The Green Greek (my old blog)

Today is the last Friday that in Orthodox churches one can hear The Akathist Hymn.

The word Akathist actually means "unseated", because in most of the service people stand in honor of the Virgin.

The Akathist Hymn is one of the most loved services in the Orthodox Church. The origin of the feast is assigned to the year 626 when Constantinople in the reign of Heraclius was attacked by the Persians and Scythians but was saved through the intervention of the Most Holy Theotokos (Mother of God) whom the people and the clergy asked to plead to her Son to save the city. A sudden hurricane dispersed the fleet of the enemy, casting the vessels on the shore near the great church of the Theotokos at Blachernae, a quarter of Constantinople near the Golden Horn. The people spent the whole night standing, thanking her for their deliverance. From that time, therefore, the Church, in memory of so great and so divine a miracle, desired this day to be a feast in honour of the Mother of God, and called it Akathistus.

The most famous hymn is the one that begins thus: "O Champion General, I your City now inscribe to you...".

It is certain however, that the whole of the hymn was not written in one night, but parts of it were added by St. Romanos the Melodist.

The hymn is comprised of 24 stanzas, alternating long and short. Each short stanza (kontakion) ends with the singing of "Alleluia." Each longer stanza (oikos) ends with the refrain: "Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded."

Oikos 1
An archangel was sent from Heaven to say to the Theotokos: Rejoice! (Thrice) And beholding Thee, O Lord, taking bodily form, he was amazed and with his bodiless voice he stood crying to Her such things as these:

Rejoice, Thou through whom joy will shine forth:
Rejoice, Thou through whom the curse will cease!
Rejoice, recall of fallen Adam:
Rejoice, redemption of the tears of Eve!
Rejoice, height inaccessible to human thoughts:
Rejoice, depth undiscernible even for the eyes of angels!
Rejoice, for Thou art the throne of the King:
Rejoice, for Thou bearest Him Who beareth all!
Rejoice, star that causest the Sun to appear:
Rejoice, womb of the Divine Incarnation!
Rejoice, Thou through whom creation is renewed:
Rejoice, Thou through whom we worship the Creator!
Rejoice, Thou Bride Unwedded!

The best part of the hymn is made up of praises directed to the Mother of God, always beginning with the salutation of the Archangel Gabriel: "Rejoice." In each of them, one after the other, all the events related to our Lord's incarnation pass before us for our contemplation. The Archangel Gabriel marvels at the Divine self-emptying and the renewal of creation which will occur when Christ comes to dwell in the Virgin's womb. The unborn John the Baptist prophetically rejoices. The shepherds recognize Christ as a blameless Lamb, and rejoice that in the Virgin "the things of earth join chorus with the heavens." The pagan Magi, following the light of the star, praise her for revealing the light of the world.

As the hymn progresses, various individuals and groups encounter Christ and His Mother. Each has its own need, its own desire or expectation, and each finds his or her own particular spiritual need satisfied and fulfilled in Our Lord and in the Mother of God.

I used to go to church every Friday evening (5 Fridays in Lent), but I haven't been in years, and I am not going tonight either. I am writing this both as a prayer and thanksgiving to the Mother of Jesus.

You may read the hymn and listen to parts of it by clicking here.