Sretenie: history of the holiday, signs and customs

At the end of winter, Christians celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, which is dedicated to the meeting of God with humanity, and in the pre-Christian tradition, the first meeting of winter with spring. This event is one of the twelve most important in the Christian calendar. The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord has long been considered the boundary between winter and spring, the day when nature gradually awakens and human life is filled with new hopes. This holiday also marks the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of the path to Easter.

In Christianity, this event is on a par with such important holidays as Christmas, Epiphany, Easter and others. It is one of the twelve feasts that has a fixed date and does not depend on Easter. This year, it is celebrated according to the New Julian calendar on Monday, February 2 (February 15 according to the Julian calendar - before the Orthodox Church switched to the New Julian calendar), the 40th day after Christ was born to the Virgin Mary and is inextricably linked to the traditions of the Jewish people and is part of the law that God gave them. The event does not require fasting or an additional day off.

Theintent is to tell you about the meaning of this day, important prohibitions, and signs that our ancestors used to determine the future of the year.

The history of the holiday

In the Jewish tradition, a sacred rite performed by the parents of an infant who became the firstborn male in every Jewish family that honors the law of God prescribes that he be brought to the Sanctuary for a faithful presentation before the Lord. This is also done in memory of the deliverance from the defeat of the firstborn of Israel on the night of the exodus from Egypt, and also aims to complete the rite of final purification of the baby's mother. This rite involves the offering of a sacrificial one-year-old lamb or two young pigeons by the mother of the infant. This is described in more detail in the Bible, in the third Book of Moses, Leviticus chapter 12.

According to the Scripture, the Virgin Mary brought two young doves to the Jerusalem temple. In those days, a holy elder named Simeon served in the temple. At one time he was so eager to see the Messiah promised by God that the Lord predicted to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see his death until he saw Christ the Lord. Simeon was very old, but on that day he came to the temple on a whim and met Christ. This event became a symbol of the meeting of the Old and New Testaments, of human expectation and God's promise. To commemorate this event, churches hold a special Presentation service.

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord was first mentioned in historical documents in the fourth century AD. It was the day that completed the entire forty-day holiday cycle from the day of the Nativity of Christ. It was also included in Christian calendars because the event commemorated on this day is not only significant, but also one of the key moments that testify to the high mission that God entrusted to Jesus Christ.

Presentation of the Lord customs and prohibitions

In the folk calendar, the day of the "meeting of winter with spring" was perceived as the day of the meeting of the Lord. It is associated with numerous signs about the weather, harvest, and the arrival of warmth. Like all important celebrations, Sreteniye has several church and ancient customs and prohibitions.

Candles of the Presentation

Ukrainian customs say that when the Presentation of the Lord comes, a large candle should be brought to the church and blessed. Then it was taken home and kept for special occasions. It is believed that the candle of the Presentation of the Lord has a special power. It protects homes from natural disasters and conflicts, heals the sick, and protects travelers. Therefore, it was lit if someone in the house was sick, a child was born, or bad weather was expected (that's why these candles are also called "gromnichny").

The cult of fire is an indispensable sign of the holiday. Boys would light bonfires, thus calling for spring, and girls would sing the first spring songs. They also began to paint Easter eggs on the Feast of the Presentation. This is a very old tradition associated with the ritual of the spring awakening of nature.

The water of the Holy Presentation

The water blessed on this day is valued on a par with the water of Epiphany. It is sprinkled on the house for good luck, on warriors for protection, and on beehives for good bee swarming.

When the water was blessed in the church, the peasants would collect it in a new - not yet used - vessel, bring it home, and keep it carefully. This water was credited with magical powers. It was considered healing water. People rubbed sore spots with it and believed that it would help, and they also believed that it helped against the "evil eye" and other evil spells. Not only people can be treated with this water, but also cattle, poultry, and bees. Beekeepers kept this water all year round and sprinkled it on their hives every "first" Sunday-the first Sunday of the new moon. When a son went to war, his father would bless him and sprinkle him with Stretna water and say: "God save you!"

Alms and treats

On this day, it is customary to help the needy and bake pancakes or cookies in the shape of birds ("larks"), calling for the speedy arrival of spring.

Sretensky prohibitions

The prohibitions of the Presentation of the Lord are almost the same as those that apply on other holidays. On the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, one should not work hard, quarrel, sew, or wash clothes (the prohibition concerned "dirty" work with water, so as not to bring bad weather). There is also a belief that one should not go on a long journey, otherwise there will be trouble on the way. In addition, the church forbids divination on this day. Any magical rituals on a Christian holiday are considered a great sin.

Володимир Шкаєв