*The Pokrov Presvyatuiya Bogorditsui
commemorates an event said to have happened in 910 A.D. The people
of Constantinople were threatened by a Saracen invasion. They
fled to the Church of the Viakhernae (Blachernae) and implored
the aid of the Mother of God. The Holy Fool for Christ's Sake
Andrew (Andrey) and his disciple Epiphanius (Epiphaniy) saw Mary
appear in the air over the assembled people. She held a veil in
her hands and spread it over the crowd as a sign of protection.
Mary stands on a cloud within the church,
accompanied by saints such as John the Forerunner and the Apostles
Peter Paul & John. At lower right Andrew points out the vision
to Epiphanius. Below the Mother of God stands Romanos the Melodist,
a famous hymnographer of the 6th century. He is included because
his feast day is on Oct. 1, the same day the "Protection
of the Most Holy Mother of God" is celebrated (October 14
New Style) - and also because he composed the most famous of all
Orthodox hymns to Mary, the Akathistos (Russian Akafist), meaning
"Not Seated" so called because it was sung while standing.
To the left of Romanos is Tarasios,
Patriarch of Constaninople, and the Emporer Leo and Empress Zoe.
In thecenteris Romano the Melodist. Once, around the year 518,
while serving in the Church of the Panagia at Blachernae, during
the All-Night Vigil for the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, he
was assigned to read the kathisma verses from the Psalter. He
read so poorly that another reader had to take his place. Some
of the lesser clergy ridiculed Romanus for this, and being humiliated
he sat down in one of the choir stalls. Overcome by weariness
and sorrow, he soon fell asleep. As he slept, the Theotokos (Mother
of God) appeared to him with a scroll in her hand. She commanded
him to eat the scroll, and as soon as he did so, he awoke. He
immediately received a blessing from the Patriarch, mounted the
ambo (pulpit), and chanted extemporaneously his famous Kontakion
of the Nativity, "Today the Virgin gives birth to Him Who
is above all being…." The emperor, the patriarch, the
clergy, and the entire congregation were amazed at both the profound
theology of the hymn and Romanos' clear, sonorous voice as he
sang. According to tradition, this was the very first kontakion
ever sung. The Greek word "kontakion" refers to the
shaft on which a scroll is wound, hence the significance of the
Theotokos' command for him to swallow a scroll, indicating that
his compositions were by divine inspiration.
Upon learning of this wonderful vision
the inspired troops of Constantinople threw themselves at the
enemy and the Arabs retreated in sheer terror. The snow layer
in Russian folklore is presented as the Veil (or "Pokrov"
in Russian) of the Virgin Mary with which she covers the Russian
Land, protecting it from severe frosts.
