Intercession of the Theotokos in Ukraine

This ancient holiday is the most revered among the inhabitants of Ukraine and has a double meaning church and historical. The Feast of the Intercession is celebrated annually on October 14.

Traditions of the holiday should be sought in ancient history, namely in Byzantium. In the tenth century. a temple was built in honor of the victory of Constantinople over the invaders. Victory has its own prehistory. The city shuddered under the power of the Saracens and was preparing to die at the hands of the invaders. At this time before the sight of St. Andrew appeared the Mother of God. She opened her veil, and this instilled in the hearts and souls of people the hope of victory. Encouraged by this miracle, warriors made every effort to win in heavy fighting.

The second meaning of the holiday is the veneration of folk heroes (Ukrainian Cossacks). The Mother of God of the Intercession was their symbol, therefore these two holidays are inextricably celebrated in one day. In the Zaporozhye Sich, the Pokrov’s Temple was built. In the campaigns and battles of the Ukrainian Cossacks, the images of the Pokrov were protected. Ukrainians considered her to be their patron.

There were many signs related to weather predictions on this day. Warm winter brought the wind from the south. The east wind brought a cold and severe winter. The force of the wind was important in meteorological predictions. A strong wind could bring a windy spring. A warm and long autumn brought flying cranes.

Every year the Indian summer began with the Feast of the Intercession and lasted up to two weeks. Nature last reminds of summer warm and sunny days. Before the Feast of the Intercession, it was customary to woo girls and celebrate weddings. The most successful time for weddings was the period from October 14 to November 27.

The peasants completed all the work in the fields and orchards. It was decided to dig out all the underground gifts of nature before this holiday, and all terrestrial cultures could be collected later. Before October 14, it was necessary to plant winter crops, so as not to disturb the land once again. For those who did not want to speed up their work, there was a popular belief: if you dig the earth after the Cover, you can disturb the serpents peace, which went to sleep.

In honor of the Veil, many churches on the territory of Ukraine were named. On such holidays, called the temple, it was customary to gather in the family circle and also go to church services. A special thing about this holiday is the reception of guests in their home. Usually, in this day go to visit those relatives who live far away.

Preparation for the holiday was held not only in the house but also in the church. The premises were decorated with festive towels, prepared dishes of national cuisine, prepared for patronal feasts.

In the 1990s, the revival of the Ukrainian Cossacks began. Cossack and national holidays began to be fixed legislatively. And although the Day of the Pate and the Ukrainian Cossacks is not a day off, it is celebrated throughout Ukraine.