Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple on Sunday 2 February 2025. 

One of the most precious, beautiful and intimate moments a mother can experience once she has given birth is to offer her baby to God. 

Not only is it truly a blessing but, even more, it is an occasion when she can share this quintessential time with the Theotokos who did exactly the same with her infant Jesus when she presented Him to God in the temple at Jerusalem, 2025 years ago……

In the Orthodox Christian tradition, the churching ceremony is a rite of thanksgiving and blessing for both the mother and her newborn child. 

It is usually performed 40 days after childbirth and this extraordinarily special  and personal practice mirrors the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, as described in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 2:22-29). 

What happens in the churching ceremony? 

It’s a short but very sweet ceremony that welcomes both the mother and child to the church. It marks the return of the mom after her confinement to communal worship and the introduction of the little one to his or her first ever entry into the house of God. 

The mom (and dad of course and any other siblings) brings the child to the church, where the priest offers prayers of blessing and thanksgiving for their health and well-being. 

The priest then takes the child from the mother in his arms and carries the baby into the church, symbolising  the formal introduction into the Christian community. 

During the service, the priest lifts the child in the sign of the Cross and carries them into the church saying: “The servant of God (Name) is churched, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen”. 

Then the priest takes the child into the Sanctuary, if it is a boy. Accordingly, the priest takes the girl in front of the iconostasis screen that is the front of the church, separating the Nave from the Sanctuary. 

The service concludes with the priest placing the infant at the  Royal Doors of the Sanctuary from where it is handed over to its parents.

Before the mother takes the child again in her arms, she worships the icon of our Lord Jesus Christ. With this act, she receives her child from the hands of God.

Then she venerates the icon of the Theotokos underlining the bond of motherhood with the Mother of God. 

The churching ceremony is actually a very ancient purification ritual which is deeply rooted in Old Testament  traditions as described in Leviticus 12. 

For us as Christian’s it is a person’s first rite of passage proclaiming the sanctity of a new life and the importance of becoming part of the Orthodox family. 

The  Churching of Infants  known as Sarantismos in the  Greek Orthodox Faith (in Greek Σαραντισμός) also known as the Forty Day Blessing, includes  offering the child to the church in order to glorify and thank God. 

It is a liturgical act that dates back to the time of Moses, when according to the custom, the first-born son of the family was offered to the temple, accompanied by a sacrifice of pigeons.

There are layers of meaning for this simple but stirring ceremony as the path to baptism of the infant is opened up by introducing  the child into Christian life and then welcoming and facilitating the mother’s return to the church community.

In addition, it expresses gratitude for the mother’s safe and healthy return to her daily life. 

The Feast of the Presentation concludes our observances related to the Nativity of Christ, a long period that started on November 15 with the beginning of the Nativity fast. 

The Biblical backstory

Mary and Joseph observed their religious customs of their Jewish Faith  which required the couple to take their first-born son to the Temple. 

When the Virgin Mary’s forty days of purification had been fulfilled, she and Joseph set out to take the baby to the Temple to be dedicated to God.

Now if the parents were wealthy, they had to offer a lamb and a young pigeon or a turtle dove as a sacrifice at the Temple. 

But if you were poor, as Jesus’s  parents were, then two pigeons or turtle doves would be accepted for the sacrifice. And you will see Saint Joseph holding the two birds in his hands in the icon. 

Just as they arrived at the Temple, Mary and Joseph were met by a seriously wizened old man named Simeon. He was a holy man and was known as a very knowledgeable scholar especially about  the prophets of Israel. 

It was actually during his studies that he learned of the coming of the Messiah – the hope and prayer of the Jewish people  who were waiting for the  promised saviour to deliver Israel from its enemies.

The old man spent decades in prayer asking God to send the Messiah and finally one day while Simeon was praying he heard the voice of God who promised him that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah with his own eyes. 

As Simeon looked at the little family he instantly took baby  Jesus in his aged arms and blessed God  and said:

“Lord, now let Your servant go in peace according to Your promise, because my eyes have seen Your salvation which you have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory to your people Israel.” ( Luke 2:25-32)

The famous words uttered by Simeon when he saw the Christ Child are known as “St. Simeon’s Prayer.” This prayer is sung daily at the evening Vespers services of the Orthodox Church.

In the icon you will see Jesus being held by Simeon. 

So that’s how it all started and then later was incorporated and retained  by the Holy Church. 

But that’s not all….

Also in the Temple was Anna, an elderly woman who had been widowed for many years and was known as the Prophetess. She spent her time in the Temple worshiping, fasting, and praying and waiting for a sign that the Messiah was coming. 

When she saw the baby Jesus she praised God and proceeded to tell all and sundry that indeed the promised Messiah had arrived! And there she is in the icon holding a parchment declaring this. 

After Jesus was properly presented in the Temple, the family returned home to   Nazareth in Galilee where they lived.

On Monday February 3, is the Feast Day of St. Simeon the God Receiver and Saint Anna The Prophetess – the two people who waited a lifetime to see the Messiah without wavering in their belief. 

Why is it still necessary to have a Churching Ceremony?

In this hectic stressful world of ours where everything is OTT this sweet ceremony is the gentle gift of the church to our mamas, recognising  the special time for moms and babies to bond and heal at home  for 40 days after the rigors of birth.

All would undoubtedly welcome a special blessing to help them raise their children in God’s holy way.

Churching is a mom’s special moment with God, for giving thanks and offering her precious baby following in the footsteps of the greatest Mother of all time. 

It’s also a nod to returning to church after having a baby when you feel physically and emotionally ready, which is typically around 4-6 weeks postpartum. 

This allows time for proper recovery and to adjust to life with a newborn. 

In the Tradition of the Orthodox Church, when a baby is born, prayers are done at the following times: On the day of Birth; On the 8th day (Naming Prayers); On the 40th day (Churching), and of course at their baptism. 

The Church tenderly cares for each child and it’s a sacred  beginning for the infant , nurturing it from this early stage in mind, body and soul to become a cherished member of our community. 

I was thrilled and honoured to attend the Churching of adorable  little Andriana Sousalis last year with her gorgeous mama Sheena, doting baba Foti and proud elder brother Mano. Thank you for sharing this special blessed time with us.

The ceremony took place in our beautiful Cathedral with blessings by Archimandrite Doukas and Pater Nikolaos.   

Please enjoy the photos – I am sure you will feel a soothing serenity and that warm feeling you get when you are surrounded by something good.

( Text and photos: Pepe Sofianos)