February 2. The Purification of S. Mary. S. CORNELIUS, _the Centurion, B. of Cæsarea, 1st cent._ S. FLOSCULUS, _B. of Orleans, circ._ A.D. 500. S. LAURENCE, _Abp. of Canterbury_, A.D. 619. S. ADALBALD, _C. in Belgium and Aquitaine_, A.D. 652. S. ADELOGA, _V. Abss. at Kitzingen, 8th cent._ SS. MARTYRS, _of Ebbecksdorf_, A.D. 880. B. PETER CAMBIAN, _O. S.D., M. in Piedmont_, A.D. 1365. THE PURIFICATION OF S. MARY, OR THE PRESENTATION OF CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. The purification is a double feast, partly in memory of the B. Virgin's purification, this being the fortieth day after the birth of her Son, which she observed according to the Law (Leviticus xii. 4), though there was no need for such a ceremony, she having contracted no defilement through her childbearing. Partly also in memory of Our Lord's presentation in the temple, which the Gospel for the day commemorates. The Old Law commanded, that a woman having conceived by a man, if she brought forth a male child, should remain forty days retired in her house, as unclean; at the end of which she should go to the temple to be purified, and offer a lamb and a turtle dove; but, if she were poor, a pair of turtle doves or pigeons, desiring the priest to pray to God for her. This law the Blessed Virgin accomplished (Luke ii. 12) with the exercise of admirable virtues; especially did she exhibit her obedience, although she knew that she was not obliged to keep the law, yet, inasmuch as her Son had consented to be circumcised, though He needed it not, so did she stoop to fulfil the law, lest she should offend others. She also exhibited her humility, in being willing to be treated as one unclean, and as one that stood in need of being purified, as if she had not been immaculate. Among the Greeks, the festival goes by the name of _Hypapante_, which denotes the meeting of our Lord by Symeon and Anna, in the temple; in commemoration of which occurrence it was first made a festival in the Church by the emperor Justinian I., A.D. 542. The emperor is said to have instituted it on occasion of an earthquake, which destroyed half the city of Pompeiopolis, and of other calamities. It was considered in the Greek Church as one of the feasts belonging to her Lord (Despotikaì Heortaì). The name of the Purification was given to it in the 9th century by the Roman pontiffs. In the Greek Church the prelude of this festival, which retains its first name, Hypapante, is "My soul doth magnify the Lord, for He hath regarded the lowliness of his hand-maiden;" and a festival of Symeon and Anna is observed on the following day. [Illustration: PURIFICATION OF S. MARY THE VIRGIN. From the Great Missal. Feb. 2.]