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Pupils and school staff right across the Diocese of East Anglia joined together in celebrating Candlemas on February 2, spreading candle light and using prayers in many school and home settings.
Candlemas takes place forty days after Christmas day to mark Jesus’ presentation at the temple, forty days after his birth. During Mass, the priest blesses all the candles in the church and then the community spreads the light by lighting each other’s candles.
Notre Dame High School lay chaplain, Alex Savage, said: “This year, for the first time, the Ignite Team with the Secondary School Chaplains in our Diocese, wrote special prayers which were sent out to schools to enable us all to prayer together. Staff lit candles and with their pupils said the special prayers in school, or at home online. This gave a powerful message of support to us all. Where ever we are, we are one community in Christ, thinking and praying for each other… Together we give each other hope of brighter days ahead.
“Thanks to the school communities of St Thomas More, St Alban’s, St Mary and St Peter’s, St Francis of Assisi, St John Fisher, St Benedict’s and Notre Dame for sharing their candle photos.”
Pictured top are pupils at St John Fisher celebrating Candlemas and, below, others from across the diocese and, bottom, celebrating candlemas at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School in Peterborough.
