After the rise of Christianity in Britain, the custom of lighting candles at Imbolc was taken up by the Roman Catholic Church and renamed Candlemas.
On the eve of Candlemas, candles would be lit all around the church in a Festival of Light.
After a service to honour the purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, all candles to be used in the church during the following year would then be blessed and consecrated by the priest.
This practice of celebrating Candlemas continued in England until the 16th century, at which time during the Reformation it was discontinued, being too closely allied to pagan practices and the veneration of magical accessories.
