Presentation of the Lord

Life

On the fortieth day after the Nativity the Most Holy Virgin brought her divine Son to the Jerusalem temple to consecrate Him to God according to the law, and to purify herself (Leviticus 12:2-7; Exodus 12:2). Although neither one nor the other was necessary, nevertheless the Lawgiver did not want in any way to transgress against His own Law, which He had given through His servant and prophet Moses. At that time the high priest Zacharias, father of John the Forerunner, was serving his turn in the temple. He placed the Virgin Mary not in the place for women, but in the place for virgins in the temple. On this occasion two remarkable persons appeared in the temple: the elder Simeon and Anna, daughter of Phanuel. The righteous elder took the Messiah in his arms and said: "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word..." Simeon also said of the Christ Child: "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against" (Luke 2:29 and 34). Anna, who from her youth had served God in the temple by fasting and prayers, herself also recognized the Messiah, and she glorified God and proclaimed to the people of Jerusalem concerning the arrival of the Long-Expected One. But the Pharisees, present in the temple, who saw and heard everything, became angry with Zacharias for placing the Virgin Mary in the place for virgins, and reported this to King Herod. Convinced that this was the New King of whom the star-gazers from the East had spoken to him, Herod quickly sent to kill Jesus. But in the meantime the divine family had already slipped out of the city and set off for Egypt, according to the instruction of God's angel. The day of the Presentation was celebrated from the very beginning, but the solemn celebration of this day was established especially in the year 544 during the time of Emperor Justinian.

From the Hymn of Praise

When winter meets spring,Old Simeon was of good fortune:He met the Long-Expected One,Through the prophets the Prophesied One,