The appearance of the Virgin Mary to Saint Andreas
During the period of 457-474 AD, when Emperor Leo the Great was king, Saint Andrew the First-Called lived in Constantinople.
One night, during a vigil at the temple of Panagia of Blachernae, Saint Andrew and his disciple Epiphanius, who later became Patriarch of Constantinople (520-536 AD), saw the Holy Mother of God, entering the temple through its central gate.
Alongside the Most Holy Theotokos were a multitude of angels, as well as John the Baptist with John the Theologian.
The prayer of the Virgin Mary
After entering the temple, the Virgin Mary proceeded to the solea (part of the nave which stretches in front of the sanctuary) and prayed for a considerable time, with warm tears, for the salvation of the faithful christians. This event was visible only to Andrew and Epiphanius.
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After her prayer, the Theotokos stood up and entered the chancel, where her veil, namely her maphorion (long shawl worn over the head and shoulders), was kept. She took it in her hands and laid it over the christians, who were outside. In this way, she wished to show that she cares and protects them.
When does Holy Skepe celebrate
Our Church commemorates this event on October 28, along with the national celebration for the liberation of Greece from Italian-German occupation. It is therefore a feast in honor of the Virgin Mary, who cares and protects the people of God and illuminates the faithful on the path to perfection with her prayers, invocations and tears.
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