In the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, the Old and New Testaments “meet.” Christ, the Founder of the Law, submits Himself under the Law in order to fulfill it. Simeon, witness to this event, was one of the Seventy scholars appointed by Ptolemy II, king of Alexandria, to translate the Hebrew Scriptures into the Greek language, a translation now known as the Septuagint. According to tradition, as Simeon was translating Isaiah’s prophesy “Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Child” (Is. 7:14), he wanted to write “a woman” instead of “a virgin” but he received a revelation that he would not see death until this very prophesy should be fulfilled before his very eyes.
In the icon, St. Mary is handing her Son over to Simeon the Elder as though to the whole world. St. Joseph carries the prescribed sacrifice of purification, “two turtledoves” or “two young pigeons” (Lev. 12:8) – symbolic of the Church of Israel and the Church of the Gentiles. Moses received the tablets of the Law, but Simeon received the Son of God in Whose Incarnation the “shadow” is replaced by the full reality of God’s presence with His people. The Old Testament people, personified by Simeon, reached their fulfillment. Anna, the prophetess, is also presented as she announces Christ to be the Creator of heaven and earth to those in the Temple.
St. Luke relates to us that Simeon, holding and worshiping Christ in his arms, said: “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your Salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all the people. A Light to bring revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2:22-40).