VIRGIN HOLY PROTECTION (SKEPE)

At the time that Leo the Great (A.D. 457-474) was king, saint Andrew the Fool-for-Christ lived in Constantinople. A night οf vigil in the temple of Our Lady of Blachernae, Saint Andrew, together with his student Epiphanius, who later became a patriarch of Constantinople (520-536 AD), saw the Holy Mother of God clearly visible, coming from the central gate of the temple. On the side of Holy Mother of God was a multitude of angels, and the virgins John the Forerunner and John the Theologian.

    After entering the temple, She went to the choir and prayed for a long time with warm tears in favour of the salvation of the faithful Christians. But only Andrew and Epiphanius saw this incident. After She prayed, the Mother of God stood up and entered the chancel, where Her cloak was placed, took it in Her hands and went out and laid it over the believers. With that She wanted to show to the crowd that She cares and protects them.

    This is the incident that is celebrated by our Church and was established as the feast of the Holy Protection (Skepe). It is the celebration in honour of the Virgin, which cares and protects the people of God and illuminates the believers on their way to perfection through Her prayers, invocations and tears.