My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVERS SHALL BE.

ON OCTOBER 28th OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES THE HOLY PROTECTION (AGIA SKEPI [Αγία Σκέπη) OF THE MOTHER OF GOD AND OXI DAY

The feast day celebrates the appearance of the Theotokos, Mother of God at Vlachernae in the 10th Century. At the end of Saint Andrew of Constantinople, he, with his disciple Saint Epiphanius, and a group of the faithful, saw the Mother of God, Saint John the Baptist, and several other Saints and Angels during a vigil in the Church of Vlachernae, nearby the city gates. The Vlachernae Palace church was where several of her holy relics were kept. The holy relics were her robe, veil, and part of her belt that had been transferred from Palestine during the 5th century.

The Protection of the Mother of God is one of the most beloved feast days on the Orthodox calendar commemorated on October 1st. The feast is celebrated additionally on October 28th in Greece. The Feast of Αγία Σκέπη (Holy Protection) has become associated with thanksgiving for the deliverance of the Greek (Hellenic) nation from the Italian invasion 1940. These events are commemorated in Greece in a national holiday known as "Ochi Day" or "No Day," referring to the response of the Greek leader Metaxas to Mussolini's ultimatum.

In recognition of this, and because of the many miracles of the Ever-Virgin Mary which were reported by Greek soldiers during the Greco-Italian War of 1940-1941, the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece elected in 1952 to transfer the Feast of the Holy Protection from October 1st to October 28th.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople also provides for this usage in parishes in Greece and in the Greek diaspora, and it is generally observed now throughout the Greek-speaking world. The observance includes the chanting of a Doxology incorporating hymns of praise and thanksgiving recognizing of the Theotokos over the Hellenic Nation, as well as the kontakion hymn "Ti Ypermacho Stratigo the Nikiteria" ("O Champion Leader..").

At a time of war and plague, the Most Pure and Most Blessed Ever-Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, offers us as a defense her protection, that we might be freed, from every misfortune and tragedy. She guards us from famine, pestilence (pandemic), and earthquake; she shelters us from wars and disease; and she preserves us unharmed under her protection.

It was in the most glorious church of the Theotokos which was in the District of Vlachernae in the Imperial City of Constantinople, during the reign of the pious Emperor Leo, that the protection of the Mother of God was made manifest. There, as the All-night Vigil (Agreepnia) was being celebrated on a Sunday, the first day of the month of October, in the presence of a multitude of faithful, Saint Andrew, the Fool-for-Christ's Sake, lifted up his eyes and beheld the Heavenly Queen, the Protectress of the whole world, the Most Pure Virgin Theotokos, standing upon the clouds praying, shining like the sun and sheltering the faithful (believers) with her precious omophorion. Seeing this, Saint Andrew said to his disciple, the blessed Epiphanios, "Do you see, brother, the Queen and Lady of all praying for the whole word?"

Saint Epiphanios replied, "I do see her, holy Father, and am stricken with fear."

Just as Saint John the Theologian and Evangelist once saw a great sign in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, so did Saint Andrew behold the Bride Unwedded clad in purple, like unto the sun, in the Heavenly Church ("The Church Triumphant") of the Vlachernae. The sign which the holy Theologian beheld appeared when the destruction of all creation was revealed and was an image of our Most compassionate Protectress. "And there were lightnings," said the holy Apostle, "and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail. And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun" (Revelation, chapter 11).

"...The Most Pure Theotokos appeared with Angels that she might give her Angels charge over us, to keep us in all our ways" (From Vespers on the feast of the Annunciation). She brought all the ranks of the Saints with her, that they might make supplication for us together and bear our sinful prayers unto her Son and Our God. Two Saints had pre-eminence among those who appeared in the church of Vlachernae with the Most Pure Virgin: Saint John the Baptist and Forerunner, of whom it is said that there has not arisen one greater than he, and Saint John the Theologian, whom Jesus loved and who rested upon Jesus' breast.

Thus celebrating the Protection of the Most Holy Virgin Theotokos, we commemorate Her Most Glorious appearance in the church of Vlachernae to Saint Andrew and Saint Epiphanios. As we celebrate this feast, we thank our Protectress for the exceedingly great mercy which she has shown the race of Christians, and we entreat her fervently that she have compassion and shelter us who are in need of her protection, both now and forevermore. For it is not possible for us to live without Her protection and intercession, inasmuch, as we continually anger God. On account of our many sins, much chastisement is our due, as it has been said, "many are the scourges of the sinner" (Psalm 31). We would already have perished in our iniquities, had Our Most Merciful Lady (Kyria or Despoina) a Had not our Mediatress intercede for us in prayer, who would have delivered us from such numerous sorrows? Who would have preserved us until now in freedom? The Prophet Isaiah counsels, "Hide thyself for a little while, until the wrath of the Lord shall pass away" (Isaiah, Ch. 26)...

"...But let us take courage: the noetic cloud, the Most Pure Ever-Virgin Mary, shelters us. In Her do we hope; unto Her we flee; not a hair of our head shall perish when we are under Her protection. Let us but cry to Her with compunction, "Shelter us beneath thy protection, O Our Protectress, Most Pure Virgin; hide us in the days of our troubles! All the days of our life are full of evil, as Jacob once said in the Old Testament, "Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been" (Genesis, Ch. 47). Evil are the days when we behold evil an when we ourselves work much evil, storing up unto ourselves wrath against the day of wrath" (Romans, Ch. 2). Wherefore, we are in need of thy merciful protection every evil day, O Most Pure Virgin! Shelter us throughout our life and especially on the cruel day when our soul is to be parted from the body. Come thou unto our aid and protect us from the wicked spirits of the firmament beneath the heavens, and on the Dread Day of Judgment grant us refuge. Amen. (Source: The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints)

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DIVINE LITURGY ON THE 28th:

10:00 a.m.

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostom

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George