Orthodox world celebrates the feast of February 15 Presentation of the Lord.Consecrated to this day the water and candles acquire a very special quality.They help our prayers find fertile force daruyuschuyu help in turning to God.All year they carefully stored and used only in special cases.It is important to remember that in themselves help us, they can not.Candlemas water and candles acquire its healing properties only in conjunction with our faith and willingness to follow God's commandments.
ancient Jewish law
But above all, let us turn to the event, in which the memory of the Church established this feast.From the Gospel we learn that on the fortieth day after the birth of baby Jesus brought to the temple, as required by the ancient Jewish law.He waited a rite of passage to God.The doors of the church the Virgin Mary with her son met an old man named Simeon.He was predicted to survive until the day on which he vouchsafed to see God, incarnate from the Virgin.With him it was as old as he is, prophetess Anna.
same hour the Holy Ghost in the infant Jesus promised Messiah, Simeon solemnly told his mother about it, and all those present.This event marks the first direct meeting (Meeting) of God with men.In addition, Simeon and Anna - is the Old Testament saints.Thus, there was one more meet the - the Old Testament and the New Testament of Jesus Christ.In memory of these events and set a holiday.
Presentation of the Lord in the Orthodox Church
Orthodox world celebrates the event on February 15, that is, forty days after the celebration of the Nativity.It refers to a group which do not go holidays as celebrated every year in the same day.In Russia, the holiday has been known since the X century.The word "meet the" Slavic and means "meeting".Church candles, consecrated in the day, called Sretensky.
What is the difference Candlemas candle from that which every parishioner can buy in the church shop on the other days of the year?The only difference is that ordinary candles can always sanctify and Sretensky times a year - in the feast of the Presentation of the Lord.This is done in a special rank.In the Orthodox missal, which is used by every priest is praying on Consecration of Candlemas candles and all the text that accompanies this ritual.
also sanctified the day and water.It is interesting that in the old days was taken during Candlemas service holy water collected from melting snow or drops.She was considered especially healing.
day when there are winter and spring
general, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, symbolizing a promised meeting with the people of God, except the rite prescribed by the Orthodox Church, was always filled with elements of folk fantasy bordering on the obvious vestiges of paganism.The fact is that in the old days in the villages of the official church holiday was seen to some extent as a manor.Among the peasants as that day was a holiday of the first meeting of the approaching winter in the spring, as he says in the last month of winter, when it appeared the first signs of the future heat.
Folk customs feast day
this day to help spring arranged mock fights.One group of fighters ryadilas in spring clothing, and the other - in the winter.The one who wins, saw the prediction of an early or late spring.Mistress of the day zakarmlivali oats their chickens as it was believed that this will help them a well-worn all year.A peasant children in a festive morning ran into the street and asked to quickly bring the spring sun.If it is at the same time look out from behind the clouds, it was believed that their request would be fulfilled.
Roman holiday
roots in the folk calendar Orthodox holiday of Candlemas most intricately combined with the ancient feast called Gromnitsey.Probably many familiar name.Incredibly, a holiday celebrated in Russia, dates back to the ancient traditions of Rome.The fact is that in the XVII century Metropolitan Peter Grave Euchologion edit the text, that is the book on which the conduct worship services in the church.As an example, he used the Roman counterpart, which detailed the procession that day with lighted candles in their hands.Metropolitan, based describes the actions put in Sretensky candles, the use of which has not yet become a custom, a washed - sanctification and purification of the world the light of Christ.
In the minds of our ancestors, these candles were endowed with magical properties.It was believed that Candlemas candle can protect against all forms of hostile forces, including lightning and thunder.Hence the name of her - gromnitsa.However, the Orthodox Church warns against that parishioners attributed to them any magical or miraculous properties.It would be extremely frivolous.
Prayer - a way to Divine Grace
not own candles, and hot and sincere prayer when the light is able to bring the desired benefits.The same applies to fully water and Sretenskoj.It is curative, but it will never be sold in pharmacies as fertile properties of water are manifested only when a deep religious feeling is, who resorted to her aid.
It should be clear to those who try without faith in God Sretensky use candles.Meaning they are trying to translate into various fashionable nowadays esoteric theories.For example, to neutralize the negative energy surrounding us, they recommend the use of Sretensky candles.Prayer is addressed to God, and it alone, can get rid of all visible and invisible enemies of the human race - that is what teaches us the Holy Orthodox Church.
True sacrifice to God - our soul
also need to understand that Candlemas candle, like any other church candle, it is primarily our sacrifice to God, that is what we give freely, not expecting to receive equivalent compensation.In this case, we are talking about the financial sacrifices made by us.We spend our own money and buy a candle to them.Here lurks the temptation and make our sacrifice to the purely monetary terms.Simply put, for the money to buy the grace of God.
We think that the more we put a candle, the more we have spent (invested) money, the closer we get to Heaven.It is a profound mistake.We forget that all the material that we have given to us by God, that is, without our victim belongs to Him.What God wants from us Candlemas candle, not the bill that we drop in church circles, and our souls, our loyalty and our love.Candles are also a symbol of sacrifice.They are certainly needed, but their light only helps us to adjust our minds to the perception of the invisible divine light, to see that - the purpose of the life of every true Christian.Sretensky candles, the use of which is undoubtedly beneficial - still only a tuning fork, which helps us to tune in to the perception of the great divine harmony.
