The Meeting of the Lord in the Temple

The event is recorded in the Gospel of Luke (2:22-38). Under the Law of Moses, forty days after the birth of a son a mother came to the Temple for her purification, and a firstborn son was presented and "redeemed" as belonging to the Lord. In humble obedience, Mary and Joseph brought the child Jesus to Jerusalem with the poor family's offering of two turtledoves. This is the "meeting" the feast is named for — in Greek Hypapante — where the Old Covenant, in its last and holiest representatives, comes face to face with the New.

Simeon, a righteous elder to whom it had been revealed that he would not die before seeing the Lord's Christ, took the child up in his arms — and so is called the "God-receiver." He sang the words the Church has never stopped singing, the Nunc Dimittis: "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace… For mine eyes have seen thy salvation… A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel" (Luke 2:29-32). He also foretold to Mary that a sword would pierce her own soul. Anna the prophetess, aged and constant in the Temple, gave thanks and spoke of the child to all who awaited redemption.

The icon is set within the Temple, before an altar beneath a canopy. The elder Simeon — often the largest figure — receives the Christ-child on hands veiled in reverence, bending toward Him. The Theotokos stands with her arms extended, having just handed her Son across; behind her Joseph carries the two birds, and Anna the prophetess raises her hand toward heaven, pointing to the child.

Notably, Christ is depicted not as a swaddled newborn but as a small child, upright and often blessing with His hand — for the icon shows not merely an infant but the Lord entering His own Temple. The whole scene turns on the meeting of arms: the Mother gives, the elder receives, and the two Covenants embrace.

The Meeting completes the cycle of the Nativity: the incarnate Lord is brought to the Temple, and "the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple" (Malachi 3:1) is fulfilled in an old man's arms. The feast is filled with the theme of light — Simeon calls the child "a light to lighten the Gentiles" — and in many places candles are blessed on this day. It is also a feast of holy old age and of patient waiting rewarded.

The troparion joins Mary and Simeon in one greeting: "Hail, Virgin Theotokos, full of grace, for from you has shone forth the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God"; and, "Be glad, O righteous Elder, for you received in your arms the Redeemer of our souls." The one the Virgin bore (the Theotokos) and took flesh from her is the same Lord the elder now holds — and in Simeon, all who have longed for God at last behold Him.