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The feast of the Holy Protection (Greek: Hagia Skepe; Slavonic: Pokrov) was introduced into russia by Andrei Bogoliubskii of Vladimir (1157–74). The feast on 1 October commemorates a vision in which the holy fool Andrew and his disciple Epiphanios saw the theotokos in the church at Blachernai, constantinople , stretching out her veil ( maphorion ) over the congregation. In the top zone of the narrative Pokrov icon the Virgin's veil is held aloft by two angels , usually michael and gabriel , against a background of cupolas representing the church at Blachernai. In the middle zone the Virgin in prayer ( orans ) stands on a cloud, flanked by apostles and prophets. Below, standing in an ambo , is romanos the melodist , flanked by ecclesiastical and imperial dignitaries. andrew the scythian and Epiphanios watch from the lower zone. Romanos, sometimes credited with the akathistos hymn, is also celebrated on 1 October. In Greek use the Protecting Veil is now observed on 28 October to coincide with the national holiday celebrating the Greek monosyllabic rejection of Mussolini's ultimatum demanding free passage for his armies. ( 1976 ), ‘ The Vision of the Virgin at Blachernae and the Feast of the Pokrov ’, Analecta Bollandiana 94 , pp. 63 – 82 . ... log in or subscribe to read full text