The Feast of the Holy Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God on Oct. 1 coincides with the Church’s commemoration of St Romanos the Melodist, which is why, the Rev. Dn Dr Harrison Russin points out, the OCA has recently designated the Sunday closest to Oct. 1 as Church Musician Sunday. Dn Harrison gives three examples in the Scriptures where women with the name of Miriam (Mary in modern English) offered praises to God in song at key moments in our salvation history.