On the 2nd February the Orthodox Church celebrates the Presentation of the Lord – it is one of the great Christian holidays in memory of meeting the baby Jesus with pious Simeon. This holiday was established In Palestine in the II-IV centuries. First festival was mentioned in the memoirs of the traveller - pilgrim Etheria. He took part into this celebration of the Presentation of the Lord. This holiday is established in the memory of the meeting, which is described in the Gospel according to St. Luke. Mary came to the temple on the fortieth day after Christmas birthday in order to make offerings to God. According to the Old Testament, a woman was forbidden to enter the temple for 40 days after she gave birth to a child. After the above-mentioned period the mother came to the church with the baby, to sacrifice the cleansing and thanksgiving offerings.
Two significant mythical components underlie this holiday. These components come from a pagan religion, and have survived up and this day.
First, there is a meeting of two seasons - winter and spring, which has become a holiday of the Presence of the Lord in Christianity. This festival is dedicated to the adoption of a pious old man Simeon in the Temple of Jerusalem and recognition of Jesus as the Savior.
Secondly, the pagan ritual of purification by water and fire, became the purification of the Virgin Mary 40 days after Jesus' birth.
The reason of the national holiday of Candlemas is the idea of meeting of two seasons.
The word is derived from an Old Slavic word "meeting”. Over time this Slavic word underwent some alterations: meeting - Candlemas.
A few words we would like to mention about the second component of the holiday. The Romans in February, which preceded the New Year (in those days the year began on the 1st of March), was a time of purification, atonement. Cleansing was carried out with the help of water and fire.
In the process of becoming Christian mythology the idea of conditional meetings winter and spring, in conjunction with the tradition of cleansing in paganism and simultaneously ancient holidays wolves and bears on the eve of spring, with the time becomes a Christian holiday as the Presentation of the Lord.
Continuing an ancient tradition in our days at this holiday in churches during the services sanctify water, commit other ceremonies, during which the parishioners stand with candles in their hands.
Superstition. Tradition. Customs.
Golden opinions say that this holiday is called Candlemas. It supposedly symbolises a woman Dokia which is fickle, changeable and contradictory by nature, provides us with the same weather in late winter. Farmers predict the weather depending on the weather on this holiday.
On this day, the peasants did not work in order to prevent the wild animals attack on their farms.
