On February 2, Orthodox Christians celebrate one of the greatest religious holidays – the Presentation of the Lord, writes IZ. This is the day when, according to the Gospel, the Virgin Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the Jerusalem temple on the fortieth day after his birth. They were met in the temple by the righteous Simeon, who was predicted that he would not die until he saw the Savior. It was he who recognized the promised Messiah in the little Jesus. The holiday symbolizes the meeting of the Old and New Testaments, and is also a sign of the coming of Light into the world.
Believers traditionally go to the temple, where candles and water are consecrated. It is believed that the Stretenia candle has special power and protects the home from bad weather, lightning, and evil spirits. Holy water is used to bless the home and treat illnesses. There is a popular belief that if the weather is mild and warm on this day, spring will be early. If it is cold and snowy on Stretenia, winter will last a long time. Special attention was also paid to the wind: its strength and direction could indicate the harvest in the coming year.
On this day, there are several prohibitions associated with ancient folk traditions. It is not recommended to do heavy physical work, in particular, chopping wood or cleaning. You should also not take out garbage from the house, as it is believed that with it you can lose well-being. Quarrels and negative emotions are avoided, as it is believed that it is important to maintain inner harmony on this day.
In addition to religious significance, February 2 has several interesting events in world history. On this day in 1653, the village of New Amsterdam received the status of a city, which later became known as New York. In 1536, a Spanish conquistador founded the city of Buenos Aires on the banks of La Plata. It is also on this day that the world celebrates Groundhog Day, when it is traditionally determined how close spring is.
Recall, earlier we wrote about what church holiday is celebrated on February 1 and what is important to know about this day
