The elder, seeing the baby Jesus, took him in his arms, blessed him and predicted that this child would become a light and salvation for many people. Simeon the God-bearer soon died, having lived, according to legend, for about 300 years. Since that time, February 15 is a holiday that is celebrated according to the church calendar and is considered one of the oldest in Christianity. The very same word "sretenie" from many Slavic languages is translated as "meeting".
Holiday February 15
February 15 is a church holiday, but for a long time it was not solemn, only in the 4th century, when several earthquakes and epidemics occurred in Christian states on the territory of Asia Minor, there was a phenomenon for good Christians that revealed the need to hold the Candlemas more magnificently. Only after all-night vigils and religious processions did the disasters stop, and since the year 544 the Church considers the feast of February 15 to be one of the most important in its calendar.
On this holy day, it is customary to especially venerate the icon "Simeon's Prophecy", which depicts the utterance of the elder's prediction to the infant 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. On your own, a divine day can also be honored if it is not possible to come to the temple. It is important in prayers at the images to sincerely thank God for help, and not to ask for anything, knowing what a church holiday on 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 what day February 15 will be, so the coming weeks will pass. The sun on this day promised the location of the Lord 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 beliefs, 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 especially difficult times came. Catholics call the holiday “Candle Day” or “Cleansing of Mary”, recalling her coming with Jesus Christ to the main temple of Jerusalem to dedicate her son to God.
Remembering what day it is February 15, Orthodox in Russia try to avoid any dirty and hard work, with the exception of what was done for other people. On this holiday, they are especially strict about the purity of the soul: what you can’t do is show anger, anger, swear with someone.
Candlemas is a religious holiday, a special one, designed to give thanks for the good, to remind oneself of the need to help others and forget about one's own conceited and greedy thoughts. This day should be spent in prayers and the desire to cleanse the soul of selfish aspirations, and care and attention should be given to those who need it.
Day of Children with Cancer
Every year on February 15, many countries around the world celebrate the Day of Children with Cancer.
For the first time, this date became known in 2001, when this holiday was established at the initiative of the World Confederation of Parents of Children with Cancer.
In the same year, on January 15, the first International Day was held in Luxembourg, but later this date was decided to be postponed a month ahead.
International Day of Children with Cancer is held today under the patronage of the International Society of Pediatric Oncologists in more than 40 countries around the world.
According to world statistics, every year about 200,000 children in the world get cancer, 50% of them die. Successful cancer treatment depends on timely diagnosis. Treatment can lead to a favorable outcome if the disease is detected in the first or second stages. But very often, cancer is detected only at the third or even at the fourth stage.
Day of the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan
The day of the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan is a day of mourning and remembrance for all the fallen soldiers-internationalists and a holiday for Afghan veterans.
On February 15, 1989, the last Soviet troops left the state of Afghanistan. Thus ended the 10-year war, in which the USSR lost more than 15 thousand citizens.
This holiday did not receive official status, because the Soviet authorities did not readily recall that war. But all Russians and citizens of the CIS today treat veterans of Afghanistan with respect and honor. In Russia and other countries of the former USSR, memorial complexes have been created in memory of those who died in the Afghan war.
On February 15, initiative veterans in large and small cities organize rallies.
Also celebrated on February 15:
- Day of tying knots for good luck
- Day of Remembrance for Russians who performed their official duties outside the Fatherland
- Day of the Government Communications Troops
- YouTube service birthday
- Birthday of the Russian Academy of Music. Gnesins
- ringing day
Religious holiday
Meeting of the Lord
The Christian holiday of the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ is celebrated in Orthodoxy, Catholicism and in some Protestant denominations, including Lutheranism, annually on February 15th.
The Russian Orthodox Church honors this holiday as one of the Twelve Feasts.
The Presentation of the Lord was established in memory of a very significant event among Christians - the meeting of the Infant Jesus with the righteous elder Simeon in the Jerusalem Temple.
The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord teaches us the truth that God is faithful in all His words and promises. Even our forefathers Adam and Eve who fell in paradise, He promised that He would send the Savior to the whole human race. And it came true.
The Lord Himself goes to meet only those who do the truth or thirst for the truth, like the elder Simeon, who came to earth in order "to fulfill all righteousness."
Holiday according to the folk calendar
Presentation of the Lord (Tombs)
The feast of the Presentation of the Lord or among the people of Gromnitsa got its name because on this day the baby Jesus Christ met with Saints Simeon and Anna.
According to Jewish law, on the 40th day of life, parents had to bring each firstborn to the temple. The Virgin Mary, in fulfillment of this law, brought the baby Jesus to the temple. At the suggestion of the Holy Spirit, the elder Simeon came there, to whom it was foretold from above that he would not die until he saw the Savior. The elder was accompanied by the righteous old woman Anna the prophetess, who also had been waiting for the coming of Christ for a long time.
This day among the people was considered one of the biggest holidays of spring and the day of the first meeting of spring, and Sretensky frosts were considered by the people to be the last
In the northwestern part of Russia, this holiday was called Gromnitsy. On this day, candles were consecrated in the church, which were then lit during thunderstorms and thunder to drive away trouble. The tombs were also given into the hands of the dying, so that evil spirits could not approach him. On this day, as a remedy for headaches, it was customary to set fire to each other's hair.
At the Sretenye, the peasants took care of the poultry.
The peasants had many signs of the weather that day. If it snows on the Meeting, it will be late spring. Many white stars in the sky also indicated late spring.
The future harvest was judged by the weather: drops that day foreshadowed the harvest of wheat, but a strong wind promised the fertility of fruit trees.
Name day February 15 Vasily
Unusual holidays
- A day to improve your oral abilities
- Sex Shop Worker Day
- The day when you are absolutely happy
- Confessing one's sins day
- A day of searching for your stash in the night
February 15 in history
1950 - US Secretary of State Dean Acheson launched the catchphrase "Politics from a position of strength."
1951 - Feyzudin Nagiyev (literary pseudonym - Faiz Kuravi), Lezgi poet, writer, publicist, literary critic, doctor of philological sciences, was born.
1957 - Andrey Andreyevich Gromyko became Minister of Foreign Affairs of the USSR.
1963 - Foundation of the Institute of Solid State Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
1967 - The US Army in Vietnam lost 13 helicopters in a day.
1973 - In the Soviet Union, the artificial Earth satellite "Prognoz-3" is launched to study solar flares, X-rays and gamma radiation on the Sun.
1976 - The XII Winter Olympic Games ended in Innsbruck. Most of the medals were won by athletes of the USSR.
1989 - The withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan is completed.
1994 - Andrei Chikatilo was executed, more than 50 women became victims of it.
1995 - The Iranian parliament passes a law that prohibits the importation and installation of equipment for receiving satellite television broadcasts.
2013 - The fall of a meteorite in the Urals near Chelyabinsk.
According to signs on February 15, they determined what spring would be like. The Orthodox Church on this day celebrates one of the twelve most important Christian holidays - the Presentation of the Lord. In Orthodoxy, this holiday is one of the twelve.
What is the feast of the Presentation of the Lord (February 15)?
The holiday was established by the church in memory of the fact that the Virgin Mary and Joseph the Betrothed on the fortieth day after the Nativity of Christ came with the baby to the Jerusalem temple to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord for their firstborn.
Righteous Simeon was in the temple at that time, who, because he doubted the words of the prophet Isaiah about the birth of the Savior from the Virgin, was appointed to live until he was sure of the fulfillment of the prophecy. Simeon was a pious and righteous man. According to his life, he is one of the 72 learned translators who were commissioned by the king of Egypt, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, to translate the Holy Scriptures from Hebrew into Greek. Translating the book of the prophet Isaiah and reading the words “Behold the Virgin in the womb shall receive and give birth to a Son,” the saint thought that this was a typo and instead of “Virgin” it should be “Wife.” Simeon decided to correct the text. But the angel of the Lord stopped his hand and promised him that he would not die until he was convinced of the truth of the prophecy. According to legend, Simeon lived for about 300 years. By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, on that day he came to the temple and when the parents brought the Baby Jesus, he spiritually saw in him the Savior of mankind, took Him in his arms and said: “Now you release Your servant, Master…”.
The future messiah in the baby Jesus was also recognized by the widow-prophetress Anna, who lived at the Jerusalem temple.
The word "candlemas" is translated as a meeting. The Meeting is the meeting of humanity in the person of the elder Simeon with God.
The church holiday of the Presentation of the Lord (February 15) is one of the Lord's holidays that are dedicated directly to Jesus Christ, but in its content it is close to the feasts of the Theotokos.
February 15 Meeting of the Lord: traditions and rituals
In Rus', this day was considered the first meeting of spring. The people said: " Candlemas - winter met with spring and summer". According to folk beliefs, on February 15, winter fights with summer, who goes back and who goes forward. From this day until the end of winter.
On February 15, the peasants baked pies in the form of larks, which symbolized the end of the cold weather and the onset of the warm season, and also went around their homes with the icon of the Presentation of the Lord or the Savior. After the tour, all family members knelt down and prayed.
However, the Candlemas among the peasants was not considered a great holiday. In the popular mind, its name was associated with the meeting of winter and summer. The children called out to the sun to rise faster and bring spring.
If the conjured sun really peeks out from behind the mountains before its sunset, then the children would bring the news to the village that the last frosts had passed. If the sun does not appear at all, then strict ones are expected).
Especially on this day, they took care of livestock, poultry, fruit trees and seed grain. It was believed that the wind on Candlemas shakes off evil spirits from the trees, which ensures the harvest of fruits. In this regard, there was a custom after Sretensky Matins to shake fruit trees with your hands. Even on this day, the housewives intensively fed the hens so that they would carry a lot of eggs.
Tombs - candles for the Presentation of the Lord on February 15
There was a custom to carry candles to the church for consecration on the Candlemas. These candles were called "thunders". This rite is associated with the Catholic tradition and originated from the ancient custom of the Roman Church to make processions with lit torches or candles on the feast of the Candlemas.
The peasants from the church returned with a lit "thunder" and performed the ceremony of carrying bread and candles around the table. The people attributed to thunderous candles the magical ability to drive away evil spirits, lightning and thunder, rain and hail. Therefore, in a thunderstorm, in order to avoid a lightning strike, they lit a “thunder”. The Sretensky candle was given into the hands of a dying person to drive away demons. Also, with the help of her, feverish people were driven away - the demons of the disease in the guise of women. Having settled into a person, they began to shake him, break his bones and relax his joints.
Signs for the Meeting of the Lord (February 15)
- What is the weather like at the Meeting - so will spring.
- Thaw on this day - to early and warm spring.
- Snowball at the Candlemas - the spring will be protracted and rainy.
- The cold came on February 15 - the spring will be cold.
- If it snows, then bread will be born.
- Quiet and sunny weather - to a good flax harvest.
- Drops in the Presentation - to the harvest of wheat, windy - to the harvest of fruits.
- If on the eve of the Candlemas the sky is dotted with stars, then spring will bloom later than usual.
A person born on February 15 is driven by two passions - love and intransigence. He should wear sapphire and carnelian.
February 15 Meeting of the Lord: what can not be done?
On the Candlemas, any work is prohibited, except for those that serve people for the good. Making money is considered sinful. The exception is professions aimed at helping others. No need to use alcoholic beverages that cloud the human mind and make people dependent on bad habits.
There is a ban on household chores. Laundry and cleaning should be done on weekdays. On church holidays, it is customary to devote time to the Lord and prayers to find the righteous path and cleanse the soul. This is also the time to do good deeds and communicate with loved ones.
You can not swear and use swear words. Foul language is one of the deadly sins that destroys a person’s connection with the Higher powers and deprives him of protection and patronage.
In the old days, on church holidays, there was a ban on washing, and all because the process of bathing brought a lot of trouble and took a lot of time. It was necessary to chop wood, heat a bathhouse and carry water. And since hard work was not welcomed on holidays, they preferred to wash on the eve, in order to meet the bright date with a clean soul and body.
Video: Meeting of the Lord. What is the meaning of the holiday?
Some believers are interested in what Orthodox holiday will be celebrated on February 15, 2019. On this day, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Presentation of the Lord (its popular names are the Tombs, the Cleansing of Mary, the Day of Candles).
Catholics also celebrate it, but at a different time. The Meeting falls on the 40th day after the Nativity of Christ. Accordingly, Orthodox believers celebrate it on February 15 (according to the Julian calendar), Catholics celebrate it on February 2 (according to the Gregorian calendar).
What Orthodox holiday will be February 15, 2019?
We will tell you in more detail which holiday is established by our church on February 15th. Translated into modern Russian, the word "sretenie" means "meeting". On this day, the baby Jesus Christ was first brought to the Temple in Jerusalem to honor the law of Moses, in accordance with the Old Testament custom of 40 days of cleansing after the birth of a child.
The Most Pure Theotokos and Joseph came to the temple of God not for purification, which Mary did not need, because she was the Ever-Virgin, but in order to fulfill the decree before God. Here Jesus was met by the elder Simeon the God-bearer, who, according to legend, lived for 360 years, and the prophetess Anna.
It is believed that the Meeting symbolizes the meeting of the Old Testament, which Simeon personifies, and the New Testament (Christ). According to tradition, Simeon waited all his life to meet Jesus. On the day it happened, the elder turned to God:
“Now you release Your servant, 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 enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel.”
As the Scripture says,
“And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, His mother: behold, this lies for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel and for the subject of controversy, and a weapon will pass through the soul to You, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be opened.” (Luke 2:34-35).
According to Simeon's prediction, the Most Pure Virgin with swords piercing her heart is depicted on the icon "Softener of Evil Hearts". This image is very popular among believers. Since ancient times, many legends about its miraculous power have been known.
Customs and rituals of the church holiday celebrated on February 15?
The Presentation of the Lord has been celebrated for several centuries. In the liturgical calendar of the Church of Jerusalem, he appeared in the IV century. It is not surprising that many rituals and customs that believers observe are timed to coincide with it. So, the all-night vigil and the Divine Liturgy are held in churches.
In ancient times, a procession with lit lamps was arranged on this day. Later, the blessing of Sretensky candles and the procession with them began to take place among Catholics, candles began to be lit during the mass during the reading of the Gospel and the Eucharistic canon.
This ancient rite was adopted by the Orthodox Church in the 17th century. In Orthodox churches, the consecration of candles is performed as a sign of the purification of the world by the light of the Gospel of Christ.
The Candlemas candle symbolizes the fire of the Grace of God, and is also perceived as a symbol of a praying heart burning with love for the Lord. The prayers of believers should ascend to God like its flame, burning the barriers of worldly vanity and melting, like wax, sinful souls.
According to the established tradition, people keep these candles at home for a year and light them on special occasions - for example, while praying for sick relatives, at moments of spiritual anxieties and unrest, as well as during Great Lent when reading the canon of St. Andrew of Crete, the Passion Gospels, etc. .
However, churchmen warn that it is not necessary to attach any magical or miraculous meaning to the consecrated candles, and even more so to use them in witchcraft rites.
Also on this day, water is blessed in temples. It can be stored for a long time without losing its properties. It is used in the consecration of houses, in rituals of healing from various diseases.
How was the holiday on February 15 celebrated in the old days?
In Rus' in the old days, on the day of this Orthodox holiday, the peasants went around their houses that day with the icon of the Presentation of the Lord or the Savior. When they brought her into the house, the whole family fell on their faces with the words: "Lord our God, come to us and bless us."
Our story about what kind of holiday is celebrated by the Orthodox on February 15 will be incomplete if we do not mention the ancient customs associated with it. In pagan times, the Slavs celebrated the feast of the Thunder on this day, glorifying the god of thunder Perun and the goddess Gromovnitsa, to whom they made sacrifices.
In the villages, on the Meeting of the Lord, festivities were held and pancakes were baked, which symbolized the Sun. Ever since pagan times, at this time, the Slavs performed the ceremonies of greeting this luminary and inviting spring.
On this day, it was customary to give oats to chickens so that they lay better, and the eggs were larger and tastier. The peasants drove the cattle from the barn to the corral, began to prepare the seeds for sowing. Arriving at the Candlemas from the church, garden trees were shaken so that they would bear fruit well.
What can not be done on the day of the Christian holiday on February 15?
According to the established tradition, these days you can not do housework - cleaning and washing, as well as sewing, knitting, embroidering, working in the garden and garden. It is recommended to stop watching entertainment TV shows, visiting the theater and cinema.
The meaning of such prohibitions is not that certain actions cannot be performed, but that an Orthodox holiday is, first of all, a day that is dedicated to God.
Believers should be distracted from worldly, everyday affairs and devote themselves to spiritual concerns. Try to show more warmth and care towards friends and relatives, help the poor and sick people.
It is also believed that wishes made at the Candlemas can be fulfilled.
Now you know what church holiday falls on February 15, 2019. It remains for us to add that weather signs at this time are used to judge the weather in spring. It is believed that winter meets spring on this day. The people said: "What is the weather for the Candlemas, such will be the spring."
If there is a thaw, spring will be early and warm, if the day is cold, it is worth waiting for a cold spring. The snow that fell on the Candlemas portends a protracted and rainy spring, it was not for nothing that the people said: “On the Candlemas Day, a snowball is a rain in the spring.” If the sky is strewn with stars, then spring will not come soon.
On this day the Orthodox Church celebrates its great twelfth feast. MEETING is a MEETING.
Candlemas - winter meets summer. Sun for summer, winter for frost. The cover is not summer, and the Presentation is not winter. Candlemas frosts. What is the weather at Candlemas, so will spring. On Candlemas Day, a snowball is a rain in the spring. Snow sweeps across the road - it will be late spring, and if it does not sweep, then it will be early. If on Sustret's day it snows along the road, it means that it will lead to kneaders - bread will be born. On Candlemas in the morning, snow is a harvest of early breads, if at noon it is medium, in the evening it is late. If a rooster gets drunk on Candlemas, a plowman will get into trouble (winter will last a long time, so the owners take care of bread and millet). , the winter is long. Snow blows across the road - this millet; if a thaw and drops happen, then sow the wheat. According to the weather in Candlemas, they also judge the harvest of grasses, for which they throw a stick across the road and observe: if the snow sweeps it, then the livestock feed will “sweep”, that is, the grass will be expensive. If it’s quiet and red on Candlemas Day, then in the summer there will be good flax. On Candlemas, drops portend the harvest of wheat, and the wind - the fertility of fruit trees, why gardeners, having come from matins, shake the trees with their hands so that they are with fruits. and in the summer you will be with an egg.
