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Thursday, March 28, 2024, 10:45PM  
THE SYNAXARION
On October 28 in the Holy Orthodox Church, we commemorate the Holy Protection of our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-virgin Mary, that is, her sacred veil (skepi) kept in the treasury of the sacred temple of Blachernae; and we also remember how the righteous Andrew, the Fool for Christ’s sake, beheld it spread out above and covering all the pious.

The Church has always glorified the most holy Mother of God as the Protectress and Defender of the Christian people, entreating, by her intercessions, God’s loving-kindness towards us sinners. Two events are celebrated on this day: the first in tenth-century Constantinople, the second in twentieth-century Greece. On October 1, 911, while Slavic armies threatened the Queen of Cities, the Blachernae Church of the Theotokos held a crowded all-night vigil. Before daybreak, the most holy Mother of God appeared above the people with a veil spread over her outstretched hands, as though to protect them with this covering. Seeing this vision, St. Andrew, the Fool-for-Christ, gestured towards it and asked his disciple, Epiphanios: “Do you see how the Queen and Lady of all is praying for the whole world?” Epiphanios replied: “Yes, Father; I see it and stand in dread.” The Slavic armies stayed away. Ironically, in the twelfth century, the Orthodox Church of Russia began to celebrate the Protection on October 1, even though its ancestors—who had not yet embraced Orthodoxy—were looming near Constantinople.

Before daybreak on October 28, 1940, the Italian ambassador to Greece, representing Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, went to Greek general Ioannis Metaxas with an ultimatum. Italy wanted full control of Greece to occupy “strategic locations”; otherwise it would brutalize the country. General Metaxas shouted “Okhi!” meaning “No!” Thus, Greece was plunged into the Second World War, as Italy burst through, and then Nazi Germany eventually, wreaking havoc and horrors on the Greek people. In 1952, the Orthodox Church of Greece transferred its celebration of the Protection to October 28 in conjunction with “Okhi Day” as a testament to the rejection of European aggression and as a day of national remembrance. The Orthodox Church of Antioch can utilizes this transfer in order to more fully celebrate its sons, Ananias of the Seventy and Romanos the Melodist, on October 1.

Both dates recognize the Ever-virgin’s constant defense whenever we prayerfully seek her protection and shelter in distress and strife. While the Orthodox Church marks one date or the other for the commemoration of the Protection, we must ask the Theotokos to extend her protection and intercession every day of our life.

By the intercessions of the Most Holy Theotokos, O Christ God, have mercy on us. Amen.
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