Meaning and origin
The Protection of the Mother of God, known in Bulgarian as Pokrov Bogorodichen, is an Orthodox feast dedicated to the Mother of God’s protection of believers. The word pokrov refers to the covering she is said to have spread over the people as a sign of her protection.
According to tradition, in the tenth century Saint Andrew the Fool-for-Christ and his disciple Epiphanius saw the Mother of God in the Blachernae church in Constantinople. She was praying for the people and spreading her omophorion, a covering, over them. The city was then threatened with attack, but the danger passed.
Date and public holiday status
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church celebrates the feast on 1 October every year. It is not a public holiday or a day off: it is a normal working day in Bulgaria.
Many churches and monasteries in Bulgaria bear the name Pokrov Bogorodichen and celebrate their patronal feast—the feast associated with their name—on this day. The date also coincides with the International Day of Older Persons.
The icon of the feast
In the icon of the Protection, the Mother of God is shown above a gathering of believers, holding an outstretched covering. Below her stands Saint Andrew the Fool-for-Christ, pointing to the vision, alongside other saints.
The image expresses the belief that the Mother of God prays for people and protects them in difficult times. The feast is especially revered in Russia and Ukraine; in Bulgaria, it is associated with the many churches and monasteries that bear its name.