Candlemas
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February 15 (Gregorian Calendar, 2 February - the Julian) - Christians celebrate Candlemas Eastern rite of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Candlemas).
Note, in his memory about how Holy Virgin Mary brought to the Temple of Jesus Christ on the 40 th day after birth (according to the law of God, since the liberation of Jews from Egyptian captivity, every first male baby belonged to God, and it had to be brought to the temple on 40 th day after birth).
When the Virgin Mary with Joseph brought Jesus to the temple, where they met a gray-haired old man Simeon, who was waiting for a meeting with the Lord for many years. According to the Gospel of Luke, Simeon was righteous, but he did not believe in the possibility of birth of the Savior of the Virgin Mary. And then the Holy Spirit he predicted that he will die only when he sees birth of the Lord. That was accomplished and - Simeon could now get eternal peace. Before his death, the aged Simeon told that the baby is finally destined to see him, go on serving the salvation of men. "
Zvershyvshy all under the law of the Lord, Mary and Joseph returned to Bethlehem.
Candlemas is celebrated on 40 th day after the birth of Jesus Christ. Solemnize it began in the late V century.
Brief History (from the site of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
Feast of the Meeting is based on events from the life of our Savior, which was written by Saint Luke the Evangelist (2, 22-40). The law of Moses attributed to each woman after birth 40 days dare not enter the house because at that time it was considered unclean. These 40 days were called the other day cleaning. After these days have a newborn baby come to the temple and offered sacrifices of purification. Old, richer woman sacrificed a lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove, and the poor had to bring a pair of turtle-doves or two. Mary as Mother of God was not obliged to purify themselves for holy by Christmas, says Kontakion of the feast: "consecrated virgin womb thou thy Christmas. And yet she performs in obedience to law and order sacrificer two turtles.
The feast of the Purification of Jerusalem began in the second half of IV. The first mention of it gives pilgrim S. Eteri in his diary, which calls it a "40 day after Epiphany. It describes the celebration: "The fortieth day after Epiphany is celebrated with the greatest solemnity indeed. This day is a procession to the temple of the Resurrection, where all gather for the Liturgy. Celebrated by order of the genealogy with the highest solemnity, as at Easter. All the priests preach and as bishop. All they explain the text of the Gospel, which states that 40 day Joseph and Mary brought the Lord to the temple "(Chapter 26).
From Jerusalem the feast spread to all the East, but only in Article VI. by Emperor Justinian (527-565), it becomes critical. Emperor Justinian ordered consider the Lord for the great feast of Candlemas, and keep it in the whole empire. Therefore, in prayers for this feast several times praying for the emperor.
Feast of the Meeting in the West was originally just Hospodskym and much later became regarded as our Blessed Mother and called Clearing the Virgin Mary or Jesus in the temple donation. New regulations Latin Church of the Second Vatican Council Meeting again set among Hospodskyh feasts. In the Eastern Church belongs to our Blessed Candlemas feast and sometimes is also called Candlemas Virgin Mary.
Purification divine Spirit is the same as the spirit of Christ's Nativity and Epiphany: Epiphany on earth to glorify, magnify Christ's divinity and render honor to Mary, as Our Lady. Verse and sidalny evening, the canon of Matins and verse - is one majestic hymn of glory in honor of Christ's Epiphany, in honor of the Eternal Word, the incarnation of God and in honor of the Blessed Virgin. This small child, her parents brought today to the temple is Eternal God, who gave the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai: "Today one - sung in sticheras cast - that once gave the law to Moses at Sinai povynuyetsya for us prescriptions law For pity on us ... Today Simon takes the hand of the Lord of glory, his first Moses in darkness have seen on Mount Sinai gave him the table ... created the heavens and the earth today is worn on the hands of the elder Simeon.
On Meeting of "Bolshaya Encyclopedia Cyril and Mefodyya, 2001.
Candlemas, a Christian holiday on remembrance of things that happened in the fortieth day the earthly life of Jesus Christ, namely the meeting of the Divine Infant in the Jerusalem Temple for two starozavitskymy righteous - Simeon and the prophetess Anna (Luke 2:22-39). In the Orthodox Church - and the Blessed Virgin Hospodske dvonadesyate holiday.
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