Saint Simeon

Description

Simeon (Greek: Συμεών) at the Temple is the “just and devout” man of Jerusalem who, according to Luke 2:25–35, met Mary, Joseph, and Jesus as they entered the Temple to fulfill the requirements of the Law of Moses on the 40th day from Jesus’ birth, i.e. the presentation of Jesus at the Temple.

According to the Biblical account, the Holy Spirit visited Simeon and revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Christ of God. Upon taking Jesus into his arms, he uttered a prayer which is still used liturgically as the Latin Nunc dimittis in the Roman Catholic Church and other Christian churches, and gave a prophecy alluding to the Crucifixion of Jesus.

Some Christian traditions commemorate this meeting on 2 February as the feast of Candlemas, or, more formally, the Presentation of the Lord, the Meeting of the Lord, or the Purification of the Virgin (Mary). His prophecy is involved in the devotion to Mary as Our Lady of Sorrows. Simeon is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, Lutheranism, Anglican Communion, Eastern Orthodox Church and Oriental Orthodoxy. His feast is commemorated on 3 February in the revised Roman Martyrology of the Roman Catholic Church and on 16 February (Julian Calendar) in the Serbian Orthodox Church.