Presentation of the Lord. Meeting of the Vladimir icon of the mother of God Where is the icon

The secret meaning of the icon
"Presentation of the Lord"

Orthodox culture has many icons. Some of them are especially revered by believers and have a hidden meaning. This is the icon "Presentation of the Lord".

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, when the baby was brought to the temple by the Blessed Virgin on the 40th day after birth, is one of the main holidays in the Orthodox world. This key event turned the course of the history of all mankind. The fateful meeting of the baby Jesus and the God-receiver Simeon gives us another reason to know the power and might of the Heavenly Father.

The meaning of the icon "Presentation of the Lord"

The icon "Presentation of the Lord" depicts five people. The central position is occupied by the Mother of God, who transfers her son to the God-receiver Simeon. He treats the Infant as a great shrine and touches him with the greatest care. Behind are depicted the husband of the Virgin Mary Joseph, standing behind her, and the prophetess Anna, who is behind Simeon. The image on the icon is divided into two parts, denoting the New and Old Testaments. Jesus in the middle connects both parts.
Joseph, the husband of Mary, is the keeper of the new and at the same time belongs to the old. His task is to protect the Virgin Mary and her Child. He folded his arms and points to a key figure, his wife. The artist skillfully inscribed his figure, as if taking it over the edge of the canvas, and at the same time made it clear in which direction to move, examining the icon.
The Mother of God is depicted in humble admiration with closed hands - she has just handed over her holy burden to the elder. Her gesture is repeated by the God-Receiver. Repeated three times, it certifies the fact of bringing and accepting the shrine - Jesus Christ, revealing the main meaning of what was written: the mother is connected with the prophecy being spoken and obediently listens to the words, the meaning of which is clear to everyone. Passions for Jesus Christ will flare up serious, and the mother will be the first to suffer, wanting to soften evil hearts. Simeon bows before Her, recognizing the greatness of the Lord and the holiness of a woman who has immaculately conceived.

The figures of the elder and the prophetess Anna practically merge with the background and look unsteady and ephemeral. Mary, her husband and baby, on the other hand, are clearly written. The artist emphasized the change of eras and skillfully showed us that the future of the first is predetermined by prophecy, and they are destined to leave the sinful world and ascend to Heaven.
The color scheme of the painted icon also attracts attention. It seems to be divided into equal parts, each of which has a special meaning. The lower triangle is written in dark tones, with sharp contrasts. This suggests that he embodies the earthly world. The upper triangle is written in light colors, as if indicating that Simeon and Anna will have to leave the Earth, leaving Jesus with his mother on it. The last words of the elder were a prophecy ending his long, righteous life:
"Now you release your servant, Master, according to your word and in peace."
The icon itself looks very festive, with a predominance of bright colors. Red emphasizes the triumph of what is happening and the importance of the fateful meeting, and the golden shades and ocher colors make it clear that the composition, written by the skillful hand of the master, strives for light and reflects the Heavenly Kingdom, into which righteous Simeon and Anna will soon fall.
Remember that on the bright feast of the Meeting, as on other Orthodox holidays, there are some prohibitions that the church imposes on its parishioners. Church holidays are an integral part of the life of every Orthodox person. To conduct them properly, you need to know what to refrain from on the bright days of the calendar.

One of the main twelve-year holidays is the Presentation of the Lord on February 15. It was on this day that the baby Jesus was brought into the temple. The immaculate child manifested himself in the earthly world for the salvation of sinful souls and the fulfillment of God's plan. On this great holiday, all Orthodox Christians pray to the Mother of God, glorifying the Blessed Virgin and her son. Solemn services are held in all churches. At this time, a ban is imposed on some cases.

What cannot be done at the Presentation of the Lord

February 15 is a great day of celebration of the meeting of God in the flesh with the prophet Simeon the God-receiver, who predicted global changes in the lives of all people with the appearance of the baby Jesus. The prayers offered on this day help every believer. On the feast of the Meeting of the Lord, one should concentrate on the spiritual life, analyze one's actions, ask for forgiveness for sins and do good. There is also a list of things to do from which it is better to abstain.

Work ban. At Meeting, the church prohibits any work, except for those that serve the good of people. Making money is considered a sinful pursuit on February 15th. The only exceptions are those professions that are aimed at helping others. These are medical, rescue and other services, which by their actions bring benefit to people's lives.

Prohibition of alcohol. The Church does not approve of alcoholic beverages, which cloud the mind and make people addicted to their bad habits. It is believed that all the harm is from the wicked one, and only salvific prayers allow Christians to fight the devil's temptations on a daily basis and continue the righteous path.
Household chores ban. Cleaning and washing is the lot of weekdays. During the celebration, it is customary to devote time to God and prayers for the purification of the soul and the search for a righteous path. It is also a time for communication with relatives and good deeds.
Prohibition of quarrels and swear words. Foul language is one of the deadly sins and turns Heaven away from the scolding person. Swearing destroys a person's connection with the Higher Powers and deprives him of his patronage and protection.
Ban on washing. Washing in the old days was a lot of trouble. It was necessary to carry water, chop wood and heat the bath. Hard work on holidays was not welcomed, so it was customary to wash the day before, in order to meet the bright date with a clean not only soul, but also body. In the modern world, the church does not prohibit washing if necessary. Exceptions are entertainment and leisure activities in the bathhouse or sauna.
Handicraft ban. During the lesson, you can forget about going to church and fellowship with God. The church allows handicraft if it does not take all the time and does not turn a person away from prayer. Naturally, it is not forbidden to mend torn clothes or sew them in order to wear them.
Fortune-telling and rituals are prohibited. Orthodox Christians who truly believe in God cannot engage in magic and deceive in every way the fate predetermined by the Higher Powers. Attempting to look to the future calls into question God's purpose and is sinful.

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is marked by solemn church services and the consecration of candles. On this day, your good mood and humility before God purifies your soul and contributes to the acquisition of happiness.

February 15 (February 2, old style) - Presentation of the Lord. Great Church Feast

WHAT MEANS - THE MEETING OF THE LORD. HISTORY OF THE HOLIDAY

The Meeting of the Lord means the meeting of the Elder Simeon with the Child in the Jerusalem Temple at the rite of dedication of Jesus Christ to God.

It is known from history that Simeon was an unusual person, if only because his age at the time of his meeting with the Divine Infant was about three hundred years old.
Its history began in Egypt, which two centuries before the birth of Christ was ruled by the then powerful Greek kingdom.
The Egyptian king Ptolemy II (285-246 BC) had a huge library, which he decided to replenish with holy Jewish books. 72 educated scholars from Jerusalem, who knew both languages, were hired to translate the texts. Among the invited people was the righteous Simeon.

When he was working on the Book of Isaiah, then in one place it seemed to Simeon that he had made a mistake in the 7th chapter. One of the verses read:

"Behold, the Virgin in her womb will receive and give birth to a Son ..."

According to the understanding of the righteous man, the virgin could not become a mother, and he decided that it would be more correct to translate this word as "wife." As soon as he tried to correct this "mistake", an Angel appeared to him and stopped his hand, saying:

“Have faith in what is written. You yourself will be convinced that these words will be fulfilled, for you will not taste death until you see Christ the Lord. Who will be born of the Pure Virgin. "

Almost three hundred years have passed since that day, and Simeon, contrary to the laws of life, all lived on earth ... Until the very Nativity of Christ.

According to the law of Moses, on the fortieth day after birth, every male firstborn in the family must be brought to the temple for the initiation ceremony. At the time of the birth of the Savior, this became a simple rite, while a sacrifice had to be made for the firstborn. The poor, to whom the Holy Family belonged, usually brought two doves: one for a burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering.
During this rite, Holy Mary, as if to the Lord Himself, gave Her Child to the vicar of God, the bishop, after which She ransomed the Divine Infant for 5 shekels. The priest began to read a cleansing prayer, completing this rite.
At this time, Elder Simeon passed by the temple. Illuminated by the Holy Spirit, he realized who was in front of him, took the Divine Infant in his arms and glorified God for such joy. He finally received the greatest award of his life that he could not even imagine.
The Church of Simeon also calls the God-Receiver.

Mary and Joseph testified that the secret of their Son was known to Joseph, they were surprised at this. With a blessing, the venerable elder returned the Baby to the Mother's arms and said:

“Behold, this one lies on the fall and on the rebellion of many in Israel and on the subject of contention. And for You the weapon will pass the soul ... ”(Luke 2: 34-35).

It turned out to be a prophecy not about joys, but, on the contrary, about the misfortunes that were ahead.

The Holy Family could not return to Nazareth. Straight from Bethlehem, They were forced to flee from the persecution of King Herod, who ordered the execution of 14,000 male infants under the age of two. These were the first Christian martyrs.

SPIRITUAL MEANING OF THE FESTIVAL OF THE LORD

The main spiritual meaning of the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is in the coming of the New World. The Old Testament, in the person of Simeon, gave way to the New Testament, Jesus Christ, together with the atonement of human sins against ourselves and against God.
It is also believed that Simeon was one of the important "witnesses" of the Divine origin of the Infant.

The Russian school of icon painting differs from the rest, and the icons of Andrei Rublev became canonical, legalized by the hundred-domed cathedral of the 17th century as exemplary. And this is no coincidence. After all, the Russian Orthodox icon of the golden 15th century is full of tenderness, philanthropy, special gentleness and cordiality.

The icon "Presentation of the Lord" is no exception. It reflects not only the plot and theological meaning of the holiday, but also its deeply human meaning: once upon a time, everyone has a meeting between God and man, Man and man, the Higher principle with the lower, a blessing occurs, to which the person responds with gratitude.

The icon of the Presentation of the Lord's School by Andrei Rublev refers to the type of holiday icons in which the righteous Simeon receives the Infant from the Mother's hands at the altar-throne, referring the event to the future: the Savior is a redemptive sacrifice for people, the sacrificial beginning of Jesus is emphasized here.

It has five characters. In the center is the Mother of God, transmitting the Child, and the God-Receiver Simeon, who receives the Child from the Mother's hands as the greatest shrine. Behind the Mother of God stands the husband of Mary - Joseph the Betrothed, behind Simeon - the prophetess Anna. Thus, the icon is clearly divided into left and right sides: the left belongs to the new, the right to the old. Connects the left and right sides of the icon - the Infant Jesus, located at the intersection of the left and right sides of the icon, uniting them in himself. The left side is directed up and to the right, the right - down and to the left. So, in opposite movements, they meet at the point of transmission and acceptance of the Infant God.

"Now let go of Thy servant, Master, according to Thy verb in peace ..." are the last words emanating from the mouth of Simeon, who accepts the Infant as deliverance from the earthly burden. The icon is completely directed towards the light, into the Kingdom of Heaven, into the other world, where Simeon and Anna go.

Holiday date

The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is celebrated three times a year. One of the most magnificent venerations is dedicated to the meeting of the image in Moscow. The history of saving the capital from the Tatar-Mongol raid is connected with this holiday.

The Vladimir icon is one of the most revered Orthodox shrines. As soon as she appeared in our area, she immediately began to work miracles. The Mother of God herself ruled the fate of her image, more than once appearing in a dream to commanders, princes, simply pious Christians.

The word "meeting" means "appearance", "bringing to the temple." Most often it is used in relation to Jesus Christ. The Presentation of the Lord is called the bringing by the Virgin Mary of her son to the church for baptism. When they talk about the meeting of an icon, they mean its appearance in a particular temple or city.

A brief history of the shrine

According to legend, the icon from which the list of Vladimirskaya was made was drawn by Luka himself. Instead of canvas, he used the tabletop of the table at which Jesus, Joseph and the Mother of God dined. Seeing the image, the Virgin Mary blessed him, saying that it would protect all Christians, give grace. After about 500 years, the shrine ended up in Constantinople. Further, opinions about her fate differ. Some say that the list was made and sent as a gift to Yuri Dolgoruky. Others claim that the original icon was transferred. Having studied the style, subjecting the canvas to a number of analyzes, scientists are inclined towards the first option. The Vladimir icon was written around the 12th century and is a vivid example of Byzantine painting of those times.

Yuri's son, Andrei Bogolyubsky, took the shrine, went with it to Moscow to organize a state there, independent from Kiev. On the way, he stopped at Vladimir. On leaving the city, the inexplicable happened. The horses refused to go. The change of team was ineffective. Then the prince began to pray, and the Virgin Mary appeared to him. She ordered not to take the icon from the city, to build a temple there. And so it was done.

Miraculous rescues

Three times through the Vladimir Icon, the Mother of God showed her will to the cities... The number of miraculous healings is innumerable.

1395: Khan Tamerlane with his army went to Moscow. On the way, he destroyed Russian cities, killed almost everyone, regardless of gender, age, religion. The number of the horde was many times greater than the Russian squad. The combat experience, the cruelty of the Khan's warriors were practically unparalleled. There was no chance to withstand such a force. All that remained was to pray, hoping for a miracle.

The Prince of Moscow sent to Vladimir for the miraculous icon. The clergy organized a religious procession. On the way out of the city, people were standing on both sides. At the sight of the icon, they fell on their faces, fixed their gaze on it and prayed to the Virgin Mary about only one thing: to save Russia. On August 26, the shrine ended up in Moscow - the meeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God took place.

On the same day, the khan was guided in a dream. A huge mountain, from which the saints descend with golden rods. The Mother of God hovers above them, protected by countless angels. Waking up, Tamerlane gathered his priests. From the description, they immediately realized that this was the Mother of God, the intercessor of Russia. In one voice, the elders advised the khan to leave the Russian lands as soon as possible. This he did. In gratitude for the liberation, the Sretensky Monastery and the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary were built, where the icon was installed.

Historians have found their own explanation for the retreat of Tamerlane. The official scientific version: the khan did not intend to seize Russia at all, he came here by accident - in pursuit of one of the commanders of the Golden Horde. He wanted to destroy the entire top of the empire. Such an explanation barely resembles the truth: why should a person suffering from megalomania, who wants to conquer the whole world, suddenly leave a significant part of it intact, especially if the strength, the number of troops makes it easy to enslave the state?

1480: Akhmet, khan of the Golden Horde, gathered an army to capture Moscow. Having reached the Ugra river, on the other side of it, the commander saw the squad of John the Third, the then Moscow prince. The chronicles say: fear suddenly attacked the Tatars, they began to scatter. Khan could not cope with this, was forced to retreat. It is difficult to explain such a phenomenon, given that the Golden Ordinary army significantly outnumbered the Russian army, was not inferior to it in courage, experience, and equipment. It was the Virgin Mary who again interceded for the city, granting him pardon for sins. In honor of this, a procession from the Cathedral of the Assumption to the Sretensky Monastery is held annually on June 23 in the capital.

Less than half a century later, the people of Gold decided to attack Russia again. Khan changed, together with him they forgot about the fear experienced then. 1521 year. An army of 100 thousand people was gathered by Mehmet-Girey. The then ruling capital, Vasily the Third, did not expect an attack, he himself did not prepare campaigns. Therefore, most of the servicemen were scattered throughout the country - they were resting at home with their families. In total, no more than 50 thousand people were able to oppose the khan. The forces were not equal, only a miracle could save the city from destruction. And so it happened: the Virgin Mary appeared to the invader in a dream. He was frightened by this sign and retreated.

The further fate of the shrine

Another miracle happened during a fire in 1547. The Moscow Kremlin was on fire. The most powerful men tried to endure the miraculous image, but to no avail - it seemed to have grown into the ground. At this time, the Virgin Mary appeared over the temple. She defended the cathedral - the fire did not touch him.

After miraculous rescues, the Vladimir icon became one of the most significant in Russia. Princes and kings prayed in front of her, high government officials took an oath of allegiance to the monarchs and the state, she was taken on campaigns so that each soldier could ask the Virgin Mary about his needs. When the metropolitans of Moscow were elected, lots were placed on this shrine. It was believed that through her the Mother of God herself would choose the most worthy.

For a long time, the icon was in the Assumption Cathedral. In September 1999, it was transferred to the Church of St. Nicholas, which works at the Tretyakov Gallery. It is kept here to this day.

The Vladimir icon is kept today with the help of modern technologies. It is protected by bulletproof glass. Special devices strictly maintain the specified temperature and air humidity, which are optimal for the preservation of the materials from which the shrine is created.

The Vladimir icon has gone through the history of Russia, and was often a participant in it. No one doubts the miraculousness of this image.

The Feast of the Meeting of the Lord, which the Orthodox Church celebrates today, February 15, marks an important event not only in the life of the Christian Church, but also in the history of all mankind.

On this day, in the temple of Jerusalem, it was testified that the Messiah promised by God had already come into the world, which means that the Kingdom of Heaven was opened to man.

The word “meeting” in the Old Church Slavonic language means “meeting”, and the second meaning of this word is “joy”. On this day, according to the beliefs of our ancestors, winter meets spring - a turning point occurs in annual cycles.
Well, in the religious tradition, the Meeting is a symbolic day on which humanity meets its Savior.
Also, this holiday symbolizes not just the offering of the baby Jesus to the temple and the meeting of Simeon and Anna with the baby Jesus, but also the meeting of all mankind in the person of Elder Simeon with God.

The Meeting of the Lord, in the Orthodox Church, refers to the great twelve feasts.

On February 15, believers celebrate two important events - an episode from the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ and at the same time the realization of those hopes for salvation about which God spoke to people through His prophets. What happened that day in the temple of Jerusalem? Only one evangelist tells us about the event itself - the holy Apostle Luke. However, this should not confuse anyone. Indeed, in their Gospels the disciples of the Lord in some way repeat each other, which only once again proves the truth of the events that have taken place, but some moments of the life of Christ are mentioned only in one of the four Gospels.

There can be several explanations for this.
First, only a specific evangelist could be a witness to this or that event in the life of the Lord.
Secondly, it was to this evangelist that Christ Himself could tell about this event.
And thirdly, all the Gospels tell us only what is important for our salvation. However, which important episode in the life of the Lord should be revealed in more detail - it was, of course, that each evangelist decided for himself.

So, according to the Law given by God to the people of Israel, after the birth of a male child in the family for the next forty days, the mother was forbidden to enter the temple of Jerusalem. These days were a time of purification.
However, on the fortieth day, the parents were supposed to come to the temple and bring a thanksgiving and cleansing sacrifice. If the child was the firstborn, he was dedicated to God. The dedication was in fulfillment of the Law, and as gratitude and cleansing, two doves were sacrificed.

The Mother of God, according to her holiness, did not need to fulfill this law, but she nevertheless fulfilled it out of her great humility and obedience.
On the fortieth day after the birth of the Infant Christ of God, the Most Holy Theotokos with righteous Joseph brought Him to the temple of Jerusalem. The Mother of God was carrying Her Son in her arms, and Joseph was carrying two white doves. At the moment when the Holy Family was already in the temple, the 360-year-old righteous elder Simeon came there.

As the Tradition of the Church testifies, in due time he was given a revelation that he would not die until he saw the Messiah promised by God.

It is believed that righteous Simeon was one of 72 interpreter-interpreters who, by order of the Egyptian king Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285-247 BC), translated the Holy Scriptures from Hebrew into Ancient Greek. This translation is called the Septuagint.
It was carried out in Egyptian Alexandria. The Septuagint played an important role in the history of the Christian Church, because it was from her that subsequent translations of the Bible into other languages, including Church Slavonic, were made.

So, when Saint Simeon translated the book of the prophet Isaiah, in the prophecy about the birth of the Messiah from the Virgin, he wanted to replace the word “Virgin” with “Wife,” thinking that the first word is a mistake. He simply did not believe that the Savior would be miraculously born from a woman who preserved virginity. It was then that an angel of God appeared to him, who forbade him to correct the word, and also predicted that Simeon would not die until he saw the fulfillment of the prophecy of Saint Isaiah.

On the day of the Meeting, by a special inspiration from God, the elder came to the church at the very moment when the Mother of God, Joseph the Betrothed and the Divine Infant were there. Righteous Simeon took Christ in his arms, and, thanking God, said a prayer:

"Now you let Thy servant go, Master, according to Thy word, in peace, for my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples, the light for the enlightenment of the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel."

In these words, Saint Simeon announced the future salvation not only to the people of Israel, but to all mankind as a whole - Simeon declared that this baby would become the Savior of the human race.
After that, the righteous elder uttered a prophecy for the Mother of God:

"Behold, this lies on the fall and on the uprising of many in Israel and on the subject of contention, - and the weapon will pass the soul to You, - may the thoughts of many hearts be revealed."

This second prediction revealed the future sufferings of the Lord, His sacrifice for peace and humanity, as well as those trials that the Mother of God herself had to endure in the future.
After this event, righteous Simeon began to be called God-receiver.

On this day, there was also a righteous widow in the temple - Anna the prophetess, daughter of Fanuil, who was already 84 years old. It is known from the Gospel that at first she lived for seven years in marriage, but after the death of her husband she began to carry out a special spiritual ministry - she was constantly at the church, kept fasting and prayed to God.
On the day when the Holy Family was in the temple, she "... coming up, she glorified the Lord and spoke about Him to all who were awaiting deliverance in Jerusalem."
That is, the righteous Anna also testified that the Messiah expected by the people of Israel was born, which means that the salvation of people from the power of sin and death is already close.
In the Gospel, the story of the Presentation of the Lord ends as follows: "When they had done everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their city of Nazareth."

In the Presentation, or Bringing into the Temple, the Christian Church sees not only a direct meeting of the Infant Christ with Elder Simeon and the performance of the necessary cleansing rites.
In its deepest sense of salvation for man, Christianity understands this event as a meeting of the Old Testament (Elder Simeon and the prophetess Anna) and the New Testament (Lord Jesus Christ).
Having performed the prescribed rite, the Lord showed that the Old Law is not denied, but the time has come when the New Law must replace it - the same one, the fulfillment of which will lead a person to the Kingdom of Heaven.

The first mention of this holiday is found in the works of Christian saints of the 3rd and 4th centuries, while the solemn celebration of the Presentation of the Lord throughout the Byzantine Empire was established during the reign of Emperor Justinian in 542.

Icon "Presentation of the Lord"

The central image of the iconography of the Presentation of the Lord is the figure of the Infant Christ, who is held in his arms by the elder Simeon the God-Receiver. The figures of Christ and the Elder Simeon symbolize the meeting of the New and Old Testaments.

The icon of the Presentation also depicts the prophetess Anna, the daughter of Fanuil. With one hand, the righteous Anna points to the Divine Infant, and in the other (sometimes) she holds a scroll with a text telling about the Savior's coming into the world.

In the left part of the icon, according to tradition, the figure of the Mother of God is painted, and a little further - the righteous Joseph the Betrothed.
The Mother of God adores the Christ Child, whom she gave to righteous Simeon. The outstretched hands of the Mother of God, in which Her Son is no longer there, signify the image of that loss, the loss that the Mother of God will suffer in the future when the Lord is condemned and crucified on the cross.

Joseph the Betrothed holds in his hands two white doves, which, according to the Old Testament law, had to be sacrificed to God for the birth of a child.
Symbolically, these two doves are also understood as types of the two worlds that must come to God - the Jewish and the pagan.

The Temple of Jerusalem is depicted in the background of the icon of the Presentation. In the center of the icon, behind the figures of the Mother of God, the Divine Infant and the righteous Simeon, is the temple altar, which symbolizes the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Meeting Prayers

Prayer for the Meeting of the Lord Jesus Christ

“Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son and the Word of God,
Seen in a prophet of old, as a mirror in fortune-telling,
in the last days of these flesh from the Blessed Virgin Mary born imperishable
and on the fourtieth day in the Sanctuary for the Presentation of the whole world from Thee,
like the Infant we wear, manifested in the arms of the righteous Simeon
worn for the salvation of all beings from Adam!

If Thy glorious and glorious is Thy offering on the hand of the Mother of God into the temple of the Lord
and your Divine meeting from the holy elder!
Today the heavens rejoice and the earth rejoices, as if Your processions were visible, O God,
processions of God our King, Who is in the Holy.
Anciently, Moses ascends to see your glory, but it is not possible to see your face,
You didn’t reveal His back to him.

On the brightest day of this Presentation of Thy Thou hast revealed Thou to Thyself as a man in the sanctuary,
shining with the ineffable Light of the Divine, and together with Simeon they see You face to face and hands
may they touch You, and embrace You, may they know You, having come to God in the flesh.

For this sake we glorify unspeakable condescension and Your great love for mankind,
as though by Thy Coming, Thou didst now grant heavenly joy to the fallen ancient race of man:
You, by your righteous judgment, banished our ancestors from paradise with sweets into this world,
now thou hast had mercy on us and the packs opened for us the heavenly abode and thou hast turned our lamentation into joy,
let the fallen Adam no longer be ashamed of you for disobeying and let your face not be hidden,
Called by Thee, as Thou art come today, so take his sin upon Thee,
let him wash him in your blood and clothe him who is naked in the robe of salvation and the garment of joy
and decorate it like a bride with beauty.

We all remember Your Divine Meeting,
Grant me with the wise virgins to go to Thy Meeting, our Heavenly Bridegroom,
with burning lamps of faith, love and purity,
let us behold Thy Divine Face with the eyes of faith,
let us take You into our spiritual embrace,
and let us bear Thee in our hearts all the days of our Belly,
let us be in God and we in Thy people.

On the last and terrible day of Thy Coming,
Whenever all the saints go out to your last and great Meeting in the air,
Grant to us and make Thee, so we will always be with the Lord.

Glory to Thy Mercy, Glory to Thy Kingdom, Glory to Thy beholding,
Alone Human-loving, as Yours is the Kingdom, and Power, and Glory
with Your Originless Father and Your Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit
now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen".

Prayer for the Meeting of the Most Holy Theotokos

"Oh, Holy One, Shining Virgin with Heavenly purity, Gentle dove, Innocent Lamb,
to the world the Good Helper, Mother of Christ of our God!

You are the beginning, middle and end of our present joy,
as from Thee the Sun of Righteousness ascends, Christ our God, and Thou didst bring Him
on His holy embrace on this fourtieth day in the Sanctuary for our meeting
and for the joy and salvation of the whole world.

For this, we both bless and glorify Thee, as Thou art the Tabernacle of God with men Foreseen by the Theologian,
God possessed her with us, but we will be His people?

Thou art the Door of Heaven by Ezekiel Foretold, She has already opened the packs for us
entrances to the heavenly abode. Thou art the High Ladder, Foreseeable by Jacob,
As soon as God descends on the earth and the Bridge, lead beings from earth to heaven.
We also pray to You, looking, as if you went to the Sanctuary,
carry the Heavenly Fire of the hands of Thy God, Most Graceful.

The fire of Thy prayer has hit the fire of our passions, may we get rid of the eternal fire of Gehena.

Thou art came to the Sanctuary for the sake of the lawful, cleansing not requiring,
like the Virgin is Pure and hereby teach us how it befits us to keep ourselves in chastity and purity
and with what humility it befits us to see out the feat of virginity, remembering what you are,
above the Cherubim Jehovah, thou art in the place of unclean women.

You, oh, Mother of the Most Holy, the very existence of the God-compatible temple of God brought you to the lawful church
Thy most glorified son, Christ our God,
Grant us, more than anything on earth, to love the temples of Thy Son, to visit all the days of our life,
behold the beauty of the Lord there, for it is better to be swept one day in the courtyards of the Lord,
more than living in the villages of sinners. Best of all, grant us, Most Pure One, like Simeon,
to bear without condemnation Thy Son and our God in His heartfelt embrace,
We will always be partakers of His Most Pure Body and Blood,
and help us then to preserve for ourselves in sanctity and the fear of God,
let us not corrupt the temple of our flesh.

And so I will take it out, about Bogomati, Thy Son in our hearts and souls,
let us be worthy of thy prayers to attain the blessed Meeting of the Lord in the air,
Always with all the saints we will take out to glorify and chant His Most Holy Name
with the Father and the Holy Spirit and your merciful intercession now and forever and forever and ever.
Amen".

Tropari to the Presentation of the Lord

Troparion Tone 1 (Forefeast)

“The heavenly face of the Heavenly Angel, clung to the earth, who came to see like a Child, is carried to the temple,
The first-born of all creatures from the Unskilled Mother, the pre-festive song is sung with us,
rejoicing. "

Troparion, voice 1

“Rejoice, Blessed Virgin Mary, from Thee the Sun of righteousness has risen, Christ our God,
enlighten beings in darkness: rejoice, too, you, the righteous elder, accepted into the arms
The liberator of our souls, granting us resurrection. "

Kontakion, voice 4

"You sanctified the womb of the Devich with Thy birth, and blessed Simeone's hand,
as befitting, having anticipated, but now thou hast saved us, Christ God;
but die in battle your residence, and strengthen Orthodox Christians,
Thou art loved them, one more loving of mankind ”.

Exaltation

“We magnify Thee, the Life-Giver Christ, and we honor Thy Most Pure Mother,
Even according to the law, you have now been brought to the temple. "

What not to do at the Meeting of the Lord

• do not swear;
• not cleaning - the tradition of not tidying up the house, not working in the garden and not doing needlework on holidays dates back to the days of the emergence of Christianity in Russia, when religion was forcibly implanted: in order to gather newly converted Christians in a church in the midst of suffering, it was required to forbid them to work under fear divine punishment;
• do not wash;
• do not wash - however, you can still take a shower on holy days. From a logical point of view, the interpretation of this prohibition is as follows: in order to heat a bath, you need to chop wood, apply water, watch the stove for several hours - that is, there is a lot of work.

As in any twelve feast day, it is undesirable to work on the day of the Presentation of the Lord. The exception is when work must be done for the benefit of others.

On this day, you should definitely visit the church, since on the day of the Meeting of the Lord, a special solemn service is performed in the temple and a prayer service is served.

It is better to take Sretensky candles from the church home, since candles on this day are consecrated in a special rite. These candles should be carefully stored for a whole year.
At the Meeting, Simeon the God-Receiver, taking Christ in his arms, called Him the Light of salvation. And early Christian prayers call Jesus Christ truly the Quiet Light. Therefore, the candle plays in the Church not only a physical role to burn sore, but symbolizes our faith and prayer, which ascends to heaven.

The so-called Sretensky candles are lit in especially difficult moments of life during a prayer appeal to God.
It can be illness or life difficulties and troubles. The candle is filled with deep meaning and sanctifies hearts with the Holy Spirit.
The only thing to remember is that the candle is not praying for us, but we are praying by this candle.

Also, a candle was lit if a person was dying (with this candle, it was believed, the deceased would be able to leave the world of the living more calmly and easier).

According to the signs on this day, they judge the proximity of the onset of spring and what the weather will be like in the next few months.

Signs at the Meeting of the Lord

• What is the weather for Meeting, so will the spring be:
• A quiet and cloudy day at the Meeting is foreshadowed by a good harvest of bread and fruits: “At the Meeting of Drops - a harvest for wheat; the wind is the fertility of fruit trees "
• If there was a big frost on the Meeting, then the snow should not have lain for long, and spring and summer did not promise anything good.
• If the sun before sunset looks out through the cloudy pillowcase, this means that the last frosts have passed; if the sun does not appear at all, expect severe Vlasyevsky frosts on February 24.
• If there is a thaw for Meeting, the cat will cry for the harvest.
• "If there is a thaw for Sretenie, the cat will cry for the harvest"

Based on materials from vedmochka.net, podrobnosti.ua

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