The Intercession of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary (Russian Pokrov, Покров) is one of the most important Russian Orthodoxy feasts (maybe the most important after the Twelve Great Feasts). It is also commemorated in Eastern Orthodoxy as a whole, but by no means as fervently as it is in Russia. The liturgical year, also known as the Christian year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in some Christian churches which determines when Feasts, Memorials, Commemorations, and Solemnities are to be observed and which portions of Scripture are to be read. ... Advent (from the Latin Adventus, implicitly coupled with Redemptoris, the coming of the Saviour) is a holy season of the Christian church, the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ, also known as the season of Christmas. ... The Christmas season is a term that covers the time when two interconnected periods of celebration are held. ... The Wise Men (Magi) adoring the infant Jesus. ... In Western Christianity, Lent is the period (or season) from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday. ... Eastertide, or the Easter Season, begins on Easter Sunday and continues until Pentecost in the Christian liturgical calendar, thus spanning a total of seven weeks. ... This article is about the Ascension of Jesus Christ. ... Pentecost (symbolically related to the Jewish festival of Shavuot) is a feast on the Christian liturgical calendar that commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, and the followers (men and women) of Jesus, fifty days (seven weeks) after Easter, and ten days after Ascension Thursday. ... Ordinary Time is a season of the Christian (especially the Catholic) liturgical calendar. ... Kingdomtide is a liturgical season observed in the autumn by the United Methodist Church, particularly in the United States, and certain other Protestant denominations. ... It has been suggested that Crouchmas be merged into this article or section. ... The Nativity Fast, practiced by the Eastern Orthodox Church, is believed to enable participants to draw closer to God by denying the body of worldly pleasure in preparation for celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, which is held on December 25th (Julian Calendar). ... For the Nativity of Jesus, see Nativity of Jesus. ... Look up theophany in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Great Lent is the greatest fasting period in the church year in Eastern Christianity, which prepares Christians for the greatest feast of the church year, Easter (or Holy Pascha). Although it is in many ways similar to Lent in Western Christianity, there are important differences in the timing of Lent... This article is about the Christian festival. ... Pentecost (symbolically related to the Jewish festival of Shavuot) is a feast on the Christian liturgical calendar that commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, and the followers (men and women) of Jesus, fifty days (seven weeks) after Easter, and ten days after Ascension Thursday. ... The upper part of The Transfiguration (1520) by Raphael, depicting Christ miraculously discoursing with Moses and Elijah The word Transfiguration means a changing of appearance or form. ... The Dormition of the Theotokos is the Eastern Orthodox commemoration of the falling asleep or death of Mary, the mother of Jesus. ... Theotokos of Kazan Theotokos (Greek: , translit. ... Our Lady redirects here. ... Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church Easter/Pascha The feast of the Resurrection of Jesus, called Easter or Pascha, is the greatest of the feasts of the Eastern Orthodox Church. ... ...

History of the feast

The first churches for the feast of Pokrov ("protection") appeared in Russia in the 12th century. Two of these churches are known all around the world: the Moscow Cathedral of Intercession upon a Moat (Russian: Храм Покрова "на рву," Cathedral of Pokrov upon a moat), popularly known as the Saint Basil's Cathedral, and the Church of Intercession upon Nerl River (Russian: Церковь Покрова на Нерли, Tserkov Pokrova na Nerli) in Bogolyubovo near Vladimir. St. ... During the high waters of spring, the Intercession Church appears stranded on the desolate islet. ... Nerl is the name of two rivers in Russia: Nerl River is a river in the Yaroslavl and Tver Oblasts. ... Bogolyubovo (Russian: Боголюбово) is an urban type settlement in the Vladimir Oblast in Russia, located some 10 km northeast of Vladimir. ... Population 315,954 (2002) Time zone Moscow (MSK/MSD), UTC +0300 (MSK)/+0400 (MSD) Latitude/Longitude 56°09´N 40°25´E Vladimir (Russian: ) is a city in Russia, an administrative center of Vladimir Oblast. ...

An icon of the Holy Lady, praying with people, is said to be kept in the Blachernae church. It is said to reproduce the picture as St Andrew saw it that day. Christ the Redeemer (1410s, by Andrei Rublev) An icon (from Greek , eikon, image) is an image, picture, or representation; it is a sign or likeness that stands for an object by signifying or representing it, or by analogy, as in semiotics; in computers an icon is a symbol on the...

Tradition

According to Eastern Orthodoxy canon law, the apparition of Mary Theotokos occurred during the 10th century at the Blachernae Palace church where several of her relics (her head plate and part of her belt) were kept. On Sunday, October 1 at four in the morning, St Andrew Fool of Christ saw the virgin Mary walking in the air above him, glowing and surrounded by angels and saints. She knelt and prayed for all the Christians in the world, crying. Once her prayer was completed, she walked to the altar and continued to pray. Afterwards, she spread her veil over all the people in the church as a protection. ... Canon law is the term used for the internal ecclesiastical law which governs various churches, most notably the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Anglican Communion of churches. ... Theotokos of Kazan Theotokos (Greek: , translit. ... Blachernae (Greek: ) is a suburb in the northwestern section of Constantinople. ... A relic is an object, especially a piece of the body or a personal item of someone of religious significance, carefully preserved with an air of veneration as a tangible memorial, Relics are an important aspect of Buddhism, some denominations of Christianity, Hinduism, shamanism, and many other personal belief systems. ... October 1 is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Annunciation - the Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear Jesus (El Greco, 1575) An angel is a supernatural being found in many religions. ... In traditional Christian iconography, Saints are usually depicted as having halos. ...

St Andrew asked his pupil Epiphanius, who was standing near him, whether he also saw the Holy Lady praying for all the world. "Yes, saint father, I see it and I'm amazed!", answered Epiphanius. The Virgin Mary asked Jesus Christ to accept the prayers of all the people asking for him and looking for her protection.

See also

• Intercession of saints

Intercession of the saints is a Christian doctrine common to the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. ...

External links

• Celebration of Pokrov in Russia
• Icons of the Intercession

References

• days.ru (Russian) The article was used for iconography description.