Intercession of the Theotokos

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Icon of the Protection, 19th century, Russia

The Intercession of the Theotokos, or the Protection of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, is a Christian feast of the

Byzantine Catholic Churches on October 1 (Julian calendar
: October 14). The feast celebrates the protection afforded the faithful through the
Virgin Mary
).

The feast is commemorated in

Defenders of Ukraine Day
.

Etymology

The Protection of the Theotokos or the Intercession of the Theotokos (

Church Slavonic: Покровъ, Pokrov, Ukrainian: Покрова, Pokrova), like the (Greek
: Σκέπη, Sképē) has a complex meaning. First of all, it refers to a cloak or shroud, but it also means protection or intercession. For this reason, the name of the feast is variously translated as the Veil of Our Lady, the Protecting Veil of the Theotokos. It is often translated as Feast of the Intercession or Feast of the Holy Protection.

With some reservations, the Intercession icon may be related to the Western Virgin of Mercy image, in which the Virgin spreads wide her cloak to cover and protect a group of kneeling supplicants (first known from Italy from about 1280).

Tradition

Russian icon of Pokrov
Icon, showing a broad protective cloak. Mid 17th century, Ukraine.

According to Eastern Orthodox

Jesus Christ, to accept the prayers of all the people entreating Him and looking for Her protection. Once Her prayer was completed, She walked to the altar and continued to pray. Afterwards, She spread Her veil over all the people in the church as a protection.[1]

St. Andrew turned to his disciple, St. Epiphanius, who was standing near him, and asked, "Do you see, brother, the Holy Theotokos, praying for all the world?" Epiphanius answered, "Yes, Holy Father, I see it and am amazed!"[1]

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According to the

pagan at the time). According to Nestor, the feast celebrates the destruction of this fleet sometime in the ninth century; according to some other legend, however, the outcome was the adoption of Christianity by the whole host (led by Askold
).

Veneration of the Intercession (Pokrov) in Rus' (and consequently Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine) dates back to the 12th century.

Icon

The icon of the feast, which is not found in

Saint Nicholas of Myra, etc. Below, St. Andrew the Fool for Christ is depicted, pointing up at the Virgin Mary and turning to his disciple Epiphanius. Usually, the veil with which the Virgin protects mankind is small and held either in her outstretched hands or by two angels,[3] though a version similar to the Western European Virgin of Mercy
image, with a larger cloak covering people is found in some Eastern Orthodox icons.

Feast

The Holy Virgin protecting the Ukrainian cossack hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky (at the right of image). Late 17 to early 18th century, Ukraine.

The Feast of the Intercession commemorates the miracle as a joyous revelation of the Theotokos' protection, which is spread over the world, and the Mother of God's great love for mankind.

All-Night Vigil, with many of the same elements as occur on Great Feasts of the Theotokos. However, Pokrov/Pokrova has no Afterfeast
.

In

Ukrainian parliament on March 5, 2015) promoted the day to the new public holiday "Defenders of Ukraine Day" (Ukrainian: День захи́сника́ Украї́ни, romanized: Den zakhysnyka Ukrainy), to replace the former "Defender of the Fatherland Day" inherited from the Soviet Union. The Lady of Intercession is regarded as a holy defender of both the Ukrainian nation at large and of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
.

Some, but not all, regions of the

Russian Federation
celebrate the Feast of Intercession as a work holiday.

It is not a part of the ritual traditions of, and therefore is not celebrated by, the Oriental Orthodox Churches or some jurisdictions that allow Western Rite Orthodoxy. Yet the feast is perfectly consistent with the theology of these sister churches. The Western Rite Communities of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) do celebrate this feast on their calendar.[4]

October 1 (in the Julian calendar) is also the feast of St.

kathedra, chanting from a scroll.[3] The scroll represents the various kontakia
which have been attributed to him.

The feast day of

St. Andrew, the Fool-for-Christ, falls on the following day, October 2 (in accordance with the Orthodox liturgical tradition of the Synaxis
).

Churches dedicated to the Intercession

Churches with that name are numerous in the East Slavic Orthodoxy.

Pokrova Church in Sutkivtsi
Sich Pokrova Church on Khortytsia

In

Intercession Monastery Cathedral in Kharkiv, Svyato-Pokrovska Church [uk] in Podil, Kyiv, Pokrova Cathedral [uk] in Okhtyrka, all or them built in the Cossack Baroque style, and Svyato-Pokrovska Church in Plishyvets [uk], in Neo-Baroque
.

Pokrov Cathedral on the Moat, better known as Saint Basil's Cathedral

Probably the most famous

St. Petersburg.[9]

Other notable churches commemorating this feast are Intercession of the Holy Virgin Russian Orthodox Church in

St. Sergius in Glen Cove, New York
.

In north Wales there is the Church of the Holy Protection (Eglwys yr Amddiffyniad Sanctaidd) at 10 Manod Road, Blaenau Ffestiniog, where the liturgy is celebrated partly in Welsh, also English, Greek, and Church Slavonic. The church, under Igoumen Deiniol, is under the omophor of the diocese of Sourozh of the Moscow Patriarchate.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Holy Protection of the Virgin Mary". Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church. Archived from the original on January 5, 2014. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
  2. ^ Demchinsky, Sterling. "Icons of the Theotokos (Bohoroditsia)". Ukrainian Churches of Canada. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
  3. ^
    ISBN 90-04-07809-6
  4. ^ a b "Protection of the Holy Virgin", Tranfiguration of Our Laord Russian Orthodox Church, Baltimore, Maryland
  5. ^ a b "Feast of Intercession Celebrated in Ukraine as Religious and National Holiday". RISU – Religious Information Service in Ukraine. October 14, 2012. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
  6. ^ "14 жотвня: Покрова Пресвятої Богородиці, День українського козацтва, народини УПА, День захисника України – Рідна країна". Рідна країна – світоглядний портал. October 14, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  7. Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
    . August 7, 1999. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
  8. ISBN 978-0300109122
    . p. 126.
  9. ^ St. Petersburg website. Accessed February 7, 2010.
  10. ^ Pokrov Church of the Russian Orthodox church website from UK. Accessed February 7, 2010.

Bibliography

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