A feast of the Mother of God

The Protection of the Theotokos

Also called Pokrov

In the tenth century, during a vigil in the Blachernae church of Constantinople, St Andrew the Fool-for-Christ saw the Mother of God spread her veil over the people at prayer, protecting them from enemies visible and invisible. The Church has asked for her protection under that veil ever since.

The dates

Kept on: 1 October (14 October on the Old Calendar)
Next, New Calendar: 1 October 2027
Next, Old Calendar: 14 October 2027

The New Calendar (the Greek, Antiochian, Romanian and Bulgarian churches, the OCA and most converts) keeps fixed feasts on the church date; the Old Calendar (the Russian, Serbian and Georgian churches, Jerusalem and Mount Athos) keeps them 13 days later. Pascha and the feasts that follow it are kept on the same day by both.

How the day is kept

The feast is beloved above all in Russia and Ukraine. The Church of Greece keeps the Holy Protection, Agia Skepi, on a day of its own, which is also a Greek national holiday.

In Slavic villages it was the day the first snow was awaited, and girls asked the Mother of God for a good bridegroom: “cover the earth with snow, and me with a bridegroom.”

Women praying for a good husband light a candle before the Mother of God on the feast.