On Tuesday, February 16, 2026, the feast of Saint Simeon the God-receiver was celebrated at the Holy Monastery dedicated to his name, situated in western Jerusalem near the Knesset.
His memory is honoured by the Church, especially as the one who ministered preeminently in the sublime mystery of the reception of our Lord Jesus Christ into the Temple of Solomon, and who proclaimed:
“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,” thus recognising and confessing Christ as the Saviour of the world. As Hesychios the Presbyter of the Church says, Simeon, the God-receiver, became the vehicle and throne of the Divinity.
In honour of the Elder Simeon, a festal Divine Liturgy was celebrated on the morning of the feast at the aforesaid Holy Monastery, where his tomb is also located, presided over by Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem. Concelebrating with him were Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth; the Elder Chief Secretary, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina; the Archimandrites Amphilochios and Dositheos; representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate; clergy of the Russian-speaking flock of Jerusalem, including Fr Nikolaos; Archdeacon Mark; Hierodeacons Evlogios and Prodromos, and others. The chanting was offered by the students of the Patriarchal School of Zion, with the presence of members of the Greek Consulate General.
Before the Holy Communion, the Patriarch delivered the following Sermon:
“As Isaiah beheld symbolically God upon a lofty throne, escorted by Angels of glory, ‘Woe is me!’ he cried; for I beheld beforehand God incarnate, the Light without evening, and the Lord of peace.”
Beloved brethren in Christ,
Devout Christians and pilgrims,
The grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us all today in this sacred place of the burial of the holy and righteous Simeon the God-receiver, and in his namesake monastic church, to celebrate together with the Prophetess Anna their Synaxis.
Today’s festal celebration is a continuation of the great feast of the Presentation—that is, the entrance of our Lord Jesus Christ into the Temple of Solomon by His all-pure Mother and the Righteous Joseph, according to the ordinance and custom of the Mosaic Law.
As the Evangelist Luke recounts, at the time of Jesus’ presence in the Temple: “Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout … and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him after the custom of the law, then took he Him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said: 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 2:25–32).
It is noteworthy that the Elder Simeon blessed God because his eyes had seen “the salvation of God”—that is, the incarnate Son and Word of God the Father, who would bring salvation to mankind.
Interpreting these words of the righteous Simeon, Origen says: “Formerly, [Simeon] believed in his mind and understood by reasoning; but now with the very eyes of my flesh I have beheld Thy salvation, who is Christ.” Basil likewise says that in Holy Scripture “salvation” is a customary name for Christ.
According to Saint Athanasius the Great, the term “salvation” signifies His incarnate presence. “Simeon called the Incarnation of the Only-begotten Son and Word of God ‘salvation,’” Saint Theophylactos says.
“The Lord hath made known His salvation; His righteousness hath He openly shewed in the sight of the nations” (Psalm 97:2 LXX), cries the Psalmist. The salvation of the people of God is linked with His righteousness; therefore he adds, “He hath revealed His righteousness.” Such is the work of the Messiah, of the Christ. As Theodoretos of Cyrus comments, the people of the Messiah, that is, the people of Christ’s Church, are those “which He hath purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28).
The salvation which the eyes of the Elder Simeon beheld “was prepared before the face of all peoples” (cf. Luke 2:30–31). In other words, the mystery of the Divine Providence, the Incarnation of God the Word and His becoming man, namely Christ, which constitutes the means of salvation, is offered to every person of goodwill. As the Evangelist Luke says, invoking the great Isaiah: “And all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Isaiah 40:5; Luke 3:6).
Of this wondrous work, the revelation of light to the nations and glory to His people Israel, the holy Church of Christ makes remembrance today. Therefore, the hymnographer, struck with amazement, cries out: “We behold things wondrous and marvellous, beyond understanding and beyond speech: He who fashioned Adam is borne as a babe; the Uncontainable is contained in the arms of the Elder; He who exists uncircumscribed in the bosom of His Father is willingly circumscribed in the flesh, though not in His divinity, the only Lover of mankind.”
Indeed, beloved brethren, we too behold today things wondrous, paradoxical, and beyond comprehension. Hence, Saint Cyril of Alexandria says that the mystery of Christ, the mystery of the Divine Providence, was prepared even before the foundation of the world, but was manifested in the last times.
Moved by his prophetic gift, the righteous Simeon said to Mary His Mother: “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 thine own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:34–35).
Interpreting these words, Saint Cyril of Alexandria explains that the “fall and rising again of many” refers to Christ, Emmanuel, who was placed by God the Father as the foundation stone of Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone. Those who believe in Him are not put to shame, but the unbelieving, unable to perceive the mystery concerning Him, fall and are broken.
In other words, the coming of Christ into the world did not have the same effect upon all. Some received the Saviour Christ; others denied Him. Yet Christ acts in the soul of each person according to His own way. For the goodwill of God does not abolish human freedom; it respects the free choice and action of each person. “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24), says the Lord.
As for the words of the Elder Simeon to the Theotokos and Mother of the Child Jesus, “a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also,” authoritative interpreters explain that the Evangelist calls “sword” the word of trial—the testing word—“piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit” (Hebrews 4:12). It signifies the temptation and scandal which she experienced when she saw the Lord crucified. Simeon called “sword” that most honourable and sharp sorrow which pierced the heart of the Mother of God when her Son was nailed to the Cross, as the commentator Zigabenos observes.
Saint Cyril of Alexandria also calls the precious Cross the “sign which shall be spoken against,” invoking the wise Paul who says: “unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:23). And again: “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). The sign of the Cross is contradicted, disputed, by those who are perishing, who consider its glory to be folly; yet it is confessed by those who know that the Cross is the power of God unto salvation.
Therefore, we also, who honour the sacred memory of the righteous Simeon, let us say with the hymnographer Cosmas the Monk: “Adorn thy bridal chamber, O Zion, and receive Christ the King. Embrace Mary, the heavenly gate; for she has been revealed as the cherubic throne, she bears the King of glory. The Virgin is a cloud of light, carrying in the flesh the Son who is before the morning star. Taking Him into his arms, Simeon proclaimed to the peoples that He is the Master of life and of death, and the Saviour of the world.”
Behold, then, the season of preparation and purification of our souls has come, the time of the holy and great Fast of Pascha, through which we are called, by the intercessions of the Elder Simeon and of the Theotokos, the Virgin Mary, to receive into the spiritual arms of our hearts the Master of life and death, our God and Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. For to Him, together with Him and with God the Father, and with the Holy Spirit, be glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Patriarchal Delegation and the congregation were graciously received by the newly appointed Hegumen of the Monastery, Archimandrite Parthenios, who diligently cares for the Monastery.
Source: Patriarchate of Jerusalem
