Church celebrates the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos
The Icon of the Protection. Photo: the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra website
On October 14, the Church prayerfully celebrates the Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos and commemorates the miraculous appearance of the Mother of God to those praying in the Blachernae Church in Constantinople in 910.
This feast is not one of the Twelve Great Feasts, but it is beloved by Orthodox Christians.
The feast is established in honor of a miraculous event that took place in 910 in Constantinople when St Andrew the Fool-for-Christ and his disciple Epiphanius had a vision of the Protection of the Mother of God.
These were difficult times for Byzantium. The empire was threatened by the Saracens, who practised Islam. As the barbarian forces approached Constantinople, the residents of the Byzantine capital, preparing for death and seeing no help in sight, flocked in large numbers to the Blachernae Church, where the robe of the Theotokos and her veil were kept, and prayed.
On Sunday, October 1, 910, during the all-night vigil, St Andrew the Fool-for-Christ saw the Theotokos walking through the air, radiant with light and surrounded by angels and saints. First, she tearfully prayed for the Christians, and then she removed her veil from her head and spread it over the people praying in the church, protecting them from visible and invisible enemies.
The miraculous protection saved the city. A storm arose and scattered the barbarian ships, sparing the people of Constantinople from death.
Read also
SBU told Phanar many UOC bishops would join OCU in 2018, report says
According to a Phanar representative’s account, Ukrainian security services told the Constantinople delegation that many UOC representatives were prepared to attend the OCU’s “Unification Council.” In the end, only two did.
Catholic cardinal visits Ukrainian POWs during trip to Russia
During three days of consultations in Moscow, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi discussed prospects for ending the war in Ukraine.
Ukrainians help restore Serbian Orthodox church in Paris
Orthodox Ukrainians have become regular parishioners of St. Sava Church in Paris and have taken part in its restoration.
Bulgarian Church clergy and laity oppose Phanar head’s visit
More than 2,000 clergy and laity have called for the Ecumenical Patriarch’s visit to be canceled, citing disagreement with his actions and concerns that the visit could legitimize schism.
Unknown intruders break down doors at two UOC churches in Sloviansk
Archbishop Paisiy said OCU activists are suspected of breaking into the churches in Sloviansk, and police have launched an investigation.
Sviatohirsk Lavra prays for murdered monk on 40th day after death
The brethren of the Sviatohirsk Lavra held a memorial service for murdered Monk Varsonofiy, calling on the faithful to pray for the newly departed monk.