Protection of the Theotokos

The Protection of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos (celebrated primarily in Russian and Serbian Orthodox Church).

The feast of the Protection, or Pokrov, commemorates a vision granted in the tenth century at the Blachernae church in Constantinople, where the robe of the Theotokos was kept. During an all-night vigil, St. Andrew the Fool-for-Christ beheld the Mother of God standing above the people, praying with tears and spreading her veil over the faithful as a shelter.

The feast, kept on October 1 and beloved especially in the Russian and Serbian churches, celebrates the unceasing intercession of the Theotokos, who covers the Christian people with her protection in every trial.

Feast day

On the New Calendar, Protection of the Theotokos is commemorated on October 1. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on October 14 of the civil calendar.

Who celebrates a name day

People with these names keep their name day on this feast:

Maria, Mary, Maro

Also commemorated on October 1

• Ananias the Apostle

  Apostle, Ανανίας

  Holy Apostle Ananias of the Seventy, first Bishop of Damascus, who baptized the Apostle Paul.

  Name days: Ananias, Ananiah

• Romanos the Melodist

  Venerable, Ρωμανός ο Μελωδός

  Venerable Romanos the Melodist, deacon of Constantinople and the greatest of Byzantine hymnographers.

  Name days: Romanos, Romanus, Roman, Romana

• John Koukouzelis

  Venerable, Ιωάννης Κουκουζέλης

  Venerable John Koukouzelis, the master chanter of the Great Lavra on Mount Athos.

• Michael of Zobe and the 36 Monk-Martyrs

  Saint, Μιχαήλ ηγούμενος Ζώβης

  Holy Monk-Martyr Michael, Abbot of the Zobe monastery near Sebasteia, and the thirty-six fathers martyred with him.

• Domninos of Thessalonica

  Martyr, Δομνίνος

  Holy Martyr Domninos, who suffered at Thessalonica under Maximian.

Icon: public domain image from Wikimedia Commons.