Mother of God Pokrov

The icon depicting the Protection of the Mother of God (Pokrov) shows a miraculous vision experienced by the holy fool Andrew Yurodivy in Constantinople. It initiated the celebration of the feast of the Pokrov of the Most Holy Mother of God, celebrated on the October 14 (October 1 according to the Julian calendar), as described under S.12821MŁ and S.12822MŁ. In Ruthenia, where the depiction of Pokrov was formed, the event was described in the 17th century by the bishop and theologian Dmitry Rostovsky. The icons representing the Mother of God's Pokrov have a two-level composition placed on the background of the iconostasis. In the middle, in the upper zone, there is the most important figure of the representation – the Mother of God holding a maphorion in her hands or shown in the orans position with her arms spread out under the maphorion lifted by angels, as in the image in question. The icon features the figures of John the Baptist and John the Evangelist supporting the Mother of God on either side, as well as a host of saints. The lower part of the composition includes a witness of the miracle, namely Andrew Yurodivy, pointing at the Mother of God, with his disciple Epiphanius. There is also deacon Roman the Sweet Singer, called Melodos, living in the 6th century, shown against the background of the Tsar’s gates. He did not witness the miracle that took place in 910, but he was the author of the first liturgical hymn in honour of the Mother of God, and the feast of St Roman falls on the feast day of Pokrov. This is how the icon fulfils the role of an Orthodox calendar called menologium. With time, in different variants of representation, the lower zone of the images was expanded to include further figures, e.g. of the emperor, the clergy, the people. On the presented icon, similarly as on the icon S.12822MŁ, in the lower right corner there is a scene presenting St Roman sleeping on a bed under a canopy, during the apparition of the Mother of God, ordering him to eat the scroll given to him. Upon awakening on Christmas Day, the inspired Melodos supposedly intoned one of the most beautiful hymns praising the Mother of God, Today the Virgin Gives Birth to the Eternal One. Teresa Bagińska-Żurawska https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9243-3967