The Presentation of the Lord is one of the most ancient holidays in Orthodoxy. In 2022, as usual, it is celebrated on February 15th. In fact, its history goes back centuries even further than Christianity. Therefore, so many traditions, customs and rituals are associated with this day.
From Old Slavonic, the very word “Candlemas” can be translated as “meeting”. On this day, according to the beliefs of our ancestors, winter meets spring – a turning point in the annual cycles.
Well, in the religious tradition, the Meeting is a symbolic day on which humanity meets with its Savior.
When is the Meeting of the Lord celebrated in 2022
The date of Candlemas is fixed, that is, it always falls on the same day. From year to year, this holiday is celebrated on the 40th day after Christmas. Why so, you will understand by reading the history of this holiday.
Every year, Orthodox Christians celebrate the Meeting of the Lord on February 15. In Catholicism, this holiday is celebrated on February 2, and in the Armenian Orthodox tradition – on February 14.
History of the Encounter
The story of Candlemas is connected with the birth of Jesus.
The fact is that according to the tradition and law of Moses, on the 40th day after giving birth, a woman could visit the temple for the first time, thus receiving “cleansing”. If the woman gave birth to the firstborn, and he was male, it was also supposed to make a ritual sacrifice – a lamb or, if the family could not afford it, a pair of doves.
Mary with little Jesus came to the temple exactly on the fortieth day after his birth. Since the family was poor, and Mary did not formally need “purification”, remaining an immaculate virgin, she sacrificed a couple of doves.
It was here, in the temple, that the very meeting took place – the “Candlemas” – which gave the name to the holiday.
Jesus and Mary are met by Simeon the God-bearer, a wise and righteous elder, one of the learned interpreters who translated the Holy Scripture into Greek. According to legend, Simeon translated the book of the prophet Isaiah and after reading the words “Behold the Virgin in the womb will receive and give birth to the Son”, he decided that the text was a typo, and instead of “Virgin” there should be “Wife”. However, the angel of the Lord stopped Simeon’s hand and assured him that he would not die until he was convinced of the truth of Isaiah’s prophecy.
According to the books, Simeon waited a very long time for the fulfillment of the prophecy – he lived for about 300 years, until that day he came to the temple under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Seeing Mary with the baby, Saint Simeon took Jesus in his arms with the words: “Now you release Your servant, Master, according to Your word, in peace, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to enlighten the Gentiles and glory your people Israel.”
To Mary, he said the following prophecy: “Behold, this lies for the fall and the rising of many in Israel and for the subject of controversy, and a weapon will pierce the soul of Yourself so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.”
On the same day, the holy elder departed into another world, illumined by the joy of meeting with the son of God.
And Jesus in the temple was seen by another saint – the prophetess Anna. She also recognized the Savior in the baby, and having greeted him, she went to Jerusalem to tell people about his coming.
Meaning of the Feast of the Presentation
Theologians interpret the meaning of the Feast of the Meeting as follows: on this day, in the person of St. Simeon, the Old Testament meets the New – with Christianity in the guise of little Jesus.
And yields to it, receding into the past, recognizing the triumph of the new postulates of the new faith.
However, in addition to Christian traditions, a mass of folk, pagan, rituals, and beliefs that we inherited from our ancestors are associated with the Meeting of the Lord. Most of them were associated with the sowing calendar and agricultural work, but there are also signs of the weather and fortune-telling, which are traditionally held on Candlemas. You can learn about all of them from this article.
Folk traditions for the Meeting of the Lord
There are a number of ecclesiastical and pagan traditions associated with Candlemas. Very often they are so closely intertwined that it is difficult to find the roots of rituals and customs.
To make it easier for the Slavs to accept the new faith, the church fathers used an already existing analogy – the feast of the meeting of Winter and Spring, celebrated in the same period as the Presentation of the Lord. Modified customs of this day became church canons.
The main one is the consecration of candles for Candlemas.
According to tradition, candles are consecrated during the festive service in the church, and then they are distributed to the parishioners. Such candles were very much appreciated, they were always brought home and kept for a year.
In Ukraine, they are called ” loud ” candles. Our ancestors believed that they were able to protect the house from storms and tornadoes, crops from hail and violent wind, and a person from lightning, the evil eye, and diseases.
For the first time, a loud candle was lit immediately after coming home from the church – “so that the spring wind does not damage the crops, and frost so that the trees do not break.”
During the same year, a candle was lit in such cases:
- if a terrible bad weather raged over the house,
- if a fire or other natural disaster started nearby,
- if there were difficulties in childbirth,
- if a person is “caught by a black disease” (epilepsy),
- if a person was dying (with this candle, it was believed that the deceased would be able to leave the world of the living calmer and easier).
The second important tradition for Candlemas is the blessing of water.
Sretenskaya water from the church was valued on a par with baptismal water. According to the most ancient tradition, water was not carried to the temple to be blessed but collected from melting dripping icicles.
Sretenskaya water was used in such cases:
- for the treatment of wounds and internal diseases,
- from the evil eye and witches’ spells,
- they sprinkled it on warriors before the battle and chumaks before the campaign (and later – everyone who left their home for a long time),
- at the beginning of the season, beekeepers sprinkled beehives with it,
- the same water was sprinkled on livestock during the first pasture after winter.
What not to do on the Candlemas
The bans on the Meeting of the Lord are similar to those on other major Christian holidays. So, on this day:
- you can’t miss the solemn service in the church, and if you can’t defend it entirely, you should go in and at least light a candle and pray,
- you can’t leave the temple without a candle – the consecrated Sretensky “loud” candle is carefully carried home and kept for a whole year,
- you can not do hard physical work, except for that which is done free of charge for the benefit of other people,
- you should not go on a long journey – it can end unexpectedly and badly,
- you can’t work – it’s a big holiday,
- you can’t be sad and discouraged – the Meeting is a very joyful holiday, so if you feel sad, you need to find something that makes you happy,
- you can’t put money on the dining table and kitchen cabinets, unless you want to drive luck out of the house.
And, of course, one should refrain from slander, envy, quarrels, and scandals – however, the Church advises Christians to adhere to this rule on any day of the year. At Candlemas, you should also try to find the strength in yourself to forgive those with whom you are offended.
Folk omens for the Candlemas
Since in the Slavic tradition the Meeting is a turning point when Winter meets with Spring and “fights” with it for the first time, February 15 is associated with a lot of signs about the weather, harvest, and in general about what the coming year will be like.
Here are the main signs for Candlemas:
- if on the night of the Candlemas the sky is clear and all the stars are visible, this year one should expect a large harvest of fruits,
- if a thaw begins on the Candlemas, wait for late spring,
- strong wind on this day is a bad sign for the harvest in the garden, but fruit trees will bring a good harvest,
- clear and calm weather is a joy for the beekeeper, because it portends an extremely successful year,
- and if there are icicles under the roofs on the Candlemas, then corn will be born very well this year.
Ukrainians said: “As the rooster drinks water from a puddle, then wait for the cold,” or even “if the rooster drinks water, the owner of the trouble will be typed.”
The meaning of this omen is clear: if on February 15 it becomes so warm that even the puddles will thaw, this is a bad omen. This means that winter has taken over and is not yet giving up its rights – a new arrival of cold weather is ahead, spring will be late, and the harvest is in jeopardy because, after the first warm weather, bitter frosts can strike again.
Prayers for the Meeting of the Lord
Here is a list of the most powerful prayers for the Presentation of the Lord.
Prayer to the Mother of God for the Meeting
Queen of Heaven, accept the prayers of the servant of God (your name). Before You, Mother of God, I bow, and only You can reveal my secrets. Only You, Holy Virgin, know everything, what I live, what I breathe, and what I want to ask. My heart asks for freedom, fulfillment, it is hard for it without your happiness and support. I beg you, illuminate my path to speedy happiness, which will illuminate my whole life with its light. Don’t leave me, Mother of God. I will forever praise your name. Amen.
Prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker
O holy saint of God Nicholas, You are our quick intercessor and helper in all sorrows and troubles! Help the sinful servant of God (your name) brighten up such a dull and difficult life, ask the Lord to give me the forgiveness of all sins from my very birth and youth. May my soul get rid of eternal torment, and my life is filled with happiness and light. Help me to resist all problems, gain good luck and confidence in the future. I will not cease to praise Your name, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Now and forever and ever. Amen.
Strong prayer for the Presentation of the Lord
Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son and the Word of God, seen in ancient times in the prophets, as if mirrored in fortune-telling, in the last days of these days, the flesh of the Blessed Virgin Mary was born incorruptibly and on this fortieth day in the Sanctuary at the Meeting of the whole world from Toya, like the Infant, we hand, manifested and carried in the arms of the righteous Simeon for the salvation of all beings from Adam!
How glorious and bright is Your offering to the hand of the Mother of God in the temple of the Lord, and from the holy elder Your divine meeting! Today the heavens rejoice and the earth rejoices as if Thy processions were seen, O God, the processions of God our King, Who is in the Holy One. In ancient times, Moses ascends to see Your glory, but it is not possible to see Your Face, for Thou didst does not reveal to him Your back.
On the most bright day of this Meeting of Yours, You revealed to Yourself a man in the sanctuary, shining with the inexpressible Light of the Divine, and together with Simeon they see You face to face and with their hands, let them touch You, and take them into their arms, yes they will come to know God in the flesh.
For this reason, we glorify Your indescribable condescension and great philanthropy, as if by Your coming You have now granted heavenly joy to the human race that has fallen in ancient times: You, by Your righteous judgment, have expelled our forefathers from the paradise of sweetness into this world, now have mercy on us and again opened the heavenly abode to us and turned our weeping to joy, so that fallen Adam will no longer be ashamed of You for disobedience and may Your Face, invoked by You, not be hidden, as You have come now, take his sin upon Yourself, and wash him with Your Blood and Yes, clothe him naked in a robe of salvation and a garment of joy and adorn him, like a bride with beauty.
To all of us who remember Your Divine Presentation, vouchsafe with wise virgins to come to Your Meeting, our Heavenly Bridegroom, with burning lamps of faith, love, and purity, let us see with the eyes of faith Your Divine Face, let us perceive Thee in our spiritual embrace, and let us carry Thee in your heart all the days of your life, may you be God to us and we to your people.
On the last and terrible day of Thy Coming, when all the saints come out to the last and great Meeting of Thy in the air, vouchsafe us to meet Thee, so that we will always be with the Lord. Glory to Thy Mercy, Glory to the Thy Kingdom, Glory to Thy look, the One Lover of mankind, as Thy is the Kingdom, and Power, and Glory with Your Beginningless Father and Your Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.
