There was a religious custom among the Jews,
in former times, of promising to dedicate
children to God’s service in the temple, even
before the children were born. The child, before
its fifth year had passed was taken to the temple
at Jerusalem and committed to the care of the
priest who offered it to the Lord, and, sometimes,
the child remained in the temple to be educated
and trained to serve the sanctuary and sacred
ministers by making vestments and ornaments,
assisting at the services, and contributing to the
worship of God in the various liturgical offices.
Tradition tells us that the Blessed Virgin Mary
was vowed to God by her parents, St. Joachim
and St. Anne, and taken by them to the temple
when she was three years old. This offering and
dedication of the Blessed Virgin to the Lord, the
Church commemorates by the feast of the
Presentation of November 21st. In some religious
communities the day is observed with special
devotion as a patronal feast.
PRAYER: O God, Thou who willed that on this
day the Blessed Mary ever Virgin, the habitation
of the Holy Spirit, should be presented in the
temple, grant, we beseech Thee that by her
intercession, we may deserve to be presented in
the temple of Thy glory. Amen.
Lives of the Saints, pages 456-457