Church holidays February 15th. Bans on Candlemas

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 very word “meeting” from many Slavic languages translated 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 religious processions disasters have ceased, 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 consecrate thunder candles, which, according to legend, drive 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 when particularly difficult times came. Catholics call the holiday “Day of Candles” or “Purification of Mary”, remembering her coming with Jesus Christ in main temple Jerusalem to dedicate a 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 goodness, 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.

Meeting is considered one of the twelve feasts. On this day the church remembers very an important event in the earthly life of Jesus Christ. Before the Nativity of Christ, everyone lived in hope and faith in the coming Messiah, the Savior of the world, and awaited his coming.

40 days after the birth of Jesus Christ, according to the then existing custom, Mary carried the baby to the temple to ransom him from God, since according to ancient Jewish beliefs, all newborns belonged to God.

The Meeting took place in Jerusalem Temple, where Mary with the baby in her arms was met by Elder Simeon, sent by God, accompanied by the prophetess Anna.

An icon is associated with the event of the Presentation Holy Mother of God, called "Softening evil hearts"or "Simeon's prophecy", which symbolizes the fulfillment of the prophecy of Elder Simeon.

Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms with prophetic words that “Jesus will go out to the ministry of saving people.” Then the elder blessed Mary, who was very surprised at his words.

However, there has been debate among theologians for about 500 years because the authenticity of this event has no evidence. Meeting was recognized as a holiday only at the beginning of the 4th century. It was intended to displace purification and repentance on the territory of the Roman Empire, but it did not take root for a long time. It was only in the 6th century that it began to be celebrated as great holiday. However, it was not widely accepted by believers at that time. In Rus', in the popular consciousness, Candlemas was associated with phenological moments.

Celebration according to the folk calendar

“If there is a blizzard on Candlemas, there will be no bread,” said the peasants of the Saratov province.

The people interpreted “candlemas” as the meeting of winter and spring. “On Candlemas, the sun is for summer, winter is for,” they said in the old days. There are many things associated with this day folk signs. For example, if there is a snowstorm on Candlemas, there will be a crop failure. And if there is a thaw on the 15th, and the chicken can drink water on that day, then spring promises to be early. There was also a sign related to the holiday itself. It was considered a bad omen if a hare crossed the road on this day, and if a wolf crossed the road, on the contrary, it was a good omen.

Like other folk Christian holidays The Meeting was marked by special economic concerns. On this day, prices for bread were determined at the market. The peasants tried to finish their work and have dinner before dark. Women on this day did not weave canvas or spin by fire.

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 language"Candlemas" 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 Jesus Christ was brought by His parents to the Jerusalem Temple. Elder Simeon met him there. The Lord predicted to him long life

- he must 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.

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 submitted to the will of God, prophesying and preaching the coming of the Messiah - the Son of God, who will bring humanity mired in sin New Testament Love and Mercy.

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 in which the Creator created us, becoming a 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.

This is interesting! Previously in Rus' it was customary to propose marriage to brides. This was considered an indicator of true and ardent feelings for a woman. It was also previously customary to get married on Candlemas.

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.

An exception to various types of work is when the work is aimed at benefiting 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 breads, pancakes, pies and other delicacies of exclusively round shape, glorifying the Sun and treating all those who suffered;
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.

Important! The Christmas cycle of church holidays ends on the 40th day after the Nativity of Christ. On Candlemas, priests bless candles and water before custom-made prayer services; parishioners then collect it and take it home.

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.

Watch the video about Candlemas

40 days after the birth of the newborn Jesus, they brought him to the temple of Jerusalem, where he was seen by Simeon, who was predicted to meet the Savior. On this day, Elder Simeon immediately recognized which baby was in front of him. This is how a fateful acquaintance took place, which Christians now celebrate annually: the Presentation of the Lord, i.e. meeting. Since then, believers have celebrated a church holiday on February 15.

What church holiday is February 15: history and traditions

According to a long-standing custom, parents must pay a ransom for their firstborn. According to the law of Moses, the first child of a family is obliged to devote himself to God, but the baby could avoid this imposed fate if his parents bought him for a small sum. 40 days after the birth of the child, the young mother had to come to the temple with a ransom. But the Mother of God was poor and could not bring money, so she gave the doves to the church.

Presentation of the Lord - divine holiday, which is celebrated on the 40th day after Epiphany. On this day, according to popular belief, winter meets summer. Therefore, Meeting is the edge of the transition from winter to spring. It is believed that Sretenskaya water has healing power. Even those who don’t know what an important day is February 15th celebrate special properties water.

What church holiday is February 15: Signs for the Presentation of the Lord

Folk omens say: on this divine holiday you need to shake the trees in the garden, then they will bear fruit. And poultry must be fed with oats, otherwise the animals will produce few eggs.

The signs of this day read:

if the sun is clearly visible at sunset, then frosts are not expected;
if the rooster drinks water, then spring will be late;
A snowy day promises a rainy spring.

If it’s cold on February 15th, then so will spring. The weather on that day determined how warm the spring months would be. If the snow melted, it foreshadowed a good harvest. Sretensky snowfall foreshadowed the opposite picture. Over two millennia, traditions and rituals have changed, but on February 15, the church holiday is celebrated by all believers. Churches hold services, bless water and bless people for a righteous life.

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 Mother of God Virgin, for from You has arisen the Sun of righteousness, Christ our God, who enlightens 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 of 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 did you love, 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.