Sacrifice And Lives

Εἰσεφέτο μὲν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ὁ Χριστὸς βρέφος ὤν ἔτι βραχύ τε καὶ ὑπομάζιον, καὶ τα ὠρισμένα τῷ νόμῳ πορσῆγε, ζεῦγος τρυγόνων καὶ δύο νεσσοὺς περιστερῶν· σωφροσύνης τε καὶ πραότητος ὁ τύπος, οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ βίου διαφορᾶς, ὦν ἀμφοτέρων νομοθέτης, γάμου τε καὶ ἁγαμίας. Εἴποις γὰρ ἄν τοὺς μὲν εὐζώνους καὶ πνευματικωτέρους καὶ τὸν μονήρη βίον ἐπανῃρημένους, εἶναι τὰς περιστεράς· τοὺς δὲ παιδοποιίας καὶ τῆς ἄλλης οἰκονομίας πεποιημένους πρόνοιαν, τρυγόνας. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Λούκαν Εὐάγγελιον, Κεφ' Β' Source:  Migne PG 72.504b-c

Christ was carried to the temple, yet a little child and taking milk, and they offered what was commanded by the law, a pair of turtle doves and two young doves, 1 And these are a type of temperance and meekness. And they indicate the different of the two sorts of lives, of which both are of the legislator, marriage and celibacy. One is even able to consider these things more spiritually, that the lovers of the solitary life are the doves, and the turtle doves are those who produce young and give themselves to the affairs of the home. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Luke, Chap 2 1 Lk 2.24