Akathist Hymn
The «Akathist Hymn» is a profound, devotional poem, which sings the praises of the Holy Mother and Ever-Virgin Mary. While it is a composite work by more than one of our Ecclesiastical Hymnographers as we know it today, it was formally recited, or rather prayed in the year 626 A.D., in the Church of the Theotokos of Vlachernae in Constantinople, on the occasion of the deliverance of the «Queen City» from the siege of the Barbarians.
The «Akathist Hymn» is a very important and indeed an integral part of our religious and ecclesiastical life. It is chanted in all the Orthodox Churches throughout the world, during the first 5 Fridays in Lent, and constitutes a very concrete spiritual preparation for the Holy Week and Easter Services. When we are present during the first Friday Service, we firmly realize that we commence to ascend the spiritual steps of the lengthy Lenten period, to finally reach the peak with our Lord's Glorious Resurrection.
In any of our Service Books we can readily see that our glorious and Ever-Virgin Theotokos is at the center of many of our Orthodox Services in which prayers abound for Her interceding to Her Son and our God, for our Salvation. The Virgin Mary is the most exalted and most honoured person by God. She is the most revered and most loved by humans. She is a binding force for all Christians. She is the Unique Personality of the world, because of the unique fact of the Lord's Incarnation. She is the daughter of Grace and the Crystal Vessel of the Grace of the Holy Spirit. To Her we pray as our protecting Mother.
"Akathistos" in Greek means "standing up" or "an act done without sitting down." In the Orthodox tradition the people offer this service standing up the entire time (Elderly, the sick, and small children can sit).