What holiday is February 15 according to church

The elder, seeing the baby Jesus, took him in his arms, blessed him and predicted that this child would become light and salvation for many people. Soon Simeon the God-Receiver died, having lived, according to legend, about 300 years. From now on, February 15 is a holiday celebrated according to church calendar and is considered one of the oldest in Christianity. The word “meeting” itself is translated from many Slavic languages as “meeting”.

Holiday February 15

February, 15 - religious holiday, but for a long time it was not solemn, only in the 4th century, when several earthquakes and epidemics occurred in Christian states in the territory of Asia Minor, there was a phenomenon for good Christians that revealed the need to celebrate Candlemas more magnificently. Only after all-night vigils and processions of the cross did disasters cease, and since 544 the Church has considered the holiday of February 15 one of the most important in its calendar.

On this holy day, it is customary to especially venerate the “Simeon’s Prophecy” icon, which depicts the utterance of the elder’s prediction to the baby Jesus and his mother. On the icons you can also often see the figure of the prophetess Anna, who served at the temple and, seeing the baby Jesus, glorified his appearance.

February 15 is a special holiday; it is celebrated in every church with services, chants and prayers. You can also honor the divine day on your own if it is not possible to come to the temple. It is important in prayers to the images to sincerely thank God for help, and not to ask for anything, knowing what church holiday February 15 is important and what its essence is.

How to spend a holiday

There are many signs associated with this holiday regarding the well-being of people. It is believed that whatever day February 15th happens, so will the coming weeks. The sun on this day promised the Lord’s favor towards people, the fulfillment of their requests and prayers. In the church in the morning it was necessary to bless thunder candles, which, according to legend, drove away evil spirits and bad weather, especially thunderstorms, and after matins the peasants shook the trees to disperse the demons sitting on the branches.

Sretensky candles were lit in cases when there was a special attack. hard times. Catholics call the holiday “Day of Candles” or “Purification of Mary,” remembering her coming with Jesus Christ to the main temple of Jerusalem to dedicate her son to God.

Remembering what day February 15 is, in Russia Orthodox Christians try to avoid any dirty and hard work, except for that which was done for other people. On this holiday, they are especially strict about spiritual purity: what you cannot do is show anger, anger, or swear with someone.

Meeting is a religious holiday, a special one, designed to give thanks for good, remind oneself of the need to help others and forget about one’s own vain and greedy thoughts. This day should be spent in prayer and seeking to cleanse the soul of selfish aspirations, and care and attention should be given to those who need it.

Troparion for the Presentation of the Lord, tone 1

Rejoice, Blessed Virgin Mary, / from You the Sun of Truth, Christ our God, has risen, / enlightening those in darkness. / Rejoice, you too, the righteous one, / received into the arms of the Liberator of our souls, / / yes who promises us resurrection.

Translation: Rejoice, blessed Virgin Mary, for from You has arisen the Sun of righteousness, Christ our God, enlightening those in darkness. Rejoice also, O righteous elder, who has accepted into the arms of the Liberator of our souls, who gives us resurrection.

Kontakion for the Presentation of the Lord, tone 1

You sanctified the womb of the Maiden with Your Nativity/ and blessed the hand of Simeon,/ as it was fitting, having foreshadowed,/ and now you have saved us, O Christ God,/ but pacify your life in battles// and strengthen the people, and Who have you loved, the only one who loves mankind.

Translation: Having sanctified the womb of the Virgin with Your birth, and blessed the hands of Simeon, in advance, as it should have been, and now You have saved us, O Christ our God. But protect Your people with peace amidst wars and strengthen those whom You have loved, O One Lover of Mankind.

Glorification of the Presentation of the Lord

We magnify you,/ Life-giving Christ,/ and honor your Most Pure Mother,/ by whom, according to the law, you have now been taken up into the temple of the Lord.

At the meeting of the Lord, one is surrounded, on the one hand, by righteousness, which seeks salvation not in itself - Simeon, and a strict life in fasting and prayer, enlivened by faith - Anna; on the other hand, essential, comprehensive and unshakable purity - the Virgin Mother of God, and humble, silent submission and devotion to the will of God - Joseph the Betrothed. Transfer all these spiritual moods into your heart and you will meet the Lord who is not brought, but Himself coming to you, you will accept Him into the arms of your heart, and you will sing a song that will pass through the heavens and rejoice all the angels and saints.

Sermon of the day

On this day, the Church remembers a sacred gospel event: on the fortieth day after Christmas, the Infant Christ was brought by His Most Pure Mother to the Temple of Jerusalem, where he was met by the holy righteous Simeon the God-Receiver - “meeting” translated from Church Slavonic and means “meeting”.

The Old Testament law, established in memory of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt and their liberation from four hundred years of slavery, prescribed that every first-born male child should be dedicated to God on the fortieth day after birth. According to the law, the mother also had to bring a cleansing sacrifice to the temple. Wealthy families brought a burnt offering - a one-year-old lamb without blemish and a sacrifice for the remission of sins - a dove, while poor families - two doves. Since the Most Pure Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph the Betrothed were not rich, two doves became the cleansing sacrifice of the Mother of God. The Mother of God, who conceived her Son immaculately, made this sacrifice out of respect for Jewish law and as a sign of Her obedience to God.
In the Jerusalem Temple, the Holy Family was met by a bent old man - righteous Simeon. This man was promised from God that he would not taste death until he saw the Christ of the Lord. This was when Simeon, translating the book of the prophet Isaiah from Hebrew into Greek, did not believe the prediction about the birth of the Savior from a Virgin (Isa. 7:14) and decided to replace the word “virgin” with the word “wife”. According to legend, righteous Simeon lived three hundred and sixty years. On the last day of his life, having received the Holy Child into his arms with trepidation and love, Elder Simeon said: “Now you are releasing 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 nations. , a light for the enlightenment of the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel..” (Luke 2:29-32). And the prophetess Anna, the righteous old woman, who was at that hour in the Jerusalem temple, glorified God, hastening to announce Christ to all who were looking forward to His Coming.
Saint Simeon the God-Receiver and the prophetess Anna testify to the greatest joy bestowed on the human race - that God’s promise of the birth of the Messiah has come true. “They say that all the expectations of not only the Old Testament, but of all mankind from the beginning of the world have been fulfilled... The Lord came, and salvation came, hope came, which no grief, no earthly horror can extinguish, because God is already among us... But at the same time, the feast of the Presentation of the Lord bears a deep stamp of sacred horror and sorrow. The same Simeon... brought terrible news Mother of God that She will be pierced by such pain, will experience such suffering as no one on earth. Then She did not know what this horror and this suffering would be; later, standing at the Cross of the Lord on Golgotha, She survived him to the end” (Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh).
The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord serves as a reminder to us of the greatest price at which our freedom from sin and eternal death and we are given the joy of meeting God.

What Orthodox holiday is today, February 15, 2019? On this day the Presentation of the Lord is celebrated by Eastern Christians. This is one of the twelve, that is, the 12 most important after Easter Orthodox holidays.

Let us tell you in more detail what church holiday is celebrated on February 15th. On this day we remember the events described in the Gospel of Luke.

What Orthodox holiday is today, February 15, 2019?

The meeting took place 40 days after the Nativity of Christ. According to the Law of Moses, in those days, on the fortieth day after the birth of their first-born boy, parents had to come with him to the temple to perform a rite of dedication to God.

On this day, the Most Pure Mother of God and Joseph with the newborn Jesus came from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. Here, in the temple of God, Jesus was met by the elder Simeon, who, according to legend, lived over 300 years.

The righteous man took the Child in his arms and joyfully 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).

What is the meaning of the Presentation of the Lord celebrated on February 15?

What is the special, deep meaning of the church holiday celebrated on February 15? The Slavic word “sretenie” is translated into modern Russian as “meeting”. The Meeting of the Lord is a meeting of humanity in the person of Elder Simeon with God.

The holiday also symbolizes the meeting of the Old and New Testaments. As 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...”

When talking about what kind of holiday is celebrated today on February 15, one cannot fail to mention its traditions. On this day, candles are blessed in the Orthodox Church as a sign of the cleansing of the world by the light of Christ's Gospel.

Believers keep candles, which symbolize the fire of God's Grace, at home throughout the year and light them on special occasions - for example, during prayer for the sick, in moments of spiritual anxiety and unrest. Also on this day, water is blessed in temples, which is believed to have the ability to heal people from various diseases.

Believers are not allowed to work on this day. You should take a break from worldly, everyday affairs and devote yourself to spiritual concerns. The meaning of such prohibitions is not that certain actions cannot be performed, but that an Orthodox holiday is, first of all, a day that we dedicate to God.

Now you know what holiday is celebrated Orthodox Church February 15, 2019. It remains to add that the plot of the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” is connected with it, which, according to Simeon’s prediction, depicts the Most Pure Virgin with swords piercing her heart.

This image is very popular among believers. Since ancient times, many legends have been known about the miraculous power of this icon.

What church holiday is February 15th? Every year on this day, the church holiday of the Presentation of the Lord brings joy and a cheerful mood to every home. The bright day of the “meeting” symbolizes the meeting of the New and Old Testaments, the winter and spring seasons, the Son of God and the Lord God. Regardless the real reason Even though such a day is declared sacred, it is still considered an occasion for congratulations, good deeds and wishes.

What church holiday is February 15th? - Orthodox holiday of the Presentation of the Lord

Traditionally, February 15 is considered the day of God's meeting with his son, which took place in the temple on the 40th birthday of Jesus. However, such a holiday is considered one of the most mysterious and shrouded in legends, even after thousands of years. According to legend, the Virgin Mary took the baby to the temple in order to say prayers and introduce her son to his father. From other sources it follows that the Presentation of the Lord is the day when the sinner Simeon took the Son of God in his arms and asked for the Lord’s forgiveness. At the same time, Candlemas was added to the list of Orthodox holidays after Byzantium got rid of the epidemic after the Purification by the Crusade.

February 15 is a church holiday: how to celebrate

Along with other divine holidays, the Presentation of the Lord obliges the performance of certain rituals. So, on February 15 it was accepted:

Visit the temple. Which one it is is completely unimportant. The holiday of the Presentation of the Lord is recognized by almost all religious movements;
Light a candle, pray, ask for forgiveness for your sins and forgive others;
It is recommended to bless water and candles;
Do a good, selfless deed: help a beggar, feed a homeless animal, support loved one in his affairs and endeavors.
It is also worth knowing that on the day of the Presentation of the Lord it is forbidden to swear, offend the innocent, quarrel, sin and ask God for your well-being and happiness.

What are the signs for the church holiday on February 15

In addition to general joy, February 15 gives people an excellent opportunity to predict the future harvest using the right signs.

Snow for Candlemas for a rainy spring.
Sunny weather on a divine day promises a generous wheat harvest.
Thaw for an early and warm spring.
Snow on the Presentation of the Lord foreshadows a lot of spring rains.

Of course, February 15 is the church holiday of the Presentation of the Lord. But this is not only a holy day and a symbol of the unity of the Father and the Son. But also a reminder that each of us was destined to meet the Lord someday.