CANDLEMAS (Feb. 2) Antiphon at the Blessing of Candles

"Lumen ad revelationem gentium" (A light for revelation to the Gentiles) is the traditional antiphon sung during the blessing and procession of candles on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, commonly known as Candlemas. It sets the profound words of Simeon, the righteous elder who recognized the infant Jesus as the promised light of the world when Mary and Joseph brought Him to the temple.

When a choir sings this piece, they alternate the gentle, flowing chant of the antiphon with the verses of the Nunc Dimittis (Simeon's canticle). As the congregation holds their lit candles, the repeated return to the cue word "Lumen" (Light) creates a meditative, walking rhythm that anchors the procession. It is an ancient, deeply rooted part of the Church's liturgy that brings the mystery of the feast right into the aisles and the choir loft.