Simeon was a righteous and devout man in Jerusalem who looked for the consolation of Israel, with the Holy Spirit upon him; he met the infant Jesus in the temple and was permitted to depart in peace.
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Simeon lived in Jerusalem and is described in Scripture as "righteous and devout." He had long been waiting for "the consolation of Israel"—a Jewish expression for the promised Messiah's redemption—and the Holy Spirit rested upon him. By divine revelation he understood that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. When Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus into the temple according to the law of Moses, Simeon took the child in his arms and blessed God, saying, "Now lettest thou thy servant depart, Lord, according to thy word, in peace." His canticle (the Nunc Dimittis) has become a classic evening prayer of the Church throughout the centuries. To Mary, Simeon prophesied that this child was appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and that a sword would pierce her own soul—foreshadowing that the way of salvation is also a path of judgment and suffering. Simeon's life reminds believers that true hope is not mere wishfulness but is joined to a holy life and the guidance of the Holy Spirit; his peaceful departure after seeing the promised One has become a model of resting in faith.