théophane Vénard, missionary martyr in Vietnam (1861)
February 2 on the calendar
February 2 is the 33rd day of the year, with 332 days left until December 31. Here is the day of the week it falls on in the coming years:
| Year | Day |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Monday |
| 2027 | Tuesday |
| 2028 | Wednesday |
| 2029 | Friday |
| 2030 | Saturday |
Keeping February 2
February 2 falls in winter. As a feast, it is kept by the whole Church with its own readings and the Gloria at Mass. Families who keep name days often mark the day with a card, a candle or a favorite meal, and parishes named after the saint may hold a festival.
Saints of the week around February 2
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| January 30 | St. Martina |
| January 31 | St. John Bosco |
| February 1 | St. Brigid of Kildare |
| February 3 | St. Blaise |
| February 4 | St. Joan of Valois |
| February 5 | St. Agatha |
The day before, February 1, is the day of St. Brigid of Kildare. The day after, February 3, belongs to St. Blaise. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.