Note: the Church of Greece has moved the celebration of Agia Skepi to the 28th of October ("Oxi Day": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohi_Day)
in commemoration of the great help and protection of the Theotokos to
the Greek nation throughout its history, and especially during World War
II:
"The role of faith in Virgin Mary in Epirus is also outstanding during
the Second World War. Her role was catalytic not only because she
constituted the basis of people’s faith, but also because, with her
miraculous interventions, she proved to have been the greatest ally of
the Greek army on the snowy and rough mountains of Epirus.
Of course, miracles and apparitions were reported in many regions of
Greece during the war, but at the front, at the Greek – Albanian borders
and on Pindus, Virgin Mary was the protector and the leader of those
who fought for their country under difficult circumstances. Their faith
was so strong that they could see her encouraging them and “covering”
them protectively, while they were fighting on the snowy mountains of
Pindus and Albania.
The account given by Vassililki Bouri, niece of Spyridon Houliaras, who
fought at the borders, is characteristic. According to it, Spyridon
Houliaras used to narrate incidents of the war to his relatives before
he died. The one that affected him the most, however, was a miracle of
Virgin Mary. While the soldiers were fighting under really adverse
conditions, Virgin Mary appeared in front of them and as a protector
“covered” them with her mantle and led them towards their enemy, ready
to confront them.
This miracle is also corroborated by the accounts of other soldiers of
that time who fought on the mountains of Pindus. At the front, Greek
soldiers saw the same vision everywhere: at nights, they could see a
tall, slim woman figure walking with her kerchief resting on her
shoulders. For the soldiers she was no other than Virgin Mary, the
defender general of Greeks.
Tasos Rigopoulos, a soldier in 1940, reports from the front: I’m writing
from an eagle’s nest 400 metres higher than the top of Parnitha.
Everything around me is snowwhite. The reason I’m writing […] is to
share with you what I’ve experienced, what I saw with my own eyes;
something that I’m afraid you won’t believe if you hear it from others. A
few moments before dashing against the blockhouses of Morova we saw a
tall woman dressed in black standing still some 13 metres away. The
guard yelled: “Identify yourself”. There was no answer. He yelled
angrily once more. At that moment, as if struck by electricity, we all
whispered: “Panaghia!”. She hurled herself at the enemy as if she had
eagle wings. We followed her. We could constantly sense the bravery she
was transmitting to us. We fought hard for a whole week until we finally
took the Ivan-Morova blockhouses. […] She was always dashing forth. And
when, victorious at last, we were advancing to defenseless Koritsa, our
Defender turned into steam, smooth smoke, and vanished into thin air”.
[11] On the mountain ridge of Ronteni, the soldiers of the 51st
independent battalion, under the commands of major Petrakis also
witnessed a miracle. From the 22nd of January and on, every evening at
half past nine the enemy’s heavy artillery commenced fire against the
battalion and the road that was used by transport vehicles. There was a
lot of nervousness and heavy casualties. The daring scouts were unable
to locate the enemy’s artillery. Apparently, the enemy was changing its
position every evening. The situation was really desperate. It was an
evening in February when the enemy artillery was heard firing once
again. “Panaghia, help us, save us”, shouted the major spontaneously.
Suddenly, a bright cloud came into sight from a distance, something like
a halo was formed and the image of Virgin Mary appeared. She started
bending towards the ground and stopped right over a ravine. Everybody in
the battalion shivered as they witnessed the miracle. “Miracle!”, they
shouted and they prayed. Immediately, they sent a message to the Greek
artillery, the Greek canons fired, and right after that there was a
silence. The Greek bombs had achieved a perfect strike. [11]
“No matter how faith is expressed during war, it is certain that it
offers assistance to the soldier who is tested. And the image of the
protector makes him hopeful and optimistic. …People from Arta, fighting
at the front, were afraid neither of mortars nor of enemy bullets, as
long as they had the image of Panaghia in front of them…”. [12] Yiannis
Tsarouchis, after having painted “The Virgin of Victory” on the cap of a
box of herring, having in mind a badly painted picture of the Virgin
that was going around the camp, he was on his way to the commander of
the battalion in order to present his work. The painting had already
acquired a fame of being miraculous and on his way to the commander some
soldiers from Arta “being in a state of religious excitement, demanded
that the miraculous icon spend at least one night at their camp. All the
soldiers were shouting: “The Virgin, the Virgin. Leave it here for one
night”. Suddenly, the alarm sounded. […] we lied down, according to the
orders we had. None of the soldiers from Arta did the same. “Hey!
Comrade! How can you be scared when you hold the Virgin in your hands?”,
one said”. [12]
It was also characteristic that on the military identification cards,
right next to the personal details there was a picture of Virgin Mary.
And just moments before they attacked, they would pray, shout “Panaghia
mou!” (my Virgin) three times, and dash forth9.
The importance of Virgin Mary’s miraculous interventions was
acknowledged right after the end of the Second World War. For this
reason, the celebration of Agias Skepis, which in 626 A.D., when Her
miraculous intervention saved Constantinople from the Avaroi
(Turkish-Mongolian Nomads), was officially established to be celebrated
on October 1st, was transferred in 1952 on the 28th of October to remind
them of her miraculous intervention during the most difficult period
for Greek people." (taken from: http://www.womanway.eu/studies/files/panaghia_teiep_en.pdf)
Apolytikion in the First Tone
O
Virgin, we extol the great grace of thy Protection, which thou didst
spread out like a bright cloud beyond all understanding; for thou dost
invisibly protect thy people from the foe's every assault. Since we have
thee as our shelter and certain help, we cry to thee with our whole
soul: Glory to thy great deeds, O most pure Maid. Glory to thy shelter
most divine. Glory to thy care and providence for us, O spotless one.
Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
Let
us the faithful hasten to the Theotokos now and venerate her sacred
veil, as we chant unto her, singing hymns to praise and honour her, as
is fitting; for she shelt'reth with her shelter and all her faithful
flock and preserveth them unharmed from all calamities, as they cry to
her: Rejoice, Protection most radiant.
(taken from: http://goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=738)
Most-Holy Theotokos, save us!
Source-Fullofgraceandtruth.blogspots.ca
