The Episcopal Chaplaincy to Cal held its annual celebration of Candlemas on the night of February 1, the Eve of the Feast of the Presentation, February 2. We were fortunate to have Bishop Marc join us as the officiant for this choral procession and blessing of candles.

The service began at the west end of St. Mark’s Berkeley with the African-American Christmas Carol “Rise Up Shepherd and Follow” as the introit. This piece set the tone of Candlemas as the conclusion of the journey beginning with the Christmas star.

After a series of collects calling us to recognize those who lived in the Berkeley long before European settlement and to recognize the shifting of seasons and the goodness of the earth, the procession moved to the chancel to hear the story of Jesus’s presentation in the temple as read by students from the campus ministry. Music that included Byzantine chant, Hildegard of Bingen, African harmony, Gustav Holst, and the medieval school of Notre Dame added aural dynamics to the story. The group of singers included the chaplains from Stanford and Cal, as well as a Berkeley staff member and an undergraduate at Cal.

The highlight of the service was the blessing of candles by Bishop Marc and the encouragement of those gathered to take a candle for themselves and another for those who might need a little extra light in their world.

After the service those in attendance took part in a reflection on the idea of the events told in St. Luke’s Gospel and their relevance for the current plight of non-violent action to bring about the Beloved Community in our own time. The conversation included a wide range of questions and reflections including equine therapy and what it means to be baptized into nonviolence. A particularly moving moment was when a first-year grad student reconnected with Bishop Marc having not seen him since a pilgrimage to Haiti when the student was in the eighth grade.

The campus ministry to Cal celebrates Candlemas as the only Feast of the Incarnation that occurs during the school year and in recognition of the motto of the University of California: Fiat Lux/Let There Be Light. Both the campus ministries to Cal and Stanford were represented in this event and both need your support to continue to bring that light. Please consider making a donation to them by clicking on this link. Please email calcanterbury@gmail to learn more about these ministries or this event.

Make sure you follow CalEpiscopal on Facebook to hear some upcoming sound files from the evening, soon to be posted.

You can support the DioCal’s chaplaincy ministries by donating.

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  Dr. Travis Stevens lights candles as the service begins.

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  Candles were handed out to all participants to hold during the service.

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  A basket of candles blessed by Bishop Marc.

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  Singers included the chaplains from Stanford and Cal as well as a Berkeley staff member and a Cal undergraduate.

Author: Ellie Simpson