ak-ua.in.ua

Meeting on February 2, 2025: essential information you should know about this day.

The Meeting of the Lord is one of the twelve major Christian holidays, symbolizing the encounter between humanity and God.
Сретение 2 февраля 2025 года: ключевые моменты, которые стоит знать об этом дне.

What is the Feast of the Presentation and how did it originate?

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is one of the twelve major Christian holidays, celebrated on February 2 (previously on February 15). It was established in honor of the event described in the Gospel of Luke: on the fortieth day after the birth of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and Joseph brought the Infant to the Jerusalem temple to dedicate him to God, as required by the Law of Moses.

In the temple, they were met by the elder Simeon, who had been foretold that he would not die before seeing the Savior. When he took the child in his arms, he uttered the famous prayer "Now You Let Your Servant Go" and prophesied to Mary that her Son would become the Savior, but she herself would face suffering.

The name of the holiday "Presentation" comes from the Old Slavic word "sretati," which means "to meet." This day represents the meeting of the Old and New Testament, humanity and God.

In Orthodox tradition, the Presentation symbolizes the encounter of man with God, spiritual enlightenment, and the realization of the higher meaning of life. In folk culture, this day is seen as the boundary between winter and spring.

Traditions and rituals of the Presentation

  1. Blessing of candles – on this day, churches bless "Presentation candles," which, according to tradition, protect the home from misfortunes, thunder, and lightning. They were lit during storms and given to the seriously ill.
  2. Water on the Presentation – the water blessed on this day is considered to have the same power as that of the Epiphany; it is kept throughout the year and used for healing and blessing the home.
  3. Meeting of spring – in Russia, it was believed that on this day winter and spring "meet": if it is warm on February 2, then spring will come early.

Folk signs for the Presentation:

  • clear weather – predicts an early spring, cloudy – winter will linger;
  • if there is a snowstorm – spring will be late and cold;
  • icicles on the Presentation – indicate a bountiful year;
  • if birds arrive – spring will be warm and swift.