Akathistos
An Akathistos ( Greek Ἀκάθιστος Ὕμνος, "not seated") is a hymn in the Eastern Church that is dedicated to the Trinity , a saint or a festival secret of the church year . The word derives from the fact that the believers should stand while the hymn is sung.
structure
If an Akathistos is chanted alone, it is often introduced by a time of the hour of the hour . The Liturgy of the Hours then includes a trisagion (three times holy: “Holy God, Holy Mighty God, Holy Immortal God, have mercy on us”). The Akathistos can also be part of another worship service, such as an Orthros or Moleben .
The hymn itself is divided into thirteen sections, each containing a contact and an ikos . The condacion is usually ended with an alleluia . After the thirteenth condakion, there is no thirteenth ikos, but the first ikos and condakion are repeated. This is followed by other prayers such as B. a troparion , another condacion or psalms .
Procedure during the service
According to common practice, the Akathistos is sung by a priest or deacon in the middle of the church in front of an icon . When the first Kontakion is read for the first time, the royal door is open and the priest or deacon carries a full incense (offering of incense) through the church. In further sections, only a small staging is performed on the ambo in the direction of the important icons and the faithful. During each reading of a passage, the priest or deacon comes through the royal door, which remains open the entire time. When the Akathistos is over, the door is closed.
Well-known hymns
- Akathistos to Jesus Christ , our most benevolent Lord (in connection with the previous canon of supplications)
- Akathistos to the divine suffering of Christ
- Akathistos to the Holy Trinity
- Akathistos to the Most Holy Theotokos and everlasting Virgin Mary
Web links
- http://www.saintjonah.org/services/akathists.htm (English)
- Churkin A. The Russian Akathist in the middle of 19th - beginning 20th century as a mass literature genre (Russian)