22- THE PROTECTION OF THE MOTHER OF GOD
		
		
		GOD The Church celebrates the Feast of the Protection of 
		the Mother of God on October 1st. Through this feast we 
		celebrate the appearance of the Mother of God in 
		Constantinople in the tenth century. The account of this 
		appearance is found in the life of St. Andrew, known as 
		the Fool for Christ. During services in the Church of 
		Blachernes, St. Andrew and his disciple, St. Epiphanius, 
		saw the Mother of God approach the ambo. She was supported
		by St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, and 
		accompanied by many Saints. Here she knelt in prayer, her 
		face bathed in tears. After praying again at the altar, 
		she took her veil and extended it over the people as a 
		sign of her protection. 
		
		
		On the Icon, the Mother of God is seen standing above the 
		faithful. Her arms outstretched in prayer are draped with 
		a veil. Angels are pictured on both sides. St. Andrew and 
		St. Epiphanius are shown on the lower right of our Icon. 
		St Andrew, dressed only in a cloak, gestures toward the 
		Mother of God. St. Epiphanius, wearing a tunic under his 
		cloak, gestures in astonishment at the miraculous 
		appearance. 
		
		
		In the center of the Church, a young man with a halo, 
		clothed in a deacon's sticharion, is holding in his left 
		hand an open scroll with the text of the Christmas 
		Kontakion in honor of the Mother of God. He is St. Romanos
		the Melodist, the famous hymnographer whose feast is also 
		celebrated on October 1st. 
		
		
		There are many variations of the icon of this event. In 
		some icons of this mystery, the Virign is shown alone 
		without any of the other figures associated with the 
		original vision. This highlights the truth that the Mother
		of God is the "Never-failing Protectress" of all Christians,
		our ever-present advocate with the Creator. This Icon 
		tells us that we are not alone. We live in the presence 
		of the Mother of God. She is our protectress. 
		
		
		TROPARION -Protected by your coming, O Mother of God, 
		well-believing people solemnly celebrate today; and gazing
		upon your immaculate image, they humbly say: "Watch over 
		us with your noble protection and deliver us from all evil
		by asking your Son, Christ our God, to save our souls."
		

		There is no spot where God is not
		
		
		There are times in our lives when we feel there is no way up 
		or out. Illness. Poverty. Confusion. Loneliness. Desperation. 
		They take us to the place called "rock bottom." In these times 
		you may feel weak and vulnerable, and it is easy to lose faith
		in your ability to go on. It is exactly in these times that 
		you must turn to the infinite power with yourself. You must 
		know that the answer is exactly where you are. The strength 
		you need, the answer you want, the solution that will turn 
		the situation around is you. If you can put aside the anger, 
		fear, weakness and desperation for just a minute you will 
		remember the "other times" you were at the bottom and how in 
		a moment, miraculously, you were lifted up.
		
		
		God isn't alarmed when we hit bottom. He made the rock.