One of the great Orthodox holidays is the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A lot of folk signs and customs are associated with it. Many people do not know how to celebrate Veil, is it possible to work on this day, visit a cemetery or is it prohibited.
history of the holiday
The veil is traditionally celebrated every year on October 14th. Its history originates in the year 910 from the birth of Christ. At this time, the ancient city of Constantinople was under siege of the Saracens. The forces of the inhabitants were running out and the Christians, waiting for their imminent death, decided to gather in the Blachernae Church and pray. What is noteworthy, it was in this temple that the cover and belt of the Virgin were stored.
People fell to their knees and began to appeal to the supreme powers, asking for mercy and help. After some time, the parishioners saw in reality how the Mother of God entered the church surrounded by angels and began to pray with the people. Then she removed the cover from her head and covered them with all the people in the temple. Surprisingly, the enemy, who had besieged the city for so long, left the next day (October 14).
The Mother of God has long been considered the patroness of Russia, and in our country, Orthodox people greatly honor her. In ancient Russia, the Veil began to be celebrated since the XII century. Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky introduced this holiday. He was a true believer, and he considered Saint Andrew his patron and was interested in his life and deeds.
In honor of the appearance of the Mother of God, Andrei Bogolyubsky built the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl in the Vladimir Region. Now this church is included in the list of masterpieces of Russian architecture. By this act, the prince gave Russia under the protection of the Virgin. Especially often mothers pray to her for the health and well-being of their children.
How to Celebrate Veil
There are many signs and customs associated with this holiday. For example, so that the next year was rich in harvest, the hostesses at Pokrov would necessarily heat the stove with branches of fruit trees. In a modern house, you can throw a couple of branches of apple or cherry into the fireplace or just burn a small twig on a saucer.
On this day, believers go to church for a festive service and pray to the holy patroness. They honor the Mother of God, whose immense love harbors people as if with a protective covering and protects from troubles and adversities. It is also customary to pray at Pokrov for those who died in battle, fighting for faith and the Fatherland.
It has long been customary to cook Pokrovsky loaf for the holiday, which was treated to all relatives and friends.
If there is an icon of the Mother of God in the house, the older woman took her in her arms, read a prayer and blessed the whole family.
