The event is described in the Gospel of Luke (). According to the gospel, Mary and Joseph took the Infant Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem forty days (inclusive) after his birth to complete Mary's ritual purification after childbirth, and to perform the redemption of the firstborn son, in obedience to the Torah (, , etc.). Luke explicitly says that Joseph and Mary take the option provided for poor people (those who could not afford a lamb; ), sacrificing "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." indicates that this event should take place forty days after birth for a male child, hence the Presentation is celebrated forty days after Christmas.