Orthodox Christians who follow the old church calendar celebrate the Presentation of the Lord, also known as Stretenia in Slavonic. It is one of the 12 Great Feasts and symbolizes each person’s encounter with God, IPN reports.

This feast is celebrated 40 days after the Nativity of Jesus Christ, on February 15, when the Savior is brought to the holy temple by the Virgin Mary and the righteous Joseph. According to Jewish law, every firstborn male was to be presented to God on the 40th day after birth.

On this day, the righteous Simeon and the Prophetess Anna are also commemorated. Simeon was one of the 70 translators of the Holy Scriptures from Hebrew into Greek. The Prophetess Anna declared that the infant Christ “is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel”.