What day is it?

February 16 – Memorial Day of Saints Semyon and Anna – the day when the Virgin Mary and Joseph brought their son Christ to the temple for the first time, and Simeon and Anna, who were pure and faithful to God, became the first to recognize the newborn Messiah. Simeon and Anna are two righteous people who testified about who this child really was. Simeon said that Jesus would be “a light for revelation and for the glory of the people of Israel.” Simeon and Anna became representatives of all the people who eagerly awaited the coming of the Messiah.

The Orthodox Church considers Anna and Simeon to be God-receivers – the last prophets of the Old Testament. It is believed that Christ met his people Israel in the faces of these two people. AND Simeon and Anna even in old age became symbols of the fact that although worldly life will soon end, life in Jesus fills us with peace until the very end. Simeon and Anna happily come to the sunset of their lives with the Lord in their arms and joy in their hearts.

On this day, it is customary to turn to these saints with a request for the gift of health to newborn babies. There is no fasting on this holiday, you can eat anything, and it is customary to work diligently on the farm. Therefore, in the morning, people go to the morning church service and pray, asking the saints for happiness and health for the baby.

When will we celebrate the Day of Remembrance of Saints Semyon and Anna?