The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is celebrated on February 15 in the Orthodox world and on February 2 in Catholicism. It marks the arrival of the Mother of God and the baby Jesus at the Jerusalem Temple for dedication to God. This law was commanded to the Jews by the prophet Moses, and the inhabitants of the country had to bring babies to the temples on the 40th day after birth. Candlemas marks the meeting of Jesus by two local saints, whom religion refers to as belonging to the Old Testament. Jesus is the New Testament Messiah. Therefore, it is believed that the date marks the meeting of the Old and New Testaments, old and new times.
What is the Sretenskaya candle and how does it differ from the usual one?
Sretensky are wax candles consecrated on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. They are blessed according to a special ritual, with the reading of a special prayer addressed to God. The ritual is prescribed to be performed in front of the Royal Doors of the temple before the festive liturgy begins.
Parishioners bring the candles blessed on Candlemas home and keep them as a special value. They are attributed special properties. The official church classifies the use of the Sretensky candle in magical practice as superstition.
The meaning of this source of fire in Orthodoxy is different. A candle means making a sacrifice to God, that is, your gift to the one you love. It is believed that a Sretensky candle burned at home is not a sacrifice if it is burned just like that. It should burn in front of an image or some kind of shrine. The symbolism of a candle is the fire of love for God and the prayers that a believer offers to him. What makes the Candlemas candle special is not the rite of consecration, but the depth of religious feeling manifested in relation to Jesus.
How to consecrate
What is the difference between a church candle for the Presentation of the Lord and the one that every person can purchase in a church shop? There is only one difference: the classical ones are consecrated on any day, and the Sretensky ones only on February 15th. The rite of consecration is carried out in a special way, where special liturgical books are used.
Also on this day you can bless water. Prayer for the Presentation of the Lord will only double the power of the holy water. Previously, it was not tap water or well water that was blessed, but melted snow. They said that such candles could even drive demons out of the house. They are intended to appeal to the Lord.
Using the Sretensky candle for prayers: what effect can be achieved
In church practice, there is evidence that prayers to Jesus, the Mother of God or one of the saints are fulfilled faster if they were offered in front of a torch, consecrated with a special rite, with sincere faith in their help. Believers light Sretensky candles on special, difficult occasions. They help when solving personal problems (illness, severe grief, important choice, etc.). The special power of candles is also used when demonic forces influence the person asking for deliverance and the Lord.
Superstitions associated with sources of fire and conductors of prayer to God prescribe their use in magical rituals. And in this case, too, the special power of the Meeting and the special blessing of candles is noted. The Church does not approve of the use of consecrated objects, that is, objects intended to be sacrificed to God, in magical, pagan and other rituals not related to Christianity.
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Sometimes a candle consecrated with a great ceremony is brought to sorcerers or healers to perform some ritual. Despite the “white magic”, clients who perform such an action often get the opposite effect to the desired one. This is due to a violation of the religious rule that considers consecrated objects to be for God alone. During the performance of magical rituals, the magician turns to completely different forces.
Church candles can only be used for their intended purpose. They are lit in front of the icons of those saints from whom help is asked.
The meaning of candles
Sretensky Orthodox candles and church candles are visually no different from ordinary ones. The peculiarity lies only in the method of consecration.
If a classic candle can be blessed on any holiday, then the Sretensky candle can only be blessed on February 15th. In ancient times, this symbol was kept in a certain corner of the house near the altar or icons. Church candles are intended for people with faith in their souls. Prayer for the Presentation of the Lord must come from the heart and soul.
The consecration of Sretensky candles occurs using sacred scripture.
Prayer in the temple on a candle
They pray by lighting candles at home, but in the temple a special atmosphere is created for this action. Entering the church, a person renounces everything earthly and turns his thoughts entirely to the Lord. Therefore, prayer in church may be more effective than prayer said at home.
Candles are placed in health, intending to pray for the healing of a sick relative. This can be done anywhere in the church, except for the eve table, where candles are collected for prayers for the repose of the soul of the deceased. If you have no experience in determining the right place, you can always ask one of the attendants. If you intend to pray to a saint, candles are brought and placed near his image.
Placing a candle in front of the icon, they say a short prayer addressed to God: “O Lord, accept this sacrifice for your servants (name the name for whom you are praying).”
If a candle burns in front of an icon with the image of a saint, then they call his name and ask him to pray for himself or a relative before the Lord.
Sometimes it happens that all the candlesticks are occupied, and there is nowhere to put your candle. You cannot remove other candles or put a second one in the socket. It is not necessary to wait until one of them burns out. Place your candles in a special box; they will be placed later by the temple servants.
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Do not forget that this is a sacrifice, so you should not assume that you must burn it yourself. Having placed the candle in the box, the parishioner already donates it to the person for whom it is intended. If there is a desire to pray, then the prayer is said while looking at other candles.
Meeting in Christianity and Orthodoxy
The event in honor of which the holiday appeared is written in the Gospel.
According to Jewish law, a rite of dedication to the Lord was performed in temples over newborn babies. On the 40th day from the birth of Christ, the Mother of God appeared at the doors of the temple with little Jesus in her arms.
Elder Simeon (he was predicted to meet with God incarnate) and a seer named Anna came to the Virgin Mary, saw the promised Messiah in the baby and told those gathered in the temple about his coming. This event is considered the first meeting (meeting) of the Lord and people.
Simeon and Anna are classified as Old Testament saints, and Jesus marks the beginning of the New Testament, so there is a “meeting” of the two testaments.
In the Orthodox world, the Presentation has been celebrated annually since the 10th century on a set day - February 15, exactly 40 days after the Nativity of Christ. The word “sretenie” itself is of Slavic origin and means a meeting.
Along with the rites prescribed by Orthodox traditions, the Presentation of the Lord included remnants of the pagan past of our Motherland.
In ancient times, this church holiday was considered the destiny of the masters, while the common people preferred to call it the day of the meeting of winter and spring, foreshadowing the imminent warming and the beginning of gardening and field work.
Walking around the house with a candle
Among people who resort to the help of magic, it is believed that when moving into a new home, it is necessary to cleanse the apartment of possible negativity left over from the previous owners. A variant of the ritual involves walking around the house with a candle purchased from the church. Sretenskaya is considered especially effective.
You can do this bypass if you follow the rules:
- It is recommended to fast 3 days before the ritual, and take communion in the temple on the eve of the ritual.
- You also need to prepare your apartment. Place small containers of salt in all corners. This will help collect negative energies. On the day of the ceremony, thoroughly clean the house and wash the floor.
- When visiting church, buy the longest or thickest candle. Its burning should continue throughout the ritual, and for a large apartment a small candle may not be enough.
- Start walking around the apartment from the entrance. You need to light a candle and, reading a protective prayer (“Our Father” or “Holy God”), walk around all the rooms in the house in sequence. The main requirement is to walk through the rooms only clockwise.
- Returning to the entrance to the apartment, you should say a sealing word-spell (“Amen”, “So be it” or another). This will save the space of the home from the invasion of new negativity from the outside.
Often, after the ceremony, believers place icons of Jesus, the Mother of God or the patron saints of the family in the red corner of each room. Candles are lit in front of the images to keep the space in a positive state. People who do not consider themselves Christians place incense lamps, amulets or other items designed to support the well-being of their home.
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Small sacrifice to the Almighty
How bright and strong the flame burns, so strong is human spirituality and faith. All products sold in the church must contain two components. This:
- oil is a symbol of the mercy of the Almighty towards parishioners;
- wax is a symbol of the subordination of the human will to the rules of the Lord.
Sretensky Orthodox candles do not stand out in any way in their composition; they are the same as traditional ones.
According to spiritual practice, any appeal to the Almighty or other saints during the burning of the Sretenskaya candle is highlighted by a certain power of grace. The prayer for the Presentation of the Lord is very effective. If the fire is supplemented with sincerity and faith, the rapid implementation of all plans will certainly occur. The main thing is hope in the heart and sincerity. Sretensky Orthodox candles will help in solving complex problems.
Sretensky Orthodox candles will help in solving complex problems
A church candle for the Presentation of the Lord, like any one purchased in a church, is used to appeal to the Almighty. They were usually used in special cases, when words to the Almighty were aimed at helping him in solving a difficult situation or healing from an illness. A person can light it at a moment of grief, sadness, in a state of depression, when, it would seem, there is no more strength. Fire will help you find the answer to all questions and drive away demonic attacks. Prayer for the power of the Sretensky candle should come only from the heart.
How to properly store and use Sretensky candles
Sretensky candles are stored separately from ordinary candles. They are often placed together with some valuables in a box or chest of a suitable size. They can be stored for 1 year, until the next feast of the Presentation of the Lord. In the church you can buy these candles in reserve.
Candles can be used in the following situations:
- if you are afraid of a thunderstorm, it is recommended to go outside with a burning candle and pray;
- candle wax helps to remove cockroaches, mice, etc.: drip wax in the corners of the room, you can throw a piece of wax into the hole and give it smoke;
- for a good harvest you need to walk around the garden clockwise 3 times;
- a candle is placed at the head of a dying person so that death is easy;
- in order for children to study well, they are blessed by lighting a candle on Wednesdays and Fridays;
- when reading the Psalter, you need to light the Candlemas candle;
- to help a seriously ill patient, it is advised to go around his bed 3 times with a lit fire and a prayer for health;
- It is believed that Sretensky candles contribute to the acquisition of abundance in the house: they can be lit in front of images or simply stored and used for prayers if necessary.
The transfer of your candles to another person is also specially stipulated. The holy power of Sretensky candles helps only those for whom they pray. If a stranger asks, then this value cannot be given to him. But for a person who is near death, this rule can be waived.
The moment where two seasons meet
The day of February 15 symbolizes the long-awaited meeting of the Lord with believers. Previously, this holiday was more perceived as a peasant holiday. Among the people, February 15 was a symbol of the change of seasons; on this day the first rays of the sun could already be found. Sretensky Orthodox candles already stood out for their special power.
On this day, in order to attract the first warm days, mass celebrations or even fist fights were organized. One group of peasants dressed up in bright outfits, and the other in white. In who would win, they looked for the answer to the question of the arrival of early or late warm days. Women set tables and invited guests, generously feeding livestock. Particular attention was paid to chickens, which must lay eggs, despite the cold. And the children, with the first rays of the sun, began to dance in circles and sing songs, calling on spring to come quickly. Sretensky Orthodox candles were often presented by guests to their hosts as a gift.
On this day, in order to attract the first warm days, mass celebrations or even fist fights were organized
Reading sacred words is the road to Divine Grace
Candles alone cannot be beneficial. The lit fire must be supplemented with heartfelt prayer and only then will the light fulfill all desires. The same rule can be applied to the water over which prayer was read that day. No one downplays its healing properties, but they will only increase in a person with faith in his soul and heart.
Candles alone cannot bring any benefit; the lit fire must be supplemented with heartfelt prayer and only then will the light fulfill all desires
These words are directed to people who want to use candles without faith in the Lord: “They heal only people with a pure heart that is overflowing with love for God.” Today, many esoteric theories advise using Sretensky candles to block black magic or energy vampires. But this is a great sin. Only sacred words addressed to the Lord will help get rid of visible and invisible well-wishers. These canons are fundamental in all Churches. The meaning of sanctification is the purification of soul and body.
The Meaning of Sanctification for Believers
Not everyone knows what it is and how Sretensky church candles are blessed. The meaning of consecration in Orthodoxy is to show the Lord the love of parishioners and their devotion. She personifies humility and obedience, following all the commandments. They are important, their fire helps people cleanse their souls, tune their consciousness to the Divine Light that every person wants to see. The fire must be lit when a person wants to talk with the Almighty about hidden topics and feel his support and harmony in the soul.
The meaning of consecration in Orthodoxy is to show the Lord the love of parishioners and their devotion
What not to do at the Presentation of the Lord
There are many prohibitions associated with the Candlemas holiday. According to signs, on February 15 you cannot:
- use foul language and drink alcohol;
- swear and quarrel with loved ones;
- do cleaning, laundry and handicrafts; only the most necessary tasks are allowed;
- wash;
- go hunting and fishing;
- work for money; ideally, only doctors, rescuers and firefighters should work on Candlemas.
Advice! A folk sign for Candlemas does not recommend going on a long journey. According to legend, in this case it will not be possible to return home soon.
Folk signs
- At night on this day the sky is starry, clear, without clouds - expect a bountiful harvest of fruit.
- Beekeepers also rejoice at the clear, calm weather: she says that spring will give many flowers, which means the bees will have something to buzz about.
- The thaw has begun: spring will be late.
- Snowy weather: Spring will be long and rainy.
- The weather is windy: but this is already bad, the harvest will be poor (although there is a sign that the Candlemas wind threatens only the garden and field, and garden trees, on the contrary, will give a good harvest).
- The clouds promise frost soon.
After this holiday, people traditionally began to prepare for spring: they sorted through the seeds stored for planting and drove the cattle from the barn into the pen.
And to make it easier for your children, grandchildren or godchildren to get to know this holiday, you don’t have to read this long article to them, but show them a short video. It was filmed specifically for children. The presenter and her two little assistants will not only figure out the history of the holiday together, but will also draw beautiful holiday cards:
