Akathist to The Theotokos Series
This week I am starting a series exploring the Akathist to the Theotokos. The first reason I want to do this is because the Akathist is one of my favourite Byzantine prayers. The second reason is that there is so much theology packed in the Akathist, that I often have to ask my husband about the meaning of various words, or sentences. So by writing about it, I will be able to share what I have learned. And as a bonus, remember it more deeply!
In each of these articles we will cover a section of the Akathist to the Theotokos. First I will put a translation of the prayers in the article. Then I will go through the prayers section by section or line by line as is fitting.
How the Akathist Works
The Akathist to the Theotokos follows a pattern of prayers. First there is a short ikos, or kontakion. Then it is followed by a long ikos. The kontakion (or short ikos, depending on how your prayer book numbers the Akathist) provides an exposition of what is occuring within the movement of the history of the incarnation. Then in the ikos (or long ikos) we hear responces to the mystery of the incarnation, begining with the Angel Gabriel.
While the kontakion is connected to the ikos, they do not not necessarily cover the same topic or point of view. The final kontakion of the Akathist does not have an ikos to go with it… but more about that when we reach the end!
Because different prayer books number these prayers differently, I will include both popular ways in this series.
The First Set of Prayers of The Akathist to the Theotokos
Kontakion 1 (Ikos 1): O Theotokos, valiant defender, your servants offer you hymns of victory in thanksgiving, for you have delivered us. But since you have invincible power, free us from all peril, that we may exclaim to you: Rejoice, O Bride and Maiden ever pure!
Ikos 1 (Ikos 2): An Archangel was sent from heaven to greet the Theotokos, and as he saw you assuming a body at the sound of his bodiless voice, O Lord, he stood rapt in amazement and cried to her in these words:
Rejoice, O you through whom joy will shine forth;
Rejoice, O you through whom the curse will disappear!
Hail, O Restoration of the fallen Adam;
Hail, O Redemption of the tears of Eve!
Rejoice, O Peak above the reach of human thought;
Rejoice, O Depth even beyond the sight of angels!
Hail, O you who have become a kingly throne
Hail, O you who carry him who carries all!
Rejoice, O Star who manifest the Sun;
Rejoice, O womb of the divine Incarnation!
Hail, O you through whom creation is renewed;
Hail, O you through whom the Creator be comes a Babe!
(Refrain): Rejoice, O Bride and Maiden ever pure! / Rejoice O Unwedded Bride!
*Note, I alternated the verses beginning with hail or rejoice to give a taste for how each sounds. When praying, however, you should either begin each line with Rejoice, or begin each line with Hail. These are simply two translations of the same word. I typically use rejoice, as it is more common to Byzantine translations of the “Hail Mary” prayer, as well as I find the two syllable word to be more effective for the tones.
Akathist Kontakion 1
O Theotokos, valiant defender, your servants offer you hymns of victory in thanksgiving, for you have delivered us. But since you have invincible power, free us from all peril, that we may exclaim to you: Rejoice, O Bride and Maiden ever pure!
After the usual beginning prayers, this kontakion begins the Akathist to the Theotokos. It is fitting in that it reminds us to be grateful for the Theotokos for all that she has done for us. But it also reminds us that we still need her powerful intercession and care.
An interesting aspect of this kontakion is that it is the only one in the Akathist to use “Rejoice O Bride and Maiden ever pure” as the refrain. (Or, in other translations, “Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride). This refrain is continued through the long ikos sections; however, all future kontakions use Alleluia as the refrain.
Ikos 1
The Introduction
The beginning of the ikos gives us the perspective for the further lines of the prayer:
An Archangel was sent from heaven to greet the Theotokos, and as he saw you assuming a body at the sound of his bodiless voice, O Lord, he stood rapt in amazement and cried to her in these words:
So in the first ikos we see that we are hearing the Archangel Gabriel’s response to the Incarnation. Our attention is drawn to the fact the the angel remains incorporeal – that is, without a body. Meanwhile, Christ, his and our God, is assuming a bodily form!
Rejoice, O you through whom joy will shine forth; Rejoice, O you through whom the curse will disappear! Hail, O Restoration of the fallen Adam; Hail, O Redemption of the tears of Eve!
Humanity has long dwelt in the realm of darkness. Starting with the fall of Adam and Eve, the Old Testament paints a stark picture of the ever growing dominion of sin in the world. Murder, fratricide enter within a generation. And the evils committed by humanity only grow from there. What hope is there to free the world from this shadow of death?
The Theotokos, the new Eve!
At last the time has come for the redemption of humanity. We have a new Eve, who like the first Eve, is born spotless and pure, free from the chains of sin. But Mary is made even more wonderful than this first woman; she is the perfect woman. Through her humble obedience to the will of God, she draws the Lord of all down to dwell in her womb. Where the first Eve said “I will not obey,” Mary said, “Let it be done according to Your word.”
The joy that shines forth from the Theotokos is twofold. First, there is the joy of Christ, God coming into the world. Then there is the joy of our redemption, which God chooses to accomplish through the assistance of this humble virgin. Through Mary, we receive Christ, the new Adam, here to redeem the old. And through Mary, the new Eve, the disobedience of the first woman is washed away by Mary’s perfect conformation to the will of God.
Rejoice, O Peak above the reach of human thought; Rejoice, O Depth even beyond the sight of angels!
The Theotokos is a wonder beyond human understanding. How can a woman carry the all-powerful omniscient and omnipresent God in her womb? Can we comprehend her perfections, or the great wonders and graces bestowed upon her from her conception? We might marvel at her wisdom and power. The Archangel stand before a woman born with the wisdom necessary to rule over angelic beings! In today’s world perhaps this is the question that defies understanding to many: How could a woman, wiser and more powerful than any other around her (save her son) happily chose to live such a hidden life and serve others?
The truth is, even though we may know many things about her, the Theotokos is a “height inaccessible to human thoughts.” And, not only that, but inaccessible even to the angelic minds! Even the angels cannot understand the depth of the glory God has reserved for Mary. For she, though only human, is above the angels in the heavenly hierarchy.
And so, at the incarnation, we see the angel Gabriel before the Theotokos, marvelling both at the mystery of the incarnation and at the woman whom he would serve as Queen of Heaven and of Angels.
Hail, O you who have become a kingly throne; Hail, O you who carry him who carries all!
Here we see an image of the Old Testament as a type of Mary; she is Jerusalem, the city of Kings, and her very heart is the throne. Here we think of the throne of King Solomon.
1 Kings 10: 18-20:
The king also made a great ivory throne, and overlaid it with the finest gold. The throne had six steps, and at the back of the throne was a calf’s head, and on each side of the seat were arm rests and two lions standing beside the arm rests, while twelve lions stood there, one on each end of a step on the six steps. The like of it was never made in any kingdom.
Rejoice, O Star who manifest the Sun; Rejoice, O womb of the divine Incarnation!
Mary is the “star who causes the sun to appear.” The language of love is strong here, in the Akathist. Here we can look to the Canticle of Canticles, the Song of Songs, or the Song of Solomon. For in this language we see how the purity and beauty of the perfect woman can draw the love and attention of God, the Lord of all.
“Womb of the Divine Incarnation” draws us to the image of Christ taking on flesh, dwelling in the confines of Mary’s body. It is this that has us calling Mary “wider than the heavens” for she contains the in-containable God within her!
Hail, O you through whom creation is renewed; Hail, O you through whom the Creator be comes a Babe!
Mary, as the new Eve, brings forth the new Adam. And her role in the renewal of creation continues. She instigates the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry at the Wedding of Cana. And she follows her son to His death on the cross. It is through her cooperation in Christ’s work that we call her co-redemptrix. And so, through her, creation is renewed.
Finally, God, the creator of all, takes on flesh through Mary. Through the Theotokos, He takes on human flesh and nature… products of creation.
The Byzantine Life
Thank you for checking out this week’s article. Wow that was a lot to go through! And we have only just begun the series on the Akathist. As we continue to enjoy the Easter season, consider checking out our article on the Feast of the Ascension.
Please share our article on social media! On our Pinterest we have boards full of different icons and faith life ideas! Also, you can follow our Facebook to see our latest blog posts as they publish. The Badger Dad also runs our Twitter (@TheByzLife) and Instagram accounts (username: thebyzantinelife)!
Do you appreciate our work at TheByzantineLife.com? Consider joining us on Patreon for as little as $5 a month. In other words, you can help us run this website and produce quality content. And in return, you get exclusive access to special posts, photos, and updates from our family! As more people join, we will be adding bonus faith and family resources too. In short, click here to find out more: https://www.patreon.com/thebyzantinelife
