Akathist

An akathist (Greek, akathistos) is a hymn dedicated to a saint, holy event, or one of the persons of the Holy Trinity. The word akathist itself means "not sitting." The akathist par excellence is that written in the 6th century to the Theotokos. In its use as part of the Salutations to the Theotokos service (used in the Byzantine tradition during Great Lent), it is often known by its Greek or Arabic names, Chairetismoi and Madayeh, respectively.
The writing of akathists (occasionally spelled acathist) continues today as part of the general composition of an akolouthia, especially in the Slavic tradition, although not all are widely known nor translated beyond the original language. Isaac E. Lambertsen has done a large amount of translation work, including many different akathists. Most of the newer akathists are pastiche, that is, a generic form imitating the original 6th century akathist into which a particular saint's name is inserted.
There is more than one icon "of the Akathist": the Hilandar icon (January 12), the Dionysiou icon (March 27 and Fifth Saturday of Great Lent), and the Zographou icon (October 10).
==Structure==
The Trisagion Prayers are often said as a prelude to the akathist hymn. The akathist hymn itself is divided into thirteen parts, each of which has a kontakion and an oikos. The kontakion usually ends with the exclamation: "Alleluia!" Within the latter part of the oikos comes an anaphoric entreaty, such as "Come!" or "Rejoice!" The thirteenth kontakion (which does not have a corresponding ikos) is usually followed by the repetition of the first ikos and kontakion. After the thirteen kontakia and ikoi, additional prayers are added, such as a troparion and another kontakion. In some akathists, Psalms are also included.
==Akathists==
===Relating to the Trinity===
Akathist to
*the Holy Trinity
*Our Lord, the Most Sweet Jesus - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (Finnish), 6 (Chinese and English), 7 (Chinese)
*Jesus Christ for a Loved One who has Fallen Asleep
*the Divine Passion of Christ - 1 2 (Finnish), 3, 4 (Chinese)
*Jesus, Light to those in Darkness - 1 (PDF), 2
*the Holy Spirit (Finnish)
===Relating to the Theotokos===
When the word akathist is used alone, it most commonly refers to the original hymn by this name, the 6th century Akathist to the Theotokos, attributed to St. Roman the Melodist (though this attribution is hotly debated). This hymn is often split into four parts and sung at the "Salutations to the Theotokos" service on the first four Friday evenings in Great Lent; the entire Akathist is then sung on the fifth Friday evening. Traditionally it is included in the Orthros of the fifth Saturday of Great Lent. In monasteries of Athonite tradition, the whole Akathist is usually inserted nightly at Compline.
The four sections into which the Akathist is divided correspond to the themes of the Annunciation, Nativity, Christ, and the Theotokos herself.
The hymn itself forms an alphabetical acrostic—that is, each oikos ("house," possibly from the Syriac terminology) begins with a letter of the Greek alphabet, in order—and it consists of twelve long and twelve short oikoi. Each of the long oikoi include a seven-line stanza followed by six couplets, employing rhyme, assonance, and alliteration, beginning with the word Chaire (translated as either "Hail!" or "Rejoice!") and ending with the refrain, "Hail, Bride without bridegroom!" In the short oikoi, the seven-line stanza is followed by the refrain, "Alleluia!" 
The Salutations to the Theotokos service, often known by its Greek name, the Chairetismoi (from the Chaire! so often used in the hymn), consists of Compline with the Akathist hymn inserted. It is known in Arabic as the Madayeh.
Akathist of the
*Birth of the Theotokos
*Presentation of the Theotokos to the Temple
*Annunciation
*Protection (or Covering) of the Theotokos - 1
*Dormition of the Theotokos
Akathist to the
*Holy Virgin Theotokos (by St. Roman the Melodist)
:English - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 (PDF)
:Other - 13 (French), 14 (German-PDF), 15 (Spanish) 16 (Finnish)
*Burning Bush of the Theotokos - 1 (PDF), 2 (Romanian)
*Most Holy Theotokos of the Portal of Iviron - 1
*Theotokos of All Protection - 1
Akathist to the Theotokos,
*All-Venerable Abbess to Monasteries of the Entire World
*Daughter of Zion - 1
*the Deliverer
*the Door-keeper
*the Enricher of the Harvest
*the Inexhaustible Cup - 1, 2, 3, Finnish
*Joy of All Who Sorrow - 1
*Nurturer of Children - 1
*Our Lady of Sitka - 1 (PDF)
*Port Arthur Mother of God - 1 (PDF), 2 (Russian)
*Queen of All (Pantanassa, or "Healer of Cancer") - 1, 2
*Spring of Healing
*Swift to Aid
*Unexpected Joy 
Akathist to the Theotokos for Reconciliation
Akathist to the Theotokos at her
*Wonder-working Kursk Root Icon of the Sign - 1 (Russian)
*Icon Assuage My Sorrows (or "Stay of Our Sorrows")
*Weeping Icon of Boian (Bojan)
*Icon of Felixstowe - 1
*Wonder-working Icon of Tikhvin - 1 (PDF), 2 (Church Slavonic)
*Wonder-working Icon of Crasna
*Icon of Seven Arrows (Icon of the Prophecy of Simeon)
*Icon "Theotokos of the Sign" at Novgorod
*Feodorovskaya Icon
*Pochaev (Pochayevskaya) Icon
*Kiev Caves Icon
*Kozelshchanskaya Icon 
*Smolensk Icon 
*Tikhvin Icon
*Vladimir Icon
===Relating to the Great Feasts===
Akathist of the
*Birth of the Theotokos
*Holy Cross - 1, 2
*Presentation of the Theotokos to the Temple
*Nativity of Christ - 1 (PDF), 2 (Finnish)
*Annunciation
*Dormition of the Theotokos
===Relating to Saints===
Singular - Akathist to St.
*Alexander of Svir (Syväri) - 1 (Finnish)
*Alexander Nevsky
*Alexis, Man of God
*Alexis (Kabaliuk) of Carpathia - 1
*Alexis of Wilkes-Barre - 1 (PDF)
*Anthony Dymsky - 1 (Church Slavonic)
*Anthony the Great
*Arsenius of Konevits - 1 (Finnish)
*Brendan the Navigator - 1 (French)
*Chad of Lichfield - 1
*Columba of Iona - 1 (French)
*Cuthbert of Lindisfarne - 1
*David the Prophet, King of Israel - 1
*Demetrios the Great Martyr
*Dimitri Basarabov
*Elijah the Prophet
*Elizabeth the New Martyr (Grand Duchess) - 1, 2, 3, 4 (Russian)
*George the Trophy-bearer and Great Martyr
*Gregory Palamas
*Guthlac of Crowland - 1
*Herman of Alaska - 1 (PDF)
*Ignaty Brianchovich - 1
*Innocent of Alaska - 1, 2 (PDF)
*Jacob of Alaska - 1 (PDF)
*John Chrysostom - 1, 2 (PDF)
*John the Forerunner
*John the Theologian
*John of Kronstadt - 1 (Finnish)
*John of Shanghai and San Francisco - 1, 2
*John the New of Suceava
*Joseph the Betrothed 1 (Finnish)
*Juliana of Lazarevo - 1
*Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky) of Simferopol and Crimea1
*Mary Magdalene
*Maximus Sandovich, Protomartyr of the Lemko people 
*Menas the Wonder-worker
*Nektarios of Pentapolis - 1, 2 -(Finnish)
*Nicholas of Myra - 1 (DOC), 2 (Finnish)
*Nicholas of Japan
*Nicholas II, Tsar and Emperor of All Russia, the Passion-bearer - 1, 2
*Nilus, Wonder-worker of Sora - 1 2 (Finnish)
*Panteleimon - 1 (PDF)
*Paraskevi
*Philothea
*Raphael of Brooklyn - 1, 2
*Romanos the Melodist - 1
*Seraphim of Sarov - 1 (Finnish)
*Simon the Zealot, Apostle and Evangelist
*Spyridon of Trimythous
*Tikhon of Moscow - 1
*Trifon (Tryphon) of Pechenga (Petsamo) - 1 (Finnish)
*Xenia of St. Petersburg 1 (Finnish)
Plural - Akathist to
*All Saints 1 (Romanian)
*the Chinese martyr saints who died in the Boxer (Yihetuan Movement) Rebellion - 1 (PDF), 2
*to all the Saints that shone forth in the lands of the West - 1 (PDF), 2 (PDF-Romanian)
*Ss. Joachim and Anna
*Ss. Peter and Paul - 1
*Ss. Sergei and Herman of Valaam - 1 (Finnish)
Local/Diocesan Saints
*Akathist to Seraphim Rose - 1
*Akathist to Paisius the Athonite - 1
===Relating to Angels===
Akathist to the
*Holy Archangel Michael - 1 2 - (Finnish)
*Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel
*Guardian Angel
===Other Akathists===
*Akathist for Holy Communion - 1, 2 (Finnish)
*Akathist to the Tomb and the Resurrection of the Lord - 1, 2 (Finnish), 3
*Akathist to the Resurrection of Christ 1 (Finnish)
*Akathist "Glory to God for All Things" or "of Thanksgiving" - 1, 2, 3, 4 (Finnish)
:The Akathist is often attributed to Priest Gregory Petrov who died in a Soviet prison camp in 1940, but also to Metropolitan Tryphon (Prince Boris Petrovich Turkestanov) +1934. The title is from the words of St. John Chrysostom as he was dying in exile. It is a song of praise from amidst the most terrible sufferings.
*Akathist in Praise of God's Creation (by Metropolitan Tryphon (Turkestanov)) - 1
*Akathist for the Repose of the Departed - 1, 2 (Finnish)
==External links==
===About===
*Akathist Rubrics
*The order for reading canons and akathists when alone
*How to Read Canons and Akathists when praying alone
*The Akathist Hymn by Fr. Luke Hartung
*Akathist with a brief outline
*Akathist PDF, with western notation
*5th Saturday of Great Lent of the Akathist to the Theotokos (OCA)
*Icon of the Mother of God of the Akathist, January 12 (OCA)
*Icon of the Mother of God "of the Akathist", March 27 (OCA)
*Icon of the Mother of God "of the Akathist" of the Zographou Monastery, October 10 (OCA)
===Collections===
*Akathists and Canons, online
*Akathists
===Other languages===
*Akathists in Finnish
*Akathists in Romanian
*Akathists in Russian
===Other traditions===
*Akathists For All Occasions: Praying from East to West by Alexander Roman (Greek Catholic)
*Akathist to St. Joseph the Betrothed (Byzantine Catholic)
===Multimedia===
*Akathist Hymn (MOV; sound file) chanted by Eikona
*Learn to Chant: The Service of the Salutations to the Most Holy Theotokos (GOARCH)
*Akathist to the Derzhavnaya Icon of the Mother of God CD for sale with sample mp3 tracks
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