The Feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos is one of the most revered holidays among Orthodox Christians. It is based on the legend that in the year 910, during the siege of Constantinople by the enemies of Saint Andrew, the Mother of God supposedly appeared, praying for the city and its inhabitants. Having finished praying, the Virgin Mary took off her head cape and stretched it over the assembled people, as if taking people under her protection and patronage. The city withstood the siege, the danger disappeared. The happy townspeople attributed this successful outcome to the intercession of the Mother of God.
It is not known from what year this holiday began to be celebrated in Russia. Many researchers associate it with the personality of Prince Andrey, who went down in history with the nickname "Bogolyubsky". This prince, having read about the miraculous vision in the Life of Andrew the Fool, ordered by his decree to celebrate the Intercession of the Mother of God and build churches in his honor. For example, this is how the magnificent monument of history and architecture of the 12th century, the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, arose. Despite its modest size, it makes a stunning impression due to its precisely calibrated proportions, carved reliefs on the walls, and also thanks to a very well-chosen place for construction - practically at the junction of the Nerl and Klyazma rivers. It is not surprising that this temple still attracts the attention of many not only believers, but also tourists.
Well, the most famous, perhaps, monument dedicated to the Intercession of the Virgin is the famous Intercession Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow, better known as the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed, built in the second half of the 16th century in honor of the capture of Kazan by the troops of Tsar Ivan the Terrible.
According to the Julian calendar, this holiday was celebrated on October 1st. Accordingly, according to the Gregorian calendar (new style), it is celebrated on October 14th. For many centuries for the peasantry, which made up the majority of the population of Russia, the feast of the Intercession of the Virgin symbolized the end of all field work. People were resting after hard and long toil, preparing for the coming of winter. The Feast of the Intercession awakened legends about ancient pagan holidays and customs among them, especially since the word “cover” itself was well associated with a white bloom of frost, which has been lying on the ground in the morning since mid-autumn, covering it. From that day, according to the old tradition, weddings began to play. That is why a girl who wanted to get married had to say aloud at dawn of that day: “Father Pokrov! Cover the ground with snow, and me, a young man, with a fiancé!"
