The Cult of the Theotokos and the Pokrov (Intercession) Service
Authors: Zema Valerii 
Published: December 2024

The article examines the development of the Virgin cults in Byzantium, which included the veneration of icons, relics, and dedicated feasts. These cults were also expressed in the texts of special services found in Menaions. Among the key elements in the establishment of feasts dedicated to the Virgin Mary was her garment, represented in icons of the Pokrov (Intercession) with a protective function. Narratives and tales about the Nativity of the Virgin, her Life, and Assumption continued to evolve over the centuries, with various versions emerging across the Eastern Christian tradition. Some of these texts appear in the manuscripts of the Kyivan Metropolitanate.The formation of iconographic depictions of the Theotokos in Byzantium and their representation in the Kyivan Metropolitanate is also briefly discussed. Two centers of Marian cults in Constantinople – Blachernai and Chalkopratea – housed important relics associated with the Theotokos: her garment and belt. These relics were said to have originated in the Holy Land and were transferred to Constantinople, though different versions of this transfer exist. A story from 860 recounts how Constantinople was saved from a Rus’ invasion through the protection of the Mother of God’s garment, which was kept at the Blachernai shrine. This narrative appears not only in Byzantine sources but also passed into Ruthenian historical accounts, recurring from the Middle Ages into the early modern period.The narrative surrounding the Dormition and Assumption of the Virgin, as reflected in Menaions and iconography of the Kyiv Metropolitanate, highlights the interaction between texts and images dedicated to Marian cults, which is central to this study. The formation of the Intercession cult and its associated iconography was significant in the Kyivan Metropolitanate’s religious culture. In the absence of Byzantine models that would standardize this iconography, the image of the Intercession evolved flexibly. Initially, the Intercession icon depicted the vision of Andrew the Fool, to whom the Mother of God appeared in a dream with her maphorion, symbolizing protection. This vision was commemorated with a feast on October 1 in the Menaions.The study examines the texts of services dedicated to the Intercession from the 14th to the early 17th century, up to the publication of the Anthologion (1619) at the Kyiv-Cave Monastery. These Menaion texts not only depict the image of the Intercession but also emphasize the Virgin’s protective role for a prince and his army. From the 15th century, a new visionary figure – Roman the Melodist – appears in Intercession icons, holding a scroll and standing at a pulpit, symbolizing his vision of the Virgin, who gave him a kontakion in a dream. Thus, two visionary themes were integrated into a single iconography that circulated in the Kyivan Metropolitanate. A new version of the Intercession iconography emerged in the 17th century, influenced by the Western depiction of Mater Misericordiae. In this version, local political leaders are shown under the Virgin’s maphorion or cloak, emphasizing her protective role.