There are many great and important holidays in Orthodoxy, one of them is Candlemas. This day is both joyful and sorrowful, reminds us of the past and fills us with thoughts about the future, about eternal life.
The Orthodox holiday of the Presentation of the Lord is celebrated by believers annually on February 15. If the date falls on the days of Lent, then the holiday is celebrated modestly, without “sweeping”. Its meaning is special, and not at all the one that people are used to giving it, believing that it is on this day that winter meets spring.
Origin of the holiday
Translated from Church Slavonic, “Sretenye” means “meeting.”
The family fulfilled the Old Testament custom: on the 40th or 30th day after the birth of the child (depending on gender), the mother was obliged to come to the holy monastery to make a ritual cleansing sacrifice.
Mary brought a pair of pigeon eggs - such a sacrifice was allowed only to the poor. After bringing her, the priest took the child from the mother’s hands into his own and highly understood him, turning towards the altar. This meant handing over the child to God. At the same time, he read prayers for the offering of a ransom and thanksgiving for the birth of his first child.
On this holiday, Orthodox Christians remember how His parents brought Jesus Christ to the Jerusalem Temple. Elder Simeon met him there. The Lord predicted a long life for him - he should not die until he sees the newborn Savior of the world. Simeon, taking Christ in his arms, exclaimed that this was the child who would save the entire human race. This is how the meeting of the Old and New Testaments and the acquaintance with the Messiah took place.
Anna the prophetess, an 84-year-old woman, was present at the meeting in the temple. She, looking at the baby, also recognized Him as the Son of God. They glorified the Lord together.
Simeon died with a calm heart at the age of 360 years. He was never afraid of death, but waited for it. He told everyone that he held the Messiah in his hands!
Important! Hence the custom of cleansing women after childbirth on the 40th day has been preserved. Usually at this time the mother brings the child to church, special cleansing prayers are read over the woman, after which she, as a full parishioner, will again be able to attend services and participate in the sacraments.
Although the Virgin Mary had no need for purification, because she was the source of purity and holiness, she, with deep humility, submitted to the dictates of the law.
Meeting of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ
The divine essence of the holiday
The history of the event of the Presentation of the Lord comes from the very event of the meeting of the newborn Messiah and the Most Pure Mary with the righteous Simeon. In a spiritual sense, this meeting is a symbol of the meeting of the Old and New Testaments.
The name of the gray-haired old man who met the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus in the temple is “Simeon,” which translated means “listening.”
Simeon is an example of the prophets of the Old Testament period who listened to the voice of God, understood and obeyed the will of God, prophesying and preaching the coming of the Messiah - the Son of God, who would bring the New Testament of Love and Mercy to humanity mired in sin.
The Old Testament Church carries within itself the essence of the Law through the fear of God: you may not understand the laws, but you are obliged to carry them out unquestioningly, without stepping back one step. It was faith in the One Creator, which was built on the fear of punishment, directing people with a slave mentality to the right life.
The New Testament Church in the image of the Most Holy Theotokos Virgin Mary gives humanity a saving faith in the image of Jesus Christ, which is above the Law, because it carries within itself the very essence of the understanding of Love, Forgiveness, Mercy.
A person himself must desire salvation, understand the meaning of earthly life, he, of his own free will, must do everything in his life so that he is granted the mercy of God. A person must accept God with his heart, and not just with his mind, get out of the state of slavery and regain the Image and Likeness according to which the Creator created us, becoming real daughter or son of Light.
Iconography
The festive icon includes five figures.
In the very center is the Infant Jesus, next to Him is the Mother of God, and on a small eminence stands Simeon.
The Queen of Heaven hands over Her Blessed Child to the gray-haired old man (in other images the God-Receiver is already holding Christ in his arms). His honest head is bowed towards the child and it seems that he is pronouncing his prophecy before Him.
Joseph the Betrothed stands on the left, holding a pair of doves in his hands, and Anna the Prophetess is shown on the right, holding a scroll in her hands.
Sretensky customs
The holiday is the twelfth. The festive liturgy is celebrated in churches.
Believers try to observe holiday traditions:
- people visit the temple and try to take communion;
- parents try to baptize their children on this day;
- if it is not possible to attend church, then people pray at home;
- at the end of the service, the candles are blessed and parishioners take them home;
- everyone tries to do good, help those in need, take care of their relatives;
- before the holiday, people clean up the house, but on February 15, any work is prohibited;
- It is customary to give each other icons of the Mother of God.
Meeting of the Lord. Miniature. Minology of Vasily II. Constantinople. 985 Vatican Library. Rome
Bans on Candlemas
- You can’t swear or use foul language;
- It is forbidden to engage in physical labor, do needlework, wash clothes, or work in the garden;
- people tried not to wash on the holiday, but it was still permissible to take a shower (the interpretation of the ban is as follows: in order to heat a bathhouse, you need to chop wood, bring water, look after the stove - and this is all work);
- It is not recommended to travel on Candlemas; it is believed that the road may end badly for travelers.
The exception to various works is those cases when the work is aimed at the benefit of other people.
Pagan traditions
- on the holiday, the chickens were fed especially generously, they were given a lot of hay and feed to increase their eggs and excellent offspring;
- a count of winter reserves was made: grain, oats, bread - if half of what was stored remained, then everything was fine, but if less, then it was time to “tighten the belt;
- housewives baked bread, pancakes, pies and other delicacies exclusively round shape, glorifying the Sun and treating all those who suffer;
- people walked, sang, danced, had fun, being bored and grieving was forbidden and was considered a bad omen;
- they burned an effigy - the goddess of Love, the basis of which was straw and branches, the outside was decorated with flowers, ribbons, and they put on specially sewn festive bright clothes;
- when the sun reached the heavenly zenith, people performed a ritual: they called for a rich harvest and warm days;
- lovers asked the goddess of Love for harmony in relationships, mutual understanding, happiness and protection;
- the goddess was begged unmarried girls give them a betrothed, and the guys begged for a meeting with a beautiful and loving future wife;
- Sretenskaya water was considered magical, it was collected at midnight from three wells (it was believed that if a seriously ill person was sprinkled with it, he would certainly recover);
- They tried to bathe babies in Sretensky water so that the baby would grow up healthy.
During his earthly life, Jesus Christ called all people to Himself, just as now He calls to faith and righteous living every person, and to those who come to Him he bestows grace, peace of mind, Salvation and eternal life.
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Candlemas
CANDLEMAS , Candlemas, -I; Wed
1. Outdated and poet. Meeting. * Phoebus the radiant rose from the seas.. And to meet him, a chorus of loud nightingales rang out in the dense forests(Krylov).
2. In the Orthodox Church: one of the twelve holidays, celebrated on February 2 (15) (in memory of the meeting of a certain elder Simeon with the baby Jesus).
◁ Sretensky, -aya, -oe (2 digits). S-th frosts.
Candlemasone of the twelve Orthodox church holidays. Erected in honor of the meeting (candlemas) with the righteous Simeon of the infant Christ, whom his parents carried to the temple to be dedicated to God. Celebrated on February 2(15).
CANDLEMASPresentation of the Lord, Christian holiday (cm. CHURCH HOLIDAYS), dedicated to the recollection of the events that took place on the fortieth day of the earthly life of Jesus Christ, namely the meeting (glorious Presentation) of the Divine Infant in the Jerusalem Temple by two Old Testament righteous people - Simeon the God-Receiver and Anna the Prophetess (Gospel of Luke 2:22-39). Celebrated on February 2 (15). In the Orthodox Church - the Twelfth Feast of the Lord and the Theotokos (cm. TWELVETH HOLIDAYS).
Contents of the holiday
According to the law of Moses, on the fortieth day after the birth of a male child, the first-born, the mother had to appear with the baby in the temple to offer a sacrifice for her cleansing, to present the baby to God and “ransom”, for according to the law of Moses all first-born children belonged to God (Exodus 13 :12-13; Leviticus 12:1-8; Numbers 3:13-18). A lamb (lamb) and a turtle dove were sacrificed, and in case of poverty, two turtle doves, or pigeon chicks. The ransom consisted of a price determined by law (five shekels). The Most Pure Virgin came to the temple to fulfill everything according to the law. Due to her poverty, she could only bring two turtle doves as a cleansing sacrifice. In the Jerusalem Temple, the baby Jesus was met by the righteous Simeon, who was promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he saw the Lord’s Christ, and the widow Anna, eighty-four years old, who lived at the temple. Righteous Simeon took the baby in his arms and said: “Now you are releasing Your servant, O Master, according to Your word, in peace; For mine 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.” Anna the Prophetess announced the Savior to all who waited for Him with faith.
History of the holiday and liturgical celebration
The holiday of the Presentation ends the cycle of Christmas holidays dedicated to the glorification of the Savior who appeared in the world. The oldest historical evidence of the celebration of the Presentation in the Christian East is the notes of a Western pilgrim in Jerusalem at the end of the 4th century. Sylvia, in which Candlemas is not yet called an independent holiday, but is called “the fortieth day from Epiphany.” IN brief descriptions celebrations taking place on this day in Jerusalem, a procession to the Temple of the Resurrection is mentioned (as on Easter (cm. EASTER Christian)), presbyteral and episcopal sermons with interpretation of the Gospel of Luke, then the usual Liturgy (cm. LITURGY (worship)) and leave. A similar name for the holiday is recorded in the Armenian Lectionary, which contained brief liturgical and statutory notes about the holidays of the annual cycle, celebrated in Jerusalem at the beginning of the 5th century. Probably at this time the feast of the Presentation existed in Jerusalem Church as locally revered and served as a celebration of the entire forty-day cycle of holidays dedicated to the Epiphany.
The establishment of the Feast of the Presentation in the calendar of the Church of Constantinople occurred no earlier than the first half of the 6th century. under the Byzantine emperor Justin I (ruled 518-527), who established its solemn celebration. His successor, Justinian I (cm. JUSTINIAN I the Great), moved the holiday from February 14 to February 2, in accordance with the calendar tradition of the Roman Church, which celebrated the Nativity of Christ on December 25.
In the Jerusalem tradition of the 5th-7th centuries. There are two main names for the holiday: the Meeting of the Lord and the Feast of Purification. The first name was fixed in Byzantium from the time of the official introduction of the Candlemas holiday there, as well as in the Gregorian tradition of Rome. The second is in the centuries-old liturgical tradition of Pope Gelasius (late 5th century), according to which the holiday was called the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In ancient times, the Roman Church was dominated by the theme of the Presentation of the Theotokos, in contrast to the Eastern tradition, according to which the holiday had the status of the Lord and was gradually transformed into the Feast of the Theotokos (in liturgical literature it is sometimes called the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary). Thus, according to the liturgical Rules, if the feast of the Presentation falls on a Sunday, then the Sunday service is not canceled, but is combined with the service of the Presentation, as happens on the twelfth feasts of the Theotokos.
The Feast of the Presentation has one forefeast day (cm. PRE-CELEBRATION) February 1 (14) - and seven days of afterfeast (cm. CELEBRATION). Delivery - February 9 (22).
In the West only after the 2nd Vatican Council (cm. VATICAN COUNCIL) the holiday again became the Lord's and is called in Latin “Presentation of the Lord,” although among Russian Catholics the name “Presentation of the Lord” is retained. One of important features Divine services of Candlemas in the Latin rite (cm. LATIN RITE) is the blessing of the candles with which the faithful stand at Mass (cm. MASS), and then they are reverently kept at home for a year (the candle in this case symbolizes Christ - “Light for the enlightenment of the pagans”). The custom of blessing candles on Candlemas was also adopted by the Orthodox (in particular, in many parishes in Ukraine).
Meeting in folk tradition
IN folk calendar Slavic peoples Meeting had the significance of a seasonal boundary: this holiday marked the half of winter among the Eastern and Western Slavs, and in the South Slavic regions - the beginning of spring, with which a significant number of signs of weather and harvest were associated. Good sunny weather usually foreshadowed a long winter, and frost - early spring; the blizzard on Candlemas promised to “sweep up” all the livestock feed earlier than usual, etc.
The eastern (less often the western and southern) Slavs said about Candlemas: “Candlemas - winter meets summer,” in addition to which they talked about how exactly winter fights with summer: “Summer hits winter on the cheek: “that’s enough for you, winter.” , winter - it’s time for me to fly, fly.” The perception of Candlemas as the beginning of spring is also reflected in the signs: “At Candlemas, a caftan and a fur coat meet, and a gypsy sells a fur coat,” etc.
The idea of Candlemas as the beginning of spring is embodied in numerous stories about animals that supposedly turn from side to side on this day. The Bulgarians talked about a she-bear crawling out of her den on Candlemas to see her shadow: if the day is sunny and the she-bear sees her shadow, she turns on her other side to continue sleeping; this means that it will be cold for another forty days.
In many respects, Meeting was closer to the beginning of the new year, which was reflected in ideas about the fate of meetings that happen on this day: the Serbs believed that if you meet on this day healthy person, then you will be healthy all year (and vice versa). In some places, Meeting was considered an unlucky and dangerous day: people avoided doing any household work on this day so as not to encounter wolves. Ukrainians believed that those born on Candlemas would be unhappy; among Bulgarians, pregnant women refrained from working with sharp objects for fear that unborn child will have signs and marks on his body reminiscent of these works.
In all Slavic traditions great importance was given to the candle, which was blessed in the church that day. Ukrainians and Belarusians called it the “loud candle”, cf. “Gromnitsa” as one of the East and West Slavic dialect names for the Presentation. This candle was kept for a year: it was lit during thunderstorms and hail, given into the hands of a seriously dying person, the sick were fumigated with its smoke and crosses were drawn on beams and mats, lit to protect themselves from the “walking” dead person; attached to the container from which they sowed in the spring; walked around the cattle with a lighted candle during the first pasture; they set children's hair on fire for headaches, rubbed their throats with it for pain; hung over the entrance to the house on Kupala night to protect against the witch, etc.
encyclopedic Dictionary. 2009 .
Synonyms:See what “Sretenie” is in other dictionaries:
Meeting Dictionary of Russian synonyms. meeting noun, number of synonyms: 2 meeting (50) holiday ... Synonym dictionary
The Lord's. According to the Old Testament law, on the 40th day a male child is born. sex of the firstborn, the mother brought him to the temple in Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice of her own purification, present the baby to God and ransom him, since according to the law... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron
Meeting, one of the twelve Orthodox church holidays. Established in honor of the meeting (candlemas) of the righteous Simeon of the Messiah of the infant Jesus Christ, whom his parents carried to the temple to be dedicated to God. Celebrated on the 40th day after... ... Modern encyclopedia
One of the twelve Orthodox church holidays. Established in honor of the meeting (candlemas) of the righteous Simeon of the Messiah, the child Christ, whom his parents carried to the temple to be dedicated to God. Celebrated on February 2(15)… Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
MEETING, meeting, plural. no, cf. (action in the old way. ch. meet) (obsolete). 1. Meeting (poet. rhetorician). “The radiant Phoebus rose from the seas... and at the meeting with him a choir of loud nightingales was heard in the dense forests.” Krylov. 2. One of the so-called… … Dictionary Ushakova
MEETING, I, Wed. (Capitalized). One of the twelve main Orthodox holidays in memory of how the righteous Simeon met Mary and Joseph at the door of the temple, carrying the baby Jesus in their arms for dedication to God. Matins in S. Explanatory Dictionary ... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary
Candlemas- Meeting, one of the twelve Orthodox church holidays. Established in honor of the meeting (candlemas) of the righteous Simeon of the Messiah of the infant Jesus Christ, whom his parents carried to the temple to be dedicated to God. Celebrated on the 40th day after... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
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 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.
Holy Virgin Mary did not need to be cleansed 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 memory of this gospel event V Orthodox worship Every day the Song of Simeon the God-Receiver sounds: “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 belief, Meeting is the border between winter and spring, as evidenced by folk 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.”
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, the entire Old Testament, unredeemed humanity, passes into eternity in peace, giving way to Christianity...” The memory of this gospel story is heard every day in Orthodox services. 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 the Holy Scriptures 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 consecrating church candles On the feast of the Presentation of the Lord I came to the Orthodox Church from the 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.
One of the holidays established in memory of major events in the earthly life of Jesus Christ, is the Presentation of the Lord, celebrated on the 40th day after Christmas and completing the cycle of celebrations associated with it. In Orthodox church calendar it occupies a special place because it represents the boundary between the eras of the Old and New Testaments.
According to the Law of Moses
To fully understand what kind of holiday the Presentation of the Lord is, it is necessary not only to turn to the text of the 2nd chapter of the Gospel of Luke, which contains a description of this event, but also to touch upon the religious traditions of the Jewish people as set out in the Old Testament. According to the Law of Moses, given in the books of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, a woman who gave birth to a son was considered unclean for 40 days and was not allowed into the temple. This custom has partially survived to this day, although it is not so strict.
After this period, the mother was obliged to come with the child to the Temple of Jerusalem and offer God a cleansing and thanksgiving sacrifice - a lamb and one dove. If the family into which the child was born was poor, then a smaller amount of sacrifice was allowed. This is what all the women of Israel did. The main meaning of this action was to dedicate oneself to God and express gratitude to Him for the sent baby.
From the Gospel texts it is clear that the Blessed Virgin Mary had no need for purification, since the Nativity of the Infant Jesus was the result of the immaculate conception accomplished by the influx of the Holy Spirit, but out of Her deepest humility She came with the Infant Jesus Christ to the temple to fulfill the dictates of the Law. As a sacrifice, She was able to bring with Her only two small doves, since very cramped material circumstances did not allow more.
Meeting of heavenly and earthly
The key to understanding what kind of holiday the Presentation of the Lord is is given by this word itself, which came to us from the Church Slavonic language. “Meeting” in translation means “meeting”. However, in this case, it contains a deeper meaning than that given to it in everyday speech.
The Son of God, incarnate and taking on human nature, was first brought into the temple, which was nothing less than the House of God. Later, Jesus Himself, speaking about him, uses the expression “My Father’s House.” Therefore, bringing Him to the temple is a meeting (meeting) of God the Son and God the Father. Not the servants of the temple with the Virgin Mary and the Child brought by Her, but precisely the earthly meeting of two Divine hypostases.
From the Gospel texts it is known that subsequently Jesus Christ will often visit the temple, and therefore meet with the Father many times, but on the fortieth day after Christmas this happened for the first time, and therefore is considered one of the main holidays. It is celebrated not only by Orthodox Christians, but also by Catholics and Protestants.
Another explanation of what the Presentation of the Lord means is also widespread. The meeting, that is, the meeting of the Baby Jesus, took place in this case not only with His Heavenly Father, who was invisibly present in the temple, but also in the person of the righteous Simeon and the prophetess Anna (they will be discussed below) with all the people of the world. This is quite obvious, since, according to the custom that existed at that time, Israeli mothers did not show their child to strangers before bringing it to the temple. Thus, for the first 40 days of his life the child was hidden from human eyes.
Righteous Simeon
Evangelist Luke also tells about righteous old man Simeon, who lived in Jerusalem and came to the temple that day. We should dwell on it in more detail, since it plays a very important role in the Gospel. From the Holy Tradition it is known that Simeon was one of the 72 sages who, on behalf of the Egyptian king Ptolemy, were engaged in translation Holy Scripture from Hebrew into Greek.
He had the chance to work on the text of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, and when he came to the famous words “Behold, the Virgin in her womb will receive and give birth to a Son,” he fell into doubt ─ how can an immaculate virgin give birth? Considering this a simple mistake by the compiler of the Book, he wanted to put “Wife” in the translation instead of the word “Virgo,” which was more consistent with his concepts of human nature, but an angel suddenly appeared and stopped his hand. The Messenger of God uttered a prophecy according to which Simeon would not taste death until he was convinced of the truth of the words of the prophet Isaiah.
From the life of the righteous Simeon the God-Receiver (an explanation of this addition to the name will be given below), compiled by the Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Dimitri of Rostov, it is known that at that time he was 60 years old ─ an advanced age in itself, but in fulfillment of the prophecy he lived another 300 years , before Baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem. According to some reports, he even became a priest of the Jerusalem Temple, taking the place of the murdered elder Zechariah, Father John the Baptist.
One of the church traditions that has survived to this day complements the above story with a very interesting fact. Even after the appearance of the angel Simeon, there was no doubt about the possibility of the birth of the Child from the Virgin. And then one day, walking along the river bank, he threw the ring into the water, saying that only by finding it again would he believe in the truth of the prediction. The next day, Simeon bought fish in one of the villages and, while cutting it, discovered his ring inside. After this miracle, all doubts left him.
Fulfillment of prophecy
But let's return to the Gospel of Luke. Being in more than advanced years, righteous Simeon could not leave this world due to the revelation given to him from above. On the day when Holy Mother of God and Her betrothed ─ righteous Joseph, carried out the Bringing of the Infant Jesus to the temple; he, by Divine inspiration, appeared there and became not only a witness, but also a participant in the events. This marked the beginning of the fulfillment of Divine revelation.
Approaching the Holy Family, he accepted the Baby Jesus from the hands of the Virgin Mary (for which he was later named the Receiver of God) and uttered a prophecy about the salvation of the world. His text, presented in the article, has been heard in Orthodox churches, becoming one of the most famous prayers. It begins with the words “Now you are releasing Your servant, O Lord...”. Turning to the Mother of the Infant God, he revealed much of what both She and the entire Israeli people would have to experience.
Another participant in this great event was the 84-year-old prophetess Anna, who had been widowed for many years and was constantly in the Jerusalem Temple. In her declining years, she devoted her days to fasting and prayer. Approaching the Holy Family together with the righteous Simeon, she also glorified God, and then conveyed the news of the appearance of the Savior into the world to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
The role of the righteous Simeon and the prophetess Anna in Sacred history is very great. Before the Nativity of Christ, the entire people of Israel for many centuries lived in anticipation of the coming of the Messiah-Savior into the world, and only these two, the last righteous Old Testament, was destined to see His Coming with my own eyes. In the person of Jesus Christ, an unfused and indivisible unity of man with the Divine took place, which they were not only honored to see, but also publicly witnessed. That is why the Presentation of the Lord became one of the main Christian holidays.
When was it installed?
Researchers cannot give an exact answer to this question. However, the historical documents at their disposal indicate that until the 4th century, the cycle of the most important annual Christian holidays included only Easter, Pentecost (Holy Trinity Day) and Epiphany. Over the next two centuries, the ancient church liturgical calendar was replenished with holidays of the Christmas cycle. Since there is every reason to believe that their number included the Presentation of the Lord, the meaning of which is directly related to the appearance of the Savior in the world, it is customary to consider this period as the time of its establishment.
This hypothesis has documentary justification. The earliest of them are travel records compiled at the turn of the 4th and 5th centuries by the Western European pilgrim Etheria, who visited the Holy Places and described in detail what she saw there in her diaries. In this first Christian monument of this genre, the Presentation of the Lord is not yet given an independent liturgical title, and the author mentions it only as the 40th day after Christmas, which indirectly confirms the assumption of a later inclusion of the holiday in the liturgical cycle.
Nevertheless, judging by the notes of the pious and very inquisitive pilgrim, even then this day was celebrated with great solemnity. Eteria describes crowded processions similar to those usually held at Easter. In addition, according to her, in all churches the fragment of the Gospel was read, which describes the offering of the Baby Jesus to the Jerusalem Temple and his meeting with the righteous Simeon and Anna.
Local religious holiday
The next historical monument covering this topic in chronological order is the Armenian Lexionary - a church book containing the texts of various services, with their comments and explanations. It was written in the middle of the 5th century, and includes prayers read at the Presentation of the Lord. What kind of holiday was celebrated on that day, the Lexionary gives a fairly complete picture, but in it, as in the travel notes of the pilgrim Etheria, it is not yet liturgically titled, and is mentioned again only on the 40th day from the Nativity of Christ.
Based on the two historical monuments mentioned above, most modern researchers conclude that during the period of the 5th-6th centuries, the Presentation of the Lord, although celebrated with great solemnity, was only a local holiday of the Jerusalem Church.
The prayer services and processions that took place on this day had the character of religious mysteries, allowing their participants to experience the events of the fortieth day of the Savior’s earthly life in a historical setting and even become participants in them. It was thanks to the topographical realism of everything that happened that this not yet officially established Christian holiday was unique and could not be reproduced in other local churches.
The holiday that saved Byzantium
Literary sources of later times (mainly Byzantine) indicate that in the liturgical calendar of the Church of Constantinople this holiday was officially established in the middle of the 6th century, after which it became a national celebration. However, in this case, the dating of this event is very vague and cannot be clarified more specifically.
In the “Chetih-Minaia” ─ a church book intended for reading, and not for worship, for each day of the year there are certain lives of saints and stories about Orthodox holidays. In the section relating to February 2 (15), a legend is given about the establishment of the celebration on the occasion of the Presentation of the Lord. From it we learn that in 541 Byzantine Empire two disasters struck at once - a pestilence epidemic and an earthquake. Every day, thousands of residents of the country either found death under the rubble of collapsing buildings or died stricken by a terrible disease.
And just when it seemed that God’s wrath was ready to finally destroy the once mighty and prosperous empire, a miraculous phenomenon occurred to one pious man. The Messenger of the Heavenly Powers revealed to him that all the disasters that befell Byzantium would cease as soon as its people began to celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.
This husband conveyed what he had heard to the Patriarch of Constantinople, and when February 2 (15) arrived, that is, the 40th day after the Nativity of Christ, solemn services were held throughout the country. And indeed, the earth tremors immediately stopped, and with them the deadly epidemic receded. Emperor Justinian the Great, who reigned in those years, in memory of this wonderful event, issued a decree according to which a new Christian holiday was established - the Presentation of the Lord.
Historical evidence of legendary events
Despite the fact that the events described in the "Cheti-Menai" are more reminiscent of a pious legend than a historical overview, in fact they are based on completely real facts. For example, from a number of sources independent of each other, it is absolutely reliably known about the earthquake that befell Byzantium precisely in the indicated year.
In addition, from the documents compiled during the reign of Justinian I, it clearly follows that the pestilence epidemic is also not a fiction, but actually claimed thousands of lives that year. So it is quite logical to assume that the Byzantines, struck by these disasters, sought protection from God and resorted to such a radical means, in their opinion, as the establishment of a new religious holiday.
Holiday of Christians around the world
Over time, the tradition of celebrating the Presentation of the Lord on February 15 spread to almost the entire Christian world, although this holiday was named differently in different faiths. If on Orthodox Rus' its name always remained unchanged, but in the Western Church it changed. For a long time, Candlemas was called the Day of Atonement, and in the 70s last century The following name came into use: Feast of the Sacrifice of the Lord.
Let us also note that when asked about the date of the Presentation of the Lord, not all Christian churches give a clear answer. For example, Armenians celebrate this holiday a day earlier, that is, on February 14. Also, representatives of many directions of the Old Believers, or, as it is now commonly called, the United Faith Church, consider it correct to celebrate the holiday in the old style - February 2.
From time immemorial in the calendar adopted by the Russian Orthodox Church, among the twelve feasts, that is, among the most significant, the Presentation of the Lord is also indicated. The service on this day is performed according to a special rite and is distinguished by extraordinary solemnity. During the festive liturgy, the troparion, kontakion and glorification of the Presentation are performed.
It is important to remember that this holiday was established in memory of an event that stood at the turn of two eras, the periods of the Old and New Testaments. It contains both the joy of the appearance of the Savior in the world and the sadness that filled the heart of the Virgin Mary from the words of Simeon the God-Receiver, who revealed to her that day that Her Son would have to atone for human sins through torture on the cross and death.
When celebrating it, it is very important to leave all bad thoughts in the past and fill your hearts with Christian love for your neighbors. On this day it is customary to offer prayers for its granting in front of the icons “The Presentation of the Lord”, “Simeon’s Prophecy”, as well as the Mother of God image “Softening Evil Hearts” (the photo of the icon is given above). It is very important to celebrate the holiday by doing some good deeds and helping those who need it.
Signs and customs associated with the Presentation of the Lord
It is known that many customs are associated with this holiday. The Presentation of the Lord, for example, from time immemorial was considered the best moment to propose to the future bride. Obviously, it was believed that on this day women's hearts are the most responsive. If consent was obtained in advance, then it was on the feast of the Presentation that they tried to get married, because they hoped that marriages concluded on this day would be the happiest. When, after the due date, the stork brought the young couple a reward for their love, the Presentation of the Lord was also considered the best day for the baptism of infants.
Ever since Kievan Rus It has become a custom to make predictions based on the weather that happened on that day about what spring will be like that year. It was considered a sure sign that if the sun was shining on February 2 (February 15), and the frost did not sting the nose and ears too much, then spring would be early and friendly. If on a holiday the sky was overcast and there was a blizzard outside the window, then you couldn’t count on quick warmth.
Touched folk signs and the future harvest. So, if snow fell on a holiday morning, they said with confidence that the grain would ripen early this year and the harvest would be plentiful. If the snowfall began in the middle of the day, this also did not bother anyone, but only indicated that the ears of corn would pour in at their usual time. Evening snow could have caused concern, but even here optimists assured that it did not promise lack of food, but the ripening of late varieties of grain. As for gardeners, they considered windy weather on Candlemas Day to be a harbinger of a bountiful harvest. Oddly enough, the calmness that day did not bode well for them.
Having learned in general outline, what kind of holiday is the Presentation of the Lord, what meaning is hidden in the gospel event that laid its foundation, and taking note of the folk signs associated with it, in Once again On February 15, we will come to church and, to the sounds of festive chants, we will give praise to the Savior of the world!