Saint Simeon the God-Receiver

The righteous Simeon the God-Receiver (Bogopriimets) was the elder who met the infant Christ in the Jerusalem Temple on the fortieth day after His birth (Luke 2:25–35). According to tradition, he was one of seventy-two scholars summoned by King Ptolemy II to Alexandria to translate the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek (the Septuagint); while translating Isaiah's prophecy of a virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14), he doubted the word "virgin" and wished to correct it, but an angel appeared and told him he would not die until he had seen the Messiah with his own eyes. Decades later, guided by the Spirit, Simeon entered the Temple on the day Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus for the presentation rite; recognizing Him as the promised Savior, Simeon received Him into his arms and proclaimed the canticle "Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace" (Nunc Dimittis), also prophesying to Mary that "a sword will pierce through your own soul also." Orthodox hymnography honors him as "priest" and "hierarch" who offered the lawful sacrifices. Tradition holds he lived some 360 years. His relics were translated to Constantinople in the 6th century. Feast: 3/16 February.