Orthodox icon | Pokrov | Intercession of the Mother of God | 24719

The feast of the Mother of God Pokrov is celebrated on October 1 in memory of the apparition of the Mother of God in the Blachernae Church in Constantinople. There the dress, the veil and part of the belt of the Mother of God were kept. During the service, Saint Andrew (the Fool-for-Christ, died 956) and his disciple Epiphanius saw the Mother of God walking to the Ambon, supported by Saint John the Baptist and John the Evangelist and accompanied by several saints. She approached the altar, turned to the people, took the veil that enveloped her and spread it over all the people standing in the church. Only Andrew and Epiphanius could see the appearance of the Mother of God, but everyone present felt the grace of her intercession.

On the icon, the Mother of God hovers on a small cloud, holding the veil. The saints on her right are led by John the Theologian, the saints on her left by John the Baptist. Andreas as a Fool-for-Christ (October 2) and his pupil Epiphanius are shown at the bottom right. In a semicircle, the ambon, in the middle of the church stands a young man, Romanos the Melodist (October 1). He is a famous hymnographer from the 6th or 8th century. Behind the ambon the choir of youths and virgins. The architectural background is the Blachernae Church. As an additional scene, the icon at the bottom right shows how the Mother of God appears to Saint Romanos in his sleep and hands over a roll of parchment to eat. The next day he sings in the service with a beautiful voice and becomes the most important poet of the church services.

Left:

1. Saint Mary the Egyptian (April 1).
2. Saint Martyr Paraskeva (March 20).
3. Saint Martyr Catherine of Alexandria (November 25).
4. Saint Sergius of Radonezh, miracle worker and protector of Russia (September 25).
5. Saint Theodosius of Pechora, monk in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra (September 2).
6. Saint John of Damascus (December 4).
7. Saint Prophet Zechariah (February 8).
8. Saint Apostle Matthias (August 9).
9. Saint Apostle James (October 9).
10. Saint Apostle Peter (June 29).
11. Saint John the Precursor and Baptist (June 24).
12. Saint Archangel Michael (November 8).
13. Empress Zoe Karbonopsina.
14. Emperor Leo VI, the Wise.
15. Saint Tarasios, Patriarch of Constantinople (February 25).

Right:

1. Saint Martyr Eudokia of Heliopolis (March 1).
2. Saint Martyr Tatiana (January 12).
3. Saint Martyr Boniface (December 19).
4. Saint Symeon, the recipient of God (February 3).
5. Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia (January 1).
6. Saint Gregory the Theologian, Archbishop of Constantinople (January 25).
7. Saint John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople (September 14).
8. Saint Archangel Gabriel (November 8).
9. Saint Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian (May 8).
10. Saint Apostle and Evangelist Luke (October 18).
11. Saint Apostle Paul (June 29).
12. Saint Apostle Andrew (November 30).

All dates according to the Julian calendar.

Background white metal with gold lacquer. Very nice, fine painting.