Centennial Year Church Services
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February 2, 2005 - SS. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church Observes Her 100th Feast of the Meeting (Presentation) of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Temple. According to Mosaic Law, the mother of a male child brought her child to the temple on the fortieth day after his birth to offer a sacrifice. The Most-Holy Theotokos, having borne Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, had no need of purification. Nonetheless, the Theotokos brought Jesus to the temple on the fortieth day following Nativity to fulfill the Law. The Gospel reading for this day explains the presentation of Jesus in the temple forty days after His birth. Below are scenes from the Divine Liturgy of the Feast Day of the Meeting 2005 as celebrated in our Church, accompanied by the readings of the Epistle (Hebrews 7:7-17) and the Gospel (Luke 2:22-40) for the Feast Day. By tradition, candles - both plain and decorative, with crosses and flowers in raised wax - are blessed on this day at the conclusion of Divine Liturgy. The decorative candles are saved for special services such as weddings, baptisms, home blessings, and the great feasts. They are available from our Church for purchase for personal use as well.
It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. Here tithes are received by mortal men; there by one of whom it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.
For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not according to a legal requirement concerning bodily descent but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him, "Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek."
And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it it written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
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And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel."
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You may click on the photo above left to view an enlargement.
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You may click on the photo above right to view an enlarged image.
And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed." And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshipping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
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Copyright © 2005, Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, South River, NJ
