The Akathist to the Theotokos is the original and most widely prayed. It’s a sixth-century hymn praising the Virgin Mary’s role in the Incarnation, and you’ll hear it during Great Lent at most Orthodox parishes. But there are dozens of other Akathists now, written for different saints and different needs.
Let me back up. An Akathist is a standing hymn, that’s what the word means, “not sitting.” It’s structured poetry with alternating short verses (kontakia) that end with “Alleluia” and longer verses (ikoi) that end with a refrain like “Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded” in the original Theotokos hymn. The whole thing takes about forty minutes to chant.
The Classic One
The Akathist to the Theotokos gets prayed on Friday evenings during the first four weeks of Great Lent, then in full on the fifth Friday. It starts with the Archangel Gabriel’s “Rejoice!” to Mary and unfolds the mystery of God becoming man in her womb. The refrain “Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded” captures something we can’t quite wrap our minds around, a virgin who remains virgin yet becomes a mother. That paradox sits at the heart of our faith.
Some parishes also pray variations like the Akathist to the Theotokos, Joy of All Who Sorrow. That one’s for when you’re carrying something heavy and need the Mother of God’s intercession.
Akathists to Christ
There’s an Akathist to Jesus, Light to Those in Darkness, which the Antiochian Archdiocese publishes. It’s for times of pain, confusion, or feeling abandoned. The verses call Christ “unfailing friend for the abandoned” and “lover of my soul.” I’ve prayed this one during hurricane season when the anxiety starts creeping in about whether we’ll flood again. It helps.
The Akathist to the Nativity of Christ celebrates the birth of our Lord. That one gets prayed around Christmas, though you can pray it anytime.
Akathists to Saints
You’ll find Akathists written for popular saints like St. Nicholas, St. Nectarios of Aegina, St. Seraphim of Sarov, and St. John Maximovitch. These follow the same structure as the original but focus on the saint’s life and ask their prayers. If you’re drawn to a particular saint, there’s probably an Akathist for them. Ancient Faith Publishing prints collections of these.
St. Nectarios is especially beloved for healing prayers. St. Nicholas for protection and provision. The Akathist to St. Seraphim emphasizes his teaching about acquiring the Holy Spirit.
How People Use Them
In church, Akathists are corporate prayer. You stand the whole time (though if you need to sit, sit, we’re not legalists about it). The priest or reader chants sections, and the congregation responds with the refrains. It’s call and response, the whole body praying together.
But people also pray Akathists at home. You can read one quietly in your prayer corner when you need focused time with God. Some folks pray the same Akathist daily for forty days when they’re seeking help with something specific. That’s not magic, it’s persistent prayer, the kind Christ talked about with the widow and the unjust judge.
Finding Them
The Antiochian Archdiocese website has PDFs of several Akathists you can download. Ancient Faith has a whole section of Akathist books in their bookstore. If you’re at St. Michael’s and want to borrow one, ask. We’ve got copies floating around.
You can also find recordings online if you want to hear how they’re chanted. Hearing it helps when you’re learning to pray it yourself. The rhythm and repetition do something to your heart that silent reading doesn’t quite manage. It’s like the difference between reading about the Gulf and actually standing on the beach at sunrise.
Start with the Akathist to the Theotokos if you’re new to this. It’s the mother of all Akathists (pun intended), and once you’ve prayed it a few times, the others will make more sense. Come to one of the Friday Lenten services this year and experience it with the whole parish. There’s nothing quite like standing together in a darkened church, candles flickering, everyone’s voice joining in “Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded” for the tenth time, and feeling the weight of sixteen centuries of Christians who’ve prayed these same words.
