Candlemas​—A Holiday That Contradicts

● According to The Catholic Encyclopedia, Candlemas, which falls on February 2, is a day set aside to honor the purification of the Virgin Mary. It is to recall Mary’s obeying God’s law by going to the temple in Jerusalem and offering a sacrifice of purification after she bore Jesus. (Luke 2:21-24; Lev. 12:1-4) How strange! The Catholic church teaches that Mary was sinless when she conceived Jesus, yet sets aside a day to honor her performance of an act that proves that she was not sinless but was imperfect, as are all the descendants of Adam.​—Rom. 3:23; 5:12.