Today on October 14 is one of the most important feasts of the
Russian Orthodox liturgical year. In Russia it is celebrated as the
most important solemnity after the Twelve Great Feasts. The Protection
of Our Most Holy Lady and Ever-Virgin Mary, known in Church Slavonic as
Pokrov ("protection"), is a feast of the Mother of God celebrated in
the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches.
According to Eastern Orthodox Sacred Tradition, the apparition of
Mary the Theotokos occurred during the 10th century at the Blachernae
church in Constantinople. On Sunday, October 1 at four in the morning,
St. Andrew the Blessed Fool-for-Christ, who was a Slav by birth, saw
the dome of the church open and the Virgin Mary enter, moving in the
air above him, glowing and surrounded by angels and saints. She walked
to the altar and continued to pray. Afterwards, she spread her veil
over all the people in the church as a protection.
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!" they contemplated the veil of the Virgin Mary, but soon
it became invisible too. Though the divine grace was left at this place.
The Protection of the Mother of God Day is celebrated in Russia after the 12th
century, the Church regards it among Twelve Great Feasts. It was set up
by Andrew Bogolyubskyi in 1164. first temples devoted to the Holy
Virgin appeared in Russia in the same century.
The famous temple upon the Nerl River was built by Andrew
Bogolyubsky in 1165. the first monastery of the Holy Virgin appeared in
Novgorod in the 12th century, and in 1560 in commemoration
of seizure of Kazan tsar Ivan the Terrible built the Moscow Cathedral
of Intercession Upon the Moat (Cathedral of Pokrov upon moat),
popularly known as the Saint Basil's Cathedral. Cathedrals devoted to
the Protection of the Mother of God were often built in commemoration
of victories.
Pokrov (the Protection of the Mother of God) is a patron of Russian
weddings. All maidens lightened candles at the icon of the Holy Virgin
and prayed for their near marriage. In the morning they asked the
Pokrov "to cover earth with snow and maiden with a shawl", as shawl was
a symbol of marriage. The more snow were on the Pokrov Day, the more
marriages would be celebrated next year.
The Protection of the Mother of God is symbol of protection and
consolation, of prayer for Salvation of the world from sorrows and
sufferings.
in modern Ukraine this Day has turned into noisy
feast. So, last year in the Pyrogovo Museum there was a feast and fair
under the open sky. More than 40 Ukrainian amateurs presented their
production, such as embroidery, wooden, clay and ceramic production. At
the main scene of the Museum musicians and singers of folk style
presented their programs.
10:55
The first deputy chairman of the VRU Oleksandr Lavrynovych opened morning session of the parliament. 432 MPs are registered in the session hall.
1 December 2008
15:12On December 1, at 21.10 President Victor
Yushchenko will come to `ICTV` TV Channel program `Freedom of Speech`.
The program is dedicated to the 17th anniversary of Ukrainian
independence referendum.
09:58Today, on December 1, President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko will take
part in the solemn sitting of the National Academy of Sciences of
Ukraine dedicated to the 90th anniversary of its establishment.
