Akathist to the Blessed Virgin Mary is a hymn of praise in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, composed in Byzantium, according to various assumptions, between the 5th and 7th centuries, or, in any case, in the early Byzantine era. The authors could be Rev. Roman the Sweet Singer (VI century), George of Pisidia (VII century), Patriarch Sergius (VII century), etc. The Greek word “Akathistos” literally means “unsaddled,” that is, a song during which one does not sit, which indicates its original liturgical use. However, the term “akathist” did not immediately become a designation for the hymnographic liturgical genre (like troparion, stichera, canon, etc.). This happened after, following the example and in imitation of the first and for a long time the only one of its kind, “Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos”, others began to compose hymns repeating its formal structure, which also began to be called akathists - to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God in connection with Her various icons and holidays, as well as saints - very different in their theological and poetic value.
Akathist creativity especially developed in the 2nd Christian millennium, including in Orthodox Russia, retaining its significance to this day.
In the modern liturgical life of the Orthodox Church, the Byzantine Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos continues to occupy a primary and exclusive position, as evidenced by the fact that it, the only one of all the akathists, is included in the liturgical charter. Its firm place is in the Lenten Triodion, on Saturday morning of the fifth week of Great Lent, which is why this Saturday is called “Saturday of the Akathist” or “Praise of the Most Holy Theotokos.”
Compositionally, the Akathist is a large and complex, but at the same time very harmonious work. It consists of thirteen kontakia (shorter, somewhat complete stanzas) and twelve ikos1 (more extensive stanzas, the beginning of which is similar to kontakia). Kontakia and ikos alternate with each other. The main feature and main content of the ikos lies in twelve different addresses to the Mother of God each time, beginning with the word “Rejoice” - the Greek greeting “haire” (or “here”). These addresses are prayerful and poetic variations on the theme of the greeting with which the Archangel Gabriel addressed the Blessed Virgin Mary on the day of the Annunciation: “Rejoice, full of grace! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28). The poet puts them into the mouth of one of the participants in the gospel or church history: the Angel Gabriel, the baby John the Baptist, who is still in the womb of Elizabeth, the shepherds, the wise men, the believers, the Church, etc. Each ikos ends with the same refrain “Rejoice, unmarried Bride.”
The kontakia ends with “Alleluia” (Heb. “Glory to Thee, O God”), with the exception of the first kontakion, which ends with an ikos: “Rejoice, unbrided Bride.” It was precisely this scheme that was taken by subsequent poets as an object of imitation, which is why it became a form of the genre, filled with different content.
The inner richness and beauty of the Akathist - both in theological and dogmatic, and in prayer and liturgical, and in artistic and poetic relations - are appreciated only in the superlative degree. We can say that it represents an amazing combination of seemingly difficult things to combine: dogmatic accuracy and depth, comparable to the accuracy and depth of the creeds of the Ecumenical Councils, and amazing poetic grace, making the Akathist a literary and artistic masterpiece. In general, this combination is characteristic of the best works of Christian hymnography of the Byzantine era, which are used in the worship of the Church right up to the present day.
At the same time, all this at the same time makes it somewhat difficult to perceive the meaning of the Akathist - especially for someone who is new to the doctrine of the Church, and even considering that the Akathist, like all prayers in the Russian Orthodox Church, is read or sung in Church Slavonic. Plus, the Church Slavonic text of the Akathist, being a literal translation of the Greek original, accurately reproduces its complex, ornate syntactic structure, characteristic of early Byzantine poetry.
True, during the translation a number of integral features of the original, i.e., the Greek text of the Akathistus could not help but be lost - features associated with its rhythm and phonetic correspondences (alliterations) within each pair of hiretisms (i.e., greetings beginning with “Hail”), and they are actually grouped in pairs, so that six pairs are formed in each ikos, not counting the repeated final “Hail, The bride is not a bride." In terms of the number of syllables, the first and last pair are always the shortest, and towards the middle they lengthen. By the way, the indicated paired structure of khayretisms in the Russian liturgical tradition is expressed, at least musically: all kontakia, except the first and sometimes the thirteenth, as well as all the beginnings of ikos, are usually read by the priest, and the khayretisms themselves are sung by a choir, with two (or four) constantly repeating melodic lines.
But the most amazing feature of the Greek text of the Akathist is probably the phonetic play on words. Of course, it turns out to be completely impossible to preserve it during translation, so only the ideological correspondence of the hairetisms within the pairs is retained. For example, already the first pair of hairetisms of the first ikos, which in Slavic is translated as “Rejoice, for whose joy will shine forth; Rejoice, Whose oath will disappear,” in Greek (in Russian transcription) will sound like this: “Khaire, di hes he hara eclampsei; Haire, di hes he ara ekleipsey” (stressed syllables are underlined), where “hara” (joy)/ara” (oath) and “eclampsey” (will shine)/ “ekleipsey” (will disappear) form alliterations, and the hairetisms generally correspond rhythmically to each other. Similar correspondences are found in abundance in the Greek text of the akathist (some of them will be indicated).
In addition, the Akathist in the Greek original has an alphabetical acrostic, according to which alternating kontakia and ikos begin each time with a new letter of the Greek alphabet in their strict order - from alpha (“Representative Angel…”) to omega (“O all-sung Mother...” - in Slavic this can be seen only in the example of the first ikos and the last, thirteenth kontakion).
The main, repeated hiretism is the greeting “Hail, unbrided Bride” - an expressive example of how difficult it can be to translate into modern language a Church Slavonic phrase, the meaning of which is generally clear, but which is almost impossible to convey, while maintaining the height of style and reverent respect. And yet, we are talking about the ever-virginity of the Mother of God - one of the most dear mysteries for the Church, associated with the Incarnation, about which the creed says: “and became incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary...” The Virgin Mary is the Bride, Who does not have a groom, or husband, in the carnal sense (this is precisely the meaning of the word “non-bride”), but Who unmarried, seedless became the Mother Our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Akathist has great apologetic significance for the Church. The fact is that the veneration that surrounds the personality of the Most Holy Theotokos in the Orthodox Church directly stems from the main, original and unique Christian dogma - the dogma of the Incarnation, that the Word (Son of God) became flesh, man (John 1:14). The Incarnation occurs with the free participation of the Virgin Mary, more precisely, with her humble but conscious consent to contribute to the “eternal council,” that is, to the implementation of God’s eternal plan: “Behold, the Servant of the Lord; Let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). One of the first to draw attention to this important aspect of the coming of Christ was the apostle and evangelist Luke - which is why only in the Gospel of Luke we read the story of the Annunciation to the Virgin of Nazareth, “betrothed to a husband named Joseph, from the house of David; and the name of the Virgin is Mary” (Luke 1:27). Following St.
Luke, the Church expresses its joy at God’s condescension to man in the veneration of the Most Holy Theotokos, with whose person and ministry it is so logical to connect all, without exception, aspects of the Christological mystery of the Incarnation. The Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos is a vivid and, perhaps, unsurpassed example of how, with all the extensiveness of praise, which seems to be addressed exclusively to the Virgin Mary, everything in it is subordinated to the mystery of human salvation in Christ and in no one else.
Preface and comments by Rev. Alexandra Sorokina
St. Petersburg, 2003. Prince Vladimir Cathedral.
ISBN 5-94813-003-7
With the blessing of Metropolitan Vladimir of St. Petersburg and Ladoga.
Church Slavonic
Russian
Kontakion 1
To the chosen Voivode, victorious, as if we had got rid of the evil ones, let us sing thanksgiving to Thy servants, O Mother of God; but as you have an invincible power, free us from all troubles, and let us call to You: Rejoice, unbrideless Bride.2
To the Commander who defends us, for deliverance from terrible troubles, we institute for You celebrations of victory, grateful to You, we, Your servants, Mother of God! But You, as having irresistible power, free us from all dangers, so we cry to You: “Rejoice, Bride, who has not known marriage!”
Ikos 1
A representative angel from Heaven was sent quickly saying to the Mother of God: Rejoice, and with a disembodied voice you were incarnated in vain, Lord, horrified and standing, calling to Her like this:
The leading angel was sent from heaven to say to the Mother of God: “Rejoice!” And, contemplating You, Lord, at this disembodied cry incarnate, he was amazed, and stood, crying out to Her:
Rejoice, for her joy will shine forth;4
Rejoice, for through You joy will shine forth;
Rejoice, now the oath will disappear.5
Rejoice, for through You the curse will disappear.
Rejoice, proclamation to fallen Adam;6
Rejoice, fallen Adam was called to salvation;
Rejoice, deliverance of the tears of the virgins.7
Rejoice, deliverance from Eve's tears.
Rejoice, height unattainable by human thoughts;
Rejoice, height unattainable for human thoughts;
Rejoice, depths beyond comprehension and the eyes of angels.8
Rejoice, depth, impenetrable even to angelic eyes.
Rejoice, for you are the seat of the King;9
Rejoice, for You are the seat of the King;
Rejoice, for you carried Him who carried everything.10
Rejoice, for Thou bearest the Bearer of all.
Rejoice, Star that reveals the Sun;11
Rejoice, star representing the Sun;
Rejoice, womb of the Divine Incarnation.
Rejoice, womb of the Divine Incarnation.
Rejoice, the creation is renewed by her;12
Rejoice, for through You creation is renewed;
Rejoice, we worship the Creator.13
Rejoice, for in You the Creator becomes a Child.
Rejoice, non-bridal Bride.
Rejoice, Bride, who has never known marriage.
Kontakion 2
Seeing the Holy One in purity, he says to Gabriel boldly: the glorious thing of your voice is inconvenient to my soul, it appears: the birth of the seedless birth is like a verb, calling: Alleluia.14
The saint, seeing herself in purity, boldly says to Gabriel: “Your strange word seems unacceptable to my soul; for how do you speak of pregnancy from seedless conception, exclaiming: Alleluia!”
Ikos 2
The misunderstood mind is understood by the Virgin, who seeks and cries out to the servant: clean from the side, How can a Son be born powerfully, O Lord of Mi? He speaks to Neyzha with fear, both calling for sice:15
Seeking to know the inaccessible to knowledge, the Virgin exclaimed, turning to the minister of the sacrament: “From pure bowels, how is it possible for a Son to be born, tell me?” He answered Her with fear, but still shouting:
Rejoice, ineffable advice to the Mystery;16
Rejoice, Servant of the mysteries of the ineffable plan;
Rejoice, silence of those who ask for faith.17
Rejoice, deeds that require silence, fidelity.
Rejoice, the beginning of the miracles of Christ;18
Rejoice, the beginning of the miracles of Christ;
Rejoice, His commands are supreme.19
Rejoice, the basis of dogmas about Him.
Rejoice, heavenly ladder, God descended from it;20
Rejoice, heavenly ladder along which God descended;
Rejoice, bridge, leading those who are from earth to heaven.21
Rejoice, bridge that brings those from earth to heaven.
Rejoice, prolix miracle of angels;22
Rejoice, much praised miracle by the Angels;
Rejoice, much-lamented defeat of demons.23
Rejoice, much lamentable defeat of demons.
Rejoice, you who gave birth to the Light indescribably;
Rejoice, Thou who inexplicably gave birth to the Light;
Rejoice, even though you have taught not a single person.24
Rejoice, you didn’t reveal it to anyone.
Rejoice, thou who surpassest the understanding of the wise;25
Rejoice, thou who surpassest the knowledge of the wise;
Rejoice, thou who illumines the meanings of the faithful.26
Rejoice, illuminating the thoughts of the faithful.
Rejoice, non-bridal Bride.
Rejoice, Bride, who has never known marriage.
Kontakion 3
The power of the Most High Autumn will then bring to conception the unskilled and fertile Toyah, which is false, like a village showing sweetness, to all who want to reap salvation, always sing in this voice: Alleluia.27
The power of the Almighty then overshadowed the one who had not known marriage to conceive, and Her fruitful womb, as it were, appeared as a sweet cornfield for all who wished to reap salvation, chanting like this: Alleluia!
Ikos 3
Having the womb of the God-pleasing Virgin, she was born to Elizabeth: and her little child, when she knew the kiss, rejoiced, and played like songs and cried out to the Mother of God: 28
Having a womb that accepted God, the Virgin hurried to Elizabeth; That baby, immediately recognizing Her greeting, rejoiced, and with leaps, as if in songs, cried out to the Mother of God:
Rejoice, Branches of the unfading rose;29
Rejoice, unfading branch of sprout;
Rejoice, immortal fruit acquisition.30
Rejoice, fruit of the immortal destiny.
Rejoice, Worker and Lover of Mankind;31
Rejoice, cultivator of the humane-loving Farmer;
Rejoice, you who gave birth to the Gardener of our life.32
Rejoice, giving birth to the Planter of our life.
Rejoice, Nivo, who increases the abundance of 33 generosity.
Rejoice, field that grows a rich harvest of compassion;
Rejoice, Trapezo, who bears abundance of purification.34
Rejoice, table that brings abundance of propitiation.
Rejoice, for you are flourishing as a food paradise;35
Rejoice, for You make the luxurious meadow bloom;
Rejoice, for you have prepared a haven for souls.36
Rejoice, for You are preparing a refuge for souls.
Rejoice, pleasant censer of prayer;37
Rejoice, pleasing incense of intercession;
Rejoice, purification of the whole world.38
Rejoice, redemption of the whole world.
Rejoice, God has favored mortals;39
Rejoice, God's favor towards mortals;
Rejoice, mortals have boldness towards God.40
Rejoice, mortals have boldness before God.
Rejoice, non-bridal Bride.
Rejoice, Bride, who has never known marriage.
Kontakion 4
Having a storm inside with doubtful thoughts, the chaste Joseph was confused, to You in vain, unmarried, and thinking about marriage, Immaculate; Having taken away Your conception from the Holy Spirit, saying: Alleluia.41
Having a storm of doubtful thoughts in himself, chaste Joseph became confused, looking at You, celibate, and suspecting that you had violated purity, You, Immaculate; Having learned about Your conception from the Holy Spirit, he exclaimed: Alleluia!
Ikos 4
Hearing the shepherd of angels singing the carnal coming of Christ, and as they came to the Shepherd they saw Him like a blameless lamb, fallen in the womb of Maryna, and decided to sing: 42
The shepherds heard the Angels singing the coming of Christ in the flesh, and, hastening to Him as to the Shepherd, they see Him as an immaculate Lamb raised in the womb of Mary; chanting Her, they exclaimed:
Rejoice, Lamb and Shepherd Mother;43
Rejoice, Mother of the Lamb and Shepherd;
Rejoice, courtyard of verbal sheep.44
Rejoice, court of intelligent sheep.
Rejoice, torment of invisible enemies;45
Rejoice, protection from invisible enemies;
Rejoice, the doors of heaven are opening.
Rejoice, key that opens the doors of heaven.
Rejoice, as those in heaven rejoice in those on earth;
Rejoice, for everything heavenly shines along with the earth;
Rejoice, for the earthly ones delight in the heavenly ones.46
Rejoice, for everything on earth rejoices along with the heavens.
Rejoice, silent mouth of the apostles;47
Rejoice, unceasing lips of the Apostles;
Rejoice, invincible insolence of passion-bearers.48
Rejoice, invincible boldness of the martyrs.
Rejoice, firm affirmation of faith;
Rejoice, solid foundation of faith;
Rejoice, bright knowledge of grace.49
Rejoice, clear knowledge of grace.
Rejoice, hell has been laid bare;50
Rejoice, for through You hell has been laid bare;
Rejoice, for we are clothed with glory.51
Rejoice, for through You we have been clothed with glory.
Rejoice, non-bridal Bride.
Rejoice, Bride, who has never known marriage.
Kontakion 5
Having seen the bountiful star that followed the dawn, and holding it like a lamp, I tested the mighty King, and having reached the Incomprehensible, rejoicing, I cried out to Him: Alleluia.52
Having seen the star moved by God, the Magi followed its radiance and, holding it like a lamp, looked for the mighty King with it; and, having reached the Unattainable, they rejoiced, shouting to Him: Alleluia!
Ikos 5
Seeing the youths of Chaldea in the hand of the Maiden who created with the hands of men, and the Lord who understands Him, even if a slave accepts the form, trying to serve Him darmily, and cry out Blessed:53
The sons of the Chaldeans saw Him in the arms of the Virgin Who had created people with His hand, and having perceived the Master in Him, although He took the form of a servant, they hastened to honor Him with gifts and exclaim to the Blessed One:
Rejoice, Mother of Never Setting Stars;54
Rejoice, Mother of the never-setting Stars;
Rejoice, dawn of the mysterious day.55
Rejoice, dawn of the mysterious day.
Rejoice, you who quenched the delights of the furnace;56
Rejoice, thou who has extinguished the furnace of deception;
Rejoice, enlightening the hidden places of the Trinity.57
Rejoice, enlightener of the ministers of the mysteries of the Trinity.
Rejoice, thou who sweepest away the inhuman tormentor from the authorities;58
Rejoice, you who have deprived the inhuman tyrant of power;
Rejoice, O Lord, Lover of mankind, who showed Christ.59
Rejoice, you who have revealed the Lord who loves mankind - Christ.
Rejoice, deliverer of the barbaric ministry;60
Rejoice, freer from barbaric rites;
Rejoice, timena that takes away matters.61
Rejoice, you who deliver from unclean deeds.
Rejoice, you who extinguished the fire of worship;62
Rejoice, thou who hast ceased the worship of fire;
Rejoice, thou who changest the flame of passions.63
Rejoice, you who deliver us from the flames of passions.
Rejoice, faithful teacher of chastity;64
Rejoice, leading the faithful to chastity;
Rejoice, joy of all generations.65
Rejoice, joy of all generations.
Rejoice, non-bridal Bride.
Rejoice, Bride, who has never known marriage.
Kontakion 6
The preachers of God-bearing, formerly Volsvi, returned to Babylon, having finished Your prophecy, and having preached Your Christ to everyone, left Herod as if he were speaking, not leading a song: Alleluia.66
Having become divinely inspired heralds, the Magi returned to Babylon, fulfilling what was predicted about You, and preaching You to everyone as Christ, they left Herod as an idle talker who did not know the song: Alleluia!
Ikos 6
Having shone in Egypt with the enlightenment of truth, you drove away the darkness of lies: for his idols, O Savior, do not tolerate Your fortress, fallen, who were delivered from crying out to the Mother of God: 67
Having shone in Egypt with the light of truth, You dispersed the darkness of lies; for his idols, O Savior, unable to bear Your power, fell, and those delivered from them cried out to the Mother of God:
Rejoice, correction of men;
Rejoice, restoration of people;
Rejoice, fall of demons.68
Rejoice, casting down demons.
Rejoice, thou who trampled down the charms of the power;69
Rejoice, you who have corrected the deception of lies;
Rejoice, you who exposed idolatry flattery.70
Rejoice, you who have exposed the deception of idolatry.
Rejoice, sea that drowned the mental Pharaoh;71
Rejoice, sea that drowned the immaterial Pharaoh;
Rejoice, stone, who gave drink to those thirsty for life.72
Rejoice, rock that gives drink to those thirsty for life.
Rejoice, pillar of fire, guide those who are in darkness;73
Rejoice, pillar of fire guiding those in darkness;
Rejoice, thou who covert the world, thou whost broadest the clouds.74
Rejoice, cover of the world, most expansive cloud.
Rejoice, food, receiver of manna;75
Rejoice, food that replaced manna;
Rejoice, holy sweetness to the servant.76
Rejoice, delight of the holy Servant.
Rejoice, land of promise;
Rejoice, land of promise;
Rejoice, honey and milk flow from here.77
Rejoice, land from which honey and milk flow.
Rejoice, non-bridal Bride.
Rejoice, Bride, who has never known marriage.
Kontakion 7
I want Simeon from this present age to pass away from the charming one; you were seen as a child to him, but you also became known to him as a perfect God. Moreover, I was amazed at Your ineffable wisdom, calling: Alleluia.78
When Simeon was about to migrate from the deceptive age of this present, You were given to him as a Child, but You were also known by him as a perfect God. Therefore, he was amazed at Your ineffable wisdom, exclaiming: Alleluia!
Ikos 7
The new creation was shown, the Creator appeared to us from Him, from the seedless vegetative womb, and having preserved Yu, as if it were incorruptible, and having seen a miracle, let us sing to Yu, crying out: 79
An unprecedented thing was shown by the Creator, who appeared to us, created by Him, growing without a seed from the womb of the Virgin and preserving Her, as She was, intact, so that, seeing the miracle, we would sing to Her, exclaiming:
Rejoice, color of incorruptibility;80
Rejoice, color of incorruption;
Rejoice, crown of abstinence.81
Rejoice, crown of abstinence.
Rejoice, thou who shinest upon the image of the resurrection;82
Rejoice, reflecting the radiance of the resurrection;
Rejoice, you who manifest the life of angels.83
Rejoice, you who manifest angelic life.
Rejoice, bright-fruitful tree, from which the vernias feed;
Rejoice, tree with beautiful fruits, from which the faithful feed;
Rejoice, tree of blessed leaves, with which many are covered84
Rejoice, tree with shady foliage, under which many take refuge.
Rejoice, you who bear in your womb the Deliverer of the captives;85
Rejoice, thou who bore the captives in the womb of the Redeemer;
Rejoice, thou who gave birth to a Guide to the lost.86
Rejoice, you who gave birth to the Guide of the Lost.
Rejoice, Judge of the righteous supplication;87
Rejoice, propitiation of the Judge of the righteous;
Rejoice, forgiveness of many sins.88
Rejoice, forgiveness of many sins.
Rejoice, naked garment of boldness;89
Rejoice, clothing for those lacking boldness;
Rejoice, beloved, conqueror of every desire.90
Rejoice, love that surpasses every desire.
Rejoice, non-bridal Bride.
Rejoice, Bride, who has never known marriage.
Kontakion 8
Having seen a strange Christmas, we withdraw from the world, turning our minds to heaven: for this reason, the high God appeared on earth, a humble man, although he would draw to the heights those who cry: Alleluia.91
Having seen an extraordinary birth, let us withdraw from the world, directing our minds to heaven. For this is why the Most High God appeared on earth as a humble man, wanting to attract to the heights those who exclaimed to Him: Alleluia!
Ikos 8
All the indescribable Words in the things below and in the things above departed: for the descent was Divine, but not a local passing away, and the Nativity was from the Virgin, Accepting God, who heard this: 92
Everything was in the lands below, and the Infinite Word did not leave anything above; for the Divine descent, but not a change of place, took place, but a birth from the Virgin, who accepted God, hearing from us these words:
Rejoice, God is not a container that cannot be contained;
Rejoice, abode of the inconceivable God;
Rejoice, holy sacrament of the door.93
Rejoice, door of the sacred sacrament.
Rejoice, doubtful hearing of the unbelievers;94
Rejoice, doubtful news for the unbelievers;
Rejoice, well-known praise of the faithful.95
Rejoice, there is undoubted praise for the faithful.
Rejoice, O holy chariot of Jehovah upon Cherubim;96
Rejoice, most holy chariot of the One seated on the Cherubim;
Rejoice, glorious village of Existence on Seraphimekh.97
Rejoice, most beautiful dwelling of Him who sits on the Seraphim.
Rejoice, you who gathered together the opposite;98
Rejoice, you who have brought together the opposite;
Rejoice, you who combined virginity and Christmas.99
Rejoice, you who combined virginity and birth.
Rejoice, the crime has now been solved;100
Rejoice, for through You the crime has been atoned for;
Rejoice, paradise has opened to the south.101
Rejoice, for through You paradise has opened.
Rejoice, key of the Kingdom of Christ;102
Rejoice, key of the Kingdom of Christ;
Rejoice, hope of eternal blessings.103
Rejoice, hope for eternal blessings.
Rejoice, non-bridal Bride.
Rejoice, Bride, who has never known marriage.
Kontakion 9
Every angelic nature was amazed at the great work of Your incarnation; for we are abiding, unapproachable as God, a Man approachable to all, and hearing from all: Alleluia.104
The whole angelic world was amazed at the great work of Your incarnation; for the One who, as God, is unapproachable, he contemplated as an accessible person, abiding with us and hearing from everyone: Alleluia!
Ikos 9
The branches of many things, like voiceless fish, we see about You, Mother of God, they are perplexed by the words, even though the Virgin abides and you were able to give birth. We, marveling at the mystery, truly cry out: 105
We see loud voices like fish without voices before You, Mother of God, for they are unable to explain how You remain a virgin and were able to give birth. We, marveling at this mystery, exclaim with faith:
Rejoice, friend of the wisdom of God,106
Rejoice, repository of the Wisdom of God;
Rejoice, His providences are the treasure.107
Rejoice, treasury of His providence.
Rejoice, you who show the wise to the unwise;108
Rejoice, you who show philosophers to be foolish;
Rejoice, you who accuse the cunning and the wordless.109
Rejoice, you who convict those who are skilled in words of foolishness.
Rejoice, for you have conquered the seeker of Lutia;110
Rejoice, for the clever interrogators have gone mad;
Rejoice, for the creators of fables have faded away.111
Rejoice, for the writers of tales have faded.
Rejoice, tearer of the Athenian weave;112
Rejoice, thou who destroyest the intricacies of the Athenians;
Rejoice, thou who fulfillest the fishermen's waters.113
Rejoice, filler of fishermen's nets.
Rejoice, thou who pullest forth from the depths of ignorance;
Rejoice, thou who bringest forth from the depths of ignorance;
Rejoice, you who enlighten many in understanding.114.
Rejoice, you who enlighten many in knowledge.
Rejoice, ship of those who want to be saved;115
Rejoice, ship for those who want to be saved;
Rejoice, haven of worldly voyages.116
Rejoice, harbor for swimmers on the sea of life.
Rejoice, non-bridal Bride.
Rejoice, Bride, who has never known marriage.
Kontakion 10
To save the world, even the Decorator of all, to this self-promised I have come, and this Shepherd, like God, has appeared for us for our sake: He has called for like like, for God hears: Alleluia.117
Wanting to save the world, the Organizer of everything came to him according to His own promise; and, being a shepherd, like God, for our sake he appeared as a Man, like us; for having called the like to Himself, He, as God, hears from everyone: Alleluia!
Ikos 10
Thou art the wall of the virgins, O Virgin Mother of God, and of all who come running to Thee: for the Creator of heaven and earth, O Most Pure One, dwelleth in Thy womb, and has taught Thee to invite all things: 118
You are a wall to the virgins, Virgin Mary, and to all who come running to You. For the Creator of heaven and earth raised You up, O Most Pure One, dwelling in Your womb and teaching everyone to proclaim to You:
Rejoice, pillar of virginity;119
Rejoice, pillar of virginity;
Rejoice, door of salvation.
Rejoice, gate of salvation.
Rejoice, mistress of the mental building;120
Rejoice, Leader of spiritual re-creation;
Rejoice, giver of Divine blessings.121
Rejoice, Giver of Divine goodness.
Rejoice, for You have renewed those who were conceived in cold;122
Rejoice, for You have renewed those conceived shamefully;
Rejoice, for You have punished those who were robbed of their minds.123
Rejoice, for You have given understanding to those deprived of understanding.
Rejoice, thou who exercisest the corruption of meaning;124
Rejoice, eliminating the corrupter of thoughts;
Rejoice, you who gave birth to the sower of purity.125
Rejoice, you who gave birth to the Sower of Purity.
Rejoice, devil of seedless disgrace;126
Rejoice, chamber of seedless marriage;
Rejoice, thou who united the faithful to the Lord.127
Rejoice, uniting the faithful with the Lord.
Rejoice, good nurse of young virgins;128
Rejoice, beautiful teacher of virgins;
Rejoice, bride-blesser of the souls of saints.129
Rejoice, you who dress holy souls as brides.
Rejoice, non-bridal Bride.
Rejoice, Bride, who has never known marriage.
Kontakion 11
All singing is overcome, striving to strive towards the multitude of Your bounties: equal in number to the sand of the songs we bring to You, the Holy King, we do nothing worthy of what we have given Thou art unto us who cry unto Thee: Alleluia.130
Every song faints, striving to expand to the measure of the multitude of Thy abundant mercies; for if we began to bring songs equal to sand to You, Holy King, we would not have accomplished anything worthy of what You have given to us, who cry to You: Alleluia!
Ikos 11
The light-receiving light, who appears to those who exist in darkness, we see the Holy Virgin, the immaterial one, who burns fire, guides all to the Divine mind, enlightening the mind with the dawn, and revered by the title, this: 131
We see a luminous candle appearing to those in darkness in the Holy Virgin; for, kindling the immaterial Light, She leads everyone to the knowledge of the Divine, like the dawn, illuminating the mind, and is honored with such an appeal:
Rejoice, ray of the intelligent Sun;132
Rejoice, ray of the spiritual Sun;
Rejoice, luminary of the never-setting Light.133
Rejoice, radiance of the never-setting Light.
Rejoice, lightning, enlightening souls;
Rejoice, lightning, illuminating souls;
Rejoice, for the thunder of the enemy is terrifying.
rejoice, like thunder, striking down enemies.
Rejoice, for enlightenment shines forth with much light;134
Rejoice, for You radiate a radiant radiance;
Rejoice, for you flow from a multi-flowing river.135
Rejoice, for You are pouring out a great river.
Rejoice, image-painting font;136
Rejoice, you who paint the image of the font;
Rejoice, you who take away sinful filth.137
Rejoice, remover of sinful filth.
Rejoice, bath that washes the conscience;138
Rejoice, pool that washes the conscience;
Rejoice, cup that draws joy.139
Rejoice, cup that contains joy.
Rejoice, smelling the fragrance of Christ;140
Rejoice, aroma of Christ's fragrance;
Rejoice, belly of secret joy.141
Rejoice, life of the mysterious feast.
Rejoice, non-bridal Bride.
Rejoice, Bride, who has never known marriage.
Kontakion 12
Grace granted the desires of the ancient debts, the Decider of all debts, by man, coming with Himself to those who had departed from His grace, and having torn the handwriting, he hears from everyone: Alleluia.142
Grace to bestow, having desired to forgive the ancient debts, the debts of all people, the Resolver Himself came to those who had withdrawn from His grace, and, tearing up the debt receipt, heard from everyone: Alleluia!
Ikos 12
Singing Your Nativity, we all praise You, like an animated church, the Mother of God: for in Your womb do you hold all the hands of the Lord, sanctify, glorify and teach everyone to cry out to You: 143
Glorifying Your birth of Christ, we all praise You as an animated church, Mother of God; for having dwelled in Your womb, the Lord, who holds everything with His hand, sanctified You, glorified You and taught everyone to cry out to You:
Rejoice, village of God and the Word;144
Rejoice, tabernacle of God and the Word;
Rejoice, Greater Holy of Holies.145
Rejoice, great Holy of Holies.
Rejoice, ark, gilded by the Spirit;146
Rejoice, ark, gilded by the Spirit;
Rejoice, inexhaustible treasure of the belly.147
Rejoice, inexhaustible treasure of life.
Rejoice, honorable one, crowned with pious kings;148
Rejoice, precious crown of pious kings;
Rejoice, honest praise of the reverent priests.149
Rejoice, sacred praise of the reverent priests.
Rejoice, unshakable pillar of the Church;150
Rejoice, unshakable stronghold of the Church;
Rejoice, unbreakable wall of the Kingdom.151
Rejoice, unbreakable wall of the kingdom.
Rejoice, victories will arise from her;
Rejoice, for thanks to You trophies are raised;
Rejoice, to the south the enemies fall.
Rejoice, for thanks to You the enemies are overthrown.
Rejoice, healing of my body;
Rejoice, healing of my body;
Rejoice, salvation of my soul.
Rejoice, salvation of my soul.
Rejoice, non-bridal Bride.
Rejoice, Bride, who has never known marriage.
Kontakion 13
Oh, All-Singing Mother, who gave birth to all the saints, the Most Holy Word! Having accepted this present offering, deliver everyone from all misfortune, and from future torment, those who cry out for You: Alleluia.152
Oh, all-glorified Mother, who gave birth to all saints the most holy Word! Having accepted the present offering, deliver everyone from all misfortune and free from future punishment those who cry together (to You): Alleluia!
This kontakion (13th) is read three times, then the 1st ikos is read again and the 1st kontakion is sung.
This kontakion is read three times, then the 1st ikos is read again and the 1st kontakion is sung.
Prayer
Accept, O all-powerful, Most Pure Lady Lady Theotokos, these honorable gifts, the only ones applied to You, from us, Your unworthy servants: chosen from all generations, the highest of all creatures of heaven and earth, who appeared, because for Your sake the Lord Almighty was with us, and through You we knew the Son of God and became worthy of His holy Body and His most pure Blood; Blessed are you in the same way in the birth of generations, God-blessed, the brightest of the Cherubim and the most honest of the Seraphim. And now, all-sung Most Holy Theotokos, do not cease praying for us, Thy unworthy servants, that we may be delivered from every evil advice and every situation and that we may be preserved unharmed from every poisonous pretext of the devil; but even to the end, through Your prayers, keep us uncondemned, as if by Your intercession and help we are saved, we send glory, praise, thanksgiving and worship for everything in the Trinity to the One God and the Creator of all, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Accept, O all-good and mighty most pure Lady, Lady of God, Mother of God, these precious gifts, due to You alone, from us, Your unworthy servants, chosen from all generations, who has appeared the highest of all creations of heaven and earth! Indeed, thanks to You, the Lord Almighty is now with us, and through You we have come to know the Son of God and have been rewarded with His holy Body and His most pure Blood. Therefore, blessed are You in the generations of generations, having acquired bliss in God, brightest of the Cherubim, and highest in honor of the Seraphim. And now, all-praiseworthy Most Holy Theotokos, do not cease to pray for us, Thy unworthy servants, so that we may be delivered from every evil advice and from every misfortune, and remain unharmed from every poisonous attack of the devil. But even to the end, through Your prayers, without condemnation, preserve us, so that, saved by Your intercession and help, we, for all glory, praise, thanksgiving and worship, send up in the Trinity the one God and the Creator of all, now, and always, and forever and ever. Amen.
1 In the Greek tradition, all stanzas, both small and large, are called ikos, which literally means “house” and has roots in Syriac poetics. Kondaks were the name given to individual large poems, while in the Slavic tradition, kondaks became the customary designation for the small ikos of the akathist (in addition to another meaning that the word “kontakion” has – a separate short festive hymn, similar to the troparion).
2 The synaxarion of the Saturday Akathist in the Lenten Triodion says that it was performed in Constantinople on August 7, 626 as a song of thanksgiving to the Mother of God for deliverance from the invasion of foreigners (Avars). Strictly speaking, only the 1st kontakion has this meaning, in which the Mother of God is glorified as a “chosen commander,” that is, a military leader (voevoda), superior to everyone in battles: the word “chosen” or “chosen” (Greek “hyupermachos” - from “hyupermaheo”, which means “fight”) comes from the word “warfare”, and not from “choice”, “election”, how this word is misinterpreted in some other akathists. To her, the “Chosen Governor”, who delivered her slaves, or, in Greek. in the original, our city (Constantinople and, more broadly, the people as a single whole, the polis), “from the evil ones,” we “sing” (lit., “write”) “thankful” and “victorious,” that is, we send out thanksgiving victory songs (“victorious” - glorious plural). The kontakion ends with a prayer request to the Mother of God, as having power, i.e.
power and strength, invincible, to continue to deliver her people from all troubles, so that they joyfully cry out to Her: “Rejoice, unmarried Bride.” The further text of the Akathist is no longer directly connected with the event that explains the content of the 1st kontakion. Apparently, the kontakion was originally a separate hymn, and then, in connection with the events of 626, it was once and for all added to the Akathist.
In terms of content as a whole, the Akathist is a poetic retelling of the Gospel events associated with the Nativity of Christ, as well as a disclosure of the Christian teaching about salvation in Christ and the Incarnation through the Blessed Virgin Mary. In this case, both biblical material (Old Testament, which has educational significance, and directly from the Gospel) and material from Church tradition are involved. There are also references to contemporary church and political realities at that time.
3 The beginning of the 1st Ikos is directly related to the beginning of the events of the Annunciation (Luke 1:26–28). Twelve Hayretisms of the 1st Ikos, predominantly of dogmatic (soteriological) content, are put into the mouth of Archangel Gabriel - the representative (chief) of all Angels - sent to the Mother of God to say (say) to Her “Rejoice!” At the same time, he himself is amazed (horrified), seeing (in vain) how in response to his voice - disembodied, like the voice of an angel - the incarnation, the incarnation of the Lord begins. And he calls to the Mother of God: Rejoice...
4 “Euzhe” is the Church Slavonic relative pronoun “which” (creates, fallen). This refers to the Mother of God, through whom, or more precisely, through whom joy will shine forth - the future incarnation of the Son of God.
5 Regarding the rhythmic and phonetic correspondence of the first pair of hairetisms of the 1st ikos, see the preface.
“Oath” – translated from Church Slavonic means curse. This refers to the curse from God that man brought upon himself and all creation by his fall (Gen. 3:17), thereby breaking the trusting relationship with God. The curse is abolished (disappears), for God comes into the world through the Blessed Virgin. This also refers to God’s giving of the moral law (commandments), which both guides a person on the true path and helps to recognize sin as a crime against the Law, and therefore a curse (cf. Gal. 3:13). In this case, the curse is abolished, because God grants forgiveness not according to the law, but according to His great mercy.
6 Continuation of the theme of the first chapters of the Bible. The fallen Adam, and in him every person, is again called by God for communication. This call (appeal) of God to man - Adam - occurs through the Mother of God, since through Her God becomes man.
7 The human race finds salvation in its entirety, consisting of two aspects - male, Adam, and female, Eve. This duality of humanity and, accordingly, its salvation constitutes a parallelism of the second pair of hairetisms. The thought expressed in the previous hairetism and referring to the male, i.e., rational awareness of the Fall, here implies female, Eve’s tears, i.e., emotional experiences about the same issue. These tears also receive deliverance with the coming of Christ.
8 First of all, a comment of a grammatical nature, relevant for the entire Church Slavonic text of the Akathist: in the Church Slavonic language there is a vocative case with its own ending, which is lost in modern Russian. Since all hairetisms, without exception, are addresses to the Mother of God, Her names are in the vocative case. This is most noticeable when feminine nouns are used: the ending “a” changes to “o” or “e”: bride / bride; height/height; depth/depth; star/star; rod / rod; ladder / ladder, etc. Masculine names receive the ending “e”: bridge / bridge; yard / yard. This is not reflected in neuter nouns (“appeal”, “deliverance”, “tree”).
The parallelism of the third pair of hairetisms consists in the opposition of height to depth, which reflects all the boundless - both up and down - the greatness of the Blessed Virgin. At the same time, height is spoken of as the goal of the aspiration of the human mind (thoughts), eager to rise as high as possible in search of truth, but not always achieving success, and depth, on the contrary, is spoken of as the goal of the aspiration of angels - celestials who are surprised at what is happening on earth and also cannot “see” anything. Probably, there is also a subtle irony hidden in this, meaning that the Incarnation remains an incomprehensible mystery for both people and angels.
9 The Mother of God, as having given the mother’s womb to the Son of God, in church hymns is often called the royal throne (royal seat, in Greek “kathedra”, hence “cathedra”) of Christ the God – the King of the entire Universe.
10 Jesus Christ is God Almighty, that is, God who holds and bears everything (glorified “all”). The Mother of God carries Him in her womb. The play on words is obvious, preserved in the Slavic translation.
11 The Virgin Mary is compared to the morning star, foreshadowing the dawn, while the sun means Christ Himself.
12 The last pair of hairetisms is filled with exclusively dogmatic meaning. The Incarnation, as the entire New Testament proclaims, is the beginning of the history of a new creation: creation (creation) is truly renewed, begins a new life in Christ, which becomes possible thanks to the Blessed Virgin.
13 Man expresses his worship of God in different ways, but his worship does not always correspond to the truth. True worship is possible only in Christ, since He is the only worthy image of the appearance of God - in the form of a man, and not in the form of any idol, image or other man-made image. Thus, only through Him, and therefore through the Mother of God, is the most appropriate worship of God the Creator possible. However, in Greek In the text, the phrase has a different meaning: “Rejoice, from Whom the Creator is born (like a child). Moreover, “creature” and “Creator” sound even more similar in Greek than in Slavic: “ktisis” and “Ktistes”, so that the two hairetisms end in rhyme.
14 The theme of the Annunciation continues - in response to the Angel’s greeting and the news of the upcoming Birth, Mary is perplexed: “How will this be when I don’t know my husband?” (Luke 1:34). The 2nd kontakion poetically expresses the bewilderment of the Virgin, who knows about Her purity and boldly says to Gabriel: “Something strange (glorious - in Greek “paradoxon”, hence “paradox”), announced by your voice, is incredible to my soul, for how can you talk about Christmas from seedless conception, crying out: Hallelujah?”
15 Translation: “Desiring (seeking) to understand (understand) the incomprehensible (misunderstood) meaning (mind), the Virgin turned (cried out) to the servant (i.e., the Angel): “How is it possible for the Son to be born from a pure womb (side), - tell (say) me.” He told her with fear, still (both) calling out like this (to his voice): Rejoice...”
16 Through the Annunciation, Mary is honored, or rather, initiated into the plan (council) of God for the salvation of man, which was and is with God from eternity, but which He revealed only partially, gradually, until the time of keeping the most important thing in an unspeakable secret: that salvation will occur through the Incarnation. The Virgin Mary became the first who was initiated into this secret - she became, in Greek. “Mustis”, or what in Russian can be called “mystery - secret”. In Russian theological and liturgical usage, this term means a participant in a church sacrament.
17 In rhyme with the Greek “mustis”, which ends the previous hairetism, “pistis” (“faith”), which ends the present one, is placed. Translation: “Rejoice, faith (or, more precisely, the basis for faith) of those who pray in silence” (this is the more correct translation from the Greek). Silence obviously means a quiet, silent state of prayer.
18 Christ's ministry is not only His words, but also His works—signs that outwardly look like miracles. He preached both with words and with miracles. Mary, as the Mother of Jesus, thereby gives rise to His ministry of miracles.
19 Parallel to previous hairetism. Headliness is a synonym for beginning; decrees - commandments, orders, in Greek. "dogma", gen. pad. "dogmaton", which also constitutes one of the aspects of the Lord's ministry (see previous commentary). At the same time, “miracles” and “decrees” in Greek. The text consists of a rhyming pair of alliterations: “thaumaton” / “dogmaton”.
20 “The ladder (ladder) along which God descended” is an image inspired by the Old Testament story about how the forefather Jacob saw in a dream a ladder connecting earth with heaven, along which angels ascend and descend (Gen. 28:12; cf. John 1:51). It symbolizes the connection of God with man, and most of all, the Incarnation of God and, therefore, is one of the Old Testament prototypes of the Mother of God.
21 The second hairetism of this pair complements the first: just as God descended to earth, so people (those on earth) ascend to God, to heaven. The Church teaches about the Mother of God that Her participation was free and conscious - such, following the example of which a person has the opportunity to be brought to God, to heaven.
22 Translation: “Rejoice, miracle that the Angels never stop talking about.”
23 Opposite-symmetrical thought: “Rejoice, defeat of the demons, about which they never cease to cry.” “Verbose” / “much lamentable” and “miracle / defeat” (in older editions of the Slavic translation you can find not “defeat”, but “scab”) in Greek. form alliterations: “polytrulleton” / “polutreneton” and “tavma / injury”.
24 This pair even forms a syntactic unity: in fact, we have one sentence, divided into two hairetisms. From this the meaning becomes clear. The light is Christ (cf. John 8:12, 9:5). Having given birth to Christ, the Mother of God gave birth to Light. Birth is ineffable, that is, inexpressible - the second hairetism strengthens this idea: the Virgin did not explain, did not teach anyone (not a single one) how (how) She gave birth to the Light. In this case, a phonetic correspondence is again used, albeit a somewhat unusual one: the Greek “phos” (“light”) in the second hairetism corresponds to “pos” (“kako”, i.e. “how”).
25 By her obedience to the will of God, the Mother of God surpassed all human wisdom and knowledge (mind) of all wise men.
26 The Mother of God illuminates the meanings (i.e., the minds) of those who are faithful, that is, believe in Christ.
27 This kontakion uses the image of a fertile field (Greek “agros”, slav, “village”), on which the harvest is taking place.
Translation: “The power of the Most High then overshadowed (see Luke 1:35) the Mother of God to conceive, not tempted by marriage, and Her fertile womb revealed (show) a pleasant, sweet field (sweet village) for all who want to reap (reap) salvation when they sing like this (sice): Alleluia.”
28 The retelling of the Gospel continues: The Virgin, having received God into her womb, hurried to Elizabeth (see Luke 1:39–40). The baby of Elizabeth (that is, the future John the Baptist, whom Elizabeth had been waiting for for six months already - see Luke 1:24-26), having recognized (recognized) the greeting (kiss) of Mary, rejoiced and, leaping (Luke 1:41), literally, galloping (cf. 2 Samuel 6:14), exclaimed to the Mother of God, as if with a song: Rejoice...
29 The unfading branch, the rod (branch) of which is called the Mother of God, is the royal family of David, from which the Messiah, Jesus Christ, comes through the Virgin Mary. In general, the image of a vine, symbolizing the Church in its unity, is often used in Holy Scripture (see, for example, John 15:1). The Mother of God is undoubtedly the most valuable and fruitful branch (cf. the following Hayretism).
30 The branch produces immortal fruit - Jesus Christ. Theotokos - the acquisition (acquisition) of the immortal fruit. The entire first pair of hairetisms forms a rhyme: “Khaire, blastu amaranth clema; Khaire, karpu akeratu ktema.”
31 The Doer is God the Creator. In Church Slavonic, the role of the instrumental case is most often performed by the accusative case. Therefore, the phrase is translated as follows: “Rejoice, making the Worker a Lover of Mankind (i.e., God the Creator God the Lover of Mankind).”
32 Translation: “Rejoice, you who gave birth to Him who planted our life.” Here, firstly, there is an allusion to the Old Testament narrative about God planting a garden (paradise) as an environment for human life (Gen. 2:8). Secondly, “Doer” and “Grower” in Greek. - consonant words: “georgon” and “futurgon”.
33 In older editions of the Slavic text, instead of “multiple fertility” there is “gobzovanie”.
34 “Cleansing” - in this case, this is how the biblical term is translated, meaning the Calvary sacrifice of Christ as “propitiating”, “reconciling” before God (1 John 2:2, 4:10), i.e., having a redemptive, cleansing value from sin for the human race. The meal is a symbol of participation and access to the fruits of propitiation and cleansing accomplished by Jesus Christ.
35 The word “paradise” in this case is translated from the Greek. “Leimon”, which literally means “meadow”, is a symbol of plant abundance. This is a different word from "paradeisos", which is usually translated as "paradise" in the sense of "garden". The word “food”, also only in this case and in another hairetism (see below), translates a broader concept - pleasure in a positive sense, like happiness, joy. In other words, it means a meadow abounding in benefits. Through the Incarnation, that is, through the Mother of God, man is given the opportunity to eat in the “meadow” of these blessings. Hence the metaphor, referring to the Mother of God, who again grew (thrive - in the Church Slavic language a transitive verb) a food paradise.
36 Unity with God, marked by the Incarnation, is the goal of life for the believer. In the Mother of God, thus, preparations are made to achieve this goal - a refuge, literally, “pier”, “harbour” is being prepared. “Paradise” and “refuge” (in wine pad.) - in Greek. are consonant: “leymona” and “limena”.
37 The censer, from which incense smells, and incense in general has been an integral attribute of church services and prayer in general since ancient times and therefore a symbol of prayer. However, not every prayer is pleasing (pleasant) to God, but only that which is coupled with love, trust and humility - all that appeared to the greatest extent in the life of the Mother of God (cf. Luke 1:38). Prayer means the intercession of the Mother of God before God, Her, in Greek. literally a “messenger” from us to God.
38 There are, perhaps, two aspects here: firstly, through the Nativity of Christ the world is filled with God’s presence and is therefore cleansed, or rather, it is given the opportunity to be cleansed (from evil and sin), and secondly, this is done with the conscious and humble consent of the Mother of God, so that in her face all creation, the whole world turns to its Creator. This step in itself on the part of the creature testifies to its desire to be sanctified, cleansed and renewed. It is performed by the Blessed Virgin (cf. note 34).
39 In the event of the Annunciation, as well as, more broadly, in the event of the Incarnation, God’s favor towards mortal man is manifested (cf. John 3:16).
40 For his part, mortal man himself longs, or, more precisely, dares to ask for living, personal communication with God. The whole of Sacred history is filled with such boldness: one can recall, for example, the struggle of Jacob with God (Gen. 32:24–30), the questioning of Habakkuk (Habakkuk 1:2, etc.), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:7–18) and Job (Job 19:25–27, 23:3–6), as well as a number of Gospel episodes (Matthew 9:20–21, 15:22–28, etc.). And it turns out that it is precisely this kind of filial, and not slavish, service that pleases God (Matt. 9:2, 22; Mark 10:47–52, etc.). This boldness is not fight against God in the sense of denying or overthrowing God, but a trusting and frank attitude towards Him (see Job 42:5-6; Matt. 15:27, etc.). Sacred history is filled with such boldness. They, in fact, constitute the human impulse that drives her. The fruit of these boldnesses was the Most Holy Virgin. Having been born from Her, the Lord responded to human boldness in the most generous and complete way. In general, the opposite symmetry of the last pair of hairetisms reflects two closely related aspects of the Orthodox teaching on salvation.
Salvation is accomplished by God, but not only with the consent of man, but with his active participation, assistance, co-creation, collaboration with God, that is, in response to boldness that overcomes temptations and doubts.
41 The poet-compiler of the Akathist includes material from the Gospel of Matthew, complementing the story of St. Luke about the Annunciation. Matthew 1:18–25 speaks of the Annunciation to Joseph, or more precisely, of how the Angel of the Lord resolved Joseph’s doubts about Mary’s expectation of the birth of the Child. Mary was a Virgin, betrothed to Joseph according to custom to preserve Her virginity, since She was consecrated to serve in the Church. Translation: “Internally overwhelmed by doubts, the chaste Joseph, knowing (in vain) You, the Immaculate, as having not known marriage (the Slavic translation, tracing the Greek text and conveying the Greek preposition “ask” in its usual meaning - “to (You)”, thereby somewhat obscures the meaning) and considering Your marital purity stolen, came into confusion; Having learned (having realized) that conception is from the Holy Spirit, he said: Alleluia.”
42 Attention turns to the next page of the Gospel story - the Nativity of Christ, again according to the Gospel of Luke (Luke 2:8-16). Translation: “The shepherds heard the angels chanting the coming of Christ in the flesh, and having come (tekshe) as to the Shepherd, they see Him as an immaculate Lamb, Who grew in the womb of Mary as in the pasture (having fallen). Singing Her, they exclaimed: Rejoice...”
43 As at the beginning of the 4th ikos, Christ is called both the Lamb and the Shepherd. We find both names in the New Testament (“Lamb” - John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:19; especially many in Rev.; “Shepherd” - Matthew 25:32; John 10:11, 14; 1 Peter 2:25; Heb. 13:20). This duality expresses two aspects of the ministry of Jesus Christ: as a Lamb, He is sacrificed, just as lambs were sacrificed to God in the Old Testament (cf. Is. 53:7). And, like God Himself, He is the Shepherd, shepherding, that is, feeding and protecting believers as His sheep.
44 People are called verbal (i.e., rational, thinking) sheep in their relationship to God as their caring Shepherd. A courtyard with sheep is an image of the Church or people of God - a community of believers in God as their Shepherd. A similar image is found quite often on the pages of Holy Scripture, both the Old (Ps. 22:1–2, 79:13; Jer. 23:1–2; Eze. 34, etc.) and the New Testament (Matt. 10:6, 18:12–13; John 10:1 ff.). The Mother of God is metaphorically called the yard of verbal sheep, for from Her was born Christ the Shepherd, through whom we enter the Church as into a sheepfold.
45 Evil in its spiritual dimension is enmity with God, and concrete manifestations of evil are the invisible enemies of God and man. God, who came into the world through the Blessed Virgin, defeats evil and causes them (enemies) torment.
46 A pair of hairetisms that mirror each other in meaning: God unites with man, and therefore angels (heavenly) rejoice and rejoice together with people (earthly). The words “rejoice”, “lik”, from which “rejoice” is derived, mean a choir or even a round dance - festive singing and dancing. In the Slavic language the word “lik” means “hora”.
47 The gospel of Christ, which the apostles are called to preach, is, first of all, the gospel of the Incarnation, and therefore of the Mother of God. In other words, it is silently on the lips of the apostles.
48 “Insolence” – in Greek. literally “courage”, “courage”. Through the Mother of God, God became a man and promised to be with us “always until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20), - that is why the martyrs (passion-bearers) boldly and courageously endure suffering, so that they are invincible.
49 Contemplating the beauty of the Mother of God in Her humble participation in the incarnation of God, we thereby recognize grace, that is, God’s granting of salvation to man.
50 Having been born of the Mother of God, descending into the world even to hell, the Lord conquers hell. Hell laid bare, being disarmed, and opened its embrace, in which the human race was in captivity.
51 Translation: “Rejoice, through whom we have clothed ourselves with glory.” The last pair of hairetisms is based on a play on the words “naked”/“clothed” (dressed), and it is the second hairetism that has the primary, meaning-forming meaning. This refers to an even more ancient understanding of the biblical story, coming from the Old Testament and adopted by the first Christians, about how man, after the Fall, saw his nakedness and was forced to cover it (Gen. 3:7). This is interpreted as a consequence of the loss of that glory (see Rom. 3:23) - a kind of “shell” of the presence of God - which revealed the unclouded, shining godlikeness of man. After the Fall, man replaced the loss of this glory with earthly clothing. With the coming of Christ, man is again given the opportunity to dress, to put on the glory of God, which the Most Holy Theotokos served.
52 Once again attention turns to the Gospel of Matthew with its account of the events of the Nativity of Christ.
/Translation: “The Magi, seeing a star coming to God, followed its dawn; and holding on to her like a lamp, thanks to her they found the Almighty King (i.e. Christ); and having reached the Unattainable (a play on words that have opposite meanings), they rejoiced, exclaiming to Him: Alleluia.”
53 The story continues about the Magi, called the youths (i.e., servants) of the Chaldeans (from Chaldea, i.e., Babylon) and how they saw in the hands (hand - in the Church Slavic language duality, number) of the Virgin the One who created men with His own hands (a play on the word “hands”). Recognizing Him as the Master, although He had taken the form of a servant (cf. Phil. 2:7), they hastened (striving) to serve Him with gifts and to sing to the Blessed One (i.e., the Virgin): Rejoice...
55 Paired hairetism also has in mind an “astronomical” theme: the mysterious (emphasis on the first syllable, from the word “sacrament”) day is the day of the Kingdom of God, coming and never ending with the coming of Christ (cf. Rom. 13:12). This is the great and main saving mystery experienced in the Church in all its sacraments. The dawn of this day is the Virgin Mary, who gave birth to Christ.
56 Prelest - in Church Slavonic, as in translation from Greek, means deception, seduction. The furnace (furnace) of delusion is a reinforcing image: a constant situation of deception, deception and temptations with which, as in a furnace, the devil has been “scorching” a person in this world since the time of the Fall, when man was seduced and deceived for the first time (see Gen. 3). The Mother of God, who gave birth to Christ into this world, thereby extinguished this furnace of the devil’s seductions.
57 About “secret places” - see note. 16. In Christ, as in the Word incarnate, Who was God (John 1:1, 14), the greatest divine mystery is revealed to us - the mystery of God, One in the Trinity. The Mysteries of the Trinity are those to whom this mystery has been revealed and who have believed in it, that is, faithful members of the Christian Church. The revelation of this secret is their enlightenment. Through the Mother of God, the Incarnation of God occurs, and therefore the Trinity revelation, enlightening the mysteries of the Trinity.
58 The devil is called an inhuman tormentor; he seized power over the world created by God and rules over it, he is the prince of this world. With the coming of Christ, his illegal leadership is abolished and swept away (cf. John 12:31).
59 Wed. approx. 31 (about the meaning of blame, fallen in the Church Slavic language). The Mother of God revealed (showed) Christ as the Lord Lover of Mankind (or the Lord Lover of Mankind).
60 This hairetism clearly has a historical background, relevant for the time of compilation of the Akathist: it was compiled in connection with the deliverance of Constantinople from the invasion of barbarians (see the preface). However, service may mean not only political dependence, but also barbaric religious service, that is, pagan idolatry.
61 The Greek word “barbaru” (“barbarian”) from the previous hairetism finds its phonetic pair here - “borboru”, translated into Slavic as “timenia”, which means “swamp”, “mud”. By “times of affairs,” obviously, we mean worldly vanity, which, like a quagmire, drags in and stains a person. He delivers from such vanity and takes away life in God, which appears through the Blessed Virgin.
62 Hayretism, which also has a historical explanation and, moreover, is important for the dating of the entire Akathist. We are talking about the fire-worshipping Zoroastrians represented by the Sassanian power, which threatened Byzantium from the east until the fall of the former in 651 (on this basis, the upper limit of the chronological period when the Akathist could be written is established).
63 The theme of fire in the second hairetism of this couple moves from the historical to the spiritual-ascetic sphere: the Son of God, born of the Virgin, helps a person to get rid of (change) from the flame of destructive passions.
64 The Mother of God is the teacher of the faithful (i.e., believers) in their chastity. The last concept in Christian morality has a broader meaning than a narrow sexual one - it is a certain integrity, non-split, “simplicity” of consciousness, mind, feelings and will, which is corrupted and split by sin.
65 Translation: “Rejoice, joy of all generations (of people).”
66 Translation: “The Magi, having become God-bearing preachers, returned to Babylon, fulfilling (having passed) Your prophecy; and they preached about You to everyone that You are the Christ, leaving Herod lying and unable to sing: Alleluia.” The text, as we see, is addressed to Christ. The word “skonchavshe” (“end”), formed in the Slavic language from the word “end” - translation of the Greek. “ectelesantes”, in turn derived from “telos”, which means not only “end” in a simple (chronological or spatial) sense, but also “achievement of the goal”, “accomplishment”, “fulfillment” (cf. Rom. 10:4; 1 Tim. 1:5, where in the Synodal translation the word “telos” is translated in one case as “end”, and in the other as “goal”).
67 In church glory. In language, the verb “shine” can be transitive: “shine the truth” or “shine the enlightenment of the truth.”
Translation: “By allowing the enlightenment of truth to shine in Egypt, You drove away the darkness of lies: for its idols fell, unable to withstand Your power. Those who got rid of them (idols) sang to the Mother of God: Rejoice...” The text of the beginning of the 6th ikos is again addressed to Christ. Its content is quite unusual, since it combines material from the Holy Scriptures and the most ancient Christian Tradition, which was not included in Scripture. We are talking about the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt (Matt. 2:13–14). Tradition claims that the Child's visit to Egypt led to the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy: “Behold, the Lord will sit on a light cloud and come to Egypt. And the idols of Egypt will shake at His presence” (Is. 19:1). Tradition even reports such details as the collapse of idols in Iliopolis, one of the most ancient Egyptian religious centers. In general, the text of the 6th Ikos, including the Hayretisms, addressed, as usual, to the Mother of God, develops the biblical theme of Egypt.
Thanks to the story of the Exodus, Egypt and everything connected with it (pagan idolatry, Pharaoh revered as a god) are symbols of spiritual slavery and religious lies for the Bible and for the Church.
68 Demons in the context of the “Egyptian” theme are idols, false values that a person can slavishly serve.
69 Christ, born of the Virgin, tramples the power (power) of lies (charms). About the charm, see note. 56.
70 A thought close to that expressed in the previous Hayretism: Christ, the only true visible image of the invisible God (John 1:18; Col. 1:15), exposes (in both senses - “reveals, exposes”, and “accuses”) the lies (flattery) of idols, that is, false divine images and idolatry.
71 Next come references to the details of the story of the Exodus, read in their representative meaning in relation to Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 10:1-6), and therefore to the Mother of God. Mental pharaoh - mental, i.e. spiritual, worldview slavery of a person to superstitions and prejudices. The sea in which Pharaoh’s army perished, rushing in pursuit of the Israelites (Ex. 14:27–28, 15:4–5), is a prototype of the Mother of God, as the One from Whom the Son of God was born, who freed man from false service.
72 While wandering through the desert, Moses gave water to the thirsty people to drink from stone (Exodus 17:1–7, Numbers 20:1–11). Ap. Paul saw in this stone, flowing water, a type of Christ (1 Cor. 10:4). Mary is also called such a stone here, for She gave birth to Christ, who gave water to those thirsty for life (cf. John 4:13–14, 7:37).
73 The Lord Himself led the Israelites through the desert through a pillar of fire (Ex. 13:21), showing the way to those in darkness (instructing those in darkness). The story of the exodus refers to the darkness of the night in a literal sense, whereas here the darkness is mentioned in a figurative, spiritual sense.
74 During the day, the pillar of fire looked like a pillar of cloud (Ex. 13:21–22). Hayretism develops this image, saying about the Mother of God that She is a covering wider than the cloud.
75 Translation: “Rejoice, food, successor of manna (i.e., replacing manna).” Manna was the bread that God provided to the Israelites wandering in the wilderness every day (Ex. 16:4, 31). Christ calls himself the “Bread of Life” (John 6:35, 48), that is, that Bread without which a person cannot live. At the same time, He also refers to the Old Testament story of manna (Ex. 6:31–33, 49).
76 The Mother of God is called the servant of holy sweetness. The word “sweetness” here translates the same Greek word that in the seventh hairetism of the 3rd ikos is translated as “food” (see note), namely “trufe” (“pleasure,” “joy”), consonant with “trophe” (“food”) of the previous hairetism.
77 The last two hairetisms form both semantic and syntactic unity (cf. note 24). The Mother of God is called the land in which milk and honey flow (Exod. 3:8; Deut. 26:9) and which was promised (promised) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Gen. 12:7, 17:8, etc.) and their descendants - the people of Israel. In spiritual terms, the Promised Land is a symbol of the Kingdom of God promised to the New Testament people of God, that is, the Church of believers in Christ. Honey and milk (milk) are a symbol of the fruitfulness and abundance of the Promised Land, and therefore the Kingdom of God, which comes into the world with the Nativity of Christ from the Blessed Virgin. (cf. 2 Cor. 5:7), having grown (vegetated) from a seedless womb and preserved it as it was (as if it were), virgin (incorruptible), so that we,
78 The narrative moves further along the Gospel: we are already talking about the events of the Presentation. Two preliminary clarifications about certain words are necessary. “Charming” – “deceitful”, “deceptive” (cf. notes 56 and 69). The word "age" is often translated in Greek. the word “ayonos” (“eon”), which means not just a period of time, but the entire universe, understood in the historical aspect, as having a beginning and an end (see, for example, Gal. 1:4; Heb. 1:2). In this meaning, a synonym for the word “age” will be “peace”. It is in this broad sense that the “life of the future century” is spoken of in the Creed.
Translation: “When Simeon was about to leave (depart from) the present deceptive age or world (Luke 2:25-32), You (Christ) gave Yourself to him as a Child, but he recognized in You the perfect God. Therefore (also) he was amazed at Your ineffable wisdom, crying out: Alleluia.”
79 To preserve the semantic connection, it would be necessary to translate not “Creator”, but “Creator”, the same root as the word “creature”, as in the Greek text.
Translation: “The Creator (Creator), having appeared to us - those who were created by Him (who were from Him), - showed (thereby) a new creation, seeing a miracle, they sang Her (the womb, i.e. the Virgin), exclaiming: Rejoice...”
80 Incorruption is a biblical synonym for immortality, eternal life (see 1 Cor. 15:42, 50, 53). The Mother of God is called a flower, that is, beauty and beginning, a harbinger of incorruption.
81 The Virgin Mary in her humble obedience and chastity is the crown of abstinence.
82 Lick – in church glory. language transitive verb: to illuminate, to highlight something (cf. notes 67 and 134 regarding the verb “to shine”). The Mother of God is glorified as the One thanks to Whom the image of the resurrection, that is, Jesus Christ Himself, is revealed in all its radiance.
83 The life (life) of the Blessed Virgin is in no way inferior to that of the angels in purity.
84 Both hairetisms refer to the image of a tree, however, in Greek. The text uses two different words: “dendron” and “xulon”, respectively. In the first case, an allusion arises, for example, to a tree that bears good fruit (cf. Matt. 7:17, etc.). The second term in the Bible is found to designate both the paradise tree of life (Gen. 2:9; Rev. 2:7, 22:2), and the Tree of the Cross, on which Christ was “hanged” (Acts 5:30, 10:39, 13:29; 1 Pet. 2:24; Gal. 3:13) and which became the new tree of life - eternal life after the resurrection, although, however, neither another tree is not mentioned in the Bible in connection with their favorable leafy canopy (in Rev. 22:2 “the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations”). “Many” (mnozi) is a synonym for “all” in biblical language. After the Fall, man’s connection with the tree of life was broken (Gen. 3:22), but with the coming of Christ, through the Blessed Virgin, the mercy of God was revealed to man, so that he could again strive for eternal life - to the tree of life (cf. Rev. 22:2).
85 Captivity refers to the spiritual captivity of a person to sin and evil, from which Christ delivers. The Blessed Virgin Mary carried him in her womb.
86 Human salvation also lies in overcoming errors - both in the ideological and moral sense (cf. the parable of the prodigal, that is, the lost son - Luke 15:12-32). Christ is a Teacher in search of a way out.
It is worth noting that an error has crept into the Slavic text here, the reason for which is difficult to understand. In the Greek text it’s the other way around: “Rejoice, you who bear in your womb a Teacher to the lost; Rejoice, who gave birth to the Deliverer to the captives.” In 1915, with the blessing of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Lenten Triodion was published - the first and, for well-known reasons, the last of the liturgical books corrected as part of the begun and unfinished liturgical reform. In it, the indicated error was corrected, but, unfortunately, in literally all modern reprints of the Lenten Triodion, as well as in individual editions of the Akathist, the uncorrected version is copied.
87 The Righteous Judge is the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom His Mother turns with prayer (supplication) for people (cf. John 2:3–4), including the forgiveness of repentant sinners.
88 Completion of the thought begun in the previous hairetism.
89 Translation: “Rejoice, clothing of boldness for those who are naked.” “Nakedness” is understood both literally (cf. Job 1:23; Mark 14:52, etc.), and often in a symbolic or spiritual sense: as a designation of defenselessness, impoverishment of a person (see Job 31:19, Matt. 25:36, 38, 43). And most importantly, here we need to remember, first of all, the nakedness of Adam and Eve, which they were not ashamed of before the Fall, that is, they did not perceive it as their defenselessness and inferiority, requiring “replenishment” with clothing. Then, when they sinned, they knew “that they were naked” (Gen. 3:7; cf. note 51). In other words, the nakedness of which a person is ashamed, in the Bible and in this context of the Akathist, appears as a symbol of the state of sinfulness, from which a person can be delivered only through the merciful forgiveness of God, but in response to a person’s persistent desire, “boldness” (cf. note 40). Thus, when God descends to man and incarnates himself in his “nakedness” through the Blessed Virgin, the “naked” man is given the “garment of boldness.”
90 “Love” - in church glory. means "love". In the Greek language there are several words translated into Slavic and Russian by the same “lyuby” (“love”). Love as the highest Christian virtue, which introduces a person to God, Who is love (1 John 4:8, 16; 1 Cor. 13:4 ff.; Gal. 5:22, etc.), is designated in Greek as “agape.” In this case, the Greek “storge” is used, consonant with “stole” (“clothing”) from the previous hairetism. It is found less frequently in biblical and Christian theology in general and refers to more “human” feelings, for example, friendship, kindness, affection, love for children or marital love (for example, Sir. 27:17; Epistle of St. Polycarp of Smyrna to the Philippians, 4, 2). However, in the Mother of God such love, at first glance associated with marriage, in fact has nothing to do with carnal “desire,” lust, which is “conquered” in Her.
91 Starting from the 8th kontakion, the poet’s attention in the texts of the kontakia and the beginning of the ikos switches from the gospel events of the Incarnation to their moral and theological meaning. The text of the 8th kontakion is addressed to us, the praying ones. In it, as further, a contrast is made, traditional for the theme of the Incarnation, between the immensity, unlimitedness, and “height” of God with the limitations and “earthliness” of man. Actually, this is the only miracle that is comparable only to the miracle of the creation of the world out of nothing and at which angels and people are amazed.
Translation: “Having seen an amazing (strange) Christmas, let us renounce (“strange” / “remove” - a play on words preserved in the Slavic translation) from the world, turning our minds to heaven (i.e. to God). For for this reason, the high (above us, in heaven) God appeared on earth as a humble man, wanting to attract to (His) height those who sing to Him: Alleluia.”
92 Translation: “Everyone was involved in the lower ones (i.e., in the earthly, in the people), but the unknowable Word did not depart from the higher ones (i.e., did not break the connection) (see John 8:23), for this was not a spatial movement (change of place), but a divine condescension and nativity from the Virgin, who accepted God and heard this: Rejoice...”
93 The Mother of God is the door to the revered sacrament or mystery (the union of God with man).
94 For infidels, that is, those who do not believe in the Incarnation, the very speech (hearing) about the Virgin Mary as the Mother of God is a great doubt.
95 On the contrary, for believers (faithful) the word about the Mother of God is a subject of undoubted praise (in the sense of the One in Whom one can boast; cf. the sixth Hayretism of the 12th Ikos).
96 The glory of the Lord (i.e., the presence of the Lord) appeared to the prophet Ezekiel in a vision as being on a chariot with cherubim, angelic creatures (Ezek. 10:18-22, etc.). Turning to this Old Testament prophetic description, the poet calls the Mother of God the chariot of the One who rides on the cherubim.
97 For symmetry, the same idea is expressed with the mention of the seraphim - angels also called to magnify God in the Old Testament (see, for example, Is. 6:2). "Settlement" means a place of residence. Moreover, two words (“chariot” and “village”) in Greek form an alliteration: “ohema” / “oikema”.
98 “Nasty” – from a grammatical point of view, plural. number of wines case: “nasty.” The meaning is not the same as in Russian: opposite. This refers to two opposite principles - God and man - that united, gathered together, into identity in the Mother of God.
99 In parallel, a similar combination is spoken of, also from the point of view of human nature, of mutually exclusive things: the virginity of the Mother of God and the birth (in Greek in this case, letters, “birth”) of Her Son.
100 A thought somewhat similar to that expressed in the second khayretism of the 1st ikos (“Here the oath will disappear”). “Resolved” is a word that has a different meaning than in modern Russian: canceled, cancelled. In other words, with the incarnation of Christ the crime was abolished, i.e. God testifies to His mercy to remove from man the guilt for the Fall, as for a crime according to the law (see Rom. 5:15-20).
101 “Rejoice, You who opened paradise” is an almost verbatim repetition of the fourth Hayretism of the 4th Ikos. In addition, “crime” and “paradise” in Greek turn out to be consonant: “parabasis” and “paradeisos”.
102 Theotokos is the key to the doors of the Kingdom of Christ.
103 In the Mother of God, since through her God appeared to be present among us, we have reason to hope for eternal blessings.
104 Translation: “The whole angelic world was surprised at the great work of Your incarnation, for they saw how the unapproachable God became approachable, that is, an accessible, visible Man, Who was with us and heard from everyone: Alleluia.”
105 The 9th ikos touches on the theme of the relationship between human wisdom, philosophical searches and Christian theology, primarily Christology. At the same time, the futility of attempts to fully comprehend and exhaust the mystery of the Incarnation, to express it with the help of even the rich arsenal that human wisdom and philosophy had accumulated by the time the Akathist was compiled, is emphasized.
Translation of the beginning of the ikos: “Wordy speakers, when they talk about You, Mother of God, look before us like voiceless fish, for they do not know how to talk about the fact that You are also a Virgin,
and was able to give birth. We, marveling at the sacrament, exclaim with faith: Rejoice...”
106 In the New Testament and in patristic theology, Jesus Christ is called the Wisdom of God - the Son and Word of God (1 Cor. 1:24). The Old Testament transformative background should also be taken into account: for example, about Wisdom, who was with God before all creatures, participated in God’s creation of the world as an artist and built herself a house (Prov. 8:22–30, 9:1). The last text is read as a prophecy about the Mother of God.
107 In the Incarnation, the Providence of God reaches its culmination, that is, His care for man. The Mother of God is, so to speak, “in the focus” of the Incarnation and is called a treasure or, more precisely, a treasury of industry.
108 Philosophy (in Greek, “philosophy”) is taken in a negative sense, as, for example, in Col. 2:8 - as a synonym for vain wisdom, false teachings, “love” for wisdom as a kind of knowledge, the possession of which in itself is considered salvation. The Coming of Christ, and especially His Cross, turns such “wise men” into fools, reveals them to be unwise (cf. 1 Cor. 1:18-29, esp. 1 Cor. 1:19-20, 25, 27-28). The Mother of God, who gave the womb to Christ, thereby serves the cause of such reproof. In addition, She Herself - a modest Girl, worthy of dialogue with God for the sake of the greatest work of the Incarnation, initiated into this great mystery - surpasses the wisdom of all sages in their search for truth.
109 Thought similar to the previous one. Translation: Rejoice, you who reprove those who are cunning in words (cunning) as dumb. However, another meaning is also possible, similar to the content of the beginning of the ikos: no matter how complex (cunningly) the speakers express themselves about the Mother of God, their words are not enough - they look like wordless.
110 The theme of false wisdom, or more precisely, the pretense of wisdom that is put to shame with the coming of Christ, continues, as well as the impossibility of fully expressing the mystery of the incarnation.
Translation: “Rejoice, for the strict questioners (or captious debaters) have become fools.”
111 “Obuyasha” (“emorantesan”) and “withered” (“emarantesan”) are consonant in Greek. Fables (Greek “mutoy”, hence myths) – here also in a negative sense (cf. 1 Tim. 1:4; 2 Tim. 4:4; Tit. 1:14): inventions or explanations, primarily concerning the Incarnation, that do not correspond to the truth.
Translation: “Rejoice, for the creators of fables have faded and fallen.”
112 Athenian weaving is a pagan Greek philosophy, the center-symbol of which was Athens. Here you can read a thought synonymous with that expressed in the third hairetism. The Athenian weaves also act as a symbol of the rational approach, on which the human mind relies, rejecting Divine revelation and trying to think about God and, above all, about the Incarnation (truly, a completely indigestible truth for such an approach, for we are talking about the connection of the incompatible), and, consequently, about the Mother of God, in the categories of purely human logic.
However, there is something else to keep in mind. On the one hand, Greek philosophy was the constant background, context and even language in which the holy fathers and teachers of the Church, starting from the first centuries of Christianity and especially during the era of the Ecumenical Councils, when the Akathist was compiled, reformulated the revealed truths expressed in the Bible in the language of the Jewish faith. But on the other hand, this was truly the creation of a new theological language, which far outgrew the language of Athenian philosophical weaving and “torn” and tore them apart. The main subject of theological searches, disputes and new formulations, of course, were christological questions - about how the Church understands its faith in Jesus Christ, God and man. Inextricably linked with these disputes were disputes about the Mother of God.
It is interesting to note that the Russian word “nonsense” comes from the Slavic phrase “Athenian weaving”.
113 It becomes clear that the previous image of weaving is inspired by the Gospel mention of fishing nets (mrezha), which are filled (filled) with fish (Luke 5:4–6, John 21:6, 11), which in the Gospel symbolized the future multiplication of the Church thanks to the preaching of the apostles, who were fishermen before their calling (Matthew 4:18–19). Christ was born from the Virgin Mary - therefore She also has a direct connection to this “multiplying of fish”.
114 The Blessed Virgin, having given birth to Christ, thereby reveals to man the true God, “draws out from the depths of ignorance” (previous Hayretism) and enlightens with reason, that is, with the truth, many, which means everyone (cf. note 84).
115 The Mother of God is called a ship for those who want to be saved.
117 The Slavic word “Decorator” (Greek “kosmetor”) accurately conveys the naming of God as the Creator of the world, who is beautiful (“and God saw that it was good,” Gen. 1:8, 10, etc., especially art. 31 and 2, 1 in Slavic), however, the play on words is lost. In Greek, the word “cosmos” has two meanings: peace and beauty, decoration.
Translation: “The Decorator (“Cosmetor”, i.e. the creator of the beautiful world, the organizer of its order and beauty) of everything, wanting to save the world (“cosmos”), came to it according to his own promise, and being, like God, a Shepherd (cf. note 43 and 44), for our sake he appeared as a man, the same as we (for us), calling upon like like, and, like God, hears: Alleluia.”
118 The 10th ikos has a moral and ascetic content.
Translation of the beginning of the ikhos: “Virgin Mother of God, You are a fence (wall) for the virgins and for all who come running to You, for the Creator of heaven and earth prepared You, dwelling in Your womb and teaching everyone to greet You: Rejoice...”
119 The virginity of the Mother of God, which She did not lose even in the Nativity of Christ, expresses her purity and immaculateness. Only with such moral purity could God - the only Saint - be united. For anyone who strives for such purity, the Mother of God is an example, a support, a pillar.
120 The Blessed Virgin is called the leader or example of mental or mental edification or teaching (education).
121 Goodness is a synonym for the mercy and love of God (see Wisdom 7:26, 12:22), which the Lord gives in abundance, coming into the world through the Blessed Virgin.
122 “Renewed” – literally, “gave birth again,” “revived.” By those conceived in cold, obviously, all people are understood in the sense of the sinfulness of the entire human race. Here you can clearly hear an echo of the expression from Psalm 50: “Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and in sin did my mother give birth to me” (Ps. 50:7), on which, among other things, the church teaching about original sin is based. Having become a man, the Lord washes away the filth of sin, and man receives this renewal and rebirth by being baptized into Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God (see 1 Pet. 1:3, 23).
123 “Punished” is one of those words whose meaning in Slavic is sharply different from its meaning in Russian. “Punish” - in glory. means “to teach”, “to enlighten”. The Mother of God, as She through Whom the true God appeared, thereby enlightened those who had been robbed by their minds. “Conceived” and “stolen” are consonant in Greek: “sylleftentas” and “syuletentas”.
124 Satan, the enemy of God, who wants to destroy and corrupt everything, is called a corrupter, that is, a destroyer, a corrupter of meanings or, in other words, of all order, beauty, and meaningfulness. Christ, born of the Virgin, expels him from this world (cf. Luke 10:18; John 12:31, 16, 11), abolishes (exercises) his power (cf. fifth khayretism of the 5th ikos).
125 If Satan is the corrupter of meanings (the image of corruption is taken from the realm of living nature), then Christ is the sower (also an image from the plant world) of purity, that is, order and moral truth. “Tlitel” and “Sower” are consonant in Greek: “phtorea” and “sporea”.
126 The palace in the Bible often refers to the place of a wedding feast or meeting of the bride and groom (Song. 1:3; Matt. 9:15; cf. Eph. 5:25–27, 32). This is an image of the Kingdom of God, where the groom is Christ, and the bride is the Church, that is, people who believed in the coming of Christ, in His New Testament, as a marriage with a person. The first who accepted Christ at His coming was His Mother according to humanity - the Virgin Mary. In Her, as in the bridal chamber, God united with man, and the entire Church, like, first of all, the Mother of God Herself, became the bride of Christ (hence the “discouragement”), however, this did not happen according to the carnal laws of conception, but “seedlessly,” miraculously.
127 The meaning is close to the previous hairetism: in the Mother of God the faithful (believers) are united with the Lord.
128 Return to the theme of virginity, raised in the first hairetism of the same ikos. The Mother of God is a kind nurse, teacher of young virgins.
129 Again, mention of the New Testament and the Kingdom of God as a marriage - that holy souls who truly believe in the Incarnation, and therefore in the Mother of God, are thus worthily prepared for marriage, adorned like a bride (cf. Matt. 22:11-12; Isa. 61:10).
130 Translation: “All singing is overcome (that is, it turns out to be insufficient, unsuccessful, fails) by trying to adapt, to be consistent with the multitude of Your many bounties (mercies), for when we offer You, O Holy King, songs as numerous as sand, we do not do anything that would be worthy (equal) to what You have given to us who cry out to You: Alleluia.”
131 Translation: “Like a luminous candle that appeared to those in darkness, we see the Holy Virgin, for, kindling an immaterial (immaterial) fire (more precisely, in Greek, light) and illuminating the mind with dawn (illumination), she instructs to divine understanding (i.e., understanding about God) all who honor Her with such calls: Rejoice...”
132 Smart sun - Christ. In Him shines the truth, revealed from God and cognizable by man, since it is the destiny of mental comprehension (hence the “smart sun”). The Mother of God is a ray of such a sun (cf. “the stars of the unsetting Mati”, “the dawn of the mysterious day” - the first and second hayretisms of the 5th ikos). Christ is called the “Sun of Truth” in the troparion to the Nativity of Christ.
133 The meaning is close to the previous and those mentioned above (cf. also note 54) hairetisms. Moreover, “actis” and “bolis” are synonyms meaning “ray” (of the sun). In the second case, for lack of anything more suitable, the Slavic translation uses “luminary”.
134 “To dawn enlightenment” – see note. 67.
135 The river is one of the biblical images of the abundance of the gifts of God and the Holy Spirit (cf. Gen. 2:10; John 7:38; Rev. 22:1).
136 The remaining hairetisms of the 11th ikos use the theme of church sacraments. The next three of them deal with the sacrament of baptism. Baptism for Christians is baptism into Christ (Gal. 3:27). By plunging into the font - the vessel for baptism - a person is immersed and baptized into Christ. The Mother of God, who gave birth to Christ, symbolically paints, that is, shows the image of the baptismal font.
137 In baptism, sinful defilement is taken away from a person, original sin is removed (cf. Rom. 6:6-7, etc.).
138 The “washing of the conscience” also refers to baptism (cf. Titus 3:5). It also relates to the Mother of God, since through Her the Lord became incarnate, into whom the Christian is baptized.
139 The chalice is a church vessel, already associated with another, the most important sacrament of the Church: the Eucharist and communion. In the Eucharist the joy of man's unity with God is experienced. The Mother of God can be called the cup that draws this joy, since through Her God became incarnate and made it possible to be in communion with Him.
140 Also taken from the liturgical sphere. The joy of Christ's presence among people is designated as a pleasant aroma. A person was able to feel it, “smell” it, since the Blessed Virgin Mary gave birth to Christ into the world.
141 In the sacraments the joy or joy of life with God is experienced. The word "joy" is translated in Greek. word meaning letters. "feast". The sacraments are the feast of eternal life. Such fun is secret, but not in the primitive sense of secrecy, concealment from someone’s unwanted participation, but in the sense of knowledge by faith, invisible but real participation in the life of the coming Kingdom of God. The Mother of God is called the life (“belly”) of secret joy, for in Her this very life appeared as the incarnate Son of God.
142 God is spoken of as the solver of all man's debts. This means that man, when he sinned for the first time (Gen. 3) and thus offended God, found himself in debt to Him. It is this debt, as well as all other sins with which the history of mankind is full, that are called ancient (former). By handwriting is meant a list of crimes compiled on the basis of the commandments of the Law that a person has violated. A similar image is also biblical; for example, it is used by St. Paul, when he speaks of the mercy of God, which forgives a person’s sins through his faith in the grace of Christ (Col. 2:14; cf. Eph. 2:15).
Translation: “Desiring to forgive (the grace to give) ancient debts to people, the Solver of all debts Himself came to those who had retreated (lit.: those outside their fatherland) from His grace, and, tearing up the handwriting, heard from everyone this (singing): Alleluia.”
143 Translation: “Singing Your birth (i.e., Your birth of Christ), we all praise You, like an animated church, Mother of God, for, having entered Your womb, the Lord, holding everything in His hand, sanctified, glorified and taught everyone to exclaim to You: Rejoice...”
144 “Village” – Greek. “skene” - literally, tent, pavilion, tabernacle or, more broadly, dwelling. Obviously, there is an allusion here both to the Old Testament tabernacle of the Covenant and to the cognate term “eskenosen” used in John 1:14, literally meaning “he pitched a tent” and translated as “(the Word) dwelt (with us).”
145 Translation: “Rejoice, O Holy One, surpassing all saints.”
146 One of the Old Testament prototypes of the Mother of God is the Ark of the Covenant - a wooden casket lined with gold inside and out (Exodus 25:10–11). It was placed in the Holy of Holies of the Jerusalem Temple and contained the Tablets of the Covenant, symbolically signifying the presence of God among His chosen people. The Mother of God is figuratively spoken of as an ark in which God dwells and which is gilded (gilded) by the Holy Spirit (cf. Luke 1:35).
147 Christ is life (John 11:25, 14) and the giver of life in inexhaustible abundance (see John 10:10). The Most Holy Virgin, through whom Christ was born, is therefore called an inexhaustible treasure or, more precisely, a treasury of life.
148 The next two pairs of hayretisms reflect the Byzantine idea of the so-called symphony of the Christian Church and the Christian state, as the Byzantine Empire understood itself in the second half of the 1st Christian millennium. The Mother of God is called the honest (from the word “honor”, “reverence”) crown, that is, the royal crown (in Greek “diadem”) of pious kings.
149 Theotokos - She Who is praised with reverence (honest - worthy of honor, i.e. veneration) by reverent priests (priests) or, even more likely, She Whom the priests boast of (cf. the fourth Hayretism of the 8th Ikos).
150 A pillar or tower is a symbol of strength, strength, and reliability.
151 Judging by the semantic rhyme, the kingdom means the Byzantine Empire - the earthly Christian kingdom.
152 Translation: “O all-sung (i.e., sung by all) Mother, who gave birth to the Word, the holiest of all saints! Having accepted the present offering (i.e., this prayer - akathist singing), deliver from all misfortune and remove from future torment everyone who exclaims to You: Alleluia.
See Akathist, Holy Mother of God