Forms: 1–2 candel mæsse, 3–5 -masse, -messe, 5 -mas, 4 candil-masse, 5 -messe, -mas, condulmas, 5 candylmesse, 6 -mas, 6–8 candlemass, 6– candlemas. [OE. candelmæsse, f. candel, CANDLE sb. + mæsse, MASS. In Icel. kyndilmessa: cf. med.L. candelaria, F. chandeleur, Ger. lichtmesse.]
1. The feast of the purification of the Virgin Mary (or presentation of Christ in the Temple) celebrated with a great display of candles.
1014. O. E. Chron., Her on þissum ʓeare Sweʓen ʓeendode his daʓas to candel mæssan iii nonas Febr.
a. 1225. [see 3].
c. 1325. Metr. Hom., 155. The first nam es Candelmesse, The tother Maryes clensing esse, The thred Cristes meting es cald.
c. 1410. Love, Bonavent. Mirr., ix. (Gibbs MS.). Þis feste of þe puryficacioun þat is cleped candelmasse.
1500. Ortus Voc., in Cath. Angl., 52. The feest of candelmas, or meetynge of candelles.
1590. Greenwood, Collect. Sclaund. Art., F iiij b. Your solempne & double feasts of your hollomass, Christmass, Candlemass.
1879. Simmons, Lay Folks Mass Bk., 242, note. Candles were offered at Candlemas and certain other festivals.
2. The date of this feast, February 2nd. It is one of the quarter-days in Scotland.
a. 1123. O. E. Chron., an. 1101. Ðises ʓeares eac se b’ Rannulf to þan[m] Candel mæssan ut of þan[m] ture on Lunden nihtes oðbærst.
c. 1200. Ormin, 7706. Þatt daȝȝ … mang Ennglisshe menn Iss, Kanndellmesse nemmnedd.
c. 1450. Bk. Curtasye, in Babees Bk. (1868), 327. Frow alhalawghe day To candelmesse.
1631. Brathwait, Whimzies, Zealous Bro., 199. Hee holds all Bonds bearing date at Lammasse, Michaelmasse, Candlemasse, or any Masse whatsoever, to be frustrate and of no effect; but by changing masse into tide, they become of full force and vertue.
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, vi. ‘I wad sae for certain, that I am gaun to quit at Cannlemas.’
1876. Grant, Burgh Sch. Scotl., II. xiii. 469. The old quarterly terms for paying the school fees were Lammas, Hallowmas, Candlemas, and Beltane.
3. attrib. and Comb., as candlemas-day, -eve, -even, -night, -season, etc., and in Sc. candlemas-ball, blaze, crown, king, offering (see quots.).
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 412. Condelmesse dei.
1389. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 54. After candilmesse day.
c. 1450. Bk. Curtasye, in Babees Bk. (1868), 311. Bryng in fyre on alhalawgh day, To condulmas euen, I dar welle say.
1521. in Arnolde, Chron. (1811), p. xliii. Candylmas day next after, the Kynge and the sayd Duke of Burgoyn bare theyr Candyls.
1654. H. L’Estrange, Chas. I. (1655), 129. February the 2d. (you may if you please call it Candlemas night) had been time out of minde celebrated at Court with somewhat more then ordinary solemnity.
1843. Carlyle, Past & Pr. (1858), 129. In that Candlemas season.
1857. Chambers, Inform. People, II. 466. Candlemas-day is a holiday at the public offices.
1794. Statist. Acc. Scotl., XIII. 211 (Jam.). The scholars … pay … a Candlemas gratuity, according to their rank and fortune, from 5s. even as far as 5 guineas, when there is a keen competition for the Candlemas crown. The king, i. e. he who pays most, reigns for six weeks.
1825. Jamieson, Candlemas bleese, the gift made by pupils to school-master at Candlemas; elsewhere Candlemas offering.
1863. Chambers, Bk. of Days, 2 Feb. The latter part of the day was usually devoted to what was called the Candlemass bleeze, or blaze, namely, the conflagration of any piece of furze which might exist in their neighbourhood…. Another old popular custom in Scotland on Candlemas day was to hold a foot-ball match … the Candlemass Ba’ as it was called.
