1500 Presentation in the Temple High Priest Simeon holding Christ in swaddling clothes flanked by Joseph holding 2 turtle-doves & the Virgin Mary
According to the Gospel of Luke (Luke 2:22-38), after Jesus' birth, Mary and Joseph took him to the Temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord and to perform the purification rites required by Jewish law.
Simeon
High Priest Simeon
According to the Gospel of Luke (Luke 2:22-38), after Jesus' birth, Mary & Joseph took him to the Temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord & to perform the purification rites required by Jewish law.
The specific prophecy or promise made to Simeon, indicating that he would live to see the Messiah before his death, is mentioned in the New Testament, in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2, verses 25-26: "Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah."
This passage in Luke explicitly states that Simeon would live to see the arrival of the Messiah, the promised Savior of Israel. This promise was fulfilled when Simeon encountered the infant Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem, as described in the subsequent verses of Luke 2:27-35.
High Priest Simeon is often depicted as an elderly man, holding the infant Jesus in his arms. Simeon had been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. When he saw Jesus, he blessed God & proclaimed the famous "Nunc Dimittis" (Latin for "Now you dismiss") praising God for allowing him to see the promised salvation through Jesus.
High Priest Simeon, describing his role in the Christian narrative of seeing the infant Jesus & his famous proclamation, is a synthesis of information derived from the Gospel of Luke in the Bible (Luke 2:25-35). The passage in Luke recounts the events surrounding the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, where Simeon, guided by the Holy Spirit, recognizes Jesus as the promised Messiah.
The specific prophecy or promise made to Simeon, indicating that he would live to see the Messiah before his death, is mentioned in the New Testament, specifically in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2, verses 25-26:
"Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah."
This passage in Luke explicitly states that Simeon had received a revelation from the Holy Spirit, assuring him that he would live to see the arrival of the Messiah, the promised Savior of Israel. This promise was fulfilled when Simeon encountered the infant Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem, as described in the subsequent verses of Luke 2:27-35.
The specific details mentioned in Luke 2, such as Simeon being an elderly man, holding the infant Jesus, & his proclamation of the "Nunc Dimittis," are reflections of how this event is traditionally interpreted within Christian theology & artistic representations based on the biblical text.
The "Nunc Dimittis" prayer is a Latin hymn derived from Simeon's words in Luke 2:29-32, where he says, "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, & for glory to your people Israel."
These details about Simeon & his encounter with Jesus are fundamental elements of the Christian narrative, & they have been depicted in various artworks, sermons, & theological discussions throughout history.
Sacrifice of Turtledoves, Pigeons, & Lambs
Joseph is often shown carrying the offering prescribed by Jewish law for the purification of a woman after childbirth, which was a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. This was a common offering for those who couldn't afford a traditional lamb (Luke 2:24).Candlemas
Candlemas, the Christian festival on February 2, commemorates the occasion when the Virgin Mary, in obedience to Jewish law, went to the Temple in Jerusalem both to be purified 40 days after the birth of her son, Jesus, & to present him to God as her firstborn (Luke 2:22–38).
The festival was formerly known in the Roman Catholic Church as the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary & is now known as the Presentation of the Lord. In the Anglican church it is called the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. In the Greek church it is called Hypapante (Meeting), in reference to Jesus’ meeting in the Temple with the aged Simeon.
The earliest reference to the festival is from Jerusalem, where in the late 4C the Western pilgrim Etheria attended its celebration on February 14, 40 days after Epiphany (then celebrated as Christ’s birthday), & wrote of it in the Peregrinatio Etheriae.
It soon spread to other Eastern cities; & in 542A D Justinian I decreed that its date should be moved back to February 2 (40 days after Christmas). By the middle of the 5C the custom of observing the festival with lighted candles had been introduced, & the name Candlemas developed from this custom.
In the Western church, Pope Sergius I (687–701) instituted the festival in Rome. In the Eastern Orthodox church it is primarily a festival of Christ. In the West it was primarily a celebration of the Virgin Mary until the calendar reform of 1969.Swaddling Clothes
The phrase “swaddling clothes” is a translation of the root Greek word Sparganoo. The word appears in 2 verses in the New Testament in Luke 2. The 1st appearance of Sparganoo occurs in verse 7 & the 2nd is in verse 12.
The Greek word Sparganoo means “to wrap a child in swaddling clothes (long strips of cloth)” or “to clothe in strips of cloth, to wrap up in strips of cloth, to wrap in cloths.” Swaddling is an old practice of wrapping infants in blankets or cloth to restrict the movement of arms & legs.
Record of swaddling is in the New Testament description of the birth of Jesus in Luke 2:6–2:7: "And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger."
