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.