The Protection of the Mother of God: Vision at Blachernae

The post describes the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God, known as Pokrov, celebrated on October 1st or October 14th according to the Julian calendar. The event commemorated occurred in the mid-tenth century in Constantinople at the Blachernae Church, where the Mother of God's veil was kept. During an all-night vigil, Saint Andrew the Fool-for-Christ and his disciple Epiphanius saw the Theotokos walking in the air, shining with heavenly light and surrounded by angels and saints.

She knelt and prayed at length for humanity. Then she approached the altar, removed her radiant veil, and spread it over the people in the church as protection from visible and invisible enemies. While she remained, the veil was visible and shone brighter than the sun; after her departure it became invisible, though her grace remained with the people.

The feast was established to honor this miraculous vision of protection and intercession. The post includes a traditional prayer: "Remember us in your prayers, O Lady Virgin Mother of God, that we may not perish... cover us from every evil, for in You we hope."