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The Presentation of Christ in the Temple, predella panel (detail), ca. 1440. Giovanni di Paolo. Gift of George Blumenthal, 1941 (41.100.4).
Presentation

According to the law of Moses?they carried Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord?and to offer a sacrifice, according as it is written in the law of the Lord?a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

There was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ... So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus?he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

"Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
For my eyes have seen Your salvation..."

[Luke 2:22–30]


[Reading by Philippe de Montebello, director emeritus of The Metropolitan Museum of Art]
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