Akathists and Other Prayers

Akathists and Other Prayers

An Akathist (or "Acathist") in the Byzantine Church is a hymn of thanksgiving or supplication used on special occasions. It has a standard form comprising 13 sections, each one made up of a Kontakion and an Ikos. There are many different Akathist prayers in use in the Eastern Church. The one most widely known, however, dates from the early 7th century AD and is known as

The Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos

A brief presentation on this prayer can be found in the article Acathistus from the Catholic Encyclopedia. The term "Akathist" means "not sitting" which refers to the fact that it is celebrated in a standing posture. Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop Joseph Raya explains in his book Theotokos:

The most famous poetical work in honour of Mary is an Acathist hymn. Acathist means a prayer during which people do not sit. The Christian people stand in majesty when addressing God because they are facing Majesty. They do not sit because they are in the presence of the most awesome mystery of God who radiates upon them grandeur and divine worth. They recognize their worth and stand while adoring, praising and singing glory.

The poetical epic on Mary starts by first applying to her what the Old Testament predicts about her - not in a dry enumeration, but applied to her in a dramatic way. Heaven and earth, angels and humanity, and the whole universe, sing her praises in concert. The episodes of Holy Scripture come back to life before our very eyes, and they set our hearts aflame. We join the chorus of all those who, with Mary, witnessed the Incarnation: Gabriel, Joseph, her cousin Elizabeth, the Magi, Babylon and Egypt, heaven and earth; and those who did not witness the Incarnation but longed to see it, the Prophets and all the saints of the Old Law.

The hymn brings back to our consciousness the reasons why we honour Mary and why we sing to her what we sing: she is Mother of God, a mirror of Christ. She is the bridge between heaven and earth. In her flesh, she carries the Saviour to humanity and humanity to God.

She is "the Salvation of humanity as Moses was of his people." She is the "Manna" who nourishes us with Christ. She is the "Ark that contained the glory of the Lord." She is the "Mystic Mountain" where Moses had a vision of God, and "from which the Cornerstone, Christ, had been cut.

After enumerating the predictions of the Old Testament about Mary, the hymn sings of her maternity. She nourished with her own life Christ our God. As Mother of God her holiness and beauty are such that even angels fall in admiration before her. Her maternity and virginity are miraculous because of the infinite Word of God who was enclosed in her womb. Mary cannot be admired and loved without this concurrent consciousness of God's condescension and love. No prayer expressing love and veneration for Mary can be compared to this hymn.

An excellent introduction and modern English translation can be found on the website of the Greek Archdiocese in Australia: Akathist to the Theotokos . The celebration of the Akathist to the Theotokos was part of the Jubilee 2000 celebration in Rome: click here to read an account with pictures.

Here are links to different translations to this sublime prayer to the Mother of God. It has different liturgical settings--some of which contain many more praises. In any form this is one of the Church's most precious liturgical treasures!

Akathist to the Theotokos from Monachos.Net. Modern English version

(Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic) Modern English version.

The Akathist Hymn and Small Compline (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese--USA)

Listen to the Akathist chanted in Greek & English by Eikona from the GOA website.

(from St Gregory Palamas Monastery) Modern English

Service of the Salutations to the Most Holy Theotokos from the Greek Archdiocese. While reading this text you can also listen to it chanted.

(arranged by Fr Deacon John Whiteford--ROCOR)

Akathist Hymn in honor of the Mother of God (Melkite Greek Catholic) Modern English

Akathist Hymn to the Mother of God (Ukrainian Catholic) Modern English

Canon of the Akathist and Akathist Hymn (from Anastasis website) Modern English

Other Akathists and Prayers

(Also contains Akathists to the Theotokos and St Michael, the Archangel)

Link to other Akathists from www.mousethief.com