There are Christian holidays that literally everyone knows about. And they can describe in a nutshell what, in fact, believers celebrate. Christmas - Christ is born. Easter - Christ is risen. What is the Presentation of the Lord? What does this word, unusual for modern man, even mean, “meeting”?
Olga K., urban settlement Zelva.
On February 15, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Presentation of the Lord. This is one of the most ancient Christian holidays. Back in the 4th–5th centuries, holy teachers of the Church delivered Sretensky sermons to the people. The holiday became national for Byzantium in the 6th century. Following this, the tradition of the solemn celebration of the Presentation spread throughout the Christian world. The word “sretenie” itself, translated from Church Slavonic, means “meeting”.
The Holy Gospel says that forty days after the Nativity of Christ, the Most Holy Theotokos and Righteous Joseph brought the Divine Infant to the Jerusalem Temple to dedicate Him to God.
At that time, there lived in Jerusalem an old man named Simeon, a righteous and pious man. He was predicted by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he saw Christ. Simeon waited a long time for the fulfillment of God's promise. According to legend, he lived for more than 300 years.
When Holy Virgin Mary brought the Baby Jesus to the temple, Simeon met Christ, took Him in his arms and, glorifying God, pronounced a prophecy about the Savior of the world. Since then, righteous Simeon has been called the God-Receiver, that is, the one who accepted the Lord into his arms.
Right there, in the temple, was Anna the prophetess, a pious widow of eighty-four years old. Having recognized the Infant of God, she praised the Lord and spoke about Christ the Savior to everyone in Jerusalem.
The Day of the Presentation of the Lord is a meeting of the Old and New Testaments, the ancient world and Christianity. Meeting is a meeting with the Lord. Elder Simeon and the prophetess Anna showed all humanity an example of sincere faith and purity of heart by accepting the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The custom of bringing babies to the temple has survived to this day in order to make a forty-day-old baby a member of the Lord’s family and to pray for him. A mother comes to church with her newborn. The priest waits for her at the entrance, takes the child from her hands and reads a prayer. Then the church service takes place, when the clergyman carries the baby inside the church, stopping and making an image of a cross at the entrance, in the middle and near the altar. If it is a boy, he is carried to the altar. In all prayers associated with these actions, Righteous Simeon and other circumstances of the event are remembered.
Orthodox Christians remember this church institution well and rush to the temple to perform the necessary ritual, receive God's Blessing, and the Lord protects the mother and baby throughout their lives.
It should be noted that in the Orthodox breviary there is “The Rite of Blessing the Candles at the Presentation of the Lord.” Christians bring Sretensky candles home. They are lit in front of icons during prayer. A burning candle reminds of light and spiritual fire. The human heart should burn with love for God and neighbor - to shine as an example of a virtuous life for others like a candle.
Presentation of the Lord, Also Candlemas(Greek συνάντησις "meeting" ), Bringing to the Temple(Greek Ἡ Ὑπαπαντὴ τοῦ Κυρίου , lat. Praesentatio Domini "presentation of the Lord") is a Christian holiday celebrated in the Historic Churches and some Protestant denominations. The bringing of the baby Jesus Christ to the Jerusalem Temple by his parents took place on the 40th day after Christmas and on the 32nd day after Circumcision. In the Jerusalem Temple, the Holy Family was met by Simeon the God-Receiver.
history of the holiday
| The main episodes of the earthly life of Jesus Christ according to the Gospels |
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Presentation of the Lord
(Novgorod icon of the late 15th century)
According to the Gospel narrative, on the fortieth day after the Nativity of Christ and after the completion of the days of legal purification, Mary, together with Joseph, came from Bethlehem to Jerusalem to the Temple of God, bringing the forty-day-old baby Jesus. According to the Law of Moses, parents had to bring their firstborns (that is, first sons) to the temple for dedication to God on the fortieth day after birth. In this case, it was necessary to make a sacrifice in gratitude to God. In fulfillment of this law, Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the Temple of Jerusalem, and for the sacrifice they brought two chicks of pigeons.
The Slavic word “sretenie” is translated into modern Russian as “meeting”. Meeting is a meeting of humanity in the person of Elder Simeon with God. Simeon the God-Receiver was a righteous and pious man - according to legend, one of seventy-two learned interpreters and translators whom the Egyptian king Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285-247 BC) commissioned to translate the Holy Scriptures from Hebrew into Greek. When Saint Simeon was translating the book of the prophet Isaiah and read the words “Behold, the Virgin will receive and give birth to a Son,” he thought that this was an obvious typo and instead of “Virgin” there should be “Wife,” and considered it his duty to correct the text. But the angel of the Lord stopped the hand of Saint Simeon and assured him that he would not die until he was convinced of the truth of the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah.
Simeon waited a long time for the fulfillment of God's promise - he lived, according to legend, about 300 years. And on this day, at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he came to the temple. And when Mary and Joseph brought the Baby Jesus, Simeon took Him in his arms and, glorifying God, said:
These words of righteous Simeon became a prayer called “Song of Simeon the God-Receiver.” It has important liturgical significance and is sung twice: at the end of Vespers (both small and great during the All-Night Vigil) and at “ Prayers of thanksgiving for Holy Communion" at the end of the Divine Liturgy.
Joseph and Mary were surprised by these words. Simeon blessed them and, turning to Mary, predicted to Her about the Child:
These words formed the basis for the iconography of the image of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts.”
Right there in the temple was the pious widow Anna the Prophetess, eighty-four years old, who served God with fasting and prayer day and night throughout the long years of her widowhood. And she recognized the Savior and, coming up, glorified the Lord and spoke about Him to everyone in Jerusalem.
Celebration in worship
History of the celebration
The Feast of the Presentation originated in the Church of Jerusalem and appeared in its liturgical calendar in the 4th century. Initially, it was perceived not as an independent holiday, but as a day completing the 40-day cycle after the Feast of the Epiphany.
The oldest historical record of the festival is the Itinerarium Aetheriae, an account of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Egeria, dating from the 4th century.
| The fortieth day of Epiphany is celebrated here with great honor. On this day there is a procession to Anastasis, and everyone marches, and everything is done in order with the greatest triumph, as if on Easter. All the presbyters, and then the bishop, preach, always talking about the place in the Gospel where on the fortieth day Joseph and Mary brought the Lord to the Temple, and Simeon and Anna the prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, saw Him, and about their words that they said when they saw the Lord, and about the offering that the parents brought. And after this, having sent everything in the usual order, they perform the Liturgy, and then there is dismissal. |
The trend towards expanding liturgical glorification of the events of the earthly life of Jesus Christ developed after the Council of Chalcedon in 451, at which Monophysitism was anathematized. 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.
Orthodoxy
Presentation is one of the Lord's feasts, dedicated directly to Christ, but in its liturgical content it is extremely close to the feasts of the Theotokos. Therefore, the liturgical features of the Presentation are inherent in the feast of the Mother of God with elements of the Lord's feast, in particular, in the Liturgy the antiphons are figurative, but there is an entrance verse: “The Lord has spoken His Salvation, He has revealed His Truth before the tongues.” And in ancient times, in its origin, it was considered as a holiday dedicated to the Mother of God. On the icon of the holiday, the images of Christ and the Mother of God are equal in significance: the Infant Savior, sitting in the arms of the God-Receiver Simeon, who receives the Savior in his arms and represents, as it were, the old world, filled with the Divine, and the Mother of God, who went out on the way of the cross - the giving of Her Son to save the world. And the entire icon in its construction expresses this dual nature of the holiday, the joy of the Presentation and the Passionate Sorrow, what is contained in the words of Simeon the God-Receiver, the prophetic meaning of the words of the elder: “Behold, this One lies for the fall and for the uprising of many in Israel and for the subject of controversy.” (OK. ). These words are full of eschatological meaning relating to the entire ministry of the Savior, filled with the insight of the end of times and the aspirations of the coming Judgment and the Future Age.
| In Church Slavonic (transliteration) | In Russian | In Greek | |
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| Troparion, tone 1 | Rejoice, Blessed Virgin Mary, for from You has risen the Sun of Truth - Christ, our God, enlighten those in darkness. Rejoice also, O righteous elder, received into the arms of the Liberator of our souls, who gives us resurrection. | Rejoice, blessed Virgin Mary, for from You has arisen the Sun of righteousness, Christ our God, enlightening those in darkness. Rejoice also, O righteous elder, who has accepted into the arms of the Liberator of our souls, who gives us resurrection. | Χαῖρε κεχαριτωμένη Θεοτόκε Παρθένε· ἐκ σοῦ γὰρ ἀνέτειλεν ὁ Ἥλιος τῆς δικαιοσύνης, Χριστὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, φωτίζων τοὺς ἐν σκότει. Εὐφραίνου καὶ σὺ Πρεσβύτα δίκαιε, δεξάμενος ἐν ἀγκάλαις τὸν ἐλευθερωτὴν τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν, χαριζόμενος ἡμῖν καὶ τὴν Ἀνάστασιν. |
| Kontakion, tone 1 | You have sanctified the womb of the Maiden with Your Nativity and blessed the hand of Simeon, as befitting, and now you have saved us, O Christ God, but die in battle and strengthen the people whom You have loved, the only One who loves mankind. | You sanctified the womb of the Virgin by Your Birth, and blessed the hands of Simeon, in advance, as it should have been, and now You have saved us, O Christ our God. But protect Your people in peace amidst wars and strengthen those whom You have loved, O One Lover of Mankind. | Ὁ μήτραν παρθενικὴν ἁγιάσας τῷ τόκῳ σου, καὶ χεῖρας τοῦ Συμεὼν εὐλογήσας ὡς ἔπρεπε, προφθάσας καὶ νῦν ἔσωσας ἡμᾶς Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός. Ἀλλ" εἰρήνευσον ἐν πολέμοις τὸ πολίτευμα, καὶ κραταίωσον Βασιλεῖς οὓς ἠγάπησας, ὁ μόνος φιλάνθρωπος. |
Joseph Brodsky - Presentation
When She first brought into the church
Child, were inside from among
people who were there all the time
Saint Simeon and the prophetess Anna.And the old man took the Child from his hands
Maria; and three people around
The babies stood like an unsteady frame,
that morning, lost in the darkness of the temple.That temple surrounded them like a frozen forest.
From the eyes of people and from the eyes of heaven
the peaks were hidden, having managed to spread out,
that morning Mary, the prophetess, the elder.And only on the crown of the head with a random ray
the light fell on the Baby; but He doesn't mean anything
I still didn’t know and was snoring sleepily,
resting in Simeon's strong arms.And it was told to this old man,
that he will see mortal darkness
not before the Lord sees the Son.
It's finished. And the elder said: “Today,keeping the word once spoken,
You are in peace, Lord, letting me go,
then my eyes saw it
Child: He is Your continuation and lightsource for idols of honoring tribes,
and the glory of Israel is in Him.” — Simeon
fell silent. Silence surrounded them all.
Only the echo of those words, touching the rafters,was spinning some time later
above their heads, rustling slightly
under the arches of the temple, like some kind of bird,
that is able to fly up, but not able to come down.And it was strange for them. There was silence
no less strange than speech. Confused
Maria was silent. “What words…”
And the elder said, turning to Mary:“Lying now on Your shoulders
the fall of some, the rise of others,
a subject of controversy and a cause for discord.
And with the same weapon, Maria, with whichHis flesh will be tormented, Yours
the soul will be wounded. This wound
will let you see what is hidden deeply
in the hearts of people, like a kind of eye.”He finished and moved towards the exit. Following
Maria, stooping, and with the weight of years
the bent Anna looked on silently.
He walked, decreasing in importance and in bodyfor these two women under the shadow of the columns.
Almost urging them on with their glances, he
walked silently through this empty temple
to the vaguely white doorway.And the gait was as firm as an old man’s.
Only the voice of the prophetess from behind when
rang out, he paused his step a little:
but there they were not calling out to him, but to GodThe prophetess has already begun to praise.
And the door was approaching. Clothes and forehead
the wind has already touched, and stubbornly in the ears
the noise of life burst in outside the temple walls.He was going to die. And not in the street noise
He opened the door with his hands and stepped out,
but into the deaf and dumb domains of death.
He walked through a space devoid of firmament,he heard that time had lost its sound.
And the image of the Child with radiance around
fluffy crown of the death path
Simeon's soul carried before itlike some kind of lamp into that black darkness,
in which no one has hitherto
I didn’t have a chance to light my way.
The lamp shone and the path widened.
Sophronius of Jerusalem - Homily on the Presentation of the Lord
We, beloved, knowing this [the story of the Presentation of the Lord], Let us go together to meet Christ our God, having self-control, bringing purity and kindness, showing forgetfulness of offenses, freeing ourselves from worldly worries, presenting ourselves pure before God, distinguished by meekness of disposition and goodwill, having mutual love for everyone, as well as sympathy and compassion. By doing this, we will meet the coming Christ, we will see Him, we will take Him in our arms, we will confess Him with a prophetic word, praising His coming to us, and with a majestic voice we will glorify the mercy He showed us - so that we may reach the kingdom of heaven and enjoy eternal blessings in Christ the Redeemer and Savior to our God, to Him, together with the beginningless God the Father and the All-Holy Spirit, be glory, honor and worship, now and ever and unto ages of ages.
Read the Word of St. Sophronia in full
Cyril of Jerusalem - Homily on the Meeting of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and on Simeon the God-Receiver
3. With Zion, the people of tongues, carrying lamps, let us go out to the meeting: we will go into the temple, together with the Temple, which is God and Christ. With the Angels let us exclaim the song of the Angels: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts, the heavens and the earth are filled with His glory (Isa. 6:3): the ends of the world are full of His goodness, all creation is filled with His praise: all humanity is filled with His condescension. Heavenly, earthly and underworld are full of the essence of His mercy: full of His mercy, full of generosity, full of gifts, full of His benefits.
4. So, all the nations clasp your hands (Ps. 46:2): all the ends of the earth, come and see the works of God (Ps. 66:5). Let every breath praise the Lord (Ps. 150:6), let all the earth bow down (Ps. 66:4), and let every tongue sing, let everyone sing praises, let everyone praise the Child of God, the forty-day-old and eternal: the Child who is small and ancient of days (Dan. 7:9): The child of things that exist and the Creator of ages (Heb. 1:2). I see a baby, I know my God: a baby who lives and nourishes the world: a baby who weeps and gives life and joy to the world: a baby who is entwined and delivers me from the swaddling clothes of sin: a baby in the arms of his mother, with the flesh truly, and inseparably, on earth: and The same in the bosom of the Father, truly and inseparably in heaven.
Read the Word of St. Kirill completely
Amphilochius of Iconium - Two words for the Presentation of the Lord
Anna at that time came up, glorified the Lord and spoke about Him to all those awaiting deliverance in Jerusalem. Do you see Anna's greatness? She became the protector of the Lord and announced Him in the face of Himself. Oh, miracle! A widow, she denounced the bishops and scribes and, denouncing them, inspired the whole people. She observed the Lord and pointed out the coming deliverance in Jerusalem, addressing all those gathered and declaring to them the signs of the Lord. Anna saw the Lord in a newborn child, she saw the gifts and cleansing sacrifices offered for Him and with Him, but was not embarrassed by the fact that He was young. Anna confessed the baby as God, Physician, All-Powerful Redeemer, Destroyer of Sins.
Don't ignore what Anna said. She addressed the audience, pointing out to everyone present the acts of the Lord: “Don’t you see the Baby, how He reaches out to the Mother’s nipple, and then clings to the other, clings to the mother’s breast, who has not yet set foot on the ground, receiving circumcision in the eighth day? Can't you see This Child? It was He who created the eyelids, He who established the heavens, He who spread out the earth, He who fenced the sea with shores. This Child brings forth winds from his treasures, This Child under Noah opened the flood gates, This Child created streams of rain, This Child blows snow like a white cloth. This Child, through the rod of Moses, freed our forefathers from the land of Egypt, divided the Red Sea and led them through a green plain, and pouring out manna for them in the desert, gave them a land flowing with milk and honey as their inheritance. This Child predetermined that this temple, through the labors of the fathers, would rise to heights. This Child, making an oath to Abraham, said: By multiplying I will multiply your seed like the stars of heaven and like the sand on the seashore. About this Child, the prophetic host, offering prayers, said: Raise up your strength and come to save us. May the Child not confuse you with His infancy. One and the same is both the Child and the Co-originator with the Father, One and the same and is counted in years, and no one can confess His family, One and the same and babbles like a baby, and gives wisdom to the lips. One is due to his birth from the Virgin, the other is due to the incomprehensibility of His existence. And Isaiah also made it clear about this, who says: To us a child is born, to us a son is given. As a child He was born, as a Son He was given. Such is He in the visible and the Other in the intelligible.”
The first and second words of St. Amphilochia
Theophan the Recluse - Three words for the Presentation of the Lord
There will be, brethren, the meeting of the Lord that will once be common to the entire human race, when a voice is heard: Behold the bridegroom is coming, come ye to the meeting. Only those who have become accustomed to this meeting here will joyfully greet Him, have tasted His power while still on the path of this life, or at least have laid down a decisive intention to achieve this and have begun the work necessary in this undertaking, namely the work of purifying the heart by steadily fulfilling all the commandments of God. Those who are not accustomed to this meeting will be amazed by that voice: go to the meeting, and from the meeting of the Lord they will perceive not joy, but fear and trembling, which, having begun where there are no changes of time, will forever remain in them later, constituting for them their own hell - the property outcasts. Think about this, brothers, and from this receive a new, special impulse to zealously fulfill the commandments of God, leading to purity and dispassion and worthy of meeting the Lord in the spirit, which, pleasing here, lays a solid foundation and undoubted hope for receiving the bliss there. How the Lord will be pleased by the one who now puts his mother-in-law in this way and not otherwise in the way of his remaining life. May the Lord bless such an undertaking.
The first, second and third words of St. Feofana
Him from the “Gospel Story”
Feast service
Rejoice, blessed Virgin Mary, / for from You has arisen the Sun of righteousness, Christ our God, / enlightening those in darkness. / Rejoice also, O righteous elder, / who accepted into the arms of the Liberator of our souls, / who gives us resurrection.
Read in full in Russian, in Church Slavonic
Andrey Kuraev - Miracle of meeting
Meeting is a meeting between man and God. The old, very old Jerusalem priest Simeon had been waiting all his life to meet God. Even old age itself was given to him as a punishment for having once lost his faith. And in that moment of long-standing doubt, he was told: you will not die until you yourself see the fulfillment of the prophecies. And now this day has come. And what - the heavens opened up, and in the jubilant choir of Angels the Heavenly Light descended to Simeon? Did the fiery chariot that appeared to Elijah and Ezekiel rush before Simeon? Did the cloud with a thundering voice and flashes of lightning, from which Moses once heard the Ten Commandments, shine upon the old man? No. A young mother came, and in her arms was a month-old baby... But that heart-tremor, which was familiar to Moses, Elijah, and Ezekiel, suddenly pierced Simeon, and the long-ready words were reflected in his heart: “Now you are releasing your servant , Lord..." “Now You let me go, You let me go on the road of the fathers, You allow me to go through the door of death, and these gates are no longer scary for me - for I have seen the Salvation of my and Your people”...
Do you understand the meaning of this miracle? It is not angels who bring God to man, but people! And to this day, the road that leads to Heaven is shown to us not by archangels or wondrous visions, but by people, their human words and human actions. Simple people, in whose words and retellings of the Gospel our heart suddenly recognizes a ray of Truth. But when we then follow this ray, it turns out that this method of transmitting the Heavenly Gospel to us through earthly people was by no means accidental. It turns out that without people you cannot come to God at all. And if the Creator did not disdain to become one of us, then it means that the so often encountered desire for “pure spirituality” (without people, without the Church, without communication with people in prayer and sacraments) obviously does not come from God.
Meeting with God. Trying to tell how and from what it comes is more difficult than trying to write instructions on how true love grows in the human heart.
Anthony of Sourozh - The Presentation of the Lord
There are holidays when the soul is so filled with jubilation that the hand does not rise to worldly labor, but there are also those when the hand does not rise, because the heart is full of either sorrow or sacred horror. The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord combines both of these features. Simeon the God-Receiver meets Christ, an old man, who lived a righteous life, who was promised by God that he would not see death until he met the Savior of the world, who came to accomplish His work of reconciliation and transformation of the world. Together with him, Anna the prophetess testifies to this joy. The expectation of not only the Old Testament, but of all humanity from the beginning of the world, its desire, longing, hope that the Lord would come and there would no longer be an impassable gulf between Him and us, was fulfilled. At the same time, these righteous people rejoice that not only the past, but also the future is now justified and shining with hope and joy. The Lord has come, and salvation has come, hope has come, which no grief, no earthly horror can extinguish, because God is already among us, Christ is among us, and no one will snatch us either from His hand or from His love.
But at the same time, the feast of the Presentation of the Lord bears the deep stamp of sacred horror and sorrow.
Read the entire sermon of Anthony of Sourozh
His other sermon
Georgy Chistyakov - Meeting
If you look at the story of the Meeting of the Lord as an icon, then in the center there will be a Baby in the arms of the Mother, Simeon and Anna are standing on the right. She brings Him to Simeon. In the person of Simeon the God-Receiver, all the wise men of the Old Testament seem to be represented, and in the person of 84-year-old Anna - all the wives of the Old Testament: Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Deborah, etc. The Mother of God is next to Joseph. Simeon with Anna and Maria are people whose lives can be described in one word: fidelity. But for Simeon or Anna it is the fidelity of expectation. Anna is already 84 years old, and she does not leave the temple day or night, remaining in prayer and fasting, that is, she lives in complete fidelity to God. Simeon is so faithful to the expectation of the Messiah, Christ, who must come in the flesh to this world, that he cannot even die until he sees Him. And fidelity to Mary is already fidelity to co-work, fidelity to being with Christ and working with Him.
And at the same time, the Mother of the Lord hears strange words, which neither She nor Joseph at first understood, and even seemed embarrassed. The Elder took the Baby in his arms and said: “Here lies this Child for the fall and rising of many in Israel,” that is, through Him many people will stumble and fall, and many will rise, rise, and come to life: “And a weapon will pierce your very soul.” This means that there will be trials in the heart of the Mother of God through Her Son. By this he predicted Her suffering from the first days. We think that the Mother of God had no temptations, but if even Her Divine Son had temptations, She also had such trials.
Historical content
The Legend of the Presentation of the Lord
According to the saint
After forty days had passed after the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, and after the completion of the days of legal purification, the Most Pure and Most Blessed Virgin Mother, together with Saint Joseph the betrothed, came from Bethlehem to Jerusalem to the temple of God, bringing the forty-day-old infant Christ to fulfill the law of Moses. According to this law, it was necessary, firstly, to be cleansed upon birth by offering an appropriate sacrifice to God and through priestly prayer, and, secondly, it was necessary to place the firstborn baby before the Lord and make a ransom for him at the established price (). This was commanded by the Lord in the Old Testament to Moses, in whose books about the law of purification of the mother it is written as follows: “If a woman conceives and gives birth to a male child, she will be unclean for seven days; on the eighth day his foreskin will be circumcised: and thirty She must sit for three days, cleansing herself from her blood, must not touch anything sacred, and must not come to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are completed. At the end of the days of her purification, she must offer a one-year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young dove or turtle dove for a burnt offering. "If she is not able to offer a lamb, then she must take two turtle doves or two young doves, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering, and the priest will cleanse her, and she will be clean."
And about the dedication of the first-born males to God, the law says this: “Sanctify to Me every firstborn (male) firstborn who opens the womb.”(). And another time: "Give Me the firstborn of your sons"(). This was required for that great good deed of God in Egypt, when the Lord, beating the Egyptian firstborn, spared the Israelites (). Therefore, the Israelites brought their firstborn babies to the temple, dedicating them to God, as a due tribute established by the law. And again they bought them back from God at a set price, which was called “redemption silver,” and was given to the Levites who served at the temple of the Lord, as it is written about in the fourth book of Moses (). The established ransom price consisted of five sacred shekels of church weight, and each sacred shekel contained twenty pennies. Fulfilling this law of the Lord, the Mother of God now came to the temple with the Lawgiver. She came to be cleansed, although she did not require cleansing, as undefiled, unglamorous, incorruptible, most pure. For She who conceived without a husband and lust, and gave birth without illness or violation of Her virginal purity, did not have the defilement characteristic of women who give birth according to the natural law: for who gave birth to the Source of purity, how could impurity touch it? Christ was born from Her, like fruit from a tree; and just as a tree, after the birth of its fruit, is not damaged or desecrated, so the Virgin, after the birth of Christ, the blessed fruit, remained intact and undefiled. Christ came from Her, just as a ray of sunlight passes through glass or crystal. Passing through glass or crystal Sunbeam does not break or spoil it, but illuminates it even more. Christ, the Sun of Truth, did not damage the virginity of His Mother. And the door of natural birth, sealed with purity and protected by virginity, was not desecrated by the usual bleeding for women, but, having passed supernaturally, he further aggravated its purity, sanctifying it with his origin, and enlightening it with the Divine light of grace. There was absolutely no need for any purification for the One who gave birth without corruption of God the Word. But in order not to break the law, but to fulfill it, she came to cleanse herself, completely pure and without any blemish. At the same time, filled with humility, She was not proud of Her imperishable purity, but came, as if unclean, to stand together with unclean women before the doors of the temple of the Lord - and demand cleansing, not disdaining the unclean and sinful. She also made a sacrifice, but not like the rich, who brought a blameless one-year-old lamb, but like the poor, who brought two turtle doves, or two chicks of pigeons, in everything showing humility and love for poverty, and avoiding the pride of the rich. For from the gold brought by the Magi (), She took a little, and distributed it to the poor and wretched, keeping for Herself only the most necessary things for the road to Egypt. Having bought the two birds mentioned above, She offered them, according to the law, for sacrifice, and with them She offered Her firstborn Child. "They brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him before the Lord"() - says the Evangelist Luke, i.e. return God's God, for in the law of the Lord it is written that every male child who opens the womb must be dedicated to the Lord (). Holding Her Newborn in Her arms, the Holy Virgin Mary knelt before the Lord and with deep reverence, like a precious gift, lifted up and handed over the Child to God, saying:
Behold, Your Son, the Eternal Father, Whom You sent to be incarnate from me for the salvation of the human race! You gave birth to Him before the ages without a Mother, and by Your good pleasure, when I was full of years, I gave birth to Him without a husband; This is the firstborn fruit of my womb, conceived in me by the Holy Spirit, and ineffable, as You alone know, came from me: He is my Firstborn, before all Yours, co-essential with You and co-originating, the firstborn befitting You alone, for He came from You, without departing from Your Divinity. Receive the Firstborn, with whom You created the ages (), and with whom You commanded the light to shine together: receive Your Word incarnate from me, with whom You established the heavens, founded the earth, gathered the waters into a union: receive from me Your Son, Whom I offer You for this great thing, that you may arrange for Him and Me as You please, and that you may redeem the human race with His flesh and blood received from Me.
Having uttered these words, She gave Her precious Child into the hands of the bishop, as God’s vicegerent, as if giving Him to God Himself. After this, She redeemed Him, as required by the law, at the established price - five sacred shekels, the number of which seemed to foreshadow the five sacred plagues on the body of Christ, which He accepted on the cross, by which the whole world was redeemed from the legal oath and from working with the enemy.
At the very time when the Mother of God brought the baby Jesus to fulfill the custom prescribed by law over Him, Elder Simeon, a righteous and pious man, came to the temple, guided by the Holy Spirit, awaiting the joy of Israel that would come with the coming of the Messiah. He knew that the expected Messiah was already approaching, for the scepter had passed from Judas to Herod, and the prophecy of the forefather Patriarch Jacob was being fulfilled, who predicted that the prince would not become scarce from Judas until the expectation of the nations, Christ the Lord, came (). In the same way, the seventy weeks of Daniel ended, after which, according to prophecy, there should be the coming of the Messiah. At the same time, Saint Simeon himself was promised by the Holy Spirit not to see death until he saw Christ the Lord. Simeon, looking at the Most Pure Virgin and the Child who was in Her arms, saw the grace of God surrounding the Mother and Child, and, having learned from the Holy Spirit that this was the expected Messiah, he hastily approached and, receiving Him with indescribable joy and reverent fear, gave God great thanks. He, gray-haired, like a swan before his death, sang a prophetic song: “Now do You let Your servant go, O Master, according to Your word, in peace.”
“I did not have,” he seemed to say, “peace in my thoughts, all the days waiting for You, and all the days I remained in sadness until You came: now, having seen You, I received the Gift, and, freed from sadness, I am leaving here with joyful news to my fathers: I will announce Your coming into the world to the forefathers Adam and Abraham, Moses and David, Isaiah and the other holy fathers and prophets, I will bring unspeakable joy to them who are hitherto in sorrow; let me go to them, so that , having left sorrow, they rejoiced in You, their Savior. Let me Thy servant, after many years of labor, rest in the bosom of Abraham: my eyes have already seen Your Salvation prepared for all people, my eyes have seen the Light prepared for the dispersal of darkness, for enlightenment nations, for the revelation of unknown Divine Mysteries to them, - the Light that shone for the glorification of Your people Israel, Which You promised through the prophet Isaiah, saying: "I will give salvation to Zion, My glory to Israel" ().
Joseph and the Most Pure Virgin, hearing everything that Simeon said about the Child, were surprised; Moreover, they saw that Simeon speaks to the Child, not as to a baby, but as to the “Ancient of Days,” and when praying he turns to Him not as a person, but as to God, who has the power of life and death and can immediately release the old man to another life, or keep it in the present. Simeon turned to them with a blessing, praising and magnifying the immaculate Mother, who gave birth to God and man into the world, and pleasing the imaginary father of Saint Joseph, who was honored to be a minister of such a sacrament. Then, turning to Mary, His Mother, and not to Joseph - for he saw the husbandless Mother in Her with his eyes - Simeon said:
This will serve for the fall and rebellion of many in Israel: for the fall of those who do not want to believe His words, for the rebellion of those who will lovingly accept His holy preaching - for the fall of the scribes and Pharisees, blinded by malice, for the rebellion of simple fishermen and people unwise. He will choose the unwise, but he will put to shame the wise of this age - for the fall of the Old Testament Jewish council, and for the rise of the grace-filled Church of God. This will serve as a banner for wrangling, for great discord will occur among people because of Him: some will call Him good, others will say that He deceives people; and they will lay Him down, according to the word of the prophet Jeremiah, "like a target for arrows"(); hanging on the tree of the cross, wounding him with arrows, nails and spears. At that time, husbandless Mother,” the elder continued, “the weapon of sadness and heartache will pass through your soul, when you see your Son nailed to the cross, when you, with great pain in your heart and sobs, will see off from this world the One whom you gave birth to. without illness.
Here in the temple was Anna the prophetess, daughter of Phanuel, from the tribe of Assir. She was a widow, already very old - she was eighty-four years old; - She only lived with her husband for seven years and, having become a widow, led a God-pleasing life, not leaving the temple, but serving God day and night in fasting and prayer. Arriving at that hour in the temple, Anna prophesied a lot about the Child brought to the temple of the Lord, to all those awaiting deliverance in Jerusalem. Hearing and seeing all this, the scribes and Pharisees became inflamed in their hearts, and were indignant at Simeon and Anna for their testimonies about the Youth. They did not keep silent, but they informed King Herod about everything that happened and was said in the temple. He immediately sent soldiers with orders to find the Divine Infant Christ the Lord and kill Him; but they no longer found Him: according to the command given to Joseph in a dream, He was found in Egypt. Saint Joseph and the Most Pure Mother of God, having fulfilled everything required by law in the temple, did not return to Bethlehem, but went to Galilee, to their city of Nazareth, and from there they quickly disappeared into Egypt (). The youth grew and became strengthened in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God abided on Him ().
The celebration of the Presentation of the Lord was established during the reign of Justinian; earlier, although the Presentation of the Lord was remembered in the Church, it was not solemnly celebrated. The pious king Justinian established the celebration of this holiday as the Lord's and the Theotokos, along with other great holidays. The impetus for the establishment of this holiday were special circumstances. During the reign of Justinian in Byzantium and its environs, for three months, starting from the last days of October, there was a strong pestilence, so that at first five thousand people died a day, and then ten thousand; the bodies of even rich and high-ranking people remained without burial, because the servants and slaves all died out and there was no one to bury the masters themselves. And in Antioch, the pestilence, for the sins of the people, was joined by another execution of God - a terrible earthquake, from which everyone fell big houses and high buildings and temples, and many people died under their walls; Among the dead was Euphrasius, Bishop of Antioch, who was crushed to death when the temple fell. In this terrible and disastrous time, there was a revelation to one pious person that a solemn celebration of the Presentation of the Lord would be established, as well as other great feasts of the Lord and the Theotokos. And so, at the arrival of the day of the Presentation of the Lord, February the second, when they began to celebrate with an all-night vigil and procession with crosses, the deadly plague, pestilence and earthquake immediately stopped, by the mercy of God and through the prayers of the Most Pure Mother of God. To her and to the God who was born of her, may there be honor, glory, worship and thanksgiving forever. Amen.
Prayers
Troparion for the Presentation of the Lord, tone 1
Rejoice, Blessed Virgin Mary, / from You the Sun of Truth, Christ our God, has risen, / enlightening those in darkness. / Rejoice, you too, the elder righteous, / received into the arms of the Liberator of our souls, / / yes who promises us resurrection.
Translation: Rejoice, blessed Virgin Mary, for from You has arisen the Sun of righteousness, Christ our God, enlightening those in darkness. Rejoice also, O righteous elder, who has accepted into the arms of the Liberator of our souls, who gives us resurrection.
Kontakion for the Presentation of the Lord, tone 1
You sanctified the womb of the Maiden with Your Nativity/ and blessed the hand of Simeon,/ as it was fitting, having foreshadowed,/ and now you have saved us, O Christ God,/ but pacify your life in battles// and strengthen the people, and Who has loved you, the only one who loves mankind.
Translation: Having sanctified the womb of the Virgin with Your birth, and blessed the hands of Simeon, in advance, as it should have been, and now You have saved us, O Christ our God. But protect Your people in peace amidst wars and strengthen those whom You have loved, O One Lover of Mankind.
Glorification of the Presentation of the Lord
We magnify you,/ Life-giving Christ,/ and honor your Most Pure Mother,/ by whom, according to the law, you have now been taken up into the temple of the Lord.
Theological content
In the Meeting (Meeting) of the Infant of God with the righteous Simeon the God-Receiver, the meeting of two eras is symbolically seen - the Old Testament and the New Testament;
- during the meeting, Righteous Simeon confirmed that the Infant God is the True Christ;
- the celebration of the Presentation of the Lord confesses that just as Christ, in fulfillment of the law, was “dedicated” to God, as the firstborn (according to human nature), so all of us, redeemed through His Passion and death, must devote ourselves to God, remembering that “we are no longer yours" ();
- during the meeting with the Messiah, righteous Simeon confirmed that He is the True Christ.
Iconography of the holiday
Orthodox icons of the Presentation of the Lord, as a rule, are distinguished by the following features. Usually in the lower part are depicted: the Mother of God, the Child Christ, the righteous Simeon the God-Receiver, Joseph the Betrothed and the prophetess Anna, while the figures of the Mother of God and Simeon the God-Receiver usually occupy the central position.
The Lord Jesus Christ can be depicted both in the hands of the Mother of God and in the hands of Saint Simeon. The figure of the latter is written inclined towards the Savior, his hands covered, as a sign of humility before God and reverence for the promised Messiah.
Joseph the Betrothed is often depicted behind the Mother of God, which emphasizes his auxiliary, and not the main role in this event. Next to the righteous Simeon, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, is often written (on some icons she can be seen behind the Most Holy Theotokos).
In the background of the icons there are temples and other buildings, which corresponds to the historical context of the event. Icons of this type can also depict a throne, reminiscent of a modern Orthodox church. This is due to the fact that, firstly, the Old Testament Temple served as a prototype of the New Testament Christian churches, and secondly, with the fact that the Presentation of the Lord is not only an event of the past: in church life it is experienced annually. On the throne can be depicted: a cross or a book. The cross is a symbol of the Savior's victory over hell, the devil, and death. The book symbolizes both the Gospel sermon and the Book of Life. This emphasizes: Christ was originally destined to become the Savior, the Redeemer of people ().
Canons and Akathists
Song 1
Irmos: The sun sometimes invades the deep earth, like a wall, because the water is thick, and people walk on foot and sing in a godly manner: Let us drink to the Lord, for gloriously we shall be glorified.
Chorus:
Let the clouds drop water, for the sun has come to eat on a light cloud, on an imperishable hand, Christ in the church, like a baby. Therefore, faithfully, let us cry out: let us sing to the Lord, gloriously we will be glorified (Twice).
Glory: Strengthen Simeon's hand in the weakening of old age, but the bald, overworked old man, rightly quickly moves to meet Christ, the face with the incorporeal is made up, we sing to the Lord, for gloriously he will be glorified.
And now: With your mind stretched out to the heavens, rejoice, and rejoice, earth: from the most divine bosom the cunning Christ passed, the Virgin Matter brought to God the Father the Child, who was before all: gloriously for he was glorified.
Song 2
Irmos: Establishment of those who hope in Thee, establish, O Lord, the church which Thou hast acquired with Thy venerable blood.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
The first-born from the Father before the age, the first-born Child from the incorruptible Virgin, stretching out his hand to Adam, appearing (Twice).
Glory: I was young because of the charm of the primordial, and God corrected the Word when He appeared in infancy.
And now: The fiend of the earth, flowing back into the nude, the Creator's natural nature conforms to the Divine, as if immutable, revealed in infancy.
Sedalen, voice 4th
On Mount Sinai, in ancient times, Moses saw the back of God, and the subtle Divine voice was vouchsafed to hear in the darkness and the whirlwind: now Simeon of the incarnate God, for our sake, was irrevocably accepted into his arms, and joyfully endeavoring to go from those who are here to the eternal life. The same cry: now dost thou release thy servant, O Master.
Song 4
Irmos: Thy virtue has covered the heavens, O Christ, having passed from the ark, Thy incorruptible shrine to the Mother, Thou hast appeared in the temple of Thy glory, as if we held the hand of a Child: and was filled with all Thy praise.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Rejoice, Simeon, the indescribable Theotokos, who cried out in secrecy, about whom the Holy Spirit of ancient times told you of the Spirit, who was inflicted with all your praise (Twice).
Glory: You trusted in nothing, Simeon, childlike age, rejoicing in the rise of Christ, Israel's divine consolation, the law of the Creator and the Lord, fulfilling the law of the rank calling to Him: all Your praise was fulfilled.
And now: Seeing Simeon the Word of the Beginning, with the flesh as if on the throne of the cherubim the Virgin carried, guilty of being all kinds, as if marveling at a child, crying out to Him: filled with all Your praise.
Song 5
Irmos: As I saw Isaiah, God was exalted figuratively on the throne, from the angels of glory he was brought forth, O accursed one, crying out: I foresaw God incarnate, the uneven Light, and ruling the world.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Having understood the glory of ancient times to the prophet, the Divine Elder held the Word in vain with the Mother’s hands: Oh, rejoice, crying out, pure one, as you hold the throne of God, the never-evening Light, and the ruler of the world (Twice).
Glory: Bow down, old man, and touch the Divine feet of the unartificed One and the Mother of God: fire, speech, carrying the Pure One, I am afraid of the embrace of God, the Light of the unevening One and the ruler of the world.
And now: Isaiah is cleansed from Seraphim by the charcoal reception, the elder cries out to the Mother of God: You enlighten me as if with tongs with your hands, giving Him the burden of the unevening Light and dominating the world.
Song 6
Irmos: Cry out to You, having seen with your eyes the salvation of the elder, who came to people from God, Christ, You are my God.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
You have laid a stone on Zion, a stumbling block for the disobedient, and a stone of temptation: the indestructible salvation of the faithful. (Twice).
Glory: Known to bear the mark that before the age of Thee grew, the earthly ones are now overlaid with infirmity for mercy.
And now: The Son of the Most High, the Son of the Virgin, the former God, having bowed to You, now let him go in peace.
Kontakion, tone 1
You have sanctified the womb of the Maiden with Your birth, and blessed the hand of Simeon, as befits you, having foreshadowed, and now saved us, O Christ God: but pacify the life in battle and strengthen the people whom You have loved, the only One who loves mankind.
Ikos
Father to the Mother of God, wanting a Son Seeing her, carried to Simeon, seeing Him from heaven without flesh, I marveled, saying: now we see wonderful and glorious, incomprehensible, indescribable. Who created Adam, is carried around like a baby: The inconceivable is contained in the arms of the elders: who in the indescribable depths of His Father is described by the will of the flesh, and not by the Divine, is the only Lover of Mankind.
Song 7
Irmos: To you in the fires who watered the youths, who theologized, and into the incorruptible Virgin who dwells, we sing the Word of God, piously singing: blessed is God our father.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Although I am going to tell Adam, I am chewing in hell, and to bring the good news to Eve, Simeon cried out and rejoiced with the prophets: Blessed is God our father (Twice).
Glory: God, who delivers the earthly race, will even come to hell: He will give leave to all the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, just as the dumb cry out: Blessed is God our father.
And now: And your heart, imperishable, the weapon will pass, Simeon proclaimed to the Mother of God, beholding your Son on the cross, to whom we cry: blessed is God our father.
Song 8
Irmos: The unbearable fire united with the piety of the upcoming young man, but with the flame of unharmed, I sang the Divine song: bless all the works of the Lord the Lord, and exalt them to all ages.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
People of Israel, Thy glory of Immanuel, seeing the Child from the Virgin, before the face of the Divine Ark now rejoice: bless all the works of the Lord the Lord, and exalt them unto all ages (Twice).
Glory: Behold, Simeon cried out, this is a sign that is disproved, this God and the child. To this faithfulness let us cry: bless all the works of the Lord the Lord, and exalt them unto all ages.
And now: This life, This will be the fall of the unconquered, God the Word infancy, like the uprising of all who sing in faith: bless all the works of the Lord the Lord, and exalt them to all ages.
Song 9
Irmos: In the law of the canopy and the scriptures we see an image of the faithful: every male sex, opening the lie, is holy to God. Thus we magnify the First-Born Word of the Father Without Beginning, the Son of the First-Born Matter without artifice:
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Like the ancient spouses of newborn turtle doves, and the twins of chicks, in whom is the place of the divine elder, and the chaste Anna the prophetess, born of a virgin, and the Only Begotten Son of the Father, brought into the church, serve majestically (Twice).
Glory: Thou hast bestowed upon me, when Simeon cried out, Thy salvation, O Christ, joy; accept Thy overworked servant, the new grace of the secret preacher, magnifying in praise.
And now: Anna confessed sacredly, prophetically, chaste and venerable, and the old lady to the Lady, clearly in the church: the Mother of God, preaching to all beings, is greater.
Svetilen
The elder, presenting himself in the Spirit in the sanctuary, received the Lord's law in his arms, crying out: now let me be bound by the flesh, as thou hast said, in peace: for I have seen with my eyes the revelation of tongues, and saved Israel.
Kontakion 1
The chosen Mother of the Chosen King is now seen from Bethlehem to the coming Jerusalem, and the Infant Jesus, as if on a light cloud, is carried in Her arms. We are unworthy, meeting the King of Glory and the Most Holy Virgin Mother, with Simeon the Elder crying out to the Most Blessed:
Ikos 1
The heavenly angel, the heavenly faces, descended to the earth, beholding their Creator and the first-born Lord of all creation in the arms of the virgins from the inexperienced mother, like a child carried and coming to the temple in Jerusalem, and rejoicingly sing festive praise to him and the virgin queen:
Come, King of heaven and earth, to the city of the great King, Holy Zion.
Come, Most High God, from the heavenly heights into the earthly temple made by hands.
Come, Only Begotten Son of God, dwell from mankind on earth.
Come, immaculate Lamb of God, bring yourself to the Lord who lives in heaven.
Come, pure Dove, husbandless Bride of the Holy Spirit.
Come, undefiled Lamb, Imperishable Mother of the Lamb of Christ.
Come, God's chosen Youth, God the Father's most beloved Daughter.
Come, Heavenly Queen, good Lady to the whole world.
Come, Most Pure One, the Lord is with You and You with us.
Kontakion 2
Seeing the Most Holy Virgin Herself in purity at the birth of Christ, existing and not requiring purification, Christ then passed from Her, like the ray of a solar crystal passes, without damaging the virgin purity of His Most Pure Mother. Moreover, She is a humble being, not proud of Her incorruptible purity, and when the days of Her lawful purification have been fulfilled, having risen with Saint Joseph the Betrothed from Bethlehem, the Divine Child has been lifted up, so that they may present Him before the Lord in Jerusalem, singing to Him with joy: Alleluia.
Ikos 2
Understanding Thee from afar, O Virgin, who carries God incarnate in Thy hand, Isaiah foretells: “Behold, the Lord sits on a light cloud.” But you, O Mother of God, are going to Jerusalem and carrying the Divine Child in your arms, thinking about how the Mother has done and the Virgin has remained. Knowing that this birth came more than by nature, you tremblingly said in Yourself: How can You be called, My Son? If I call You man, because You are above man, You keep My virginity incorruptible, as Your conception is Divine. If I call You God, I see You in everything like a man, except for sin. For this reason, they preach that You are perfect of God and perfect of man. We, welcoming the coming of Toy, will honor the pure and pure, saying this:
Come, pure Virgin, who purely gave birth to a pure God.
Come, husbandless Mati Emmanuilova, who has never known marriage.
Come, most honest Cherub, Even Gabriel was surprised at her purity.
Come, most glorious without comparison, Seraphim, bow down to her with all angelic nature.
Come, uninhabited Earth, even for us to grow the Class of the Belly.
Come, unburnt Kupino, Even at Christmas the fire of the Divine has not burned down.
Come, Uncontainable Container, they cannot look at Nuzha’s hexacrylatia and many-eyedness.
Come, O fiery Throne, the earth-born are perplexed to praise their heritage.
Come, Most Pure One, the Lord is with You, and with You with us.
Kontakion 3
Controlled by Divine power, the Most Holy Virgin came to the holy city of Jerusalem like a luminous day. The Sun of Christ's Truth is shining throughout the world. This is because the Throne of the Cherubim has appeared, highly exalted in the glory of the virgin, She carries the King of Glory in Her hand, To whom the six-crylated Seraphs invisibly stand, with all the heavenly powers crying out: Alleluia.
Ikos 3
Having a God-pleasing womb, the Virgin ascended to the temple, holding the Divine Infant Christ in Her hand, and bowed His knees before the Lord, with joy and reverence of the verb: O Eternal Father, behold Your Son, Whom You sent to be incarnate from Me for the sake of human salvation. Behold, the Fruit of My womb, conceived in Me by Your Holy Spirit and ineffably produced, Behold, My Firstborn. Receive Your Word incarnate from Me, accept Your Son from Me, Whom I offer to You, that He may be received from Me in flesh and blood, redeem the human race. We, O Most Pure One, listen to this secret prayer of Thy, crying out to Thy Son and our God like this:
Come, sweet Jesus, like rain from heaven to the pure land, meekly and quietly descending.
Come, sweetest Belly, like a drop dripping onto the earth in incarnation, invisibly revealed to Himself.
Come, all-merciful Savior, seek and save the lost.
Come, O good Shepherd, take upon Yourself the lost sheep.
Come, Doctor of the hopeless, bear our infirmities and illnesses upon Yourself.
Come, Lamb of God, take upon yourself the sins of the whole world.
Come, Lord of Glory, carried on a light cloud, drive away the delights of darkness.
Come, King of the world, who has come to the throne of David, reveal a Kingdom not of this world.
Come, Most Pure One, the Lord is with You and You with us.
Kontakion 4
Having a storm of doubtful thoughts inside, the great bishop of God Zacharias was confused, in vain the Most Holy Virgin with the Child, who stood in the place of unclean women before the doors of the temple and asked for lawful cleansing, who came, leading her into the Holy of Holies, brought up, and understood in spirit, like this Mother at Christmas there is the Pure Virgin. For this reason, put Yu in the place of maidens, where wives who have husbands do not stand in a manner befitting, and meet Yu, with fear and joy, singing to God who appeared: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
Hearing Zechariah, your wondrous words before God, O Most Pure One, and seeing how you wanted to lay your beloved child on his hand, like the bishop of God, like putting it in the hand of God Himself, and how you brought the poor to God as a sacrifice, according to what is said in the law, two The dove chick was touched with heart and with faith and with the fear of God received the Infant of God, and like the lawfulness of the Creator and God, he said to Him this:
Come, O Ancient of Days, of old upon Sinai the law was given by Moses.
Come, O Young Child, now whoever comes to the temple will fulfill the law.
Come, you have a throne in heaven, fill the earthly temple with heavenly glory as you desire.
Come, incarnated from the Virgin, desiring to deify human nature.
Come, even to the level of a servant of the image, and make us slaves of sin into slaves of the Truth of God.
Come, O radiance of the Father's hypostasis, may you show us to be the children of God of the Heavenly Father.
Come, Fulfiller of the Law, bringing the chicks of the dove to God, so that we, more than pure doves, will fly to heaven.
Come, O Giver of mercy, mercy, and not sacrifice, who desires, and we, too, with the oil of mercy, may bestow upon You.
Come, Most Pure One, the Lord is with You and You with us.
Kontakion 5
The God-bright star rose when the Holy Elder Simeon came in the Spirit to the Church. He, being youthful in spirit, but aged in body, was righteous and pious, living by faith, seeking the Joys of Israel, for he was promised by the Holy Spirit not to see death, until he did not see Christ the Lord come in the flesh. Having looked at the Most Pure Virgin and the Child held by Her, seeing the grace of God, and knowing by the Spirit that this is the awaited Messiah, approach Him with diligence, and having given great thanks to God, with the fear of God and with heartfelt joy, sang to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
Seeing Elder Simeon in the hand of the Maiden who created man, and understanding Him as the Lord, even as the Child was seen, he was filled with indescribable joy, and forgetting himself, said cheerfully: I wish You, God of the fathers and Lord of mercy, I look to You, who embraces everything with Your Word , I offer you tea, who rules over life and death, to you, who unites heaven and earth. I hunger for you, who raises the dead. I thirst for You, the one who comforts the afflicted, and I cry out to You:
Come, the prophets of all, visit us with Your salvation.
Come, desired by all tongues, enlighten us with Your revelation.
Come, you who came from the south to our Redeemer, may you deliver Adam and Eve from sin and the ancient oath.
Come, appear on earth, our Savior, may you live with man and bring me out of darkness and the shadow of death.
Come, our Enlightener, it is pleasant to proclaim the year of the Lord.
Come, our Liberator, release the brokenhearted into joy.
Come, Shepherd and Teacher, preach remission to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind.
Come, Creator and Master, proclaim salvation to the poor and forgiveness to all people.
Come, Most Pure One, the Lord is with You and You with us.
Kontakion 6
The wondrous preacher of the coming of Christ appeared, the God-bearer Simeon, ever more filled with the Spirit, the first from man to know his Creator, having come in the flesh, and the first to confess His Divinity, crying out to Him, as on behalf of all those living on earth: We worship You, for You are our God; We pray to You, for You are our temple; We serve You, for You are the Creator of the law. Thou art the First God, and there is no other God greater than Thee, and no other Son is Consubstantial with the Father. By You we live and move and we are. You are more beautiful than all the sons of men, as God and man. For this reason, heaven rejoices now, for God has shown mercy to His people, and rejoice, the foundations of the earth and those who are in hell, for He has now appeared dead resurrection, now I have seen the Savior of the world, crying out to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 6
The enlightenment of Truth arose to the whole world, when the Most Holy Virgin gave Elder Simeon with Her most pure hands the Divine Infant, like a Life-Giving Coal, mysteriously from the altar of God, saying: Receive, O honorable Elder, Thy Lord, receive the inexhaustible Treasure and the incomprehensible Power. Both Incorruption and renewal and enlightenment from the Sun of Truth. For the fire of the grace of My Lord does not burn, but rather enlightens, for He will cleanse your sins and cleanse all your iniquities, so that you may be the firstfruits of the cleansing of the whole world, and thus put off all the old and put on all the new. Listening to this merciful broadcast of the Most Pure One, we cry out to Her like this:
Come, shining with heavenly purity to the Maiden, the Everlasting Light shining upon us.
Come, most wondrous of the heavenly world, to the Queen, raising us to heavenly abodes.
Come, mystical Kupino, from the heights of which the fire of the Divine has been kindled to the whole world.
Come, luminous Cloud, Who brought the Infant Christ to salvation for all.
Come, fiery Throne of the invisible King.
Come, heavenly Icon, containing Christ.
Come, Holy Spirit, Most Holy Chamber.
Come, undefiled Bride of the Immortal King.
Come, Most Pure One, the Lord is with you and you with us.
Kontakion 7
Although the holy elder Simeon receives a new cleansing, like Isaiah of old, he bowed to the Most Pure Mother of God, touching Her Divine feet, saying: Bear the Fire, Pure One, I am afraid to embrace the Child, ruling the world. You, like the wings of angels, enlighten me with your hands, holding them, whose cherubic wings tremble. This Simeon, stretching out his hand, received him into his honest embrace, and cried out with joy: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
A new and glorious miracle has taken place today: Elder Simeon accepts the corruptible hands of the Creator, who created man, so that God may live from man and create heaven for man. Having received what was desired, and having seen the fulfillment of the promises, she, like ripe wheat, asking for bodily permission, and like a white swan, adorned with gray hair, at the end of her life cried out joyfully: my eyes have seen Your salvation, a mystery hidden from eternity. Therefore, now, O Lord, let me go, according to Your word, Thy servant in peace from the bondage of this flesh to the wonderful and ageless belly, so that when I depart from here, I will bring joyful news to my father about Your coming into the world. For this reason we cry out to You:
Come, Jesus, Giver of life, grant life and resurrection to all Your faithful.
Come, Master, death to the Destroyer, free Thy people from eternal death.
Come, immortal King, release the eternal prisoners from the darkness and shadow of death.
Come, sweetest Belly, open the gates of heaven to Adam’s wonderful belly.
Come, desired Zhenisha, as my soul desires and ends, into the courts of the Lord.
Come, most beloved Light, for you will find my heart in the vale of weeping temples for the Living God.
Come, Eternal God, for Your salvation is near to those who fear You.
Come, O all-generous Savior, for you bring Your Word to those who love You so much.
Come, Most Pure One, the Lord is with You and You with us.
Kontakion 8
Joseph and the Most Pure Virgin heard the strange verbs of the wondrous elder about the Child, Joseph and the Most Pure Virgin wondered about those spoken about Him: for Simeon was seen speaking to the Child, but not as to the Child, but as to the Ancient of Days and to God praying, Who has the power of life and death and is able to abie let go of another life, and compose all these verbs in your heart, crying out to God in gratitude: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
Having been completely in God, the holy elder Simeon was filled with the prophetic spirit and spoke many things about the Divine Infant, as if he would come even to hell and give leave to all the captives and the sight of the blind and how to speak to the dumb. And turning to Mary, His Mother, proclaim to Her: This One is appointed for the fall of the disobedient and for the rising of the faithful many in Israel, and for a sign that cannot be contradicted. And to You, O immortal Mother, the weapon of sorrow will pierce Your soul, when You see Your Son nailed to the Cross, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed for salvation from their sins. Heed this prophecy and cry out to the Most Pure One:
Come, Mother and Virgin, in Your virgin Christmas you escaped your mother’s illnesses.
Come, Lamb and Shepherd Mother, at the Cross of Your Son, those who have heart disease will suffer.
Come, our Joy, to join in the passion of Christ, so that in the manifestation of His Glory you will rejoice with Him.
Come, comfort in the sorrowful, to be tempted, like gold in a furnace, and you yourself may be able to help those who are tempted.
Come, rejoiced, and bring joy to those who gave birth to Eve, who gave birth to women.
Come, most glorified, desiring to free the whole world from sorrows through Your sorrows.
Come, most honest of all creation, Virgin, who has renewed all visible creation with His Nativity.
Come, Most Holy Mother of all Saints, uniting Angels and men at Your meeting.
Come, Most Pure One, the Lord is with You and You with us.
Kontakion 9
Every angelic nature marveled at the great descent of our God to man, saying: we see now wonderful and glorious, incomprehensible and indescribable: for Adam was created in the arms of the elders. The ends of the world are full of His goodness, all creation is full of His praise, all humanity is full of His condescension. The heavenly, earthly and underworld are full of the essence of His mercy, full of His mercy, full of generosity, full of gifts, full of His beneficence. Fill heaven and earth with His glory! For this reason, all the nations clasp their hands, singing to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 9
Vitia the Divine Seer of God Simeon, although he said a lot, praising and thanking the Immaculate Mother of God, who gave birth to the world of God and man, the Savior of our souls, but it is not possible to praise her according to her inheritance, but even the most worldly minds are perplexed to sing, but overcome by love, greater than Yu, saying: Most holy and wondrous Dwelling of God, You are the beginning, middle and end of our holiday. You have shone forth as the Light of the Sun, You have opened the source of Your Son’s love for mankind, Your memory is above every word and Your greatness exceeds our weakness. I pray to Thee: unceasingly remember us who praise Thee and cry out to Thee in spiritual delight:
Come, our ever-endless Joy, who has revealed the joy of Christ to the whole world.
Come, our ever-pleased Sweetness, holding the Fire of the Divine in your unfaded hand.
Come, O Dawn-bringing One, who has enlightened the temple from the old world with new grace.
Come, O ever-fading Light, illuminating the souls of the faithful with the Light of Christ at Thy meeting. Come, the Heavenly Fire, who carried the hand, may the shrine and beauty in the sanctuary be kindled by You.
Come, O everlasting, imperishable Light, like the Ever-Virgin who gave birth, so that through You salvation will be proclaimed to all the ends of the earth.
Come, animated Icon of God, for through You a new saving grace has appeared to the whole world.
Come, O Tabernacle of God from mankind, for through You the God of gods in Zion has reigned over all people.
Come, Most Pure One, the Lord is with You and You with us.
Kontakion 10
The preacher of salvation appeared, the God-inspired Anna, shining with prophecy and immaculate in the law: she did not depart from the temple of the Lord day and night in prayer and fasting. She went with the righteous Simeon to meet the Infant Christ, making a terrible announcement, confessing His Creator to heaven and earth. And having embraced Him, put your mouth to His mouth, and the Spirit dwelt in her mouth and cry: Thou art God and the Son of man, the Son of the Kingdom and humiliation. You hear and are silent, you see and are invisible, omniscient and hidden. And that many things were spoken prophetically about the Baby brought to all those who hoped for deliverance in Jerusalem, but the Mother of God was preached more majestic. O daughters of Phanuel, come and stand with us, crying to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 10
To the Eternal King and the Word of God! You have now appeared in flesh to the whole world in the temple, from the Virgin Mother, holding hands like a Child, so that you may live with men and all that exist from Adam, and proclaim salvation. The ancient is now all past and now all is new. Your truth came from heaven, and You sent Your mercy to us, and Your grace reigned on earth, as You came to seek and save the lost. For this reason, you reject no one, you turn away from no one, like Uzzah of old, who touched the Icon of Your Testament and was struck by death. Now the harlot falls to You and becomes chaste, the bleeding one touches You and is cleansed, tax collectors and sinners recline with You and are accepted into Your friend, as You have called all those who labor and are burdened to You. For this reason, we welcome Your coming with joy, crying out like this:
Come, O Christ, King of all, and arise to meet us.
Come, Jesus, the Physician of our souls, and come to our help and salvation.
Come, our good Shepherd, who has come to seek the lost sheep, seek us also who have gone astray.
Come, O good Comforter, having sought and found the lost drachma, find the souls of the lost people.
Come, O all-generous and philanthropic one, and receive us into Your fatherly embrace.
Come, O all-merciful and gracious one, place us in Thy heavenly abode.
Come, Comforter of the Sorrowful, protect and guide us as we swim in the sea of everyday vanity.
Come, Savior of the lost, save and raise us up in the abyss of sin for those drowning.
Come, Most Pure One, the Lord is with You and You with us.
Kontakion 11
The singing of all-contrite offerings to the Lord about Your appearance, Christ, God-bearer Simeon and righteous Anna, is flaming in spirit, and their lips joyfully preaching Your coming into the world to all who long for deliverance. The scribes and Pharisees, hearing such testimony about the Child, were indignant, and especially condemned, like the obvious criminal Zechariah, as if the Mother had put him in the place of a virgin, for the sake of soon killing him between the altar and the altar. The Infant Christ was quickly carried away from Herod’s malice to Egypt, so that he might be there as an eternal sign, and may the Lord be known to the Egyptians, and may they make a sacrifice and a gift there, singing to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
Light in the revelation of tongues, you were, the Sun of Truth, Christ, on a cloud, lightly carried, as Simeon prophetically proclaimed today, so as to reveal the beginning of a new grace, began from Egypt and even to the last of the earth, for you are the Source of life and the Light of men, yes the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not embrace it. With this dawn of Your Divinity, enlighten our spiritual darkness as well, and let us all kindle candles of virtue in the heart, with Simeon and with Anna, as the light-bearers of the new ones, with love we will bestow upon Thee, crying out to Thee and Thy Most Pure Mother:
Come, O Jesus, Light of the world, and enlighten us in the lordship of Your saints.
Come, O Christ the Savior, in the living light, intransigent, and in the light of Your face deify us.
Come, Sun of Truth, for in Your days may truth and peace shine upon the earth.
Come, Holy Light, for may the fire of love and faith from heaven come into our hearts.
Come, O Heavenly King, for Your coming will be blessed and bright.
Come, Creator and Master, for with burning lamps of purity we will go forth to meet You.
Come, quiet and non-evening Light, may we live in quietness and silence all the days of our lives.
Come, O Only Begotten Son of God and Word, that we may accomplish Thy salvation with trembling and joy.
Come, Most Pure One, the Lord is with You and You with us.
Kontakion 12
New grace has filled today the old temple of the law, when you came into it, O Christ, as if we held His hands as a Child, so that the prophecy of Haggai your prophet may be fulfilled: The one desired by all the tongues will come and fill this temple with glory; beyond great will be the glory of this last temple, greater than the first and in place I will give peace to this. For this sake, may our new Church, which is preparing to be adorned with the ineffable dawn of Your Divinity, receive You brightly, like the Bridegroom, and enlighten our spiritual hands, so that, like Simeon, I will stretch out in purity to meet You, crying out to You with joy: Alleluia.
Ikos 12
Singing, O Mother of God, into the temple of the Lord with the Divine Child to celebrate Your coming to the whole world, we praise Your indescribable virginal Purity, more than an angel, we worship the Sun of Truth, Christ, who has risen from You, with Simeon we will take Him into His arms. With Anna we confess His Divinity, with Joseph we will bring Him as a gift, like two chicks of a dove, our soul and body, and like with the wise virgins we will brightly decorate the lamps of our souls and bring burning candles to the true Light of Christ who appeared in the revelation of the world, and weaving songs today, Like a flower, let us bring to You, like a crown of thanksgiving, chintz praise:
Come, O blessed Virgin Mary, may you preserve us in virginity and purity under the shelter of Your virginity.
Come, luminous Lady of the Palato, and by Your grace make us a house of the Holy Spirit.
Come, brighter Virgin than the morning, and protect us sons of the day until the end of our lives.
Come, O Sun-bearing Mother of Light, and enlighten us with the light of Your grace.
Come, Holy Servant of the great sacrament, and teach us to serve Thy Son and God holyly.
Come, good Helper to the whole world, and protect us unharmed from the world, the flesh and the devil.
Come, O Virgin Mary, and enlighten our souls darkened by passions.
Come, O wondrous Maiden, and save Your people blinded by their sins.
Come, Most Pure One, the Lord is with You and You with us.
Kontakion 13
Oh, All-Singing Mother and Virgin, who brought all the saints to the Sanctuary Holy Word for our meeting and the salvation of the world; Having accepted this festive offering of ours, cover and keep us from all need and sorrow and deliver us from all sinful enemy snares. You, as the incorruptible Door of the Divine, open the gates of heaven to all who wish to be saved, so that having been delivered by You from eternal torment, we will sing at the meeting of the Lord in the air: Alleluia.
(This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1)
Prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ
Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son and Word of God, seen of old as a prophet, as a mirror in fortune-telling, in these last days born incorruptibly in the flesh of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, and on this fortieth day in the Sanctuary to meet the whole world from Him, like a Child held in His hand, revealed and carried in the arms of the righteous Simeon for the salvation of all who exist from Adam! How glorious and bright is Thy offering into the hand of the Mother of God into the temple of the Lord and Thy Divine meeting from the holy elder! Today the heavens rejoice and the earth rejoices, for Thy procession has been seen, O God, the procession of our King God, Who is in the Holy One. Of old, Moses ascended to see Your glory, but it was not possible to see Your face, You had previously shown Him Your rear. On the bright day of this meeting of Yours, You revealed Yourself as a man in the sanctuary, shining with the indescribable Light of the Divine, so that together with Simeon they see You face to face and with their hands, and touch You, and take You into their arms, so that they may know You as God who has come in the flesh. For this reason, we glorify Your indescribable condescension and Your great love for mankind, as by Your coming You have now granted heavenly joy to the anciently fallen human race: For by Your righteous judgment You expelled our ancestors from the paradise of sweets into this world, but now You have had mercy on us and have again opened up the heavenly abodes for us and You turned our cry to joy, so that the fallen Adam would no longer be ashamed of You for disobedience and may Your face not be hidden, Called by You, as if You have come now, so that You may take upon Yourself his sin, and wash it with Your blood and May you clothe him naked with the robe of salvation and the robe of joy and adorn him like a bride with beauty. For all of us who remember Thy Divine meeting, grant us the privilege of going with the wise virgins to Thy meeting, our Heavenly Bridegroom, with burning lamps of faith, love and purity, may we see Thy Divine face with the eyes of faith, may we accept Thee into our spiritual embrace, and may we carry Thee in your heart all the days of your life, that you may become God to us and we your people. On the last and terrible day of Your coming, when all the saints come out to the last and great meeting of You in the air, grant us also the ability to sleep on You, so that we may always be with the Lord. Glory to Thy mercy, Glory to Thy Kingdom, Glory to Thy vision, O One Lover of Mankind, for Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory with Thy Beginning Father and Thy Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen
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We do not need any new worship that would be in any way adapted to our new secular world. What we need is a rediscovery of the true meaning and power of worship.
prot. Alexander Shmeman
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Easter, Christmas, Trinity, Palm Sunday - perhaps everyone knows these church holidays. And on February 15, Orthodox Christians celebrate the Great Meeting. On this day, they remember the events described in the Gospel of Luke - the meeting of the baby Jesus with the elder Simeon in the Jerusalem Temple on the fortieth day after Christmas.
When is Candlemas celebrated?
Candlemas always falls on February 15th. And it never moves, unlike many church holidays. The meeting took place 40 days after the Nativity of Christ. If Candlemas falls on the Monday of the first week of Lent, which happens very rarely, the festive service is moved to the previous day - February 14.
What does the word "meeting" mean?
Meeting is translated from Church Slavonic as “meeting.” This holiday describes a meeting that took place on the fortieth day after the Nativity of Christ. Mary and Joseph arrived from Bethlehem to the capital of Israel, Jerusalem. With the forty-day-old Infant of God in their arms, they stepped onto the threshold of the Temple to offer the legally established thanksgiving sacrifice to God for their firstborn. After the ceremony was completed, they already wanted to leave the temple. But then an ancient old man, who was considered the oldest man in Jerusalem, named Simeon, approached them.
Why did Mary and Joseph arrive at the temple with the forty-day-old Infant of God?
At that time, with the birth of a child in a family, the Jews had two traditions. After giving birth, a woman could not appear in the Jerusalem Temple for forty days if she gave birth to a boy. If a daughter was born into the family, then 80 days should have passed. Once the period has expired, the mother must bring a cleansing sacrifice to the temple. It included a burnt offering - a one-year-old lamb and a sacrifice for the remission of sins - a dove. If the family was poor, then instead of a lamb they could bring a dove.
In addition, if a boy was born in a family, then the mother and father came to the temple on the fortieth day with the newborn for a rite of dedication to God. This was not just a tradition, but the law of Moses: the Jews established it in memory of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt - liberation from four centuries of slavery.
Even though Jesus was born from the virgin birth, the family decided to make a sacrifice out of respect for Jewish law. Two doves became the cleansing sacrifice of Mary and Joseph - the family was not rich.
Who is Simeon the God-Receiver?
According to legend, at the time of his meeting with Christ, Simeon was more than 300 years old. He was a respected man, one of 72 scholars tasked with translating the Holy Scriptures from Hebrew to Greek. It was no coincidence that the elder ended up in the temple - he was brought by the Holy Spirit. Once upon a time, Simeon was translating the book of the prophet Isaiah and saw the mysterious words: “Behold, the Virgin will be with child and give birth to a Son.” The scientist doubted that a virgin, that is, a virgin, could give birth, and decided to correct “Virgo” to “Wife” (woman). But an Angel appeared to him and forbade him to do this. He also said that Simeon would not die until he was personally convinced that the prophecy was true.
On the day when Mary and Joseph came to the temple with a baby in their arms, the prophecy was fulfilled. Simeon took into his arms the baby born of the Virgin. The old man could die peacefully.
Bishop Theophan the Recluse wrote: “In the person of Simeon, all Old Testament, unredeemed humanity, departs in peace into eternity, giving way to Christianity...” The memory of this gospel story is heard every day in Orthodox worship. This is the Song of Simeon the God-Receiver, or in other words, “Now you let go.”
Who is Anna the Prophetess?
On the day of the Presentation, another meeting took place in the Jerusalem Temple. An 84-year-old widow, “the 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, as the Evangelist Luke writes, “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 the Holy Family returned to Nazareth, since they fulfilled everything prescribed by the law of Moses.
The meaning of the Feast of the Presentation
Meeting is a meeting with the Lord. The prophetess Anna and Elder Simeon left their names in Holy Scripture, because they gave us an example of how to accept the Lord with a pure and open heart. Meeting is not just a great holiday and a day from distant New Testament history. Perhaps every person at least once in his life finds himself in the house of God - in the temple. And there his personal Meeting takes place - a meeting with Christ.
Customs and traditions for Candlemas
The custom of blessing church candles on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord came to the Orthodox Church from Catholics. This happened in 1646. Metropolitan of Kiev Saint Peter (Mogila) compiled and published his missal. The author described in detail the Catholic rite religious processions with lit lamps. On these days, the pagan Celts celebrated Imbolc, the Romans celebrated Lupercalia (a festival associated with the shepherd cult), and the Slavs celebrated Gromnitsa. It is interesting that in Poland, after the adoption of Christianity, the Presentation began to be called the Gromnichnaya holiday Mother of God. This is an echo of the myths about the thunder god and his wife. People believed that Sretensky candles could protect a house from lightning and fire.
On this day they began to celebrate the meeting of winter with spring. This is where the sayings came from: “On Candlemas, winter met spring,” “On Candlemas, the sun turned to summer, winter turned to frost.” After the holiday, the peasants began many “spring” tasks: they drove the cattle out of the barn into the paddock, prepared seeds for sowing, and whitewashed fruit trees.
What the weather would be like in the spring was determined by this day. It was believed that if it was cold on Candlemas, then spring would be cold. If there is a thaw, then expect a warm spring.