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Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos: three "secret" church rites for the main Orthodox holiday of October
The Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos is one of the most revered October holidays in the Orthodox tradition. Its history dates back to the 10th century, when, according to legend, in the Blachernae Church of Constantinople, the Virgin spread Her veil over the worshippers. Special liturgical rites are performed on this day. From the polyeleistic rite of the all—night vigil with the liturgy and anointing, the solemn liturgy with the celebration of the feast to the "Intercession Prayer Service" with the akathist - in the material of Izvestia.
History and Theological meaning — from the Blachernae to the Russian Tradition
The Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated annually in mid-October and is considered one of the most revered autumn holidays in the Orthodox tradition.
Church tradition connects the Veil with the night vigil at the Blachernae Church in Constantinople in the tenth century: Saint Andrew of Constantinople, a fool for Christ's sake, and his disciple Epiphanius saw the Mother of God, accompanied by John the Baptist and the Apostle John the Theologian, walk through the air and spread Her omophorion over people — a sign of patronage.
In Russia, it was established in the XII century under the Venerable Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, and its meaning is connected with the story of the miraculous appearance of the Virgin in the Blachernae church. In modern church usage, the Intercession is not included among the twelve feasts, since the memory of the Intercession is dedicated to an event that occurred after the earthly life of the Mother of God, but it is considered one of the most significant in terms of veneration.
The liturgical status is a "vigil" holiday and what does it mean?
Pokrov is a holiday of the "watchful" rank. This means that on the eve there is an all—night vigil with polyeleos and litany, and on the day itself there is a special liturgy with festive hymns.
In the practice of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Intercession has been fixed precisely as a vigil: the service is accompanied by magnification, additional lighting of the temple, censer rounds, many chants and a solemn prayer mood.
It is "vigilance" that explains why many important actions are performed at night or late in the evening: the very memory of the holiday was born from the night vigil in Blachernae, and the church charter preserves the memory of this not only with words, but also with the structure of the service.
Polyeleos, Lithium and anointing — what happens at the all-night vigil
The All—night vigil is the heart of the Feast of the Intercession. The central part is polyeles: A solemn hymn of praise, during which polyeleic psalms are sung, the magnification of the Mother of God sounds, and censer processions are performed. Polyeleos symbolizes the "multitude of mercies" of God, and therefore is considered a moment of special spiritual joy.
This is followed by litiya, a prayer for peace, the city, the country, and all people. During the litiya, bread, wheat, wine and oil are consecrated, which become a sign of God's grace.
After that, the clergy anoint the faithful with consecrated oil. This moment is often called the "secret" side of the holiday — not because it is hidden, but because it reflects the deep symbolism of participation in the common prayer of the Church.
In popular memory, the Veil is associated with early entry into the temple, especially for girls praying for family life. The old custom was: "whoever lights the first candle is the first to get married." Such traditions are not a church institution, but they show how the holiday was perceived in Russian culture as a day of special heavenly intercession.
The Liturgy of the feast with greatness is the prayer of the Church for the "covering" of the world
On the day of the Intercession, the Divine Liturgy is celebrated — most often St. John Chrysostom. Its structure includes a troparion, kontakion, stichera, and magnification in honor of the Intercession. In some churches, a procession is held, and special petitions are added.
The meaning of the liturgy is revealed through the image of the Virgin Mary standing "before the altar of the Lord" and praying for people. This memory becomes the center of the celebration and provides the theological content of the entire service. Festive chants and the akathist speak directly about intercession.: "Through the storm of many troubles, the possessed are helped by you, Heavenly Queen."
The Liturgy of the Intercession is perceived by believers as an opportunity to make personal petitions: about family, about health, about the welfare of the country.
"Intercession Prayer service" and Akathist — personal petitions under a common veil
The third rite of the holiday is the "Intercession Prayer Service" with the reading of the Akathist. Although the charter does not explicitly prescribe its holding, it has become a tradition in many parishes. After the liturgy or in the evening, the clergy perform a prayer service, sing "Greatness", read the akathist to the Intercession, and the faithful give notes about health and help in everyday matters. The Akathist contains the lines: "All angelic nature praiseworthy brings You ...".
It is the prayer dimension that makes Pokrov a family holiday: it was associated with the beginning of new affairs, prayers for marriage and the health of loved ones. The Church distinguishes between folk signs and spiritual content, but recognizes that the desire of believers to see the day of heavenly intercession in the Veil is natural and corresponds to the essence of the holiday.
Culture and the "people's Protection" — how tradition entered into everyday life
In popular culture, Pokrov was considered the border of autumn and the time of weddings. He was associated with the proverbs "Cover — it's time to look" and "Cover before lunch is autumn, after lunch is winter." In the church environment, this day symbolized female patronage and family well-being.
In many churches, they serve in blue vestments for the Intercession, which emphasizes the heavenly theme of the holiday. In homes, believers placed candles in front of icons of the Virgin, and in families, the Intercession was considered a day of thanksgiving for the summer and the autumn harvest.
Geography of dates and calendar details
In the Russian Orthodox Church, the Intercession is celebrated on October 14 (October 1, Old style). In the Greek Church, it is often celebrated on October 28 and is known as "Agia Skepi" — Holy Patronage.
Some Orthodox jurisdictions that preserve the old calendar adhere to the "Russian" date. The difference is solely related to the calendar system, and not to the content of the celebration.
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