My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
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THE AKATHIST HYMN TO THE MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS AND EVER VIRGIN MARY
The "Akathist Hymn" is a profound, devotional poem, which sings the praises of the Holy Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary. While it is a composite work by more than one of our Ecclesiastical Hymnographers as we know it today, it was formally recited, or rather prayed in the year 626 A.D., in the church of the Theotokos of Vlachernae in Constantinople, on the occasion of the deliverance of the "Queen City" from the siege by the Barbarians.
The "Akathist Hymn" is a very important and indeed an integral part of our spiritual and ecclesiastical life. It is chanted in all the Orthodox Churches throughout the world, during the first 5 Fridays in Great and Holy Lent and constitutes a very concrete spiritual preparation for the Great and Holy Week and Paschal divine services. When we are present during the first Friday Service, we firmly realize that we commence ascending the spiritual steps of the lengthy Lenten period, to finally reach Our Lord's Glorious Resurrection.
The devotional Hymns to the Ever-Virgin Mary are as ancient as the first Christian Church. The Byzantine Empire from its very inception, closely allied itself to the Ever-Virgin Mary the Theotokos and always sought Her protection. This we see from the Prayer Services to the Theotokos in the 5th, through the 8th centuries. The "Akathist Hymn", which has more than one Author, existed for the most part even before the established year of 626 A.D. The Kontakion "To the Invincible Champion...we ascribe the victory" was added then and came to be recognized as the "Akathist Hymn", because of the following miracle attributed to the Mother of God.
While the Emperor of Byzantium Heracleos was on an expedition to fight the aggression of the Persians on their own grounds, there appeared outside the walls of Constantinople barbaric hordes, mostly Avars. The siege lasted for a few months, and it was apparent that the outnumbered Christian troops of the Queen City were reaching desperation.
However, as history records, the faith of the Orthodox Christians worked the impossible. The Venerable Patriarch Sergius with the Clergy and the high Official of Byzantium Vonos, endlessly marched along the great walls of the city of Constantinople with the Holy Icons of the Theotokos in hand and bolstered the faith of the defenders of victory. The miracle came very soon. Unexpectedly, as the chronicler narrates, a great storm with huge tidal waves destroyed most of the fleet of the enemy, and full retreat ensued.
The Orthodox Christians of Constantinople spontaneously filled the Church of the Theotokos at Vlachernae on the Golden Horn, and with the Patriarch Sergius officiating, they prayed all night chanting the praises of the Ever-Virgin Mary without sitting. Hence the title of the Hymn "Akathistos", the Greek word for "not seated."
This is the great Glory of our Holy Orthodox Church! Faith in the Almighty God was primary and all-important. Our dependence on God was always beyond question, and from this faith, we should always strive never to stray. Therefore, Services like the "Akathist Hymn", should be a must, and attended by all. Moreover, this particular divine Service links us so beautifully with a great and glorious period of our Christian history; it is also a very live tradition, which has never ceased in the Orthodox Church since the official year of the Hymn, 626 A.D.
Living in these trying times, when we are besieged by many forces of evil, it is my hope that the "Akathist Hymn" as well as our other divine Services may become the bulwark to withstand, and indeed to overcome these evil forces. (Source: Translation by Father George Papadeas)
Brief Outline
The "Akathist Hymn" is composed of 24 Stanzas as "Oikoi". The starting letter of each of the 24 Stanzas in sequence is a letter of the Greek Alphabet, Alpha to the Omega. Twelve of the Stanzas are lengthy and end with "Hail! O Bride Ever-Virgin", and the other twelve are rather short and conclude with "Alleluia", a Hebrew word meaning "Praise the Lord".
The Hymn is divided into 4 main parts, and briefly, the content is as follows:
The first 6 Stanzas recount:
a. The Annunciation to the Virgin Mary.
b. The Virgin Mary's purity.
c. The Virgin Mary's visit to Elizabeth.
d. The doubts of Joseph the protector, and his joy upon learning of the supernatural Conception.
Stanzas 7-12 tells us of:
a. The Shepherds hearing the Angels praising the Birth of the Lord and their visit in the Manger.
b. The adoration of the Magi.
c. The flight of the Holy Family to Egypt and the falling of the Idols.
d. The receiving of the Infant Jesus by the Prophet Symeon in the Temple on the 40th Day.
Stanzas 13-18 relate:
a. The new "Creation" which was wrought by the Incarnate Lord through the Theotokos.
b. The call for the uplifting of our minds to Heaven from where God descended.
c. The Lord's Omnipresence, that while He came to Earth, He was no less in Heaven.
d. The confounding of the philosophers and orators, who were at a loss to explain God's condescension.
The last Stanzas 19-24 speak of:
a. The Theotokos as a protectress of all the devout, and those who choose to flee unto Her.
b. God coming as one of us, amongst us, to draw us near to Him.
c. Our inability to adequately sing the praises of God, whose mercies are countless.
d. The Lord canceling all the ancient spiritual debts, and the granting of His Grace to all.
e. Our prayers and petitions to the Holy Mother of God to protect us from misfortunes and save us from the future condemnation.
All through the points outlined above, there is a plethora of beautiful portrayals of the Holy Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, alluding to Her role in the Incarnation of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, for the Salvation of Mankind.
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" -- Saint John Chrysostom
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George