Mt. Athos, October 14, 2016
The feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos was solemnly celebrated on October 14 at the Russian St. Panteleimon’s Monastery on Mt. Athos, reports Russian Athos.
About 500 pilgrims from various countries around the world were able to participate that day in the festive Divine Liturgy and to venerate the relics of the monastery. Representatives of a number of Russian kellias on Athos were present as well. The atmosphere was festive and reverent.
The festive Liturgy in the Protection Cathedral of St. Panteleimon’s Monastery was celebrated by three hierarchs: Met. Zinovy (Korzinkin) of Saransk and Mordovia, Abp. Jonathan (Tsvetkov) of Abakhan and Khakassia, and Bp. Barsanuphy (Stolyar) of Borodyansk, vicar of the Kiev diocese.
During the Liturgy Abp. Jonathan ordained the newly-elected abbot of the monastery, Hierodeacon Evlogy (Ivanov) as a hieromonk.
In the morning after the Liturgy a festive Moleben to the Most Holy Theotokos was also served.
The miraculous appearance of the Most Holy Theotokos in the monastery’s Protection Cathedral is remembered in the Athonite monastery on this day. As is known, the cathedral is connected with many signs and appearances of the Mother of God, for which it is often referred to as the Miraculous Church, like the cathedral of the Kiev Caves Lavra. Here, twice, in 1862 and 1863, the Most Holy Theotokos repeated the miracle she performed of old in Blachernae. According to a number of surviving eyewitness testimonies, in those years on the day of the Holy Protection the Mother of God was clearly seen by many worshipers in the monastery church with outstretched Omophorion. Recollections of it are preserved in the journals of many brothers, and even in that of Elder Jerome (Solomentsov).
