The Service of the Akathist Hymn: The Salutations to the Most Holy Theotokos
Translated from the Greek by the Holy Transfiguration Monastery
“Theologically, poetically, and musically, one of the most profound and beautiful compositions bequeathed to us by Byzantium’s sacred hymnographers is the Akathist Hymn to the Most Holy Theotokos. In this unparalleled composition, Orthodox Christianity bears eloquent witness to its unshaken belief in the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God, and the Church’s devotion to the ‘Virgin who conceived and bore a Son.’ [...]In this translation we have presented the service as it is chanted the first four weeks [of the Great Fast], and, in a separate section, the Akathist Hymn and Canon as they are combined on the fifth week. This has necessitated a duplication of texts, but has allowed us to dispense with the complex rubrics that are necessary if one text is to serve for both arrangements.” —“Preface”
CONTENTS
Preface The Service of Small Compline—As Chanted on the Friday Evenings of the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Weeks of the Great Fast The Akathist Hymn—As Chanted on the Friday Evening of the Fifth Week of the Great Fast The Service of Small Compline—Concluding Prayers Music Appendix
Item Number: BKHT352 Publication data: Boston, MA: Holy Transfiguration Monastery, 1991 Format: softcover Number of pages: 114 Dimensions (l × w × h): 22.9 cm × 14.6 cm × 0.9 cm Additional information: two-color printing, black-and-white illustrations ISBN: 0‒943405‒04‒1
Riza wedding set: Riza Icon of Christ (Spas-Bys-s) 6 x 8.5; Riza Icon of Mother of God (Iverska-Bys-s) 6 x 8.5; Riza Icon of the Baptist (Prodrome-Bys-s) 6 x 8.5
