Lithograph of Saint Simeon the God-Receiver in grooved wood, gilded with ormolu and painted in red - bordeaux color with matte varnish.
Dimensions: 20 x 26 cm.
Short life of Saint Simeon the God-Receiver
Saint Simeon the God-receiver was an elderly and righteous man who lived a life of deep prayer and devotion, awaiting the coming of the Messiah. According to Holy Tradition, he had been promised by God that he would not see death before he had beheld the Christ of the Lord.
When the Most Holy Theotokos and Saint Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem in accordance with the Law, Simeon was led by the Holy Spirit to go there as well. Taking the Child in his arms, he recognized Him not merely as an infant, but as the promised Savior of the world. Filled with divine joy, he glorified God and expressed that he could now depart from this life in peace, having seen the fulfillment of God’s promise. At the same time, Saint Simeon uttered prophetic words concerning Christ’s mission in the world, declaring that He would become a sign of contradiction, bringing enlightenment to many, yet rejection from others. He also foretold the suffering that would pierce the soul of the Theotokos, thus revealing the mystery of salvation and sacrifice that would unfold.
The encounter of Saint Simeon with the Christ Child marks a pivotal moment in salvation history, the transition from the expectation of the Old Covenant to the fulfillment revealed in the New Covenant through Christ’s coming into the world. After this divine encounter, Saint Simeon lived a short time longer and reposed in peace. The Orthodox Church commemorates him on February 3.
