Menaion

February 2

Great feastTHE ENCOUNTER OF OUR LORD, GOD, AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST WITH SIMEON AND ANNA, celebrated forty days after the Birth of the Savior on Dec. 25. Coming to his believing and exultant people, as “a light to enlighten the nations and the glory of his people Israel.” St. Sophronius of Jerusalem wrote about this feast: “Let us all hasten to meet (encounter) Christ. Everyone should be eager to join the procession and to carry a light. Our lighted candles are a sign of the divine splendor of the One who comes to expel the dark shadows of evil and to make the whole universe radiant with the brilliance of his eternal Light.”


At Vespers

music

If it is Saturday evening or Sunday evening, we sing "Blessed is the man."

There are eight stichera at "O Lord, I have cried."

Tone 1 samohlasen. O Simeon, tell us whom you are joyfully carrying into the Temple. * To whom are you saying: * Now You may dismiss your servant, O Lord, * because my eyes have seen my Savior. * He is the child born of the Virgin. * He is the Word and God of God. * O Lord, who for our sake was incarnate and saved the world, * to You we bow in worship. (3 times)

O Simeon, now receive the One * whom Moses the lawgiver had foreseen through the cloud on Sinai. * He has become a child and submits himself to the Law. * This is He who spoke through the Law and whom the prophets foretold. * O Lord, who for our sake was incarnate and saved the world, * to You we bow in worship. (3 times)

O faithful, come, let us welcome Christ * and receive Him with hymns of praise and glory. * He is the salvation Simeon has seen. * He is the One whom David foretold * and of whom the prophets have spoken. * O Lord, who for our sake was incarnate and inspired the Law, * to You we bow in worship. (twice)

Glory, now and ever – Tone 6.  Today the gates of heaven swing open, * for the Word of the Father who has no beginning * has received beginning in time * without any loss to his divinity. * As a child of forty days He is offered by a virgin Mother * in the Temple according to the Law. * The Elder Simeon receives Him in his arms and cries out: * Dismiss me, O Master, for my eyes have seen your salvation; * O Lord, who came into the world to save us, glory to You!

Entrance with censer, and prokeimenon of the day.  Then three readings:

A reading from Exodus (Composite V).

A reading from the Prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-12).

A reading from the Prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 19:1-5, 12, 16, 19-21).

Stichera at the litija:

Tone 1 Bolhar. The Ancient of Days, who of old gave the Law to Moses on Sinai * appears this day as an infant. * The Creator of the Law fulfills the Law. * He is brought into the Temple * and is given over to the Elder. * The just Simeon receives Him, * and, beholding the fulfillment of the divine promise, joyfully cries out: * My eyes have seen the mystery hidden from all eternity. * It has been revealed in these latter days. * The Light has radiated the darkness of the unbelieving Gentiles * and gives glory to the newly chosen Israel. * Therefore, let your servant depart from the bonds of this flesh * to the wondrous unending life that knows no age. * And we pray You to grant great mercy to the world.

He, who once gave the Law to Moses on Sinai, * today submits himself to the prescriptions of the Law. * In his compassion He has become like us for our sakes. * Now the pure God, as a holy infant having opened a pure womb, * is being offered as God to himself. * He is freeing us from the curse of the Law * and granting light to our souls.

Tone 2 Bolhar. Simeon now receives below in his earthly arms * the One whom the ministers at the liturgy on high entreat with trembling, * and who was prophesied to become incarnate. * Seeing the heavenly God as mortal man, * he is ready to withdraw from earthly things and joyfully cries out: * Glory to You, o Lord, the unsetting Light, * that uncovers those in darkness.

Today Simeon takes in his arms the Lord of Glory, * the One whom Moses formerly saw in the darkness * when he received the tablets of the Law on Mount Sinai. * This is He who speaks through the prophets; * He is the Creator of the Law. * This is He whom David announced. * He is awesome to all, yet He has great and abundant mercy.

The pure Virgin brings the sacred One * into the sanctuary to the holy priest. * Simeon extends his hands, * receives Him joyously in his arms, and cries out: * O Master, now You may dismiss your servant in peace, * according to your word, O Lord.

The Creator of heaven and earth is carried today * in the arms of the Elder Simeon. * Inspired by the Holy Spirit, he cried out: " Now I am set free, for I have beheld my Savior.

Today, Simeon the Elder enters the Temple, rejoicing in spirit, " to receive in his arms the One who gave the Law to Moses, * the One who fulfills the Law in himself. " For Moses was counted worthy to see God, * although in darkness and sounds that were not clear; * and with covered face he rebuked the unbelieving people. * But Simeon carried the pre-eternal Word of the Father in bodily form, * and he revealed the Light of the Gentiles, the Cross, and the Resurrection. * Anna was shown to be a prophetess, * announcing the Savior and Deliverer of Israel. * Unto Him let us cry aloud: * Through the Theotokos have mercy on us, O Christ our God.

Tone 4 Bolhar.  Today, the holy Mother who is higher than any temple * has herself come into the Temple * to show the world the Creator and Giver of the Law. * Simeon the Elder receives Him in his arms; * he venerates Him and cries aloud: * Now let your servant depart in peace, * for I have seen You, the Savior of our souls.

Glory – Tone 5 (Bolhar?).  Search the Scriptures as Christ our God said in the Gospels; * for in them we find Him who was born and wrapped in swaddling clothes, * the One laid in a manger and fed upon milk, * who received circumcision and was carried by Simeon. * Not in fancy nor in imagination, * but in very truth has He appeared to the world.

Now and ever – in the same tone.  He who is ancient of days and young in the flesh * is being brought to the Temple by his virgin Mother. * He fulfills the promise of his own law. * Simeon receives Him and says: * Now You may dismiss your servant, according to your word, in peace, * for my eyes have seen your salvation, O Lord.

The aposticha are for feast:

Tone 7.  Adorn your bridal chamber, O Zion, and welcome Christ the King. * Welcome Mary, the gate of heaven, * for she has appeared as a cherubic throne * on which the King of Glory is seated. * Indeed, the Virgin has become a cloud of light, * bearing in her arms the eternal Son. * Simeon received Him in his arms * and proclaimed to the people that He is the Master, * the Master of life and death, and the Savior of the world.

Now you may dismiss your servant, O Lord, in peace, according to your word.

The all-pure Mother carried into the Temple * the One who comes forth from the Father in all eternity * and from the womb of a Virgin in time. * The Lawmaker of Mount Sinai submits to the Law * and is presented to the elderly and holy one * so that he may see the Promised One. * When Simeon received Him in his arms, he joyfully cried out: * This is God, co-eternal with the Father, * and the Savior of our souls.

A light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.

Mary, the Mother of God, carried in her arms * the Lord who rides the chariot of the Cherubim * and is pralsed with the hymns of the Seraphim. * He was incarnate of her without human seed; * He is the Lawgiver who fulfills the precepts of the Law. * She handed him over into the arms of the aged priest. * Holding the Life in person, * Simeon asked to be delivered of his present life, saying: * Dismiss me now, O Master, that I may tell Adam * how my eyes have seen the eternal God * who was made man without undergoing change, * and who brought about the salvation of the world.

Glory, now and ever – Tone 8.  He who rides on the Cherubim and is praised by the Seraphim * is now being brought into the holy Temple according to the Law. * He is sitting in the arms of an old man as though upon a throne. * From Joseph He receives God-pleasing gifts, a pair of turtle doves, * and from the newly-chosen people of the Gentiles, an undefiled Church. * The two doves indicate that He is the head both of the Old and New Testaments. * As for Simeon, when he saw what had been revealed come to pass, * he received the child and blessed the virgin Mother of God, * pointing out to her the sufferings that she would bear. * He asked the Lord to be released from life, saying: * Now You may dismiss me, O Lord, as You have promised; * for my eyes have seen You, the eternal Light, * the Lord and Savior of all Christian people.

Troparion, Tone 1.  Rejoice, Theotokos, Virgin full of grace; * for from you has shown forth the Sun of Justice, Christ our God, * enlightening those who are in darkness. * Rejoice, also, you just elder; * you received in your arms the liberator of our souls, * who grants us resurrection. (3 times)

At the Divine Liturgy

music

Entrance Hymn, sung to the Tone 1 troparion melody (Ps. 97:2). The Lord has made his salvation known; * in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.

Troparion, Tone 1.  Rejoice, Theotokos, Virgin full of grace; * for from you has shown forth the Sun of Justice, Christ our God, * enlightening those who are in darkness. * Rejoice, also, you just elder; * you received in your arms the liberator of our souls, * who grants us resurrection.

Glory, now and ever – Kontakion, Tone 1.   Christ our God, through your birth you sanctified the Virgin's womb * and blessed the hands of Simeon as was proper. * Now you have come and saved us. * Give peace to nations at war and strengthen our government. * You, alone, love us all.

Prokeimenon, Tone 3 (Luke 1:46-48). My souls proclaims the greatness of the Lord * and my spirit rejoices * in God my Savior.
V. For he has looked with favor on the humility of his servant; from this day forward, all generations will call be blessed.

Epistle:  Hebrews 7:7-17

Alleluia, Tone 8 (Luke 2:29, 32). Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
V. Now you may dismiss your servant, O Lord, in peace according to your word.
V. A light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.

Gospel:  Luke 2:22-40

Magnification. Virgin Theotokos, * the hope of Christians, * protect, watch and save * those who have placed their hope in you.

Irmos, Tone 3. O faithful, let us recognize the figure of Christ * foreshadowed in the letter of the Law which says: * Every male child who opens the womb * is sanctified to God. * Therefore, the first-born Word * and Son of the Father without beginning, * the first-born Son of a mother who had not known man: * him, let us extol.

Communion Hymn (Ps. 115:4). I shall take the chalice of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!