Българска
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Свети
Свети Кирил и
Методи,
Равноапостоли
и Учители на
Славяните
Saints Cyril & Methodius
Bulgarian Orthodox
Mission
Meeting Our
Lord in the Temple
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Our services are held
at:
St. Luke Orthodox Church
6801 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101
We are a parish of
the
Orthodox Church in America
Diocese of Washington and New York
Meeting our Lord in the Temple
Today the Church commemorates an important event in the earthly life of
our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 2:22-40). Forty days after His birth the God-Infant
was taken to the Jerusalem Temple, the center of the nation's religious life.
According to the Law of Moses (Lev. 12:2-8), a woman who gave birth to a male
child was forbidden to enter the Temple of God for forty days. At the end of
this time the mother came to the Temple with the child, to offer a young lamb
or pigeon to the Lord as a purification sacrifice. The Most Holy Virgin, the
Mother of God, had no need of purification, since she had given birth to the
Source of purity and sanctity without defilement. However, she humbly fulfilled
the requirements of the Law.
At this time the righteous Elder Simeon
(February 3) was living in Jerusalem. It had been revealed to him that he would
not die until he should behold the promised Messiah. By inspiration from above,
St Simeon went to the Temple at the very moment when the Most Holy Theotokos
and St Joseph had brought the Infant Jesus to fulfill the Law.
The God-Receiver Simeon took the divine Child in his arms, and giving
thanks to God, he spoke the words repeated by the Church each evening at Vespers:
"Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy
word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before
the face of all people, a light to enlighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy
people Israel" (Luke 2:29-32). St Simeon said to the Most Holy Virgin:
"Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in
Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against. Yea, a sword shall pierce
through your own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be
revealed" (Luke 2:34-35).
At the Temple was the 84-year-old widow Anna the Prophetess, daughter
of Phanuel (February 3), "who did not leave the temple, but served God
with fasting and prayers night and day. She arrived just when St Simeon met the
divine Child. She also gave thanks to the Lord and spoke of Him to all those
who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem" (Luke 2:37-38). In the icon
of the Feast she holds a scroll which reads: "This Child has established
Heaven and earth."
Before Christ was born, righteous men and women lived by faith in the
promised Messiah, and awaited His coming. The Righteous Simeon and the
Prophetess Anna, the last righteous people of the Old Testament, were deemed
worthy to meet the Savior in the Temple.
The Feast of the Meeting of the Lord is among the most
ancient feasts of the Christian Church. We have sermons on the Feast by the
holy bishops Methodius of Patara (+ 312), Cyril of Jerusalem (+ 360), Gregory
the Theologian (+ 389), Amphilocius of Iconium (+ 394), Gregory of Nyssa (+
400), and John Chrysostom (+ 407). Despite its early origin, this Feast was not
celebrated so splendidly until the sixth century.
In 528, during the reign of Justinian, an earthquake killed many people
in Antioch. Other misfortunes followed this one. In 541 a terrible plague broke
out in Constantinople, carrying off several thousand people each day. During
this time of widespread suffering, a solemn prayer service (Litia) for
deliverence from evils was celebrated on the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord,
and the plague ceased. In thanksgiving to God, the Church established a more
solemn celebration of this Feast.
Church hymnographers have adorned this Feast with their hymns: St
Andrew of Crete in the seventh century; St Cosmas Bishop of Maium, St John of
Damascus, and St Germanus Patriarch of Constantinople in the eighth century;
and St Joseph, Archbishop of Thessalonica in the ninth century.
On this day we also commemorate the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos
known as "the Softening of Evil Hearts" or "Simeon's
Prophecy." The Mother of God is depicted without Her Child, with seven
swords piercing her breast: three from the left side, three from the right, and
one from below.
A similar icon, "Of the Seven Swords" (August 13) shows three
swords on the left side and four from the right.
The icon "Simeon's Prophecy" symbolizes the fulfillment of
the prophecy of the righteous Elder Simeon: "a sword shall pierce through
your own soul" (Luke 2:35).
2009
Parish Council Elected
At
the Annual Parish Meeting held after services on Sunday, January 18 a new
Parish Council was elected. The
new members will be installed after the receipt of His BeatitudeÕs blessing. The new members-elect are: Elena
Murphy, Elisabeth Sipkov Pineros, George Kochev, Larry Woods, and Nadya
Choparinoff.
Saints
Commemorated today
33rd SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST — Tone 8. Sunday of
Zacch¾us. Forefeast of the Meeting.
Martyr Tryphon of Campsada near Apamea in Syria (250). Martyrs Perpetua, a
woman of Carthage, and the Catechumens: Saturus, Revocatus, Saturninus,
Secundulus and Felicitas (202-203). Ven. Peter Galata, Hermit, near Antioch in
Syria (429). Ven. Vendemianus (Bendemianus), Hermit, of Bithynia (ca. 512).
Ven. Bridget (Brigid) of Ireland (523).