The Protection of the Mother of God and the Day of Defenders of Ukraine

On 1 October, Ukraine observes the Day of Defenders of Ukraine and the Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God, known in Ukrainian as Pokrova. It is a day of profound respect for the people who defend the peace and freedom of their homeland. This date connects a centuries-old spiritual tradition with the recognition of the courage of Ukraine’s service members. In Ukrainian culture, the two observances share a common meaning that unites historical memory with the present-day struggle for independence.

The history of the Feast of the Protection reaches back to the tenth century. According to Church tradition, during a siege of Constantinople, the Mother of God appeared before people praying inside a church and extended her veil over them, protecting them from danger. The name of the feast comes from this symbolic protective covering, which represents care, protection and salvation.

This tradition acquired particular importance in Ukraine during the time of the Zaporizhian Sich from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. The Cossacks regarded the Mother of God as their heavenly protector, built churches in her honour and prayed to her before military campaigns.

In 1942, during the Second World War, the date of Pokrova was chosen as the symbolic founding day of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. This underground military and political organisation fought for Ukrainian independence against the Nazi and Soviet totalitarian regimes.

The continuity of Ukraine’s struggle for freedom is also reflected in its modern history. In 2014, a national holiday honouring Ukraine’s defenders was established. In 2021, it was renamed the Day of Defenders of Ukraine, with wording in Ukrainian that explicitly recognises the equal contribution of both men and women to the country’s security. In 2023, following the adoption of a revised church calendar in Ukraine, the observance was moved from 14 October to 1 October.

Since 2014, Ukraine has been defending its sovereignty against russian aggression. Following the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the struggle for the country’s existence became a shared cause of the entire nation. Men and thousands of women serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They carry out combat missions and serve as medics, communications specialists and commanders, demonstrating exceptional professionalism, courage and resilience.

In Ukrainian folk culture, Pokrova traditionally marked the completion of agricultural work, the warmth of family life and the beginning of the wedding season. The connection between spiritual guardianship and the real defence of the homeland gives this day its profound and unified meaning.

On 1 October, Ukrainians honour everyone who has fallen in the struggle for freedom and support those who continue to defend Ukraine’s right to a peaceful future.