To conclude our ongoing focus on Mary in Ukraine, there are two icons of Mary that are particularly beloved by Ukrainians. The first one is the “Pokrova” and the second one is “The Oranta.”
Mary’s Protective Veil or Cloak
The Pokrova Icon depicts Mary’s visitation on October 1, 911 AD to St. Andrew the Fool for Christ during a vigil held in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul, Turkey) at the city’s Church of St. Mary of Blachernae Church. At the time, the church was under imminent attack from invaders.
St. Andrew saw a vision of Mary spreading her veil or cloak (which is called a “Pokrova” in Ukrainian, a “Pokrov” with no “a” at the end in Russian) over the congregation as a symbol of her protection. After Mary’s appearance, the attacking armies withdrew.
(Image to right is of the Pokrova Icon by Yulian Volyanyuk. To download a full-page PDF file of this icon that you can print, click on POKROVA ICON.
(Many other versions of this icon exist, but I like this one the best. Note Mary’s golden aura, and how golden light extends out from the centrally placed icon, showing how Mary’s peace and love radiate to all of Ukraine and the whole world. I have a print of this icon on one of my walls. I even talk to it at times — Hi Mom, how are you this morning? I guess I must be turning into an Orthodox/Eastern Christian.)
After the Pokrova apparition, as per St. Andrew’s vision, an icon was made with her having her arms up and out to the side, holding a “veil” or “cover” or “long piece of fabric,” which she places over people when they face danger, despair, attack or natural disasters. All versions of the Pokrova Icon show this core feature.
This veil imagery is similar to our seeing a golden dome of light over ourselves, our property, our family and fellow light workers. Mary’s white-to-gold colored veil is like such a dome of light. Note in the above icon that guardian angels are present with her, such as Lords Uriel and Ariel of the Seventh Ray.
Ukrainian Demonstrations
In the first week or so of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, some news photo showed clergy holding the Pokrova Icon as they assembled and marched with their parishioners to protest Russia’s insane, brutal attempt to dominate Ukraine. Moreover, the Pokrova Icon is seen in both Orthodox and Catholic churches throughout Ukraine.
Ukrainians are turning to the Pokrova or protective veil of Mary to see them through their horrible time of trial and trouble as Putin and the Russians go berserk. We add our protective, domelike prayers, our golden veil of protection and support to all of Ukraine.
Pokrova & Pochaiv
Please note the similarity of the word “Pokrova” to the site of the town of “Pochaiv” where in 1188 AD Mary appeared to an Orthodox monk and a couple of nearby shepherds (see image to the right).
Nearly 500 years later, when the Pochaiv monastery, which was built at the site of her earlier apparition, was attacked by invaders in 1675, the monastery’s inhabitants and villagers there prayed to Mary who appeared and placed her Pokrova (protective veil) over them and the whole monastery; whereupon the invaders dispersed. Click on Pochaiv to read a wonderful article about this.
By the way, the correct pronunciation of Pochaiv is: Po-cha-yiv. (In Russian, Pochaiv is Pochaev.)
Thus, though at first the two names, “Pokrova” and “Pochaiv”, look similar to those of us who are not familiar with Ukrainian or Russian words, they are not to be confused with one another. “Pokrova” refers to the veil and “Pochaiv” is the town/monastery.)
The Oranta
The second beloved icon is called the Oranta or the “Great Panagia,” with “Panagia” being a title for Mary as the “Mother of God.” “Oranta” in Latin means prayer.
This Oranta Icon shows Mary standing up with both arms raised and palms forward, 
in a pose that is known as the “Immovable Wall” or the “Indestructible Wall.” A mosaic of the Oranta Icon is in a dome within the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Ukraine that was built in the 11th century and has survived until now.
However, during atheistic, Communistic, Russian rule of Ukraine from 1922 to 1991, this cathedral was made into a museum. Even now, since Ukraine has been a free nation, due to ongoing disputes between Orthodox and Catholic branches of Christianity as to who is to govern it, this cathedral is still a museum. Mostly, it is visited by tourists. Nonetheless, Ukrainians love this cathedral and Mary’s Oranta Icon there. They believe that as long as this Icon is preserved, Ukraine will be safe.
The Greek letters MP and OV above Mary’s right and left hands in this Icon stand for her spiritual role as the “Mother of God,” “Birth-Giver of God,” meaning Christ Jesus as a godlike man whom Mary birthed here on Earth. In Orthodox and Catholic Eastern churches, she thus is called the “Theotokos” that is the Greek word meaning “Mother of God.”
Mary’s hands up and and in a forward position is reminiscent of paintings and statues of Gautama the Buddha, another incarnation of Sananda, in the Abhaya pose. In it, his right hand is up and its palm faces forward, his left hand is down with palm forward. His right hand is a symbol of greeting, of blessing, and of radiating power. It also sets a boundary around the Buddha that no adversary may enter. Thus, it is also a symbol of protection.
In the Oranta Icon, both hands being up and forward means that consciously and subconsciously, with all of her God-given power, Mary is protecting those who worship and call upon her for protection and support. She is saying in essence, I love you, I bless you, I see the eternal I Am or Christ or Buddha Self in you; but do not even think about trying to harm me or those I protect with Father-Mother God’s love and light.
To print out a full-page rendition of the Oranta Icon, click on THE ORANTA.
Be a Mother of God
Friends, whether we are in a male or female body, we have a feminine side to us, our soul and subconscious, which is the “womb” or “mother” via which our superconscious, I Am Self and light body is born. Moreover, we serve as a “divine mother” for those around the world who are undergoing temptations, trials, torments and tragedies. The Earth is our home and we are its mother, just as She is our mother. God bless Motherhood!
So, in our prayers and projections in the next few days, raise up your hands in the Pokrova pose, take hold of your protective golden cloak or veil, and drape it as a golden dome over one and all who come to your attention, especially those spiritual brothers and sisters in Ukraine.
Raise up both hands in the Oranta position and radiate God’s love and light to Ukrainians and Russians, many of whom also worship Mary. No more is anyone to be denied freewill expression as given to him or her by our Father-Mother God.
See your veil being placed around President Putin for his spiritual awakening. Rather than curse his darkness, shower him with abiding peace and love. In God’s good time and manner, he will awake from his current nightmare of power-mongering that he thinks is reality, when in fact it is just a grand delusion.
Spiritual Peace and Power to Putin and all the other tyrants of the world. Amen!