Chisinau celebrates its day on Protection of the Mother of God
Chisinau marks its day on the Protection of Ever-Virgin Mary. Known in Slavonic Church as Pokrov ("protection"), it is a feast of the Mother of God celebrated in the Eastern Orthodox Church on October 14, on the Julian calendar. The feast commemorates the protection afforded to the faithful through the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) intercessions.
According to Eastern Orthodox Sacred Tradition, the apparition of Mary the Theotokos occurred during the 10th century at the Blachernae church in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), where several of her relics (her robe, veil, and part of her belt) were kept. On Sunday, October 1 at four in the morning, St. Andrew the Blessed Fool-for-Christ, who was a Slav by birth, saw the dome of the church open and the Virgin Mary enter, moving in the air above him, glowing and surrounded by angels and saints. She knelt and prayed with tears for all faithful Christians in the world. The Virgin Mary asked her son, Jesus Christ, to accept the prayers of all the people entreating him and looking for her protection. Once her prayer was completed, she walked to the altar and continued to pray. Afterwards, she spread her veil over all the people in the church as a protection. An icon of the Virgin Mary praying, surrounded by people, was said to be kept in the Blachernae church. It is said to reproduce the events as St Andrew saw them that day.
The holiday was chosen as the day of the city by the Chisinau City Hall and representatives of both Metropolitan Churches - the Metropolitan Church of Moldova and the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia.
Religious services in churches today gather believers who pray for protection and health, a tradition closely linked to this day. In addition to religious rituals, Chisinau hosts local fairs, handicraft exhibitions, music performances and folk dances, attracting both residents and tourists. In all, 146 localities in the country are celebrating their day today.
