Daily AncestorCandlemas
Candlemas is February 2, the feast of the Presentation of Jesus (also called the Purification of the Virgin Mary), sometimes used as a date in old records.
Candlemas falls on February 2 and marks the presentation of Jesus at the Temple, also called the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its name comes from the blessing of candles on that day.
In older records and diaries it can stand for the date itself. Because it falls before March 25, a Candlemas date before 1752 may need a double year, such as Candlemas 1720/1.
As seen in a recordNote in a family Bible
Married at Candlemas, 1720/1
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Candlemas." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/dates-calendar/candlemas. Last checked 2026-10-01.