Orthodox Christians Celebrate the Meeting of the Lord 0 13

For the Christian world, the Meeting is a very significant event. On this day, exactly 40 days have passed since the birth of Jesus Christ. And according to Old Testament tradition, the Virgin Mary brought the Infant to the Jerusalem temple to dedicate Him to God.

And at that moment, the Meeting or encounter of the Infant with the elder Simeon took place, who had been eagerly awaiting this event.

History

According to tradition, once Simeon was translating the Old Testament book of the prophet Isaiah from Hebrew to Greek and suddenly read: "Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son." Not a Virgin, but a wife, thought the elder and was about to write it that way, but the angel of God stopped him, saying that from now on Simeon would live until he sees the Son of the Lord, who would indeed be born of a Virgin.

Righteous Simeon lived for a very long time — more than three hundred years. Perhaps he even grew tired of earthly existence, but patiently awaited the fulfillment of God's will while being at the temple.

And when he saw Mary ascending the steps of the temple with the Infant, he went out to meet her. And receiving the Infant from Mary's hands, he pronounced his famous song:

"Now You are letting Your servant depart, O Lord, according to Your word, in peace: for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all peoples: a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel."

In Russian, this means:

"Now You are letting Your servant depart, O Lord, according to Your word, in peace, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all nations, a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel."

The Meeting began to be celebrated as early as the early centuries. And in the 6th century in Byzantium, it was even made a state holiday.

An Orthodox Christian on the day of the Meeting of the Lord must go to the temple for the liturgy. If possible, he confesses and receives communion.

Signs

It is believed that on the Meeting, winter battles with spring. If there is frost on this day, the cold will last a long time, and spring will be prolonged and cool.

Due to the unpredictability of the weather, our ancestors tried not to travel far from home on this day. It was believed that if one set out on a journey on the Meeting, they would not return soon.

A Special Day of Remembrance for the Deceased

Let us not forget that on February 14, the Church will celebrate the Universal Parent (Meat-Fare) Saturday.

Traditionally, a week before the start of Great Lent, on the day before the Sunday of the Last Judgment, Christians pray to the Lord God, asking Him to show His mercy to all deceased Christians.

That is why on this day the Church will prayerfully remember all deceased Christians, and a special Universal Panikhida will be served in the temples.

The word "universal" indicates that on this day, the deceased children of the entire Universal Orthodox Church are commemorated. No matter when and in which country they lived, if they were members of the Orthodox Church, the Church will pray for all of them on this day.

This Saturday is called Meat-Fare because on the day after it, on Sunday, for the last time before Great Lent, the Church allows the eating of meat.

Yuri POZHIDAEV.