Troparion: O Most Holy Mother of God, today we Orthodox joyfully celebrate thy coming among us. As we gaze at thy icon we cry with compunction: Shelter us under thy protection, deliver us from evil and pray thy Son Christ our God to save our souls.  

Kontakion: Today the Virgin is standing before us in the Church, praying for us with the choirs of Saints. Angels worship with Hierarchs, Apostles rejoice with Prophets, for the Mother of God intercedes with the Eternal God for us. 

One of the feasts commemorated in the Russian Orthodox Church during the month of October is Pokrov (the Protection of the Mother of God). APokrov@ is the Slavonic word for veil, and is the name of the holiday celebrating the appearance of the Most Holy Theotokos during the siege of Constantinople in 911. Even though it is not one of the 12 great feasts celebrated in the Orthodox Liturgical year, it is nevertheless a holiday the Orthodox Church, particularly in Eastern Europe, holds dear to its heart. This may be because the people there have had a long history of hardship and struggle against great and powerful enemies. Another reason may be because a key witness to the apparition was himself a Slav. Yet, either reason is significant, especially in light of one interesting fact: the feast has not been celebrated in the Greek Church since the fall of Constantinople in 1453.  For the Slavic Churches, however, Pokrov continues to be a day of expressing great gratitude and love to the Most Holy Mother of God for her help and protection. 

Constantinople had been the capital of Byzantine Empire since the 330 and by the 10th century it was one of the richest and most beautiful cities in the world.

Foreign invaders were perennially attracted to the splendours of the city, and in 911 it was again under siege, this time by pagan Slavs. Fearing for their lives, people rushed to their churches in seek of God’s help. An overflowing crowd gathered in the Church of the Most Holy Mother of God at Blachernae, where Her robe, veil and belt were preserved. Among the crowd attending the all night vigil was St. Andrew the Fool for Christ, who lived as a beggar in the streets of Constantinople. With his disciple, Epiphanius, Andrew prayed at the back of the Church for the protection of the city. Then, at 4 a.m. Andrew saw a radiant light with a majestic woman – the Most Holy Mother of God –approaching the Royal Doors from up above in the air and accompanied by St. John the Theologian and St. John the Baptist, and surrounded by a great choir of Saints singing hymns. After proceeding to the altar, the Holy Virgin Mary knelt down and with great tears flowing down her face, she prayed fervently for a long time. Meanwhile, Andrew asked Epiphanius if he could see the Queen and Lady of all, praying for the world, to which he replied: “Yes, I see Her and tremble.” While the two men watched in awe, the Holy Virgin stood up and went to the altar table where she prayed once more. Finally, She arose and removed the luminous veil from Her head, held it in Her outstretched hands and spread it over the entire church. Then, the Mother of God disappeared, leaving Andrew and Epiphanius with the understanding that She had come to protect the city from the invasion. News of the apparition spread like wild fire throughout the city. The people came out of the Churches and made a procession along the walls of the city. They were so encouraged by Her Lady’s visitation that they even put an icon of Her into the sea. Soon after, a great storm destroyed most of the enemy’s fleet. The invaders on land retreated, and the city was saved.

http://www.patriarchate.org/ecumenical_patriarchate/chapter_4/html/blachernae.html