Akathists in Orthodoxy
First of all, you need to understand what an akathist is and when it is read. In the tradition of Orthodox Christian worship there are several types of prayer sequences. The canons are considered the most ancient and traditional of them. In the 19th and 20th centuries, other types of glorifying chants - akathists - became widespread.
Akathist is usually called a special poetic form, a song of praise in honor of Jesus, the Mother of God or saints. In their form and essence, these chants are very close to the more ancient kontakia.
Each akathist includes 25 songs: the main kontakion, followed by 12 kontakia (songs of praise), alternating with 12 ikos (extensive songs). All songs are arranged in order of letters in the Greek alphabet. The first kontakion and all ikos end with the refrain “Rejoice!”, and all kontakia end with the refrain “Alleluia.” Traditionally, the last kontakion is addressed to the one to whom the entire hymn is dedicated, and is read three times in a row.
The word “akathist” translated from ancient Greek means “unsaddled singing.” This solemn chant can only be performed while standing.
We bring to your attention an informative article with a brief summary of the Old Testament.
When to read
These solemn hymns do not fall into the category of obligatory liturgical rites. The only exception is the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos “To the Chosen Voivode...”
In honor of the holidays, they can be read at Matins of the holiday service or during the Prayer service directly on the holiday.
You can turn to the Mother of God and the saints of God, calling for help in the following situations:
- You should pronounce an ode of praise in those moments when your soul is very heavy. This sacred song will help fill the soul with joy and harmony.
- You can pray , trusting in the help of saints in worldly affairs.
- If doubts creep into your soul, and there is no opportunity to consult with a cleric, you can read a hymn of praise yourself. This will help you cast aside doubts and gain confidence in yourself and in God’s help.
- By reading the akathist, you can heal physical and mental illnesses. It is very important to firmly believe in the help of Heaven.
Reading at home
There are several rules on how to read an akathist at home:
- Since this poetic form is in many ways similar to a hymn, it must be read while standing. This rule of reading the akathist at home applies to all worshipers. Exceptions can be made only for those who cannot stand due to health conditions.
- Before starting reading, it is very important to free your head from extraneous everyday thoughts.
- When reading, it is advisable to be in front of the icon of the saint to whom the prayer is addressed. If there is no such icon in the house, you can read it by the window.
- Before starting the reading, the intended prayer is said. You should end with an appeal to your Guardian Angel.
- There is no strict rule prescribing how many days an akathist should be read. Everyone can answer this question for themselves. If you wish, you can find out in the temple on which days to read certain prayers.
- Before starting the reading, priests recommend that you familiarize yourself with the life and feat of the saint to whom the chant is addressed. This will help you better understand and comprehend the meaning of what you read.
- For beginners, you can listen to a recorded praise chant. This will make it easier to understand where the emphasis needs to be placed and to learn some of the subtleties of pronunciation.
Women often ask whether it is possible to read akathists during menstrual periods. There are no prohibitions on this topic and you can without a doubt turn to Heaven if a spiritual need arises.
