The Icon Of Candlemas
15 February in the Orthodox churches celebrate Candlemas. This holiday is one of the Twelve great feasts and is not transitive, that is, it is solid to this date. What is Candlemas? In Church Slavonic the word means-meeting. What kind of a meeting here a meaning? Refer to the biblical event. The blessed virgin Mary and the Righteous Joseph crossed the threshold of the temple of Jerusalem with the Divine Infant Christ on the fortieth day after His birth, to the law of Moses to bring a sin offering. The sacrifice consisted of a yearling lamb and a pigeon. Due to poverty of the Holy Family was able to bring to the temple two doves that was not forbidden. At this point the Law ends. There are two Testament Completes the old Testament and begins the New Testament. Begins the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who Himself would become the Sacrifice for the sins of the world and accept a terrible death on the Cross.
However, this Celebration contains two filled with a deep sense of meeting people, which glorified the Church. The righteous Simeon, who was called the God-receiver. It was a scientist. Once the translation of the Scriptures into Greek, he was embarrassed prophetic words from Isaiah that "a virgin shall conceive in the womb, and shall bring forth". Then an angel appeared and told Simeon that he would not die until he sees the prophecy. Simeon lived about 360 years before meeting the Baby. On this day, led by the Holy Spirit, he was in the temple, saw the Savior of mankind and died peacefully, closing the last page of the old Testament. Another righteous the coming of the Holy spirit recognized the Holy Family. This is the prophetess Anna, daughter of Phanuel, who for most of his life after the death of her husband lived at the temple. She was 84 years old. After this wonderful meeting, she went to inform people about the birth of Christ.
In temples on this day there is a tradition to bless candles, which are kept throughout the year and are lit with faith and prayer at different occasions. This custom was originally pagan. In Orthodoxy he was filled with a special meaning. Burning candle symbolizes the Light that through Christ came into the world.
