Akathist hymn to the All-Holy Mother of God

[Andreas Moran]

I was browsing through the resources for Lent, and just thought it was worthwhile mentioning that the saying of the Akathist on Fridays in Lent is according to the Greek use. The Russians don't have this, and, indeed, the Calendar prepared by The Orthodox Fellowship of Saint John the Baptist under the guidance of Metropolitan Kallistos (EP) shows the Akathist being said only on the fifth Saturday in Lent.

[Father Anthony]

I was browsing through the resources for Lent, and just thought it was worthwhile mentioning that the saying of the Akathist on Fridays in Lent is according to the Greek use. The Russians don't have this, and, indeed, the Calendar prepared by The Orthodox Fellowship of Saint John the Baptist under the guidance of Metropolitan Kallistos (EP) shows the Akathist being said only on the fifth Saturday in Lent.
Dear Andreas,

You are correct. According to the EP usage, the first four Friday evenings of the Great Fast have the Akathist Hymn broken into four stasis. On the fifth Friday the entire Akathist hymn is sung. From what I understand from colleagues that follow the Russian usage, they only do it once on the Fifth Saturday. This is just a few of the Lenten variations that exist between churches.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

[Nina]

I can't believe this! Wow! I can't imagine Great Lent without all the Akathists to the Theotokos!!!

[Father David Moser]

Although it is not prescribed by the Slavic typicon, I know of many many parishes in the Russian Church that do say the small compline and akathist to the Mother of God on the Fridays of Great Lent.

Fr David Moser

[Olga]

Nina, there are also a good number of Greek parishes that I am aware of which forego the singing of the Great Canon of St Andrew of Crete at Compline on the first four days of Great Lent, and/or the Canon at Matins of the Wednesday of the fifth week. Swings and roundabouts.

[Effie Ganatsios]

Yes, today the first Chairetismoi (A'Χαιρετισμοι) will be held. Chairetai (he-re-te) means Be Happy, Rejoice. It is also a very common greeting and farewell in Greek. What a beautiful language! Just by saying an everyday "hello" you are wishing happiness and joy on your fellowman.

The full text of the Akathist can be found on Monachos

http://www.monachos.net/library/Akathist_Hymn_to_Our_Most_Holy_Lady_Mother_of_God_ %28Theotokos%29

"Whilst praising your Offspring, we all praise you, O Theotokos, as a living temple; for the Lord, Who holds all things in His hand, dwelt in your womb, and He sanctified and glorified you, and taught all to cry to you:

Rejoice, Tabernacle of God the Word. Rejoice, Holy one, holier than the Holies.
Rejoice, Ark made golden by the Spirit. Rejoice, inexhaustible Treasury of Life.
Rejoice, precious Diadem of godly kings. Rejoice, venerable Boast of faithful priests.
Rejoice, unshakeable Tower of the Church. Rejoice, impregnable fortress of the Kingdom.
Rejoice, you through whom trophies are raised up. Rejoice, you whom enemies are cast down.
Rejoice, Healing of my flesh. Rejoice, Salvation of my soul.

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride."

[Olga]

Chairetai also has the meaning of Hail, which denotes honour to the person to whom it is directed (think of the Latin Ave, a greeting given to superiors, kings and emperors). In the case of the Archangel Gabriel approaching the Virgin, it seems more appropriate that Hail is the closer meaning. After all, both from the content of the akathist, and from the Church's regard for the Mother of God as being more honourable than the hosts on high, Gabriel, though an archangel, and bearing momentous and incomprehensible news from God, nevertheless regards the Virgin as greater in rank than himself.

For this reason, icons of the Annunciation show the Mother of God seated, not standing (or, as in western religious paintings, kneeling) in Gabriel's presence. A notable exception, and it is perhaps the only one, is the 12th century icon known as the Ustiug Annunciation. In this icon, the Virgin stands, but her gaze is directed to the viewer of the icon, not to the Archangel. With one hand, she points to her torso, on which is seen the figure of Christ Emmanuel. She is also painted a little taller than Gabriel, which, again, denotes her higher rank.

[Andreas Moran]

I can't believe this! Wow! I can't imagine Great Lent without all the Akathists to the Theotokos!!!

Lydia was surprised when she learned the Greeks do say it!


Nina, there are also a good number of Greek parishes that I am aware of which forego the singing of the Great Canon of St Andrew of Crete at Compline on the first four days of Great Lent, and/or the Canon at Matins of the Wednesday of the fifth week.

And couldn't imagine Lent starting without the Great Canon!


Chairetai also has the meaning of Hail, which denotes honour to the person to whom it is directed (think of the Latin Ave, a greeting given to superiors, kings and emperors). In the case of the Archangel Gabriel approaching the Virgin, it seems more appropriate that Hail is the closer meaning.

I'm glad you mention this, Olga. Most English versions have 'Rejoice' and I've always felt that it ought to be 'Hail' but had no way of knowing which was better.

[Nina]

Nina, there are also a good number of Greek parishes that I am aware of which forego the singing of the Great Canon of St Andrew of Crete at Compline on the first four days of Great Lent, and/or the Canon at Matins of the Wednesday of the fifth week. Swings and roundabouts.

Do you think I am comparing? We were talking about the Mother of God. I am just personally so surprised to know that there are other Orthodox who do not have all the Akathists during Great Lent for the Mother of God. It is for the Theotokos and I am very used to it. It is one of the most important services for my family (and mom). Also Elder Joseph the Hesychast says that we should read the Salutations of the Theotokos during our personal prayers.

[Anthony]

Just to add to the variety, I was recently at a church in Ukrainian Bukovina where the Akathist was sung at the end of the Vespers of Forgiveness on Sunday evening.

Regarding the translation of "khaire" and similar questions, there is some material on Fr Ephrem Lash's website (http://www.ephrem.plus.com/anastasis/obiter_scripta.htm) that might be of interest.

[Andreas Moran]

Can anyone provide a link to the Greek text of the Great Canon?

[Michael Stickles]

Can anyone provide a link to the Greek text of the Great Canon?

I think I found it in the Google Books copy of the Anthologia graeca carminum christianorum (http://books.google.com/books?id=5OwdAAAAMAAJ&pg=PR38&lpg=PR38&hl=en#PPA147,M1) (somebody who can read the Greek better, check me on that). The link should go to the correct page. There's a lot of other Greek canons, plus stichera, antiphons, kathismata, etc. in there as well. A short section (just after all the introductory Latin stuff) has western-style musical notation, but the Great Canon isn't in that section.

I'm surprised that the etext in the Myriobiblos online library wasn't Greek; their copy (http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/romanian/greatcanon.html) is apparently in Romanian.

In Christ,
Mike

[Nina]

Can anyone provide a link to the Greek text of the Great Canon?

Andreas it is interesting to get to know.

Here you have it (chanted even). Link (http://www.ecclesia.gr/Multimedia/Audio_Index/kathara_deftera/index.html)It is the third on the list.

And for those that think that Greeks do not have the Great Canon (although it can never be compared to the Akathist to the Theotokos anyway since both are precious): after the service of the Akathist Hymn this past Friday I asked several friends of mine who are Greek if back home (they are from different places) they ever had the GC and they replied: Of course we do have the Great Canon of St. Andreas!

Anthony you wrote:


Just to add to the variety, I was recently at a church in Ukrainian Bukovina where the Akathist was sung at the end of the Vespers of Forgiveness on Sunday evening.Thank you. I knew that the Akathist is important to the Russian tradition also since I have read that St. John of Kronstadt immediately after Panagia appeared to him, chanted the Akatist [the cute pronunciation of that word by them :) ]

[Andreas Moran]

Thanks for trying, Mike. Of course, the text is in the Greek Triodion but I was trying to avoid shelling out £26 for a book I wouldn't really use.

[Olga]

Andreas it is interesting to get to know.

Here you have it (chanted even). Link (http://www.ecclesia.gr/Multimedia/Audio_Index/kathara_deftera/index.html)It is the third on the list.

The track to which Nina has linked to is only the kontakion of the canon, not the whole canon itself. Oddly enough, I have the text of the Great Canon in both English and Slavonic on file, but, despite my extensive resources, I don't have it in Greek. I'm certainly interested in getting a Greek version.

[Andreas Moran]

I have spent some time searching, having put in the name of the Canon in Greek but it just doesn't seem to be out there. Rather odd! There are three readily available versions in English: in 'The Lenten Triodion', the translation by Mother Katherine and Mother Thekla, and that published by HTM Jordanville. My preference in terms of langage is the first, closely followed by the third. But there are variations within these three, and while I'm definitely no Greek scholar, I wanted to check these as best I could.

[Olga]

I sympathise with your difficulty, Andreas, in tracking down Greek liturgical material online. Apart from Apostolic Diakonia and the Analogion website, it seems that Greeks are far less eager to put such material online (perhaps to ensure people buy their books? :P).

By contrast, there is a veritable treasure trove of riches when it comes to online Slavonic texts, sound recordings, and musical resources. Go figure.

[Michael Stickles]

Hey, it looks like Analogion has it after all, under the Triodion texts. It's just not in a separate file of its own, but is part of the Triodion service for Thursday of Week 5 (http://www.analogion.net/glt/monotonic/Tri/t75.htm). The heading within the file is:

ΚΑΝΩΝ Ο ΜΕΓΑΣ ΠΟΙΗΜΑ
ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΑΝΔΡΕΟΥ ΚΡΗΤΗΣ

There's another file with the same service (http://www.analogion.net/glt/texts/Tri/t75.uni.htm); not sure what the difference is (aside from the font appearance).

In Christ,
Mike

[Nina]

Thanks for trying, Mike. Of course, the text is in the Greek Triodion but I was trying to avoid shelling out £26 for a book I wouldn't really use.

If you would like to purchase it you have two very cheap option since you do not use the entire Triodion as you said.

You can purchase the Great Canon here (http://www.bibliopolio.gr/%C1%EA%EF%EB%EF%F5%E8%DF%E1-%F4%EF%F5-%CC%E5%E3%DC%EB%EF%F5-%CA%E1%ED%FC%ED%EF%F2-%BC%F0%F9%F2-%F8%DC%EB%EB%E5%F4%E1%E9-%F3%F4%EF%F5%F2-%C5%ED%EF%F1%E9%E1%EA%EF%FD%F2-%CD%E1%EF%FD%F2-p-77175.html) for 2.25 euro, or here (http://www.apostoliki-diakonia.gr/bookshop/ItemShowDetails.aspx?productID=172) for 1.50 euro - depending on which cover you like best. :P
It is not expensive at all and it is maybe cheaper and more aesthetical than printing it out from the net.

[Nina]

Hey, it looks like Analogion has it after all, under the Triodion texts. It's just not in a separate file of its own, but is part of the Triodion service for Thursday of Week 5 (http://www.analogion.net/glt/monotonic/Tri/t75.htm). The heading within the file is:

ΚΑΝΩΝ Ο ΜΕΓΑΣ ΠΟΙΗΜΑ
ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΑΝΔΡΕΟΥ ΚΡΗΤΗΣ

There's another file with the same service (http://www.analogion.net/glt/texts/Tri/t75.uni.htm); not sure what the difference is (aside from the font appearance).

In Christ,
Mike

Yes Mike. Thank you. Of course it exists on the net. There also places that have selections of its troparia. And the service does not cost much as a book. Maybe the price of a chocolate in Europe.

[Olga]

Hey, it looks like Analogion has it after all, under the Triodion texts. It's just not in a separate file of its own, but is part of the Triodion service for Thursday of Week 5 (http://www.analogion.net/glt/monotonic/Tri/t75.htm). The heading within the file is:

ΚΑΝΩΝ Ο ΜΕΓΑΣ ΠΟΙΗΜΑ
ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΑΝΔΡΕΟΥ ΚΡΗΤΗΣ

There's another file with the same service (http://www.analogion.net/glt/texts/Tri/t75.uni.htm); not sure what the difference is (aside from the font appearance).

In Christ,
Mike

The difference in font appearance is because the latter file you linked to is in polytonic Greek (essential for liturgical texts, the more modern, simplified monotonic is inadequate). The standard Greek encoding in many browsers may not support it, hence the little boxes.

A closer look at the Analogion site shows that it also has the Canon at Compline for the first four days of Great Lent. (how did I miss it before? :o)

[Andreas Moran]

Thanks to all who have helped.

[Andreas Moran]

My problem starts with almost the opening words: 'bring/offer tears of repentance to God'. Is the Greek word 'prosagage' better rendered as 'bring' or 'offered'? And if one were to stick closely to the original word order (which I know is very flexible in Greek), we would say, 'bring unto God tears of repentance'.

[Alice]

Yes, today the first Chairetismoi (A'Χαιρετισμοι) will be held. Chairetai (he-re-te) means Be Happy, Rejoice. It is also a very common greeting and farewell in Greek. What a beautiful language! Just by saying an everyday "hello" you are wishing happiness and joy on your fellowman.

The full text of the Akathist can be found on Monachos

http://www.monachos.net/library/Akathist_Hymn_to_Our_Most_Holy_Lady_Mother_of_God_ %28Theotokos%29

"Whilst praising your Offspring, we all praise you, O Theotokos, as a living temple; for the Lord, Who holds all things in His hand, dwelt in your womb, and He sanctified and glorified you, and taught all to cry to you:

Rejoice, Tabernacle of God the Word. Rejoice, Holy one, holier than the Holies.
Rejoice, Ark made golden by the Spirit. Rejoice, inexhaustible Treasury of Life.
Rejoice, precious Diadem of godly kings. Rejoice, venerable Boast of faithful priests.
Rejoice, unshakeable Tower of the Church. Rejoice, impregnable fortress of the Kingdom.
Rejoice, you through whom trophies are raised up. Rejoice, you whom enemies are cast down.
Rejoice, Healing of my flesh. Rejoice, Salvation of my soul.

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride."

Dear Effie,

I was in Athens during Lent two years ago, and my husband and I were very pleased to see how many people were attending the Xairetismoi at whatever neighborhood church we happened to find ourselves in.

This service is very close to the heart of the Greek people indeed!

Yours in Christ,
Alice

[Pighi]

Dear all,

New member here. Though I live in Greece, my Greek is quite limited still. I love the Akathistos Hymn and am following the Lenten Fridays, but I cannot participate fully in the singing as I don't understand all the words. Is there a Greek text I can find online? I know there's a big bookstore in downtown Athens where I can buy hymnal books, etc. but I just never got around to actually going there and if it can be found online, well. :)

Thanks very much in advance and nice to be here.

[Michael Stickles]

My problem starts with almost the opening words: 'bring/offer tears of repentance to God'. Is the Greek word 'prosagage' better rendered as 'bring' or 'offered'? And if one were to stick closely to the original word order (which I know is very flexible in Greek), we would say, 'bring unto God tears of repentance'.

I would think "bring", since in the NT "prosphero" is used for "offer" (in the sense of offering a gift or payment).

Perhaps, though, "offer" would work here too, along the lines of "offer as proof or evidence" - in other words, "Offer unto God tears in accordance with (i.e., as evidence of) repentance"? I don't know, just tossing out the idea.

In Christ,
Mike

[Moses Ibrahim]

The ROCOR parish I go to does different Akathists to the Mother of God every Sunday evening during Great Lent. Since on Friday evenings Confessions and Matins takes place in preparation for Divine Liturgy on the Soul Saturdays.

[Nina]

My problem starts with almost the opening words: 'bring/offer tears of repentance to God'. Is the Greek word 'prosagage' better rendered as 'bring' or 'offered'? And if one were to stick closely to the original word order (which I know is very flexible in Greek), we would say, 'bring unto God tears of repentance'.

The prosagago is like prosphero today. Pros- gives it the nuance of offering as in Prosphoron which is offering. The whole idea is to repent and in the midst of repentance to offer tears to God. Your and Mike's translations look good to me. There is something that can not be rendered enough though.

[Effie Ganatsios]

Dear all,

New member here. Though I live in Greece, my Greek is quite limited still. I love the Akathistos Hymn and am following the Lenten Fridays, but I cannot participate fully in the singing as I don't understand all the words. Is there a Greek text I can find online? I know there's a big bookstore in downtown Athens where I can buy hymnal books, etc. but I just never got around to actually going there and if it can be found online, well. :)

Thanks very much in advance and nice to be here.

Pighi, you will find it here in Greek :

http://www2.cytanet.com.cy/gogreek/xairetismoi_gr.htm

Can you read Greek? If you can it is quite simple but it will help if you have your English translation next to the Greek. This will help you to understand and feel the words more. I have found that this method works for me.

Your name means "spring" - the life giving spring that gives us pure water. It also means the source of something, be it knowledge, beauty, or whatever. A lovely name.

Welcome to this forum.

Effie

[Effie Ganatsios]

Dear Effie,

I was in Athens during Lent two years ago, and my husband and I were very pleased to see how many people were attending the Xairetismoi at whatever neighborhood church we happened to find ourselves in.

This service is very close to the heart of the Greek people indeed!

Yours in Christ,
Alice

Yes, Alice. The churches are packed every Friday during Lent. This is one of the most beautiful of our services and an act of homage to our Theotokos - the mother of us all.

Effie

[Effie Ganatsios]

Hail or Rejoice ?

Last night after the Chairetoismoi I asked my husband about the word (C)Haire. He said that it means Hail in this instance and not Rejoice.

An interesting link http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/articles/liturgics/karavellas_akathist_hymn.htm

The word (C)Haire means both hail and rejoice and both these words are used in the translations from the Greek. The word Hail in English seems to be the proper interpretation of the sense of the word as used in the Akathist hymn though.

"Preeminent among any service or feast dedicated to the Theotokos is the Akathist Hymn. This service is served in its entirety on the fifth week of Great Lent. Sections of it are also performed on the four proceeding weeks. The smaller, sections of this service are called The Salutations, taking their name from “hail”, the greeting of the archangel Gabriel at the Annunciation."

[Olga]

Thank you, Effie. A salutation is a greeting denoting superior honour (as in saluting an army officer, a king or emperor). Therefore it makes little sense to translate Chaire in the Akathist, or in most of the Theotokia, as Rejoice. There are, of course, instances in hymnody where rejoice is the correct meaning, but not in the Akathist.

[Andreas Moran]

Thanks, Effie and Olga. You have confirmed what I thought but had no grounds for thinking!

[Nina]

Andreas, prosagago (ge) was mentioned also yesterday during the 2nd Akathist Service. The first time it was translated as 'present'; the second time which is during the Theotokion it was translated as 'offer'. Context is all.

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

I do not speak at all as a language expert; but the difference in translation choice between Rejoice & Hail could come from the Slavonic which has Радуйся.

The root of this word is рад means glad. Various verbal & adjectival forms mean to be happy, glad or rejoice.

Thus the singular imperative form in modern Russian for Rejoice is still Радуйся.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Olga]

I do not speak at all as a language expert; but the difference in translation choice between Rejoice & Hail could come from the Slavonic which has Радуйся.

The root of this word is рад means glad. Various verbal & adjectival forms mean to be happy, glad or rejoice.

Thus the singular imperative form in modern Russian for Rejoice is still Радуйся.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

This is precisely why many English-language liturgical texts translated from Slavonic (not from Greek) render Chaire (through Raduisya) as Rejoice, not Hail. The intention is honourable, but some meaning can be lost.

[Demetra S.]

Can anyone provide a link to the Greek text of the Great Canon?

Have you tried this site? Neither my Greek nor my chanting knowledge is up to this standard!

http://analogion.net/glt/

[Andreas Moran]

Dear Demetra,

Many thanks for that. I'm no Greek scholar but it's useful to have the texts available even if checking words and phrases is laborious!

In Christ,

Andreas.