On this day, the Church remembers the events described in the Gospel of Luke - the meeting with the elder Simeon of the baby Jesus in the Jerusalem temple on the fortieth day after Christmas.
The Presentation of the Lord is one of the twelve, that is, the main holidays of the church year. This is an everlasting holiday - it is always celebrated on February 15th.
What does the word "meeting" mean?
Meeting of the Lord. James Tissot.
In Church Slavonic, “sretenie” means “meeting.” The holiday was established in memory of the meeting described in the Gospel of Luke, which took place on the fortieth day after the Nativity of Christ. On that day, the Virgin Mary and the righteous Joseph the Betrothed brought the baby Jesus to the Temple of Jerusalem to make the legally established thanksgiving sacrifice to God for the firstborn.
What kind of sacrifice had to be made after the baby was born?
According to the Old Testament law, a woman who gave birth to a boy was forbidden to enter the temple for 40 days (and if a girl was born, then all 80). She also had to bring a thanksgiving and cleansing sacrifice to the Lord: a one-year-old lamb for thanksgiving, and a dove for the remission of sins. If the family was poor, a dove was sacrificed instead of a lamb, and the result was “two turtle doves or two dove chicks.”
In addition, if the first-born in the family was a boy, on the fortieth day the parents came with the newborn to the temple for a rite of dedication to God. It was not just a tradition, but the Mosaic Law, established in memory of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt - liberation from four centuries of slavery.
The Blessed Virgin Mary did not need to be purified because Jesus was born from the virgin birth. However, out of humility and in order to fulfill the law, she came to the temple. Two doves became the purifying sacrifice of the Mother of God, since the family was poor.
Who is Simeon the God-Receiver?
According to legend, when the Virgin Mary crossed the threshold of the temple with a baby in her arms, an ancient elder came out to meet her.
Double-sided tablet icon from the second quarter of the 15th century. Sergiev Posad Museum Reserve (Sacristy)
His name was Simeon. In Hebrew, Simeon means “hearing.”
Tradition says that Simeon lived 360 years. He was one of the 72 scribes who, in the 3rd century BC. At the behest of the Egyptian king Ptolemy II, the Bible was translated from Hebrew into Greek.
When Simeon was translating the book of the prophet Isaiah, he saw the words: “Behold, the Virgin will be with child and give birth to a Son” and wanted to correct “Virgin” (virgin) to “Wife” (woman). However, an Angel appeared to him and forbade him to change his word, promising that Simeon would not die until he was convinced of the fulfillment of the prophecy. This is stated in the Gospel of Luke: “He was a righteous and pious man, looking forward to the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It was foretold to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he saw Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:25-26).
On the day of the Presentation, what the elder had been waiting for all his long life was fulfilled. The prophecy has come true. The old man could now die peacefully. The righteous man took the baby in his arms and exclaimed: “Now, O Master, you are sending Your servant away in peace, according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all nations, a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32). The church named him Simeon the God-Receiver and glorified him as a saint.
In the 6th century, his relics were transferred to Constantinople. In 1200, the tomb of Saint Simeon was seen by a Russian pilgrim - Saint Anthony, the future Archbishop of Novgorod.
Candlemas. Andrea Celesti. 1710.
Bishop Theophan the Recluse wrote: “In the person of Simeon, the entire Old Testament, unredeemed humanity, passes into eternity in peace, giving way to Christianity...” In remembrance of this evangelical event, the Song of Simeon the Receiver of God is heard every day in Orthodox worship: “Now you let go.”
Who is Anna the Prophetess?
On the day of the Presentation, another meeting took place in the Jerusalem Temple. In the temple, an 84-year-old widow, “daughter of Phanuel,” approached the Mother of God. The townspeople called her Anna the Prophetess for her inspired speeches about God. She lived and worked at the temple for many years, “serving God day and night with fasting and prayer” (Luke 2:37 - 38).
Anna the prophetess bowed to the newborn Christ and left the temple, bringing the news to the townspeople about the coming of the Messiah, the deliverer of Israel. “And at that time she came up and glorified the Lord and prophesied about Him to all who were waiting for deliverance in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:36-38).
How did they begin to celebrate the Presentation of the Lord?
The Presentation of the Lord is one of the most ancient holidays of the Christian Church and completes the cycle of Christmas holidays. The holiday has been known in the East since the 4th century, in the West - since the 5th century. The earliest evidence of the celebration of the Presentation in the Christian East dates back to the end of the 4th century. At that time, the Meeting in Jerusalem was not yet an independent holiday, but was called “the fortieth day from the Epiphany.” The texts of the sermons that were delivered on this day by Saints Cyril of Jerusalem, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, John Chrysostom and other famous hierarchs have been preserved. But until the 6th century, this holiday was not celebrated so solemnly.
Candlemas. Rogier van der Weyden. Fragment
Under Emperor Justinian (527-565), in 544, Antioch was struck by a pestilence that killed several thousand people every day. During these days, one of the Christians was given instructions to celebrate the Presentation of the Lord more solemnly. The disasters truly ceased when an all-night vigil and religious procession were held on the day of the Presentation. Therefore, the Church in 544 established the solemn celebration of the Presentation of the Lord.
Since the 5th century, the names of the holiday have taken root: “Feast of the Meeting” (Candlemas) and “Feast of Purification.” In the East it is still called Candlemas, and in the West it was called the “Feast of Purification” until 1970, when a new name was introduced: “Feast of the Sacrifice of the Lord.”
In the Roman Catholic Church, the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary, dedicated to the memory of the bringing of the baby Jesus into the temple and the purification rite performed by his mother on the fortieth day after the birth of her first child, is called Chandeleur, i.e. lamp. Lamp, feast of the Mother of God Gromnichnaya (feast of the Fiery Mary, Gromniyya) - that’s what Catholics call it.
Our Liturgical Charter - Typikon says nothing about the consecration of candles (and water) on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. The old missals do not contain anything like this. Only after 1946 did the rite of blessing candles for the Presentation of the Lord begin to be printed in breviaries, and this was associated with the transition from the union of the population of the regions of Western Ukraine. The custom of consecrating church candles on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord was transferred to the Orthodox Church from Catholics in the 17th century, when Metropolitan Peter Mogila edited the “Trebnik for the Little Russian dioceses.” For editing, in particular, the Roman missal was used, which described in detail the order of processions with lit lamps. In our country, the Latin Sretensky rite never took root, but the rite, thanks to Peter Mogila, remained (neither the Greeks nor the Old Believers have any trace of it). Therefore, in many dioceses of the Russian Church, candles are blessed either after the prayer behind the pulpit (like the rite of the Great Blessing of Water, which is “inserted” into the liturgy), or after the liturgy at a prayer service. And there are places where there is no custom of blessing candles. The “magical” attitude towards Sretensky candles is a relic of the pagan ritual of honoring fire, associated with the cult of Perun, and called “gromnitsy”.
Candlemas. Gerbrandt van den Eeckhout.
What does the “Softening Evil Hearts” icon mean?
Associated with the event of the Presentation of the Lord is an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, which is called “The Softening of Evil Hearts” or “Simeon’s Prophecy.” It symbolically depicts the prophecy of Saint Simeon the God-Receiver, pronounced by him in the Jerusalem Temple on the Day of the Presentation of the Lord: “A weapon will pierce your own soul” (Luke 2:35).
The Mother of God is depicted standing on a cloud with seven swords piercing her heart: three on the right and left and one at the bottom. There are also half-length images of the Virgin Mary. The number seven signifies the fullness of grief, sadness and heartache experienced by the Mother of God in her earthly life. Sometimes the image is replenished with the image of the deceased Infant of God on the knees of the Mother of God.
ACCORDING TO THE ORTHODOX PRESS
In Orthodox, as well as in Catholic, Christian culture, there are many holidays that are of great importance for believers. One of them is the Presentation of the Lord. On this day, a biblical event known to many people is remembered. Therefore, the question: “The Presentation of the Lord - what kind of holiday?” - definitely deserves attention.
Origins
In Russian-speaking Orthodox culture, the Presentation of the Lord has been celebrated on February 15 for many years. This holiday is rooted in the traditions of Western and Eastern countries (IV-V centuries). It was then that the Presentation of the Lord became one of the twelve key dates that were included in the Orthodox calendar. On this special day, everyone who has faith in Christ remembers with reverence those events that were once described by the Evangelist Luke. We are talking about a special meeting between the baby Jesus and the righteous Simeon.
What does the Presentation of the Lord mean?
In fact, the word “meeting” itself can be translated as “meeting.” As for the story that gave rise to the holiday, it began almost 2000 years ago, when the Virgin Mary came with little Jesus. The future Savior of the world at that time was only forty days old. According to the Law of Moses, a woman who gave birth to a male child had to come to the Temple and offer a cleansing and thanksgiving sacrifice there. This is exactly what Mary did. Although the fact that she conceived a child from the Holy Spirit freed her from the need to make a cleansing sacrifice.
It so happened that at that time Elder Simeon was living in Jerusalem, who received the following revelation from the Almighty: he will not leave this mortal earth until he sees the Savior of the world. Inspired by the Heavenly Father, Simeon came to the Temple precisely when Mary was there with the baby Jesus. Seeing little Christ, the righteous elder took Him in his arms and proclaimed that his eyes had seen salvation from God.
Therefore, answering the question: “The Presentation of the Lord - what is it?” - it is worth talking specifically about the meeting of the Infant God and the righteous Simeon in the temple of Jerusalem. Another meaning of the word “meeting” is “joy”, the cause of which is the salvation brought to our world by Christ.
The importance of the meeting
Those who are not experienced in Christianity may find it a little strange that such great importance is attached to the meeting of Simeon and the baby Jesus. In fact, such close attention given by believers to the feast of the Presentation of the Lord is more than logical.
The point is that almost all the Old Testament prophets were waiting for the coming of the Messiah - who would free his people. And therefore, the meeting of Simeon with the born Christ is nothing other than the fulfillment of the prophecy, which was believed by many men and women of God who lived in the times of
More information about Simeon the God-Receiver
Trying to understand the question of the Presentation of the Lord - what kind of holiday and what is its value, it is worth paying more attention to one of the key figures in biblical history associated with this date (February 15). If we turn to legend, we will find out that the elder Simeon, who met Mary in the Temple, was 360 years old. His name means nothing more than “hearing.” Moreover, he is considered one of the 72 scribes who received the command from the Egyptian king Ptolemy II to translate the Holy Scriptures from Hebrew into Greek.
It was while working on the translation that Simeon read a prophecy that said that a virgin would give birth to a son - the Savior of the world. The Israeli prophet wanted to change the word “virgin” (virgin) to “wife” (woman), but the angel who appeared to him prevented him from doing this. Having listened to the heavenly messenger, Simeon received a promise from him that he would personally be able to see the prophecy fulfilled.
The Day of the Presentation of the Lord became for the prophet the embodiment of what was promised by the angel.
Anna the prophetess
There is another character in the Bible who is related to the famous holiday. We are talking about Anna the prophetess. Understanding what the feast of the Presentation of the Lord means, it is also important to pay attention to it. On the day when the baby Jesus was brought to the Temple, a widow, who at that time was already 84 years old, approached his mother, the Virgin Mary.
She often voiced wise speeches about God to the townspeople, for which they began to call her Anna the Prophetess. It was this woman who approached the little Christ, bowed to him and, leaving the temple, began to tell the residents of the city that the Messiah had come, who would deliver Israel.
Historical evidence of the veneration of the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
If you study the manuscripts left over from past generations, you will discover an interesting fact. Its essence boils down to the fact that in the 4th century, the Western pilgrim Esteria wrote the work “Pilgrimage to Holy Places.” This is in fact the oldest historically reliable evidence that the Presentation of the Lord was celebrated in church and liturgical celebrations in the Christian East. At the same time, the Estheria manuscript does not give the holiday its own liturgical title, defining it as the fortieth day from Epiphany. But the very process of the celebration held in honor of the Presentation is described more than emotionally.
But the second monument, which gives the holiday a special liturgical character, has its roots in Jerusalem. We are talking about the Armenian Lectionary. It was there that the fact of the liturgical and statutory practice of the early 5th century was attested. Based on this information, one can draw an obvious conclusion: in the 4th-5th centuries, the Presentation of the Lord was defined in the Jerusalem church as a holiday revered in this particular area.
Current signs
If we consider the question: “The Presentation of the Lord - what is it?” - exclusively in a folk format, then you will notice an interesting fact: this holiday is a symbol of the meeting of winter and spring. In this regard, many signs have appeared.
The first thing that can be attributed to the signs that people pay attention to on February 15 is the weather. According to popular belief, if it is warm and sunny on this day, then you should expect early spring. Even on a holiday like the Presentation of the Lord, signs regarding the weather may indicate persistent frosts if on the night of February 15 there is a clear sky in which no stars are visible. But in the case of the starry sky, there is every reason to expect a quick spring.
As for health, here you need to pay attention to the candle lit during the holiday: if the fire is even and hardly moves, then problems with your physical condition are not expected, but when the flame turns blue and sways, then it makes sense to prepare to fight disease.
On a holiday like the Presentation of the Lord, signs also apply to the road. It is believed that if a person sets out on a journey on this day, he will not return home soon. This statement is explained by the fact that on February 15 the weather is unpredictable, everything can happen - from heavy rains to heavy snowfall. Such precipitation, of course, greatly complicates movement.
Presentation of the Lord: traditions
It is generally accepted that if you feed animals with all your heart on this holiday, they will grow quickly and produce good offspring. Also celebrated on February 15, the Presentation of the Lord helps predict the abundance of the harvest: morning snowfall on this day is a sign of a bountiful harvest of early bread, and afternoon snow prophesies the successful sowing of middle ones.
On this day, they usually prepared the seeds for sowing, drove the animals out of the barn into the pen and inspected the harness. There was also a widespread tradition among the people to use water from the snow that fell on Candlemas Day, since it was believed that it could heal various diseases.
The water flowing from the roofs during the holiday was also of great importance. It was used for baking cakes, which were then given to those who suffered from any illness.
Features of the celebration
To fully answer the question: “The Presentation of the Lord - what is it?” - It is necessary to study the peculiarities of this holiday. An interesting fact is that most of the services in the church are focused on the person of the Virgin Mary. From ancient religious traditions, several Orthodox rituals have survived to the present day and have not lost their relevance.
First of all, the consecration of water and candles takes place directly in the church itself. Another belief is connected with this: if during a thunderstorm a consecrated candle is placed in front of an icon, it will protect the house from a lightning strike. Understanding what the Presentation of the Lord means, one cannot ignore the vibrant traditions of the celebration, during which very beautiful liturgical texts are read. They reveal the essence of the speech of the prophet Simeon, as well as glorify the honor given to him to see the baby Jesus. As for the duration of the celebration, the Presentation of the Lord lasts 8 days: from February 14 (pre-celebration) to February 22 (the celebration of the holiday).
Analyzing the question: “The Presentation of the Lord - what is it?” - in the format of the Catholic tradition, it is worth noting the thorough approach to the celebration. On this day, in churches, priests dress in white clothes and, before starting the solemn mass, conduct a bright procession with candles, and also perform a blessing ceremony. Everyone who came to the temple sings songs that convey the words of Simeon spoken to the Infant God, and the priests, conducting the ceremony, sprinkle those singing.
For many believers, this holiday is significant enough to prepare congratulations. The Meeting of the Lord is actually a veneration of the coming of the Savior, so many poems and scenes on this day talk about new life, joy and spring, which enlivens everything around.
Iconography of the Presentation
A significant holiday for Christians - the day of the meeting of Simeon and little Jesus - inspired artists to create many icons and frescoes. They all describe the moment when the Virgin Mary hands her son into the hands of the elder.
The icon “The Presentation of the Lord” depicts Joseph the Betrothed, who is behind the back of the Mother of God and carries either in a cage or in his hands two, and sometimes three, doves. Anna the prophetess is also depicted on the icon behind Simeon.
It is also interesting that the icon “The Presentation of the Lord” either has the foot of the temple as a background, or depicts the meeting of the elder and the Infant God near the throne. And on images painted at a later time, the torment of hell and future salvation are sometimes depicted (located in the lower part).
The meaning of the icon “Softening Evil Hearts”
There is another icon that is directly related to the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. It is called “Simeon’s Prophecy” or “Softening Evil Hearts.” This icon depicts the moment when an Israeli husband prophesies to the Mother of God that a weapon will pierce Her own soul. The Virgin Mary stands on a cloud with seven swords that pierced her heart: three on the left side, three on the right and one below. The number of swords is explained by the fact that it characterizes completeness, in this case suffering, heartache and sadness.
In general, if we consider what the holiday of the Presentation of the Lord means, we can conclude that it has a significant influence on Orthodox and Catholic Christian culture. This day also carries a tangible spiritual meaning, as it symbolizes the meeting of two covenants: the Old, typified by Simeon, and the New, brought by the Savior.
On February 15, the Church celebrates the Presentation of the Lord. The word “meeting” means meeting, seeing something or someone significant. In this case, the meeting of humanity in the person of Saints Simeon the God-Receiver and Anna the Prophetess with the Lord Jesus Christ.
The meaning and events of the holiday
On the Day of the Presentation of the Lord, the righteous of the Old Testament, such as Simeon the God-Receiver or Anna the Prophetess, finally saw the Savior they were promised, who would reconcile the languishing fallen humanity with God. On this day, the Old Testament in the person of the law also meets the New Testament and its grace, which brings vitality to the law and makes it that “light yoke” about which the Lord will later speak.
According to the Old Testament regulations, on the fortieth day after the birth of a child, every woman had to come to the Jerusalem Temple (then the only one for the entire Jewish people) in order to offer a sacrifice of purification. If at the same time her first-born male child was born, he should also be brought to the temple for a rite of dedication to God (in memory of the liberation of the Jews from Egyptian captivity, where the Jewish first-borns survived the tenth plague of Egypt).
The sacrifice of purification was a dove, and the sacrifice of initiation was a lamb (lamb), but if the family was poor, then two doves were sacrificed. Since Mary and Joseph lived very modestly, they sacrificed two pigeon chicks.
Not only priests served in the Jerusalem Temple. Under him, children dedicated to God were also brought up to a certain age (like the Most Holy Theotokos herself). Also, the righteous living nearby came there every day to pray. Among them were two special people - Simeon the God-Receiver and the righteous widow Anna.
From Tradition we know that Simeon was among the 72 translators of the Septuagint - a version of the Old Testament in Greek, which was created in the 3rd century BC at the request of the Egyptian king Ptolemy II Philadelphus to replenish the famous Library of Alexandria.
Ptolemy asked the Jewish elders to send the most literate and experienced scribes who knew Greek to translate. Everyone got a certain part of the work. Simeon had the task of translating the book of the prophet Isaiah. When he reached the place where it was said: “Behold, the Virgin will be with child and give birth to a Son,” he considered this a mistake by the previous copyist and decided to correct the word to: “wife” (woman).
At that moment an angel of the Lord appeared to Simeon. He held his hand and assured him of the correctness of the prophecy, which he could verify for himself, since by the will of God he would live to see the birth of the Savior. Considering that Simeon was already an experienced translator at the time of King Ptolemy’s invitation, by the time he met the Savior he could have been 300-350 years old.
We know about righteous Anna from the Gospel of Luke: “There was also Anna the prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, from the tribe of Asher, who had reached a very old age, having lived with her husband for seven years from her virginity, a widow about eighty-four years old, who did not leave the temple, fasting and serving God in prayer day and night.”
These righteous people were the witnesses who represented humanity before God brought to the temple. Simeon the God-Receiver immediately recognized the Savior and pointed out his messianic status: “Now you are releasing Your servant, O Master, according to Your word, in peace, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all nations, a light for the enlightenment of the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel." Righteous Anna also preached about the appearance of the Messiah, telling the inhabitants of Jerusalem about Him.
Simeon accepted and blessed the baby and his parents, but also prophesied to the Virgin Mary about the sorrow that awaits her in the future with the death of her child on the cross and the disputes that will strike the Jewish people after his preaching: “Behold, this one lies for the fall and the rising of many in Israel and the subject of controversy, and a weapon will pierce your soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
Formation and features of the holiday
The Presentation of the Lord is one of the twelve feasts - the 12 most important church holidays after the Resurrection of Christ (Easter). In the Russian Orthodox Church and a number of other Local Orthodox Churches that adhere to the Julian calendar, it is celebrated on February 2 (February 15 according to the Gregorian calendar).
If Candlemas falls on the Monday of the first week of Lent (rarely), the festive service is moved to the previous day - February 1, the Week of Adam's Exile (Forgiveness Sunday).
The Feast of the Presentation originated in the Jerusalem Church and appeared in its liturgical calendar in the 4th century.
The oldest evidence of the celebration of the Presentation in the Christian East is the “Pilgrimage to Holy Places” of the Western pilgrim Etheria, dating back to the end of the 4th century. It does not give the Meeting an independent liturgical title and calls it “the fortieth day from the Epiphany,” and also briefly and emotionally describes the celebration itself, which takes place on this day in Jerusalem.
The second historical monument, already of a liturgical nature, also comes from Jerusalem. This is an Armenian Lectionary, which documents the liturgical and statutory practice of the early 5th century, where the Presentation is defined as: “The fortieth day from the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
As an independent holiday of the annual calendar, the Presentation was established in the Roman Church at the end of the 5th century, and in Constantinople in the first half of the 6th century, in contrast to Monophysitism, condemned at the Council of Chalcedon in 451, which asserted that Jesus Christ is only God in a human body, and not the God-man. .
The service of the Presentation combines the features of the Lord's and the Twelve Mother of God feasts. Festive stichera and canon, telling about the events of the holiday and its great significance, were written by famous church hymnographers - Anatoly, Patriarch of Constantinople (5th century); Venerable Andrew of Crete (VII century); the Venerable Cosmas of Maium and John of Damascus (VII-VIII centuries), Herman, Patriarch of Constantinople (VIII century) and the Venerable Joseph the Studite (IX century).
The iconography of the Presentation has a deep symbolic meaning: the Infant Savior, sitting in the arms of the God-Receiver Simeon, who receives the Savior in his arms, represents, as it were, the old world, filled and revived by the Divine, and the Mother of God, giving her son, seems to release him on the way of the cross and the salvation of the world.
Interestingly, there is also an icon symbolizing the prophecy of Simeon the God-Receiver made to the Virgin Mary. It is called “Simeon’s Prophecy” or “Softening Evil Hearts.”
In this icon, the Mother of God is depicted standing on a cloud with seven swords stuck in her heart: three on the right and left and one at the bottom. There are also half-length images of the Virgin Mary. The number seven denotes the fullness of grief, sadness and heartache experienced by the Mother of God in her earthly life.
Holiday traditions
On the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, at the end of the sixth hour, it is customary to bless church candles and distribute them to believers.
The tradition of blessing church candles on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord came to the Russian Orthodox Church from Catholics through the breviary of Metropolitan Peter (Mogila) in 1646.
Catholics blessed candles and took them into religious processions, with which they tried to distract their flock from pagan holidays associated with the veneration of fire (Imbolc, Lupercalia, Gromnitsa, etc., depending on the area and nationality). In Orthodoxy, Sretensky candles were treated more simply and reverently - they were kept for a year, lit during home prayer.
Also, the Presentation of the Lord has been the Day of Orthodox Youth since 1953. The idea of the holiday belongs to the World Orthodox Youth Movement “Syndesmos”, which already unites more than 100 youth organizations from 40 countries.
On this day, all over the world, Orthodox youth hold meetings with clergy, visit hospitals, organize concerts with dancing and live music, organize sports competitions, competitions, games and other interesting events.
In Russia, since 2002, youth activity has been supplemented by the tradition of holding the most beautiful Sretensky balls.
People say that on the day of the Presentation “winter meets spring,” that is, the main cold weather is already behind us, the day has noticeably lengthened and the spring season will come very soon. After the holiday, the peasants began to whitewash fruit trees, prepare seeds for sowing and plant seedlings (at home).
From the editors of the magazine "Orthodoxy.fm" we congratulate all our readers on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord! May your meeting with God be as joyful as it was for the righteous Simeon the God-Receiver!
Andrey Szegeda
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The Orthodox holiday of the Presentation of the Lord in folk tradition symbolizes not only the meeting of Christ with the righteous Simeon, but also the meeting of winter with spring. This is not surprising, because the Old Church Slavonic word “sretenie” means “meeting.” the site tells about the history of this ancient solar holiday, as well as its main signs and interesting Christian traditions.
What is Candlemas and when is it celebrated?
In Church Slavonic, “sretenie” means “meeting.” Orthodox Christians celebrate the holiday annually on February 15th. In Orthodoxy, Presentation is one of the twelve (twelfth) most important holidays dedicated to Christ and is always celebrated on the same day.
Philippe de Champagne. Bringing to the temple
The meaning of the biblical legend
The Presentation of the Lord is associated with the biblical legend described in the Gospel of Luke. According to legend, on this day - the fortieth day after the birth of Jesus - the Virgin Mary brought a baby to the temple to make the legally established thanksgiving sacrifice to God for her firstborn.
As required by the Old Testament law, a woman who gave birth to a boy was not allowed to cross the threshold of the temple for 40 days (and 80 if a girl was born). Also, it was necessary to bring to the church a thanksgiving cleansing sacrifice - a one-year-old lamb, and a dove for the remission of sins. If the family was poor, a dove was sacrificed instead of a lamb, and the result was “two turtle doves or two dove chicks.” In addition, on the 40th day it was necessary to visit the temple for the rite of dedication to God. It was not just a tradition, but the Mosaic Law, established in memory of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt - liberation from four centuries of slavery.
And although the Virgin Mary did not need to be cleansed, since Jesus was born from the immaculate conception, she crossed the threshold of the temple as a sign of humility. Elder Semyon (in Hebrew means “hearing”) came out to meet her. According to legend, the elder lived 360 years: “He was a righteous and pious man, looking forward to the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It was foretold to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he saw Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:25-26).
Fra Bartolomeo. Candlemas On the day of the Presentation, what the elder had been waiting for all his long life was fulfilled. The prophecy has come true. The old man could now die peacefully. Simeon took the baby in his arms and said: “Now, O Master, you are letting your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all nations, a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32). The church named him Simeon the God-Receiver and glorified him as a saint.
Who is Anna the Prophetess?
On the day of the Presentation, another meeting took place in the Jerusalem Temple. In the temple, an 84-year-old widow, “daughter of Phanuel,” approached the Mother of God. The townspeople called her Anna the Prophetess for her inspired speeches about God. She lived and worked at the temple for many years, “serving God day and night with fasting and prayer” (Luke 2:37 - 38).
Anna the prophetess bowed to the newborn Christ and left the temple, bringing the news to the townspeople about the coming of the Messiah, the deliverer of Israel. “And at that time she came up and glorified the Lord and prophesied about Him to all who were waiting for deliverance in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:36-38).
Francesco Bassano Jr. Presentation of the Lord Meeting in the traditional view of the Slavs
Traditionally, Candlemas is accepted by the Slavs as a long-awaited meeting of the passing and weakening winter with the coming spring. The cold and dark early evenings are disappearing, daylight hours are gradually increasing, which means that spring is already very close.
What you can and cannot do on Candlemas
In Rus', Candlemas was loved as a holiday because on this day, first of all, it was necessary to have fun and relax, while quarrels, abuse and overly hard work were inappropriate, as they could offend the sun. In Rus', on Candlemas, it was customary to walk in the fresh air, treat yourself to pancakes, which symbolize the luminary, have fun in every possible way and rejoice at the speedy approach of spring. It is not for nothing that we have already repeatedly mentioned the sun - the Candlemas holiday is directly related to the rituals of “pleasing the heavenly body,” which is the most striking natural symbol of spring.
On Candlemas you should not be sad or bored, and it is also not customary to do work. Even all household chores, except cooking, were prohibited. It was also not customary on this day to clean the house, sweep and work in the yard and gardens. According to legend, it was believed that such actions could bring trouble not only to a person, but also to his loved ones and even to the entire village. By the way, washing and washing were also prohibited on Candlemas.
Among the prohibitions on Candlemas are also swearing and swearing - on this sunny day it promises pure trouble.
On this day, the Christian Church remembers the events described in the Gospel of Luke, namely in I meet the baby Jesus with the elder Simeon in the Jerusalem temple on the fortieth day after Christmas.
The Presentation of the Lord is one of the twelve, that is, the main holidays of the church year. This is a permanent holiday, which means that it is always celebrated on February 15th.
What does the word Meeting mean?
In Church Slavonic, “meeting” means "meeting". The holiday was established in memory of the meeting described in the Gospel of Luke. On that day, the Virgin Mary and the righteous Joseph the Betrothed brought the baby Jesus to the Temple of Jerusalem to make the legally established thanksgiving sacrifice to God for the firstborn.
What kind of sacrifice in ancient Judea had to be performed after the birth of a baby?
According to the Old Testament law, a woman who gave birth to a boy was forbidden to enter the temple for 40 days (and if a girl was born, then all 80). She should also bring to the Lord thanksgiving and cleansing sacrifice: thanksgiving - a one-year-old lamb, and for the forgiveness of sins - a dove. If the family was poor, a dove was sacrificed instead of a lamb, and the result was “two turtle doves or two dove chicks.”
In addition, if the first-born in the family was a boy, on the fortieth day the parents came with the newborn to the temple for a rite of dedication to God. It was not just tradition, but the Mosaic Law, installed in memory of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt - liberation from four centuries of slavery.
The Blessed Virgin Mary did not need to be purified because Jesus was born from the virgin birth. She came to the temple out of humility and to fulfill the law. Two doves became the cleansing sacrifice of the Mother of God, since the family into which Jesus was born was poor.
Rembrandt van Rijn. Candlemas
Who is Simeon the God-Receiver?
According to legend, when the Virgin Mary crossed the threshold of the temple with a baby in her arms, an ancient elder came out to meet her. His name was Simeon. In Hebrew, Simeon means “hearing.”
Tradition says that Simeon lived 360 years t. He was one of the 72 scribes who in the 3rd century BC. At the behest of the Egyptian king Ptolemy II, the Bible was translated from Hebrew into Greek.
When Simeon was translating the book of the prophet Isaiah, he saw the words: “Behold, the Virgin will be with child and give birth to a Son” and wanted to correct “Virgin” (virgin) to “Wife” (woman). However, an Angel appeared to him and forbade him to change his word, promising that Simeon would not die until he was convinced of the fulfillment of the prophecy.
On the day of the Presentation, what the elder had been waiting for all his long life was fulfilled. The prophecy has come true. The old man could now die in peace. The righteous man took the baby in his arms and exclaimed: “Now, O Master, you are sending Your servant away in peace, according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all nations, a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32). The church named him Simeon the God-Receiver and glorified him as a saint.
In the 6th century, his relics were transferred to Constantinople. Bishop Theophan the Recluse wrote: “In the person of Simeon, the entire Old Testament, unredeemed humanity, passes into eternity in peace, giving way to Christianity...” In remembrance of this evangelical event, the Song of Simeon the Receiver of God is heard every day in Orthodox worship: “Now you let go.”
Rembrandt van Rijn. Simeon the God-Receiver 1627-1628
Who is Anna the Prophetess?
On the day of the Presentation, another meeting took place in the Jerusalem Temple. In the temple, an 84-year-old widow, “daughter of Phanuel,” approached the Mother of God. The townspeople called her Anna the Prophetess for her inspired speeches about God. She lived and worked at the temple for many years, “serving God day and night with fasting and prayer” (Luke 2:37 - 38).
Anna the prophetess bowed to the newborn Christ and left the temple, bringing the news to the townspeople about the coming of the Messiah, the deliverer of Israel. “And at that time she came up and glorified the Lord and prophesied about Him to all who were waiting for deliverance in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:36-38).
How did they begin to celebrate the Presentation of the Lord?
The Presentation of the Lord is one of the most ancient holidays of the Christian Church and completes the cycle of Christmas holidays. The holiday has been known in the East since the 4th century, in the West - since the 5th century. The earliest evidence of the celebration of the Presentation in the Christian East dates back to the end of the 4th century. At that time, the Meeting in Jerusalem was not yet an independent holiday, but was called “the fortieth day from the Epiphany.” It should be noted that until the 6th century this holiday was not celebrated so solemnly.
Under Emperor Justinian (527-565), in 544 Antioch was struck by a pestilence that killed several thousand people every day. During these days, one of the Christians was given instructions to celebrate the Presentation of the Lord more solemnly. The disasters truly ceased when an all-night vigil and religious procession were held on the day of the Presentation. Therefore, the Church in 544 established the solemn celebration of the Presentation of the Lord.
Since the 5th century, the names of the holiday have taken root: “Feast of the Meeting” (Candlemas) and “Feast of Purification.” In the East it is still called Candlemas, and in the West it was called the “Feast of Purification” until 1970, when a new name was introduced: “Feast of the Sacrifice of the Lord.”
Icon “Softening Evil Hearts”
What does the “Softening Evil Hearts” icon mean?
Associated with the event of the Presentation of the Lord is an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, which is called “Softening Evil Hearts” or “Simeon’s Prophecy”. It symbolically depicts the prophecy of Saint Simeon the God-Receiver, pronounced by him in the Jerusalem Temple on the Day of the Presentation of the Lord: “A weapon will pierce your own soul” (Luke 2:35).
The Mother of God is depicted standing on a cloud with seven swords piercing her heart: three on the right and left and one at the bottom. There are also half-length images of the Virgin Mary. The number seven signifies the fullness of grief, sadness and heartache experienced by the Mother of God in her earthly life.
What signs exist for Candlemas?
By mid-February, frosts in Russia begin to weaken, and the approach of spring can be felt in the air. In our country, the weather on this holiday usually determined the start of spring field work. According to popular beliefs, Candlemas is the border between winter and spring, as evidenced by popular sayings: “Candlemas - winter meets spring and summer,” “Sun for summer, winter for frost.”
By the weather on the feast of the Presentation, peasants judged the coming spring and summer, the weather and the harvest. They judged spring like this: “What is the weather on Candlemas, so will spring.” It was believed that If there is a thaw at Candlemas- spring will be early and warm, if it's a cold day- wait for a cold spring. Snow that fell on this day- for a long and rainy spring. If on Candlemas there is snow blowing across the road- spring is late and cold. “On Candlemas morning, snow is the harvest of early grain; if at noon - medium; if it’s late in the evening.” “On the Meeting of Drops - the wheat harvest.” “At Candlemas, the wind brings about the fertility of fruit trees.”