Presentation of the Lord. The further fate of the shrine

Many icons are dedicated to saints and prophets. But besides them, there are icons that were painted in honor of holidays and events. The icon of the Presentation is one of these.

The Presentation of the Lord is the great twelfth feast, which is very important for believers. Its significance is so great that it was decided to paint an icon in honor of the holiday and make it a symbol of celebration back in ancient times - approximately in the second or third century AD, at the height of the struggle between Christianity and paganism.

History and description of the icon

The history of the icon is the history of the feast of the Presentation. It all started with the Nativity of Christ, after which 40 days passed. According to the tradition of the ancient Jews, the first boy in the family had to be initiated into the faith on his fortieth day of birth. For this purpose, a special ritual with a sacrifice was carried out, to which the Virgin Mary and Joseph brought two doves.

Sometimes the icon depicts a dove and a turtledove, which in Catholicism have become a special symbol of goodness and light. Almost always on the icon there is the Virgin Mary herself, Joseph, Simeon the God-Receiver and Anna the Prophetess, as well as the baby Jesus. The image depicts the events of the day when our Lord Jesus Christ accepted the ancient rite of initiation. It was a moment of connection between two greatest eras. It was from this moment that the countdown of our era began. This was the horizon on which the Old One and New Testaments. This is the greatest moment in the history of the world.

He was accepted into the faith and performed the ritual by Simeon the God-Receiver, who, according to some sources, lived for more than two centuries in anticipation of the baby Christ, the Messiah, who would save the world. The prophecy was fulfilled, as it was intended by Heaven and our Father God.

Meeting means "meeting." This is the greatest encounter between God in human form and the world. This icon fully reflects the essence of the holiday, its secret meaning and all the power of human faith, which is why many clergy recommend that every Christian have it in their home.

How does the icon “The Presentation of the Lord” help?

The “Candlemas” image is a unique icon, the action of which is aimed at providing comprehensive assistance to a believer. This is true miraculous image, along with other icons dedicated to the twelve holidays. She helps with almost everything. You can and even need to pray in front of it every day. It will replace any other icon of this type. It can be hung in any room and used as a prayer or protective. An icon helps people see the secret meaning in any event, in any action of other people. It fills the soul with faith and meaning, because next to it you can feel a certain divine presence.

Prayer before the icon

You can read any prayers directed to the Mother of God or the Holy Trinity, to Jesus Christ. This could be “Our Father”, “Living Help”, “Symbol of Faith”. These three most important prayers are the basis for everything. Everyone should know them. If you want, you can also read special prayer for the Day of Presentation:

“Our Lord, who accepted the fate and plan of the Father God, we will forever be your unworthy servants, for we do not see your power without your promptings. Give us knowledge and wisdom to understand everything that happens around us. To direct our life along the right path, to love your commandments and accept them as the truth forever. Our intercessor, Virgin Mary, pray to God for us, for sinners and for your disobedient children. Do not lead us into temptation and help us live this short life with dignity, with a smile on our faces, without sorrow and sinful despondency. May the will of God be done at all times, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.”

Where is the icon

The icon of the Presentation of the Lord is in many churches. This image is also applied to internal and external walls. It often happens that there is an icon of the Presentation in the temple. There are many churches built in honor of this great holiday, so it will not be difficult for you to find an icon in any of them.

The Day of the Presentation Icon is directly the holiday itself, February 15th. On this day the icon will be a great gift to a loved one or even the whole family. This holiday is permanent, so its date does not change. Sometimes the service is moved to the 14th, but this happens extremely rarely. Good luck and don't forget to press the buttons and

15.02.2018 05:30

The Presentation of the Lord is one of the main holidays of Orthodox Christians. People have always considered this day...

The word "meeting" on Old 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 in annual cycles occurs.
Well, in the religious tradition, Candlemas is a symbolic day on which humanity meets its Savior.
Also, this holiday symbolizes not just the bringing of the baby Jesus to the temple and the meeting of Simeon and Anna with the baby Jesus, but also the meeting of all humanity in the person of the elder Simeon with God.

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

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 that God spoke to people about through His prophets. What happened on this 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 Lord’s disciples repeat each other in some ways, which only once again proves the truth of the events that took place, but some moments of the life of Christ are mentioned only in one of the four Gospels.

There may be several explanations for this.
Firstly, 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 have told about this event.
And thirdly, all the Gospels tell us only what is important for our salvation. However, which particular important episode from the life of the Lord should be revealed in more detail - each evangelist, of course, 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 forty subsequent 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 had to come to the temple and bring thanksgiving and purification sacrifice. If the child was the firstborn, he was dedicated to God. The dedication was in fulfillment of the Law, and two doves were sacrificed as gratitude and purification.

The Mother of God, due to Her holiness, had no need to fulfill this law, but She still fulfilled it out of Her great humility and obedience.
On the fortieth day after the birth of the Divine Infant Christ Holy Mother of God with righteous Joseph they brought Him to the temple of Jerusalem. The Mother of God carried Her Son in her arms, and Joseph carried 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, at one time he was given a revelation that he would not die until he saw the Messiah promised by God.

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

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 was a mistake. He simply did not believe that the Savior would be miraculously born from a woman who retained her 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 Presentation, by a special inspiration of God, the elder came to the temple just at the moment when the Mother of God, Joseph the Betrothed and the Infant of God were there. Righteous Simeon took Christ in his arms, and, thanking God, said a prayer:

“Now do You let Your servant go, O Master, in peace, according to Your word, for mine eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all nations, a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel.”

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

“Behold, this One is destined for the fall and rebellion of many in Israel and as a subject of controversy, and a weapon will pierce Your own soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

This second prediction revealed the future suffering of the Lord, His sacrifice for the world and humanity, as well as the trials that the Mother of God herself later had to endure.
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 Phanuel, 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 service - she was constantly at the temple, fasting and praying 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 everyone who was waiting for deliverance in Jerusalem.”
That is 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 like this: “When they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their city of Nazareth.”

In the Presentation, or Bringing to the temple, the Christian Church sees not only the direct meeting of the Divine Infant Christ with the elder Simeon and the performance of the necessary cleansing rites.
In its deepest, human-saving sense, 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 fulfilled the required ritual, the Lord showed that the Old Law is not denied, but the time has come when it must be replaced by the New Law - 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, and the solemn celebration of the Presentation of the Lord throughout Byzantine Empire was established during the reign of Emperor Justinian in 542.

Icon "The 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 Elder Simeon symbolize the meeting of the New and Old Testaments.

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

On the left side of the icon, according to tradition, a figure is written Mother of God, and a little further - the righteous Joseph the Betrothed.
The Mother of God bows before the Infant Christ, whom she gave to the righteous Simeon. The outstretched hands of the Mother of God, in which Her Son is no longer present, mark 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 prototypes of the two worlds that must come to God - Jewish and pagan.

In the background of the icon of the Presentation the Jerusalem Temple is depicted. In the center of the icon, behind the figures of the Mother of God, the Child of God and the righteous Simeon, there is a temple throne, which symbolizes the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayers for Candlemas

Prayer for the Presentation of the Lord Jesus Christ

“Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son and Word of God,
of old in the prophets, seen like a mirror in fortune-telling,
in the last days of the flesh from the Most Holy Virgin Mary, born incorruptible
and on this fortieth day in the Sanctuary at the Meeting of the whole world from Toy,
like a Baby holding hands, revealed in the arms of the righteous Simeon
carried from Adam for the salvation of all beings!

How glorious and bright is Thy offering on the hand of the Mother of God to the Temple of the Lord
and from the holy elder Thy Divine meeting!
Today the heavens rejoice and the earth rejoices, for Thy procession has been seen, O God,
processions of God our King, Who is in the Holy One.
Of old Moses ascended to see Your glory, but it was not possible to see Your Face,
Thou hast shown him exactly Thy rear.

On this bright day of Your Presentation, You revealed Yourself 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 with their hands
may they touch You and take You into their arms, may they recognize You as God who has come in the flesh.

For this reason, we glorify Your ineffable condescension and great love for mankind,
for by Your coming You have now granted heavenly joy to the anciently fallen race of man:
You, by Your righteous judgment, expelled our ancestors from the paradise of sweetness into this world,
Now you have had mercy on us and again opened up the heavenly abodes for us and turned our crying into joy,
let the fallen Adam no longer be ashamed of You for disobedience and let Your Face not be hidden,
Called by You, for You have come today, so that You may take away his sin,
May you wash him with Your Blood and may you clothe him, naked as he is, in the robe of salvation and the robe of gladness.
and adorn him like a bride with beauty.

We all remember Your Divine Meeting,
vouchsafe to go with the wise virgins to Thy Meeting, our Heavenly Bridegroom,
with burning lamps of faith, love and purity,
let us see Thy Divine Face with the eyes of faith,
May we accept You into our spiritual embrace,
and may we carry You in our hearts all the days of our Life,
May you become our God and we your people.

On the last and terrible day of Your Coming,
when all the saints come out for the last and great Meeting of Thy in the air,
Grant us also the gift of sleeping with You, so that we may always be with the Lord.

Glory to Thy Mercy, Glory to Thy Kingdom, Glory to Thy watchfulness,
O One Lover of Mankind, for Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory
with Your Beginning Father and Your Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit
now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen".

Prayer for the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“Oh, Most Holy, Heavenly Purity Shining Virgin, Meek Dove, Undefiled Lamb,
Good Helper to the world, Mother of Christ our God!

You are the beginning, middle and end of our present joy,
for from You rose the Sun of Truth, Christ our God, and He You brought
in His holy arms on this fortieth day in the Sanctuary for our meeting
and for the joy and salvation of the whole world.

For this reason, we please and glorify Thee, for Thou art the Tabernacle of God with man, Foreseen by the Theologian,
Is it by this that God dwells with us, so that we may be His people?

You are the Door of Heaven Foretold by Ezekiel, Who Has Opened Against Us
entrances to the heavenly abode. You are the High Ladder, Foreseen by Jacob,
It was with her that God descended to the earth and the Bridge, leading those who exist from earth to heaven.
We also pray to Thee, looking as if Thou hast gone to the Sanctuary,
bearing the Heavenly Fire in the hand of His God, the Gracious One.

The fire of Your prayer hit the fire of our passions, so that we may be delivered from the eternal fire of Gehenna.

You came to the Sanctuary for the sake of the lawful purification, not requiring purification,
as the Pure Virgin and hereby teach us how we should keep ourselves in chastity and purity
and with what humility it befits us to carry out the feat of virginity, remembering how You,
above the Cherubim that exist, you have become in the place of unclean women.

You, O Most Holy Mother, the very essence of God’s inclusive temple, you brought to the lawful church
Your most beloved son, Christ our God,
grant us, above all things on earth, to love the temples of Your Son, to visit all the days of our life,
behold the beauty of the Lord there, for it is better to wander about in the courts of the Lord one day,
It’s worse than living in the villages of sinners. Most of all, grant us, Most Pure One, like Simeon,
carry Your Son and our God without condemnation in Your heart's embrace,
when we will be partakers of His Most Pure Body and Blood,
and help us then to strictly keep ourselves in holiness and the fear of God,
Let us not corrupt the temple of our flesh.

And thus I will bring forth, O Mother of God, Thy Son in our hearts and souls,
may we be worthy through Your prayers to achieve the blessed Meeting of the Lord in the air,
when together with all the saints we will glorify and sing His Most Holy Name
with the Father and the Holy Spirit and Your merciful intercession now and ever and unto ages of ages.
Amen".

Troparion of the Presentation of the Lord

Troparion, tone 1 (Forefestival)

"Heavenly face Heavenly Angel, crouched on the ground, came looking like a Child, carried to the temple,
First-born of all creation from Mater, the Unskilled Ones, who sing the pre-feast song with us,
rejoicing."

Troparion, tone 1

“Rejoice, Blessed Virgin Mary, for from You has risen the Sun of Truth, Christ our God,
enlighten those who are in darkness: rejoice and you, the righteous elder, received into the arms
Liberator of our souls, granting us resurrection."

Kontakion, tone 4

“Hallowed the womb of the Maiden with Thy Nativity, and blessed the hand of Simeon,
as it was fitting, you have foreshadowed and now saved us, O Christ our God;
but pacify your life in battle, and strengthen Orthodox Christians,
Thou hast loved them, the only one who loves mankind.”

Greatness

“We magnify You, Life-Giver Christ, and honor Your Most Pure Mother,
According to the law, you have now been brought to the temple.”

What not to do at the Presentation of the Lord

do not swear;
not cleaning - a tradition of not tidying up the house, not working in the garden and not doing handicrafts in holidays dates back to the days of the emergence of Christianity in Rus', when religion was imposed by force: in order to gather newly converted Christians in the temple at the height of the suffering, it was necessary to prohibit them from working under pain of God's 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 bathhouse, you need to chop wood, apply water, and monitor the stove for several hours - that is, quite a lot of work.

As on any twelfth holiday, it is not advisable to work on the Day of the Presentation of the Lord. The exception is when the work must be done for the benefit of other people.

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

It is better to take Sretensky candles home from church, since candles on this day are blessed with a special rite. These candles must be carefully stored for a whole year.
At the Presentation, 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 inflamed, 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 prayerful appeal to God.
These could be illnesses or life difficulties and troubles. The Sretenskaya candle is filled with deep meaning and sanctifies hearts with the Holy Spirit.
The only thing to remember: it is not the candle that prays for us, but we pray at this candle.

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

According to 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 for the Presentation of the Lord

What is the weather for Candlemas, such will be the spring:
A quiet and cloudy day is predicted for Candlemas good harvest loaves and fruits: “At the Meeting of Drops - the harvest for wheat; wind - fertility fruit trees»
If there was a big frost on Candlemas, then the snow would not last long, and spring and summer did not promise anything good.
If the sun peeks through the cloud cover before sunset, this means that the last frost has passed; If the sun doesn’t show up at all, expect severe Vlasievo frosts on February 24th.
If there is a thaw on Candlemas, the cat will cry for the harvest.
“If there is a thaw on Candlemas, the cat will cry for the harvest”

Based on materials from vedmochka.net, podrobnosti.ua

...What not to do on the Presentation of the Lord on February 15th.

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

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

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, when the baby was brought to the temple Holy Virgin on the 40th day after birth, is one of the main holidays in Orthodox world. This key event changed 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 strength and might of the Heavenly Father.

The meaning of the icon “The Presentation of the Lord”

The icon “The Presentation of the Lord” depicts five people. The central position is occupied by the Mother of God, who hands over her son to the God-Receiver Simeon. He treats the Baby as a great shrine and touches him with the greatest care. Behind are 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, indicating New and Old Testaments. Jesus in the middle connects both parts.
Joseph, Mary's husband, is the keeper of the new and yet belongs to the old. His task is to protect the Virgin Mary and her Child. He folds his hands and points to the key figure, his wife. The artist masterfully inscribed his figure, as if leading him beyond the edge of the canvas, and at the same time made it clear in which direction he should move when looking at the icon.
The Virgin Mary is depicted in humble adoration with closed hands- She had 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 is written: the mother is connected with the spoken prophecy and obediently listens to the words, the meaning of which is clear to everyone. Serious passions for Jesus Christ will flare up, 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 the woman who conceived immaculately.

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 contrary, 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.
Color solution 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 and sharp contrasts. This suggests that he embodies the earthly world. The upper triangle is written in light colors, as if saying that Simeon and Anna will have to leave the Earth, leaving Jesus with his mother on it. The elder’s last words were a prophecy ending his long righteous life:
“Now you are releasing your servant, O Lord, according to your word and in peace.”
The icon itself looks very festive, with a predominance bright colors. Red emphasizes the triumph of what is happening and the importance 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 Kingdom of Heaven, into which the righteous Simeon and Anna will soon find themselves.
Remember that on the bright feast of the Presentation, as on other Orthodox holidays, there are some prohibitions that the church imposes on its parishioners. Church holidays are an integral part of everyone’s life Orthodox man. To carry them out properly, you need to know what to abstain from on bright days of the calendar.

One of the main twelve holidays is the Presentation of the Lord on February 15. It was on this day that the baby Jesus was brought to the temple. The immaculate child revealed herself to the earthly world to save sinful souls and fulfill God's plan. In that 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. During this time, certain activities are prohibited.

What not to do on 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 Presentation of the Lord, one should concentrate on spiritual life, analyze one’s actions, ask for forgiveness for sins and do good. There is also a list of things that it is better to refrain from.

Work ban. On Candlemas, the church prohibits any work except those that serve the benefit of people. Making money is considered a sinful activity on February 15th. The only exceptions are those professions that are aimed at helping others. These are medical, rescue and other services that, through their actions, bring benefits to people’s lives.

Alcohol ban. The Church does not approve of alcoholic drinks, which cloud the mind and make people dependent on their bad habits. It is believed that all harm comes from the evil one, and only saving prayers allow Christians to fight the devil’s temptations every day and continue the righteous path.
Ban on household chores. Cleaning and washing are a matter of weekdays. During the celebration, it is customary to devote time to God and prayers to cleanse the soul and find the righteous path. This is also a time to communicate with relatives and do good deeds.
Prohibition on quarrels and swear words. Foul language is one of the deadly sins and turns Heaven away from a scolding person. Swearing destroys a person's connection with By higher powers and deprives him of patronage and protection.
Ban on washing. Washing in the old days was a lot of hassle. It was necessary to carry water, chop wood and heat the bathhouse. Hard labour It was not welcomed on holidays, so it was customary to wash the day before in order to celebrate the bright day with a clean not only soul, but also body. IN modern world The church does not prohibit washing if it is necessary. Exceptions include entertainment events and idle time in a bathhouse or sauna.
Ban on handicrafts. While doing this you can forget about going to church and communicating with God. The Church allows handicrafts if they do not take up all the time and do not turn a person away from prayer. Naturally, it is not forbidden to repair torn clothes or sew them in order to wear them.
Prohibition on fortune telling and rituals. Orthodox Christians, true believers in God, cannot practice magic and in every possible way deceive the fate destined by the Higher powers. Trying to look into the future challenges God's plan and is sinful.

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is marked by solemn church services and the blessing of candles. On this day yours good mood and humility before God cleanses the soul and contributes to happiness.

Many icons are dedicated to saints and prophets. But besides them, there are icons that were painted in honor of holidays and events. The icon of the Presentation is one of these.

1. History and description of the icon

Sometimes the icon depicts a dove and a turtledove, which in Catholicism have become a special symbol of goodness and light. Almost always on the icon there is the Virgin Mary herself, Joseph, Simeon the God-Receiver and Anna the Prophetess, as well as the baby Jesus. The image depicts the events of the day when our Lord Jesus Christ accepted the ancient rite of initiation. This was the moment when two greatest eras came together. It was from this moment that the countdown of our era began. This was the horizon where the Old and New Testaments met. This is the greatest moment in the history of the world.

2. How does the icon “The Presentation of the Lord” help?

The “Candlemas” image is a unique icon, the action of which is aimed at providing comprehensive assistance to a believer. This is a truly miraculous image, along with other icons dedicated to the twelve holidays. She helps with almost everything. You can and even need to pray in front of it every day. It will replace any other icon of this type. It can be hung in any room and used as a prayer or protective. An icon helps people see the secret meaning in any event, in any action of other people. It fills the soul with faith and meaning, because next to it you can feel a certain divine presence.

3. Prayer before the icon

4. Where is the icon located?

The Day of the Presentation Icon is directly the holiday itself, February 15th. On this day, the icon will be a wonderful gift for a loved one or even the whole family. This holiday is permanent, so its date does not change. Sometimes the service is moved to the 14th, but this happens extremely rarely. Good luck and don't forget to press the buttons and

Orthodox culture has many icons. Some of them are especially revered by believers and have hidden meanings. This is the icon “The 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 changed 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 strength and might of the Heavenly Father.

The meaning of the icon “The Presentation of the Lord”

On the icon « Presentation of the Lord » five people are depicted. The central position is occupied by the Mother of God, who hands over her son to the God-Receiver Simeon. He treats the Baby as a great shrine and touches him with the greatest care. Behind are 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, representing the New and Old Testaments. Jesus in the middle connects both parts.

Joseph, Mary's husband, is the keeper of the new and yet belongs to the old. His task is to protect the Virgin Mary and her Child. He folds his hands and points to the key figure, his wife. The artist masterfully inscribed his figure, as if leading him beyond the edge of the canvas, and at the same time made it clear in which direction he should move when looking at the icon.

The Mother of God is depicted in humble adoration with her hands closed - 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 is written: the mother is connected with the spoken prophecy and obediently listens to the words, the meaning of which is clear to everyone. Serious passions for Jesus Christ will flare up, 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 the woman who conceived immaculately.

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 and sharp contrasts. This suggests that he embodies the earthly world. The upper triangle is written in light colors, as if saying that Simeon and Anna will have to leave the Earth, leaving Jesus with his mother on it. The elder’s last words were a prophecy ending his long righteous life:

“Now you are releasing your servant, O Lord, 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 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 the righteous Simeon and Anna will soon find themselves.

Remember that on the bright holiday of the Presentation, as on other Orthodox holidays, there are some prohibitions that the church imposes on its parishioners. We wish you joy and happiness in life. Live in peace and don't forget to press the buttons and

13.02.2017 01:10

On February 15, all Orthodox believers celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. On this great day, baby Jesus...

Easter is a fundamental holiday Christian religion. They are waiting for him with trembling hearts and faith...