Holy Righteous Symeon the God-receiver and Anna the Prophetess (I)
The venerable Symeon the God-receiver lived in Jerusalem. According to the testimony of Luke the Evangelist, “the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him” (Luke 2:25). It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the promised Messiah, God made man, Jesus Christ.
Ancient historians tell us that the King of Egypt, Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285–247 before the Nativity of Christ), wished to add the books of Holy Scripture to his famous library of Alexandria. For this purpose he invited scholars from Jerusalem. Among the seventy-two learned men who came to Alexandria to translate Holy Scripture into Greek was the righteous Symeon. He was translating the book of the Prophet Isaiah. When he reached the place “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (7:14), he thought an error had crept into the original and was about to write “woman” instead of “virgin”; but at that moment an angel appeared to him, held his hand and said to him: “Believe these words and you yourself will be convinced of this truth. You will not die until you see Christ the Saviour, born of the Most Holy Virgin.” From that day Symeon lived in expectation of the Messiah.
And behold, one day the Holy Spirit told him: “Arise, old man! Why dost thou sit? Arise and run to the temple, for he that shall release thee is come!” And he, “this righteous one, the last; both the first and the last; the end of the law and the beginning of grace; a Jew by race but a Christian by grace; a scribe by reading and an angel by knowledge; among the Pharisees like a rose set apart from the thorns”, hastened to the temple. Among many mothers the holy old man picked out the Most Holy Theotokos, took the Child Jesus in his arms and cried out: “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel” (Luke 2:29–32). Then he blessed the righteous Joseph, and said prophetically to the Theotokos: “Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:34–35).
The holy and righteous Symeon the God-receiver lived three hundred and sixty years. In the sixth century his incorrupt relics were translated to Constantinople.
The holy Prophetess Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, was of the tribe of Asher: “she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; and she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day” (Luke 2:36–37). By the Lord’s will “she coming in that instant” recognised the Saviour in the Child, and announced His becoming man to the people of Jerusalem who were living in expectation of redemption.
