ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY Orthodox Calendar
Orthodox Calendar 2018
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February 15
Cheese-fare Week—no meat; fish and dairy allowed. Tone 3.
Cheese-fare Week—no meat.

Совершается служба великому праздникуThe Meeting of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ.

Martyr Agathadorus of Tyana in Cappadocia. New Martyr Jordan of Trebizond, at Constantinople (1650). New Hieromartyr Gabriel, hierodeacon, of Constantinople (1676). St. Anthimus of Chios (1960).

Repose of Schemamonk Seraphim of Valaam (1860).

Thoughts for Each Day of the Year
According to the Daily Church Readings from the Word of God
By St. Theophan the Recluse

St. Theophan the Recluse

Tuesday. [Jude 1:1–10; Luke 22:39–42, 45–23:1]

The Meeting of the Lord. At this meeting the Lord is surrounded on the one side by Simeon—righteousness which awaits salvation, but not in righteousness itself, and Anna—a life of strict fasting and prayer, made alive by faith; and on the other side by substantial, comprehensive and steadfast purity—the Virgin Mother of God, and by humble, silent submission and devotion to the will of God—Joseph the Betrothed. Transfer all of these spiritual attitudes to your heart and you will meet the Lord; not carried to you, but coming to you Himself. You will take Him into the embrace of your heart, and you will sing a hymn which will pass throughout the heavens and gladden all the angels and saints.

Articles

The Meeting of the Lord

According to the Law of Moses, all Hebrew parents must bring their first born son on the fortieth day after birth to the Temple to be consecrated to God. It was the custom to bring a sacrifice in thanksgiving to God. The law was established in remembrance of the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt — freedom from slavery — when the first-born Hebrews were spared from death. In fulfilment of this law, the Mother of God with Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem and brought for the sacrifice two fledgling doves.

The Meeting of the Lord

On the day of the Meeting of the Lord, an encounter occurred between the Old and New Testaments. Old Testament humanity ­ in the person of the Elder Simeon and the Prophetess Anna ­ saw with it's own eyes, in the Person of the Child Jesus, the realization of all its expectations and the meaning of its own existence. Old Testament humanity, although it was not deprived of Divine Revelation concerning the meaning of life and even had communion with God to a limited extent, all the same, became increasingly more conscious of the limited degree of this communion.

The Song of Simeon, the Presentation of Christ, and the Greek Old Testament

Gabe Martini

The Nunc dimittis or Song of Simeon is a recorded response as this old, frail servant of the Lord beholds the incarnate Lord of Glory for the very first time. In this moment, he knew his life was complete; he had fulfilled his purpose. Interestingly enough, there is a significant back-story to this presentation of Christ, and to the elder Simeon’s response.

The Meeting of Our Lord

Archbishop Dmitri (Royster)

God literally entered the world, into time and history. He was physically present in the midst of His people, His creatures whom He loves. Our Lord took on human nature in order to reconcile unto Himself, man who had strayed far from the Source of his life.

The Meeting of the Lord

The Church teaches the Law of God, righteousness and piety, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit are bestowed in the Mystery of Chrismation; but meeting God always requires the exploit of faith ­ the readiness to accept everything that will be pleasing to Him.

Does the Pure One Have Need of Purification?

We see here that the KJV erroneously translates this verse to read "days of her purification". However, a puristic translation of the text would be translated as "days of their purification".

Presentation of Christ in the Temple

An important custom was for the couple to take their first-born son to the Temple. The baby was taken to the Temple forty days after his birth and was dedicated to God. In addition, if the parents were wealthy, they were to bring a lamb and a young pigeon or a turtle dove to be offered as a sacrifice at the Temple. The custom provided that if the parents were poor, they were to offer two pigeons or two turtle doves for the sacrifice.

The Meeting of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Temple

The Feast of the Meeting of the Lord is among the most ancient feasts of the Christian Church. Despite its early origin, this Feast was not celebrated so splendidly until the sixth century.
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