15 February — Candlemas

This Wednesday, February 15, Orthodox Christians celebrate Candlemas — one of the 12 major religious holidays.

The word "Candlemas" in old Slavonic means "meeting", and the second meaning of this word is "joy." And this holiday symbolizes not just the offering of the infant Jesus to the temple and meeting Simeon and Anna with the infant Jesus, but meeting all mankind in the person of old Simeon with God.





The Candlemas traditions

In this day sanctified Church candles, also, water is sanctified as a sign that Christ was the enlightenment of the people and the candle symbolizes enlightenment, warmth, cleansing. Therefore be Holy candles, consecrated the water for that man had joy and comfort, and the assistance of divine grace in his life.
This holiday ends and the Christmas holidays.

Candlemas: what not to do in this day

Orthodox in the days of the Holy feasts do not do the following:

  • do not swear;
  • not cleaning is a tradition to clean the house, do not work in the garden and not crafting during the holidays originates from the days of the emergence of Christianity in Russia, when religion was imposed by force: to gather new Christians in the Church in the midst of harvest, it was necessary to forbid them to work under fear of God's punishment;
  • do not erase;
  • don't work in the garden;
  • don't shower – but a shower in Holy days not forbidden to anyone. From a logical point of view, the interpretation of this prohibition is to heat the bath you need to chop wood, apply water for several hours to monitor the stove – that is the work quite a lot.
In addition, the Presentation is not advised to go on a long journey: it could end badly.

Many people wonder: "is it Possible to knit in the Church holidays?" The ban of the Church on crafts during the holidays does not exist, so modern masters, which this activity is fun, you can do any day, not forgetting the Creator and the need to visit his temple.

In General, as in any feast, the day of the presentation of the Lord do not want to work. The exceptions are those cases where work must be performed for the benefit of others.





But you should definitely visit the Church since the day of the presentation of the Lord in the temple is a special solemn divine service and served a moleben. Home from Church is to capture the Candlemas candles, as candles in the day are consecrated by a special rite.

These candles have to cherish for the whole year. The so-called Candlemas candles are lit in particularly difficult moments of life, appealing in prayer to God. It can be illness or life difficulties and troubles. Candlemas candle filled with deep meaning and sanctifies hearts by the Holy Spirit.

During the same year, a candle lit in the following cases:

  • if the house was raging, terrible storm,

  • if there had been a fire or other natural disaster,

  • if you have any difficulty in childbirth,

  • if a person is "caught black disease" (epilepsy),

  • if the person died (with this candle, it was believed, the deceased will be able safer and easier to leave the world of the living).

The second important tradition on Candlemas — blessing of the waters.

Sretenskaya water from the Church valued on a par with Epiphany. According to the most ancient tradition, was carried to hallow the temple and collected the dripping of melting icicles.

Sretenskaya water used in such cases:

  • for treatment of internal diseases,

  • from the evil eye and witches spells,

  • sprinkled it of warriors before the battle and before going Chumakov,

  • early in the season beekeepers sprinkled it hives

  • the same water was sprinkled livestock during the first pasture to pasture after winter.

Folk omens

In people, this day is considered the first day of spring meeting (second meeting falls on the magpie, the third — on the Annunciation). Candlemas was considered the last frost, after the peasants did not dare to travel far away on the sleigh. This day was one of the biggest holidays of spring.

Yet this feast was known under the name of Granic. In this day it was customary to bring to Church for lighting candles. Then, during a thunderstorm (and therefore thunder) they were lit to ward off trouble. Gromnice (so called themselves the candle) was also given into the hands of the dying so that it could not come evil. Also on this day, sometimes burned each other's hair — it was considered a sure remedy for headache.

The presentation of Jesus really cared about poultry. For example, begin to feed chickens oats, saying: "Feed chickens oats and summer will be the egg". And Vice versa: "If the bird will drink water (that is, not eat) is typed, the owners of trouble."

With this holiday involves a lot of sayings. For example, said: "Candlemas — winter to summer was found"; "the Sun for the summer, the winter frost"; "the day of more light, the nights less cold," "Winter spring meets, freeze wants, and she from her will only sweat".

Not less than it was to take on the weather. It was believed that if blowing snow will be late spring. It has already been pointed out the sky with many white stars. The weather on Candlemas was tried about the harvest of herbs: throwing a stick across the road and watched — if the snow will cover it, the grass will not be enough. But if this day is quiet and Sunny, would grow the flax. Drops presaged the wheat harvest, and the wind — fertility of fruit trees. published

 

P. S. And remember, only by changing their consumption — together we change the world! ©

Source: www.niknews.mk.ua/2017/02/14/15-fevralja-sretenje-gospodne-chto-za-prazdnik-i-chto-nelzja-delat-v-etot-den/

Tags

See also

New and interesting