15 February 2026
Dear brothers and sisters!
I wholeheartedly greet you on one of the Twelve Great Feasts, the Meeting (Slav. Sretenie) of the Lord!
The word Sretenie means 'Meeting'. On this day, the Church remembers how the Most Holy Theotokos brought the Divine Infant Christ to the Temple, and the righteous elder Simeon took Him in his arms. So did the meeting of mankind with its Saviour happen — the end of the expectations of the Old Testament and the beginning of the new era of Gospel grace.
Astonishingly, the greatest event in history took place not with the sounds of triumph and not in the eyes of the crowd. It took place in the quietness of the Jerusalem Temple. As quietly as on the Nativity night, the Son of God comes into the world. And He can be recognised only by those whose hearts are cleansed from vanity and pride.
According to legend, the elder Simeon waited for this meeting for long decades. His life is a lesson of patience and trust in God. He did not demand immediate answers or hasten time but kept faithfulness to God's Word. Today, when many hearts are exhausted from anxiety, we especially lack this humble patience. We want quick solutions, but God has His own term for every miracle.
This year, the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord has providentially coincided with the Sunday of the Last Judgement. On the threshold of Great Lent, the Holy Church reminds us about a simple and severe truth: a meeting with God is inevitable for everybody. And while today, on the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord, He comes to us as a Merciful Saviour, we will stand before Him as before a Righteous Judge at the end of times.
All of us should think about it, but especially those who have been given more power and responsibility. For we will have to answer before God and the entire universe for every thought, for every word, and, most importantly, for our actions, and no earthly statuses, weighty reasons, or excuses will be effective there.
But as long as we breathe, as long as the sun rises above our heads, it is not too late to change everything. The doors of repentance are open. It is not too late to correct our paths, stop doing evil, and try to reconcile with God and people.
We need the most important thing, i.e. to remain humans, lest this Meeting should become a condemnation instead of joy for us. As Patriarch Pavle of Serbia said, 'God has created us as humans and asks us to remain so.' In hard times, it is particularly difficult not to harden, not to let destructive hatred inside oneself, not to lose the ability to love.
May the light seen by the Righteous Simeon illuminate hearts, dispel the blackness of despair, and strengthen us in faith and faithfulness.
I prayerfully wish each of you peace in your souls, steadfastness, and hope for salvation.
Happy feast!
All related news I wholeheartedly greet you on one of the Twelve Great Feasts, the Meeting (Slav. Sretenie) of the Lord!
The word Sretenie means 'Meeting'. On this day, the Church remembers how the Most Holy Theotokos brought the Divine Infant Christ to the Temple, and the righteous elder Simeon took Him in his arms. So did the meeting of mankind with its Saviour happen — the end of the expectations of the Old Testament and the beginning of the new era of Gospel grace.
Astonishingly, the greatest event in history took place not with the sounds of triumph and not in the eyes of the crowd. It took place in the quietness of the Jerusalem Temple. As quietly as on the Nativity night, the Son of God comes into the world. And He can be recognised only by those whose hearts are cleansed from vanity and pride.
According to legend, the elder Simeon waited for this meeting for long decades. His life is a lesson of patience and trust in God. He did not demand immediate answers or hasten time but kept faithfulness to God's Word. Today, when many hearts are exhausted from anxiety, we especially lack this humble patience. We want quick solutions, but God has His own term for every miracle.
This year, the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord has providentially coincided with the Sunday of the Last Judgement. On the threshold of Great Lent, the Holy Church reminds us about a simple and severe truth: a meeting with God is inevitable for everybody. And while today, on the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord, He comes to us as a Merciful Saviour, we will stand before Him as before a Righteous Judge at the end of times.
All of us should think about it, but especially those who have been given more power and responsibility. For we will have to answer before God and the entire universe for every thought, for every word, and, most importantly, for our actions, and no earthly statuses, weighty reasons, or excuses will be effective there.
But as long as we breathe, as long as the sun rises above our heads, it is not too late to change everything. The doors of repentance are open. It is not too late to correct our paths, stop doing evil, and try to reconcile with God and people.
We need the most important thing, i.e. to remain humans, lest this Meeting should become a condemnation instead of joy for us. As Patriarch Pavle of Serbia said, 'God has created us as humans and asks us to remain so.' In hard times, it is particularly difficult not to harden, not to let destructive hatred inside oneself, not to lose the ability to love.
May the light seen by the Righteous Simeon illuminate hearts, dispel the blackness of despair, and strengthen us in faith and faithfulness.
I prayerfully wish each of you peace in your souls, steadfastness, and hope for salvation.
Happy feast!
