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The Protection of the Theotokos (October 14)

2025-12-11 07:31
The feast was established to commemorate the liberation of Constantinople from invading aggressors thanks to the miraculous intercession of the Holy Virgin in 910. It is already not known exactly who stood under the walls of the capital - whether Saracens or Slavs-pagans. But all sources witness that in those autumn days there was a real threat hanging over the city - it was surrounded by an enemy army, ready to invade...
Shepherd's word

The Queen of Heaven, who gives us a sign of Her intercession, expects from us prayers, pure and humble faith, willingness under Her Protection to do good and affirm the truth. If we come on the day of the Protection and ask for this Protection, we must always remember the reason why we are asking this. What exactly do we want, so that the Mother of God would accept our prayer and respond with Her help? If in the depths of our hearts we admit to ourselves: «There is something in my request that is unworthy of the Protection of the Holy Theotokos», then it is better to stop and not ask, because such a prayer will be in vain.­­

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'

Miraculous appearance

It was Andrew the Fool-for-Christ, who prayed at this time in the Blachernae church, which is located in the northwest quarter of Constantinople, where the clothing of the Most Holy Theotokos was kept.

There was a Sunday service, and the church was full. Andrew was with his disciple Epiphanius. People prayed to God, the Most Holy Theotokos and all the saints for deliverance from a terrible threat. The people hoped for a miracle, but the news from the walls was disappointing - the forces of the defenders were fading and everyone knew that the enemy was stronger. People prepared for death, but wanted to meet it with dignity, in prayer.­­­

At dawn, when the service was coming to an end, Andrew saw in the air under the arches of the cathedral a female figure who, surrounded by angels and saints, walked over the heads of the people gathered in the church. It was the Mother of God. Having reached the middle of the church, she knelt down and began to pray with tears to Her Son. Her prayer was long and fiery. Then, continuing to pray, the Holy Virgin approached the altar and spent some time there. When She was about to leave the church, She took off the omophorion from Her head and spread it out over all the faithful.­­­­­­
Theotokos of Blachernae (Blachernitissa) was brought as a gift to tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. Kept in the Tretyakov Gallery. The Church of St. Mary of Blachernae has not survived.
The veil was shining in Her hands, and it seemed as if lightning had flashed in the hands of the Mother of God. Andrew´s vision ended when the Holy Virgin began to leave the cathedral. The veil disappeared together with Her, but for a long time afterwards Andrew felt the presence of the Holy Virgin and the grace of God who filled the church after this miraculous visit. Overcome with awe during the vision, Andrew asked his disciple if he saw what was happening, and Epiphanius, unable to find words, said: "Yes, Holy Father, I see it and am amazed!"

The intercession of the Holy Virgin saved the capital from destruction: the enemies surrounding Constantinople were suddenly seized by unexplainable terror, and they fled in panic for an unknown reason. Subsequently, the inhabitants of the city always treasured their memories with awe of that miracle and thanked the Savior and His Most Holy Mother for lifting the enemy siege. Residents of Rus´ learned about this event as well. The fact is that Andrew was of Slavic origin. News of this miraculous event spread quickly among the Slavic population of the capital, and then also among other Slavs.­­­­­
We celebrate today not only the event that took place in Constantinople, but also the memory of the loving Protection of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary over all the Christians who resort to Her Intercession from trouble and strife. We celebrate this day in honor of mercy of Our Lady Theotokos, which each of us has experienced in life!­­­­­­

Hieromartyr Seraphim (Chichagov)

The Feast of the Intercession - the main holiday of Rus`

For some time this event was celebrated annually in Byzantium, but it did not extend to the whole Greek Church. However, our ancestors did otherwise: to commemorate the appearance of the Virgin in­ Blachernae, the feast of the Intercession of the Theotokos (or the Protection of the Theotokos) has been established. There is reason to believe that it was officially established in the middle of the 12th century by Prince of Vladimir Andrey Bogolyubsky. Since then, the feast of the Protection of the Theotokos is one of the favorite holidays in the Russian lands.­­­
The Church of the Intercession on the Nerl built by Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky
This day in Rus´ usually marked the end of field work and onset of the first cold weather. Therefore, on the feast of the Protection of the Theotokos, the peasants insulated their houses and completed preparations for winter. The period of the Feast is also known as a wedding season.

On this day young ladies, who were not married asked for help in choosing a spouse from the Mother of God.­­
In general, the Protection of the Theotokos is a symbol of spiritual help and protection, and therefore one of the common wishes of Orthodox people sounds like this: «May Our Most Holy Lady cover you with Her holy Veil!»­­

The living experience of the Church, confirmed by examples from the lives of individuals and entire nations, speaks of the reality of the help that a person can receive from God through the Intercession of the Holy Virgin. And it is not for nothing, that for many centuries She is called «Fervent Protectress of all Christians».­­­­
That the righteous inherit the Kingdom of God is witnessed by the Most Pure Mother of God through Her appearance in glory and light, with Her protecting veil, with which She protects from evil all who run to her with tears, prayer and faith. She appeared and She still appears—not just for the sake of appearing, but in order to open the spiritual eyes of those without faith, so that they would learn of eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.

St. Nikolai Velimirovich

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