Note: we begin each Sunday School this way:
1. We remind the kids of the Jesus Prayer is:
Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me.
We take the blue bag of prayer ropes and hand one out to each child.
We say the prayer together out loud about 7 times or so.
2. If there are any new children we write down their names,
birthday, names day and date of names day.
About this time we pass out the first cracker, of which they will be quite excited about.
3. Then we begin the lesson.
From time immemorial, the Church has celebrated the Most-holy Theotokos as the patroness and protectress of the Christian people, who, by her intercessory prayers, implores God's mercy for us sinners. The help of the Most-holy Mother of God has been clearly shown numerous times, to individuals and to nations, in peace and in war, in monastic deserts and in densely populated cities. The event that the Church commemorates and celebrates today confirms the Theotokos' consistent protection of Christian people. On October 1, 911, during the reign of Emperor Leo the Wise, there was an All-night Vigil in the Blachernae Church of the Mother of God in Constantinople. The church was full of people. St. Andrew the Fool-for-Christ was standing in the rear of the church with his disciple Epiphanius. At four o'clock in the morning, the Most-holy Theotokos appeared above the people, holding her omophorion outstretched as a protective covering for the faithful. She was clothed in gold-encrusted purple, and shone with an ineffable radiance, surrounded by apostles, saints, martyrs and virgins. St. Andrew said to Blessed Epiphanius: "Do you see, brother, the Queen and Lady of all praying for the whole world?'' Epiphanius replied: "I see, Father, and am struck with amazement!'' The Feast of the Protection was instituted to commemorate this event, and to remind us that we can prayerfully receive the unceasing protection of the Most-holy Theotokos in any time of difficulty.
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"Today the Virgin stands in the midst of the Church, and with choirs of Saints she invisibly prays to God for us. Angels and Bishops venerate Her, Apostles and prophets rejoice together, Since for our sake she prays to the Eternal God!”
This miraculous appearance of the Mother of God occurred in the mid-10th century in Constantinople, in the Blachernae church where her robe, veil, and part of her belt were preserved after being transferred from Palestine in the fifth century. On Sunday, October 1, during the All Night Vigil, when the church was overflowing with those at prayer, the Fool-for-Christ St. Andrew lifted up his eyes towards the heavens and beheld our most Holy Lady Theotokos coming through the air, resplendent with heavenly light and surrounded by an assembly of the Saints. St. John the Baptist and the holy Apostle John the Theologian accompanied the Queen of Heaven. On bended knees the Most Holy Virgin tearfully prayed for Christians.
After completing her prayer, she took her veil and spread it over the people in the church, protecting them from enemies both visible and invisible. She was resplendent with heavenly glory, and the protecting veil in her hands gleamed “more than the rays of the sun.” St. Andrew gazed trembling at the miraculous vision, and he asked his disciple, the blessed Epiphanius standing beside him, “Do you see, brother, the Holy Theotokos, praying for all the world?” Epiphanius answered, “I do see, holy Father, and I am in awe.” The Ever-Blessed Mother of God implored the Lord Jesus Christ to accept the prayers of all the people calling on His Most Holy Name, and to respond speedily to her intercession, “O Heavenly King, accept all those who pray to You and call on my name for help. Do not let them not go away from my icon unheard.” Ss. Andrew and Epiphanius were worthy to see the Mother of God at prayer, and “for a long time observed the Protecting Veil spread over the people and shining with flashes of glory. As long as the Theotokos was there, the Protecting Veil was also visible, but when she departed it became invisible. After taking it with her, she left behind the grace of her visitation.”
Children are very drawn to this icon.
I remember my sister-friend's oldest son
holding up a copy of this icon in the car,
as he was afraid of animals coming onto the road;
I remember the Munchkin I cared for this summer
saying to himself, after he asked me
what this icon is,
the protection of the Mother of God.
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The Lesson will be as follows:
1. Show them the above two icons (the full icon and detail of
the Mother of God.)
2. For the full icon, point out various parts:
the two Saints who see the Mother of God,
how many people are in church at an all night vigil,
St. John the Theologian and St. John the Baptist,
how the Mother of God is above everyone protecting them
with her veil
and how Christ is above all of us, including His Mother
who she prays to for help for us.
3. Explain that the vigil for was praying for help against
invaders who were trying to overcome the city
and that the Mother of God saved them.
4. That we can ask the Mother of God to protect us too.
Sometimes our struggles do not go away
right away but we can have comfort that
the Mother of God is with us, is still protecting us,
loves us and can help us.
3. Explain that the vigil for was praying for help against
invaders who were trying to overcome the city
and that the Mother of God saved them.
4. That we can ask the Mother of God to protect us too.
Sometimes our struggles do not go away
right away but we can have comfort that
the Mother of God is with us, is still protecting us,
loves us and can help us.
