The holiday is established in memory of the meeting of the Infant Jesus with the elder Simeon, described in the Gospel of Luke, which took place on the 40th day after Christmas.

The word "candlemas" from Old Slavonic is translated as "meeting".

This holiday belongs to the oldest holidays of the Christian Church and completes a series of Christmas holidays.

He will tell you about the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, as well as about the traditions and signs associated with it.

What is the feast of the Presentation of the Lord

According to the Gospel, the Most Holy Theotokos on the 40th day after the Nativity of Christ, following the Old Testament law, brought the Infant Jesus to the Jerusalem temple to consecrate Him to God.

According to the Old Testament law, a woman who gave birth to a male baby was forbidden to enter the temple of God for 40 days. Then she came with the baby to the temple, where she brought a cleansing and thanksgiving sacrifice to the Lord.

The Blessed Virgin Mary, who did not need to be cleansed, submitted to the prescription of the law out of deep humility.

© photo: Sputnik / V. Robinov

Fresco "The Presentation" of the 18th century

When the Mother of God with the baby in her arms crossed the threshold of the temple, an ancient old man approached her. It was the oldest man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, which in Hebrew means "hearing."

According to legend, the Holy Spirit brought Simeon, who was one of the 72 scribes who translated the Bible from Hebrew into Greek, to the Jerusalem temple in the year when he was 360 years old (according to other sources, about 300 years).

Many years ago, Simeon, when translating the book of the prophet Isaiah, doubted that a virgin would be able to give birth, and it was foretold by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he was convinced personally that the prophecy was true.

© photo: Sputnik /

Image of Saint Simeon. Fragment of the icon "The Presentation" from the village of Lailashi.

Therefore, the pious elder, inspired from above, came to the temple at the time when the Virgin Mary and the righteous Joseph brought the Infant Jesus there to perform the lawful rite.

Taking the Divine Infant in his arms, the righteous man blessed him and understood that the prophecy had been fulfilled and now he could die in peace, since the long-awaited Messiah, about whom the prophets have been writing for hundreds of years, is the Infant in the arms of the Virgin Mary.

The Church called Simeon the God-Receiver and glorified him as a Saint.

The aged widow prophetess Anna, who lived at the Temple in Jerusalem, testified to this. The words spoken at the moment of the meeting by Simeon became part of the Orthodox service.

history of the holiday

Despite the fact that the Presentation of the Lord belongs to the oldest holidays of the Christian Church and completes the cycle of Christmas celebrations, in the first centuries of Christianity it was not celebrated so solemnly.

In the Christian East, the earliest evidence of the celebration of the Candlemas date back to the end of the 4th century. In Jerusalem at that time it was not yet an independent holiday and was called "the fortieth day from Theophany."

© photo: Sputnik / Eduard Pesov

Icon depicting the "Meeting". XII century. Georgian cloisonne enamel

In 528, an earthquake occurred in Antioch under the emperor Justinian (527-565), which killed many people. It was followed by another misfortune - a pestilence, which in 544 carried off several thousand people daily.

It was revealed to one of the pious Christians during these days of nationwide calamity that the Meeting of the Lord should be celebrated more solemnly.

The calamities in Byzantium ended when on the day of the Meeting of the Lord an all-night vigil and procession were performed. The Church, in gratitude to God, established the rule to celebrate the Presentation of the Lord more solemnly and included it among the main holidays in 544.

The Feast of the Presentation has one day of forefeast and seven days of afterfeast. The Orthodox Church the next day - February 16, commemorates the righteous Simeon, called the God-Receiver, and Anna the prophetess - the Saints, whose personal spiritual feat was directly related to the events of the Meeting.

Traditions and signs

On the feast of the Presentation of the Lord in churches, in addition to the festive divine service, they sometimes make a procession of the cross, and also consecrate church candles. This custom came to the Orthodox Church in 1646 from the Catholics.

People came to the temple, gave thanks to heaven, and also took candles home to light them while reading prayers, as they believed that candles consecrated on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord could protect the house from lightning and fire.

After the holiday, the peasants began to prepare for spring - they prepared seeds for sowing, whitened fruit trees, drove cattle from the barn to the paddock, and so on. In the villages, in addition to housework, of course, festivities were held.

In the old days, people believed that winter and spring met at the Meeting of the Lord, as evidenced by many sayings - "on the Meeting of the sun for the summer, winter turned to frost", "at the Meeting of the winter met with spring."

Quite a few signs in Rus' were associated with the holiday - according to them, the peasants judged the coming spring and summer, the weather and the harvest, and determined the timing of the start of spring field work.

So, for example, if the weather is cold at the Presentation of the Lord, then the spring will be cold, but if a thaw is expected, then the spring will be warm.

In any case, the Meeting of the Lord has always been the joy of parting with winter and the expectation of a new harvest year for people.

By the way, Sretensky people called both the last winter frosts and the first spring thaws.

Simeon's prophecy

The feast of the Presentation of the Lord is equivalent both for the Savior and for the Virgin Mary.

The icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, called "Softening Evil Hearts" or "Simeon's Prophecy", symbolizes the fulfillment of the prophecy of the righteous elder Simeon, which he spoke after he took the Divine Infant in his arms and blessed St.

The soul of the Mother of God will be struck by a certain "weapon" of sadness and heartache, just as they are pierced with nails and a spear of Christ when She sees the suffering of the Son.

Such an interpretation of Simeon's prophecy became the subject of several "symbolic" icons of the Mother of God, and all those who resort to them with prayer feel how mental and bodily suffering is relieved.

The icon "Softener of Evil Hearts" originates, presumably from Southwestern Rus', but there is no historical data on where and when it appeared.

The icon usually depicts the Mother of God, whose heart is pierced by seven swords - three on the right and left, and one below. The choice of the image of the sword on the icon is associated in the human mind with the shedding of blood.

In Holy Scripture, the number "seven" means the "fullness" of something, in this case, the fullness of all the grief that the Blessed Virgin endured in Her earthly life.

The celebration of the icon "Softener of Evil Hearts" takes place on the Week of All Saints (on the first Sunday after Trinity).

Prayer

O long-suffering Mother of God, who exalted all the daughters of the earth, according to Your purity and the multitude of sufferings You have transferred to the earth, accept our many painful sighs and save us under the shelter of Your mercy. Otherwise, do you not know of refuge and warm intercession, but, as if you have boldness to the One Who is Born of You, help and save us with Your prayers, so that we will unstoppably reach the Kingdom of Heaven, where with all the saints we will sing in the Trinity to the One God, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

Material prepared on the basis of open sources

Joseph Brodsky - Candlemas

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 baby from the hands
Mary; and three people around
The baby stood like a shaky frame,
that morning, lost in the twilight of the temple.

That temple surrounded them like a frozen forest.
From the eyes of people and from the eyes of heaven
peaks were hidden, having managed to spread,
that morning Mary, the prophetess, the elder.

And only on the crown with a random beam
the light fell on the Child; but he's nothing
did not know yet and snored sleepily,
resting on the strong arms of Simeon.

And it was told to this old man,
that he will see the darkness of death
not before he sees the Son of the Lord.
It's done. And the old man said: “Today,

keeping the once spoken word,
You are in peace, Lord, let me go,
then that my eyes saw it
Child: He is Your continuation and light

a source for the 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,

spinning for a while
over their heads, slightly rustling
under the vaults of the temple, like a certain bird,
able to take off, but unable to descend.

And they were strange. There was silence
no less strange than speech. Confused
Maria was silent. "The words are…"
And the elder said, turning to Mary:

“In the one lying now on Your shoulders
the fall of some, the rise of others,
subject of controversy and cause for contention.
And with the same weapon, Maria, with which

his flesh shall be tormented, thine
soul will be hurt. This wound
let you see what is hidden deep
in the hearts of men, like an eye."

He finished and moved towards the exit. Following
Maria, stooping, and the weight of years
stooped Anna looked silently.
He walked, decreasing in value and in the body

for these two women under the shadow of the columns.
We almost drive them with our looks, he
walked silently through this empty temple
to the dimly whitened doorway.

And the tread was old man's firm.
Only the voice of the prophetess behind when
resounded, he held his step a little:
but there they didn’t call him, but God

the prophetess has already begun to praise.
And the door was getting closer. Clothes and forehead
already the wind has touched, and stubbornly in the ears
the noise of life broke in outside the walls of the temple.

He went to die. And not in the street buzz
he, opening the door with his hands, stepped,
but into the deaf and dumb domain 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
the soul of Simeon carried before him

like a lamp, into that black darkness,
in which no one has hitherto
there was no way to light the way.
The lamp shone, and the path widened.

Sophronius of Jerusalem - Sermon on the Presentation of the Lord

We, beloved, knowing this [the story of the Presentation of the Lord], let's go together to meet Christ our God, having temperance, bringing purity and gentleness, showing oblivion of offenses, freeing ourselves from worldly cares, setting ourselves clean before God, distinguished by meekness of disposition and goodwill, having mutual love for everyone, as well as sympathy and compassion. By doing so, we will meet the coming Christ, see Him, take Him in our arms, confess Him with a prophetic word, praising His coming to us, and with a majestic voice glorify the mercy shown to us by Him, so that we may reach the kingdom of heaven and enjoy eternal blessings in Christ the Redeemer and Savior our God, with Him with to the beginningless God the Father and the All-Holy Spirit, let there be glory, honor and worship, now and forever and forever and ever.

Read the Word of St. Sophronia in full

Cyril of Jerusalem - Sermon on the Presentation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and on Simeon the God-Receiver

3. With Zion, people of tongues, carrying lamps, let us go out to meet: let us enter 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, heaven and earth are full of His glory (Isaiah 6:3): the ends of the world are full of His goodness, all creation is full of His praise: all mankind is full of His condescension. Heavenly, earthly and underworld are full of the essence of His goodness: full of His mercy, full of bounties, full of gifts, full of His good deeds.

4. So, clasp your hands of all nations (Ps. 46:2): come, all ends of the earth, and see the works of God (Ps. 66:5). Let every breath praise the Lord (Ps. 150:6), let the whole earth bow down (Ps. 66:4), and let every tongue sing, let everyone sing, let everyone glorify the Servant of God, the fourty days old and eternal: The Servant of the Little One and the Ancient of Days (Dan. 7:9): The Servant of the Existing and the Creator of the Ages (Heb. 1, 2). I see a baby, I know my God: a baby that lives, and nourishes the world: a baby that cries, and gives life and joy to the world: a baby who is swaddled, and delivering me from the swaddling clothes of sin: the baby in the arms of mothers, with the flesh, truly, and inseparably, on earth: and the same in the bowels of the Father, truly and inseparably in heaven.

Read the Word of St. Kirill completely

Amphilochius of Iconium - Two words on the Presentation of the Lord

Anna at that time, approaching, praised the Lord and spoke about Him to all those who were waiting for deliverance in Jerusalem. Do you see the greatness of Anna? She became the protector of the Lord and proclaimed Him before Himself. Oh miracle! A widow, but she denounced the bishops and scribes and, denouncing them, inspired all the people. She watched over the Lord and pointed to the coming deliverance in Jerusalem, speaking to all those assembled and declaring to them the signs of the Lord. Anna saw the Lord in a newborn child, she saw the gifts and cleansing sacrifices made for Him and with Him, but she was not embarrassed by the fact that He was small in age. Anna confessed the baby as God, Doctor, Almighty Redeemer, Destroyer of sins.

Do not disregard what Anna said. She addressed the audience, pointing out to all present the deeds of the Lord: “Don’t you see the Infant, how He reaches out to the Mother’s nipple, and then clings to another, clings to the mother’s breast, who has not yet set foot on the ground, and is circumcised on the eighth day? Can't you see This Baby? It was He who created the ages, He established the heavens, He spread out the earth, He fenced the sea with its shores. This Infant brings the winds out of his treasures, This Infant, under Noah, opened the gates of the flood, This Infant created the streams of rain, This Infant blows snow like a white cloth. This Infant, by means of the rod of Moses, freed our forefathers from the land of Egypt, cut through the Red Sea and led them, as it were, through a green plain, and, pouring out manna for them in the wilderness, gave them land that exudes milk and honey as their inheritance. This Child predestined that this temple, through the labors of the fathers, would rise to the heights. This Infant, giving an oath to Abraham, said: Multiplying, I will multiply your seed, like the stars of heaven and like sand on the seashore. About this Child the prophetic host, offering prayers, said: Raise up your strength and come in a hedgehog to save us. May the Child not confuse you with His infancy. One and the same is both the Child and the one without beginning with the Father, the same One and the years are numbered, and no one can confess His kind, the One and the Same babbles like a baby and gives wisdom to the lips. One is due to being born from a Virgin, the other is due to the incomprehensibility of His being. And Isaiah also made this clear when he says: A baby is born to us - a Son is given to us. Like a child He was born, like 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, once the meeting of the Lord common to the whole human race, when a voice is heard: behold the bridegroom is coming, go to the meeting. Only those who have become accustomed to this meeting here, have tasted of His power on the path of this life, or at least set a resolute intention to achieve this and have begun the labors necessary in this work, namely, the labors of purifying the heart by the unswerving fulfillment of all the commandments of God, will joyfully meet Him. Those who are not accustomed to this meeting will be struck by that voice: come to the meeting, and from the meeting of the Lord they will perceive not joy, but fear and awe, which, having begun where there are no changes in time, will forever remain in them later, making up for them their own hell - the property of the outcasts. Think about this, brethren, and from this receive a new, special impulse to the zealous fulfillment of the commandments of God, leading to purity and dispassion and worthy of meeting the Lord in the spirit, which, pleasing here and there, lays a firm foundation and an undoubted hope of receiving. How will the Lord please the one who now puts his mother-in-law in this way, and not otherwise, by the way of the life left to him. The Lord bless such an undertaking.

The first, second and third words of St. Feofan

Him from the "Gospel Story"

feast worship

Rejoice, blessed Mother of God Virgin, / for the Sun of righteousness has shone out of You, Christ our God, / enlightening those in darkness. / Rejoice also you, righteous old man, / who accepted into the arms of the Liberator of our souls, / who grants us the resurrection.

Read completely in Russian, in Church Slavonic

Andrey Kuraev - Miracle of the meeting

Meeting is the meeting of man and God. The old, very old Jerusalem priest Simeon waited all his life to meet God. Even old age itself was given to him as a punishment for the fact that he had 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 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 run before Simeon? Did a cloud with a thundering voice and flashes of lightning, from which Moses once heard the ten commandments, shone on the old man? No. A young mother came, and she had a month-old baby in her arms ... But that heart trembling, which was familiar to Moses, and Elijah, and Ezekiel, suddenly pierced Simeon, and long-ready words came into his heart: "Now let go of Your servant, Master ...". "Now You release me, release me to leave the path of my fathers, allow me to go through the door of death, and these gates are no longer terrible for me - for I have seen my Salvation and Your people"...

Do you understand the meaning of this miracle? It is not angels who bring God to man, but people! And until now, the road that leads to Heaven is shown to us not by archangels and not by wondrous visions, but by people, their human word and human action. Ordinary 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 way of transmitting the Heavenly Gospel to us through earthly people was by no means accidental. It turns out that without people it is generally impossible to come to God. 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 communion 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 Surozh - The Presentation of the Lord

There are holidays when the soul is so full of jubilation that the hand does not rise to worldly labor, but there are also such that 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-bearer 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 complete His work of reconciliation and transformation of the world. Together with him testifies to this joy and Anna the prophetess. The expectation of not only the Old Testament, but of all mankind from the beginning of the world was fulfilled, its desire, longing, hope that the Lord would come and there would no longer be an impassable abyss between Him and us. At the same time, these righteous people rejoice that not only the past, but also the future is now justified and shines with hope and joy. The Lord came, and salvation came, hope came, which no grief, no earthly horror can extinguish, because God is already among us, Christ is in our midst, and no one will tear us out of his hand or from his love.

But at the same time, the feast of the Meeting of the Lord bears a deep stamp of sacred horror and sorrow.

Read the full sermon of Anthony of Surozh

His other sermon

Georgy Chistyakov - Candlemas

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, on the right are Simeon and Anna. She brings him to Simeon. In the person of Simeon the God-bearer, all the wise men of the Old Testament are represented, and in the person of 84-year-old Anna, all the wives of the Old Testament: Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Deborah, etc. The Mother of God is next to Joseph. Simeon, Anna and Maria are people whose lives can be summed up in one word: loyalty. But for Simeon or Anna, this is the fidelity of expectation. Anna is already 84 years old, and she does not leave the temple day or night, being 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 is to come in the flesh into this world, that he cannot even die until he sees Him. And the fidelity of Mary is already the fidelity of co-work, the fidelity of being with Christ and working with Him.

And at the same time, the Mother of the Lord hears strange words that neither She nor Joseph at first understood, even seemed to be embarrassed. The Elder took the Child in his arms and said: “Here lies this Child for the fall and for the uprising of many in Israel,” that is, through Him many people will stumble and fall, and many will rise, rise, come to life: “And for You Yourself, weapons will pierce the soul.” This means that in the heart of the Mother of God there will be trials through Her Son. By this he foretold 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.

The advent of Christianity gave a new religion, and with it a host of different events, new rules, solemn events, including the Meeting of the Lord and what kind of holiday it is that all believers, historians, and simply those who simply want to broaden their horizons want to find out. The Church gave its answers to the eternal questions about the origin of the world, gave people an understanding, many come to Christianity for their own reasons and accept the faith as adults, making a conscious choice. It is all the more important to understand everything that is important for religion, for the believer. Take, for example, the meaning of holidays. Then the rites, dates and initiations will acquire a new meaning.

Why celebrate the Presentation of the Lord and what is it all about? Are there still incomprehensible "blank spots" in Christianity or has something been lost? After all, millennia have passed. Many important things for Christians are connected with the life or deeds of Jesus, the main prophet, who once brought them a new religion, became a herald of change. He went through a lot, deciding to devote himself to the people, and even ardent atheists, studying his life, admit: if such a person really existed, then he lived a difficult but worthy life, he was great. What do the words: “the meeting of the Lord” mean, when did this holiday first appear and with what was it connected?

Or February 2, if you look at the old calendar, every year, the Orthodox celebrate the Presentation of the Lord. People traditionally attend church, where priests can explain the meaning of the holiday and the events to which it is actually dedicated. And surprisingly, the date of the Candlemas does not change, it is constant. The events were described by Luke in his Gospel, as you know, the disciples of Jesus wrote their Gospels, where they described certain events that took place.

Thanks to this, people can now judge what is happening. Luke wrote that the baby Jesus met for the first time with one elder Simeon, it was the fortieth day after the last Christmas. The meeting place was the Temple in Jerusalem.

"Meeting" what?

It literally translates from Church Slavonic as a "meeting" proper. This is the day described by Luke, when the Virgin Mary, accompanied by Joseph the Betrothed, brought her son Jesus to the Jerusalem temple. It was the fortieth day after Christmas, that is, Jesus was forty days old. It is now known how babies under forty days old cannot be carried out or shown to anyone other than their closest relatives. Here the Virgin Mary was supposed to make a legal sacrifice for the gods for the firstborn given to her.

If you look at the law of Moses, all women who become mothers of boys must wait forty days (before she could not even cross the threshold of the temple), then come, taking the child for a cleansing sacrifice. True, the unusual circumstances of birth (after all, Jesus was born without sin) saved his mother from a cleansing sacrifice, she was left with gratitude. So people sincerely thanked God for the happiness of knowing motherhood.

What is surprising about this? Earlier, Elder Simeon said that he had received a revelation from the Almighty about the appearance of the Savior and that he, the elder, was granted a long life and the opportunity to see him with his own eyes. Perhaps the elder traveled a lot, because he could not know exactly where the Savior would be born. And then one day, Simeon visited the temple (knowing the laws, the elder acted correctly, going to the temples, because all mothers carried their children there) on the right day, when the Virgin Mary was there. The history of the holiday is just in this fateful meeting. Simeon recognized the Savior of the world and, taking him in his arms, proclaimed this to everyone. That his eyes finally saw God-given salvation. This is the meaning of the word "revelation".

Importance of the event

Well, the meeting of the old man took place, what is fateful here? It would seem that elders, old women and other people always go to temples. It is highly likely that any young mother who has brought a baby will meet one of them. However, for any believer this day is really important.

After all, the first prophet who spoke about the one God was Moses and he bequeathed that a certain Messiah would come as God's Anointed One. Even the fact of his birth will become amazing, it will distinguish him from other people. People believed that the coming Messiah would change the world, their lives, everything would be different. Who wouldn't want to see for themselves the fulfillment of prophecy? Perhaps, besides Elder Simeon, thousands of believers dreamed of such a meeting, but he was lucky. And to everyone who was then in the temple, because Simeon openly shouted about the appearance of the Savior.

Simeon - who is he?

If you want to know more about the holiday, it is worth considering the key figures who had a huge impact on the life of Jesus, even when he was only forty days old. The Virgin Mary is the holy mother, the woman who gave him life. Joseph - who accepted him as his own, her husband and the earthly father of the child. As for the elder, at the time of the fateful meeting he celebrated 360 years (!). That's what the legends say. The name "Simeon" means "hearing". Perhaps the elder had rich knowledge, because he is one of the 72 scribes who received the decree of Ptolemy II, the Egyptian king, to translate the Holy Scriptures that came to the believers into the Greek language understandable to the Egyptians.

Then Simeon's information about the appearance of the prophet finds a logical source - Holy Scripture. For the first time, Moses opened Scripture for people, then he gradually spread the teaching among the people, so the first sources were naturally in Hebrew. Then the Egyptian king became interested in writing, which is not surprising, it is worth remembering the flight of the Jews from Egypt. Christianity spread, faith grew stronger. Perhaps Simeon spoke several languages, had a good education, and sitting down to translate the ancient text, he learned the prophecy.

It was written about a virgin who gave birth to a son, the future Savior for the world. The Israeli prophet tried to change the word “virgin” that seemed to him not very successful to a more “decent” one - “wife”, implying that the Savior would be born, as usual, in the family, but the angel who appeared in a short vision prevented this.

Then Simeon saw the heavenly messenger for the first time and, having decided to fulfill the request, in return asked for the opportunity to see firsthand how the prophecy would come true. Here February 15 became the very day promised by the angel.

Anna is a prophetess

As mentioned above, in addition to Elder Simeon, there were other people in the temple when the Virgin Mary took her son there. They also became involuntary witnesses of what was happening, and among them was an interesting character, who can also be attributed to the "meeting of the Lord." This is the 84 widow who approached Mary - Anna. She apparently also knew the Scriptures and often read wise speeches to the audience, in which she mentioned the deeds of the Lord, perhaps she often visited the temple.

People called the woman Anna the Prophetess, perhaps she really had the gift of clairvoyance or developed intuition. The townspeople respected her venerable age, perhaps often asked for worldly advice, listened to sermons. Here Anna, having heard the speech of the elder Simeon, bowed to the Savior in the arms of the Virgin Mary and, leaving the temple, spread the news of the birth of Christ to those around her.

As for the elder himself, he soon died with a calm heart. Many scholars argue that people used to have a long age, which is also reflected in biblical characters. For example, Noah, the builder of the Ark, was already over 250 at the time of the Flood, the man was married, and his wife was also over 200, had sons and daughters-in-law, a large family.

Pagan Meeting

It is known that before the spread of Christianity, the Slavs, like many other peoples, lived according to their own laws, were pagans. They had their own holidays, had their own chronology. With the advent of a new religion, the attitude to its events largely remained the same, pagan. And Candlemas by date falls on the last days after, which is why it is celebrated rather than as a separate holiday, but as the last farewell to the Christmas holiday cycle.

February 15 was still considered a border date, something in between, when winter had not really passed yet (and many regions would still be covered in snow all March), and spring had not begun. Our ancestors were seriously preparing for a warming meeting. The meeting also served as a guide. According to him, they judged that it was time to drive the cattle to the pens, for the first time, because livestock winters in warm sheds. And here they are driven out to stretch, warm up.

Already on a holiday, they are plentifully fed - hay is added to the chickens, this is necessary to increase the eggs, the rest are also poured more food, then by spring you can count on a good, rich offspring. Then comes a thorough calculation of the remaining stocks - what kind of grain is there, oats and bread, etc. If half remains, everything is fine, we live on, if less - alas, it's time to tighten our belts, save money, this also applies to feed. After all, every peasant stores food for himself and his livestock for the winter, respectively. You also need to prepare seeds for future crops - sift, remove excess. Trees were whitewashed, midges and other pests will begin in the spring.

The hostesses began to bake everything in a round shape, glorifying the Sun, which brings life, light and warmth. Baked delicious and milk, a variety of pies. Other villages had a funny tradition of baking bagels, which were then treated to everyone, even animals. The people believed that baked with love and care on a special day would be a protection against various diseases.

Of course, they walked, sang, danced! Moreover, it was forbidden to be bored; for the Meeting, this was considered an extremely negative sign. Indeed, besides the Sun itself, the goddess of Love was also considered the patron of the day, and if you were bored or did not celebrate the meeting, she could leave.

In Rus', they liked to burn an effigy, which they made themselves, calling the doll Yerzovka. The base was made of straw and branches, the outside was decorated with flowers, multi-colored ribbons and beautiful festive clothes were sewn. This doll apparently symbolized for people the Sun with the goddess of Love, because the Sun gave people its warmth, which means it loved them. For the ceremony, they waited until the Sun reached the celestial zenith. It was believed that by honoring him, you can call for a rich harvest, more warm days.

And the lovers, taking advantage of the moment, while the doll was still hanging on a pole, together asked the goddess of Love for mutual understanding, harmony, her patronage and happiness in their future married life. Anyone could ask: newlyweds, still unmarried girls dreaming of a future husband, guys who hoped to find beautiful and loving wives and married couples next year. After all, everyone wants love.

Sretenskaya water, according to the ancestors, had almost mystical properties, and in order to collect it, people, after waiting for midnight, visited 3 wells. They believed that if you spray it on a seriously ill person, he will soon recover. And so that the children grow up healthy, they bathed in it, also drank it.

Sometimes a ceremony of the so-called "sale of a child" was performed. Here an outsider, not related by family ties, a person (preferably an old woman) approached the house. The parents would then hand the child over to him through the open window, and the old woman would pay a small sum. Parents used to take candles on it, which they then lit. It was considered a symbol of the beginning of life for a child. Long, full of good events and open horizons. Then the old woman returned the child with good, good wishes, more often happiness.

Signs that are associated with the Candlemas

It is already clear that the clergy consider it their event, and the people - pagan, which they know how to celebrate in their own way. There are several signs that are directly associated with the day of the Candlemas:

The people believed that it was necessary to observe the weather on the Sretenie. This is what will fall out, this will be the next spring. Also, if many stars are visible at night, then spring itself will still come late.

When a warm day turned out for the holiday and an early thaw set in, people believed: it means that rich wheat will turn out. Drops - a good harvest, blizzard - alas, there will be no bread. Sometimes Candlemas happened on a cold, windy day. A blizzard was falling, the snow was spinning and people were sighing - the harvest would not come out.

It's about the weather. Of course, for the ancestors, the main determining factor was the harvest, because their lives depended on it. Wheat means flour, bread, oats means food for horses and also bread for people. Peasants spent most of the year in the fields for the sake of the harvest, praying for good weather. After all, wheat does not grow well in severe frosts, you need to make sure that the rains pass on time. Alas, it was possible to observe the fields only from the side, to control the weather or to establish an irrigation system for large fields did not occur to people. They relied only on the will of the gods.

It is worth observing the behavior of candles lit for the Candlemas. When they burn evenly and the fire even moves a little, does not go out on its own, then health problems are not expected. And if the flame is blue, it sways, sometimes it goes out on its own, it's time to mentally prepare for a future problem.

Signs can touch the road. If a person goes on a journey on February 15, then this is a long road, and it is not worth waiting for him soon. This was explained prosaically - after all, the Candlemas, this is a border holiday, it is not clear whether winter is still on the threshold or spring is already. Often there were days with a hopeless blizzard, when people had to wait for days in inns or heavy rains that washed away the roads.

How do they celebrate in church?

On the feast day of the Candlemas, priests dedicate their services more often to the Mother of God, illuminating her personality and deeds. First, they need to bless the candles and all the water inside the church before the rites. People gather, then carry the consecrated objects home. The ancestors connected their belief with this: if the house is guarded by a consecrated candle, you can not be afraid of lightning, and the best place for such a candle is the space in front of the icon.

You should definitely visit the nearest church to listen to beautiful texts, which reveal the personality of the prophet Simeon, the promise of the angels fulfilled for him, when the elder was given the great honor of seeing the first appearance of the Savior.

If we talk about the duration of the event, then the Candlemas is long - it is celebrated for 8 whole days, starting from the pre-celebration (February 14), ending with the celebration of the holiday on February 22.

The priests are carefully preparing for the Candlemas - they will all be in traditional white clothes and, just before the start of the solemn mass, they will pass beautifully, holding candles. Then there will be the rite itself, with the active participation of all parishioners. They sing songs behind the priests, which retell the words of Simeon, uttered at the sight of the baby. Finishing the ceremony, the priests will surely sprinkle all those present with holy water.

Many believers consider the Candlemas to be an important holiday just like it, because for them this is the first news of the arrival of the Savior, the beginning of his long and eventful life. The masters devoted many pictures to the Candlemas, painted icons to capture the meeting.

Interestingly, many consider the meeting of an old man with a small child to be symbolic. It is like passing the baton from the Old Testament, which Simeon introduced to the new one, that the mission of Moses, together with the death of Simeon, goes quietly into eternity, knowing that believers are in good hands.

Meeting ordinary people

Religion occupies a special place for any nation, and disputes about it will certainly not subside for many years to come. Some try to explain the appearance of the world based on scientists and cosmic theory, others firmly believe in the presence of the Creator, as a single Mind that fills everything around. Still others try not to delve into religious disputes and only observe without supporting anyone.

Holidays take their own place. After all, no matter who believes in what, everyone wants to relax. Moreover, if you need to decorate a Christmas tree or burn a scarecrow - why not? For ancestors, religion was the answer to the most significant questions, it gave hope, because people lived in the present, not knowing where everything would go later, what was happening now in another country or what had happened before. They taught their children, passing on traditions in such a way that age-old habits would not follow the dead parents.

If we talk about believers, then the Meeting is an important, bright holiday for them, an opportunity to glorify Christ, to plunge for a moment into the events of a bygone time. For a moment, imagine yourself in that temple, when the Virgin Mary brings little Jesus, who first saw the world outside the walls of the house. And how Elder Simeon smiles, realizing that, behold, his long search is over. The Savior has come. And everything will be fine now.

Orthodox believers on Thursday, February 15, celebrate the Presentation of the Lord - one of the 12 main church holidays.

The word "sretenie" in the Old Slavonic language means "meeting", and the second meaning of this word is "joy". The Meeting is the meeting of humanity in the person of the elder Simeon with God.

Gospel

Simeon the God-bearer was a righteous and pious man - according to legend, one of the seventy-two learned interpreters-translators who were commissioned by the Egyptian king Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285-247 BC) 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 in the womb shall receive and give birth to a Son,” he thought that this was an obvious typo and instead of “Virgo” 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, for about 300 years. And on this day, under 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:

Now you release Your servant, Lord, according to Your word, in peace, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel. (Luke 2:29-32)

These words of the righteous Simeon became a prayer called "The Song of Simeon the God-Receiver." It is sung twice in the church: at the end of Vespers (both small and great during the All-Night Vigil) and at the "Prayers of Thanksgiving for Holy Communion" at the end of the Divine Liturgy.

Joseph and the Mother of God were surprised by these words. Simeon blessed them and, turning to the Mother of God, predicted to Her about the Baby:

And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, His mother: behold, this lies for the fall and the uprising of many in Israel and for the subject of controversy, and a weapon will pass through the soul to You, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be opened. (Luke 2:34-35)

These words formed the basis of the iconography of the image of the Virgin "Softener of 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 all the long years of her widowhood. And she recognized the Savior and, coming up, praised the Lord and spoke about Him to everyone in Jerusalem.

Holiday

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 the day that completed the 40-day cycle after the feast of the Epiphany.

The Meeting is one of the Lord's feasts dedicated directly to Christ, but in its liturgical content it is exceptionally close to the feasts of the Theotokos. And in ancient times, in its origin, it was considered as a holiday dedicated to the Mother of God.

The meeting symbolizes the meeting of the Old and New Testaments. Bishop Theophan the Recluse wrote: “In the person of Simeon, the entire Old Testament, unredeemed humanity, departs in peace into eternity, giving way to Christianity…”

On the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, before the start of the Divine Liturgy, at the end of the rites of 6 o'clock, on the pulpit in front of the Royal Doors, the candles are consecrated, and their subsequent distribution to the faithful.

Folk beliefs and traditions on the Presentation of the Lord

There are a number of ecclesiastical and pagan traditions associated with the Candlemas. Very often they are so closely intertwined that it is difficult to find the roots of rituals and customs.

To make it easier for the Slavs to accept the new faith, the church fathers used an already existing analogy - the feast of the meeting of Winter and Spring, celebrated in the same period as the Presentation of the Lord. Modified customs of this day became church canons.

The main one is the consecration of candles for the Candlemas.

According to tradition, during the festive service in the church, candles are consecrated, and then they are distributed to the parishioners. Such candles were very much appreciated, they were always brought home and kept for a year.

in the old days, it was believed that they were able to protect the house from storms and tornadoes, crops from hail and violent wind, and a person from lightning, the evil eye and diseases.

For the first time, a thunderous candle was lit immediately after coming home from the church - "so that the spring wind does not damage the crops, and frost so that the trees do not break."

During the same year, a candle was lit in such cases:

• if a terrible bad weather raged over the house,
• if a fire or other natural disaster started nearby,
• if there were difficulties in childbirth,
• if a person is "caught by a black disease" (epilepsy),
• if a person was dying (with this candle, it was believed that the deceased would be able to leave the world of the living calmer and easier).

The second important tradition for the Candlemas - consecration of water.

Sretenskaya water from the church was valued on a par with baptismal water. According to the most ancient tradition, water was not carried to the temple to be blessed, but collected from melting dripping icicles.

Sretenskaya water was used in such cases:

• for the treatment of wounds and internal diseases,
• from the evil eye and witches' spells,
• they sprinkled warriors with it before the battle and Chumaks before the campaign,
• at the beginning of the season, beekeepers sprinkled beehives with it,
• the same water was sprinkled on livestock during the first pasture after winter.

What not to do on the Candlemas

The bans on the Presentation of the Lord are similar to other great Christian holidays. So, on this day:

• you can’t miss the solemn service in the church, and if you can’t defend it entirely, you should go in and at least light a candle and pray,
• you can’t leave the temple without a candle - the consecrated Sretensky “loud” candle is carefully carried home and kept for a whole year,
• it is impossible to perform heavy physical work, except for that which is done free of charge for the benefit of other people,
• you should not go on a long journey - it can end unexpectedly and badly.

Folk omens for the Candlemas

Since in the Slavic tradition the Meeting is a turning point when Winter meets with Spring and “fights” with it for the first time, February 15 is associated with a lot of signs about the weather, harvest and, in general, about what the coming year will be like.

Here are the main signs for the Candlemas:

• If on the night of the Candlemas the sky is clear and all the stars are visible, this year a large fruit harvest should be expected.
• If a thaw begins on the Meeting, wait for late spring.
• A strong wind on this day is a bad sign for the harvest.
• Clear and calm weather is a joy for the beekeeper, because it portends an extremely successful year.
• What is the weather like at the Candlemas, so will the spring be.
• If the sky is starry, then spring will be late.
• If the sun peeks out before sunset, the last frosts have passed, and if it doesn’t show, then there will be severe Vlasev frosts.
• At the Meeting of drops - a crop of wheat, and if there is a blizzard, then there will be no bread.
• On Candlemas, a blizzard sweeps the road, sweeps food (to a crop failure).
• On the Candlemas in the morning, snow is the harvest of early bread; if at noon - medium; if by the evening - late.

On the feast of the Meeting of the Lord, the Church commemorates an important event in the earthly life of our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 2:22-40). On the 40th day after his birth, the Divine Infant was brought to the Temple in Jerusalem, the center of the religious life of God's chosen people. According to the law of Moses (Lev. 12), a woman who gave birth to a male baby was forbidden to enter the temple of God for 40 days. After this period, the mother came to the temple with the baby to offer the Lord a thankful and cleansing sacrifice. The Most Holy Virgin, the Mother of God, had no need for purification, for she unskillfully gave birth to the Source of purity and holiness, but out of deep humility She obeyed the precept of the law.

At that time the righteous elder Simeon lived in Jerusalem. He had a revelation that he would not die until he saw Christ the Savior. By inspiration from above, the pious elder came to the temple at the time when the Most Holy Theotokos and the righteous Joseph brought the Infant Jesus there to perform the lawful rite. The God-bearer Simeon took the God-child in his arms, and having blessed God, uttered a prophecy about the Savior of the world: “Now you release Your servant, Master, according to Your word in peace, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel” (Lk. 2, 29-32). Righteous Simeon said to the Blessed Virgin: “Behold, this lies for the fall and the rising of many in Israel, and for the subject of controversy, and a weapon will pierce the soul to Thee, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:35).

In the temple there was also the 84-year-old widow Anna the prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, "who did not leave the temple, serving God day and night with fasting and prayer. And at that time, she approached, glorified the Lord and spoke about Him (the Divine Infant) to all who were waiting for deliverance in Jerusalem "(Lk. 2, 37 - 38).

Before the birth of Christ, all righteous men and women lived by faith in the Coming Messiah, the Savior of the world, and expected His coming. The last righteous of the outgoing Old Testament - the righteous Simeon and Anna the prophetess - were honored to meet in the temple the Bearer of the New Testament, in Whose Person Divinity and humanity had already met.

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is one of the most ancient holidays of the Christian Church. It is known that Saints Methodius of Patara (+ 312), Cyril of Jerusalem (+ 360), Gregory the Theologian (+ 389), Amphilochius of Iconium (+ 394), Gregory of Nyssa (+ 400), John Chrysostom (+ 407) preached on the day of this celebration. But, despite the early origin, this holiday was not celebrated so solemnly until the 6th century. In 528, under the emperor Justinian (527 - 565), Antioch suffered a disaster - an earthquake, from which many people died. This misfortune was followed by another. In 544, a pestilence appeared, which claimed several thousand people daily. In these days of nationwide calamity, it was opened to one of the pious Christians to celebrate the celebration of the Presentation of the Lord more solemnly.

When on the day of the Meeting of the Lord an all-night vigil and a procession were performed, the disasters in Byzantium ceased. In gratitude to God, the Church in 544 established to celebrate the Presentation of the Lord more solemnly.

Church songwriters decorated the holiday with many chants: in the 7th century - St. Andrew, Archbishop of Crete, and in the 8th century - St. Cosmas, Bishop of Maium, St. John of Damascus, St. Herman, Patriarch of Constantinople, in the 9th century - St. Joseph the Studite, Archbishop of Thessalonica.

The icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, called "Softener of Evil Hearts", or "Simeon's Prophecy", which must be distinguished from the icon "Seven Arrows", is associated with the event of the Meeting of the Lord.

The icon "Simeon's Prophecy" symbolizes the fulfillment of the prophecy of the righteous elder Simeon: "Your own weapon will pierce your soul" (Luke 2:35).