The fifth week of Nice Lent stands out among the many different weeks attributable to two particular providers.
On Wednesday night, the Matins for Thursday is celebrated with the studying of the Nice Canon
“>Nice Canon of St. Andrew of Crete and the 
Venerable Mary of EgyptCovered by the cloak, the ascetic turned to Zosimas: “Why do you need to converse with me, a sinful girl? What did you want to be taught from me, you who haven’t shrunk from such nice labors?””>lifetime of St. Mary of Egypt—a service often known as “
The Standing of St. Mary of EgyptThe studying of the Nice Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is the principle characteristic of this Matins service. This apply originated across the ninth century and its historical past is as follows.”>The Standing of Mary.” That is the ultimate particular penitential service of Nice Lent.
On Friday, nonetheless, the Lenten temper lifts quickly. The Church begins the celebration of the Reward of the Most Holy Theotokos (Saturday of the Akathist). In contrast to the somber and introspective “Standing of Mary,” it is a festive and joyful feast.
Lots of the hymns from the Saturday of the Akathist are additionally discovered within the service of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, as the 2 feasts are traditionally related.
The Service of the Reward of the Most Holy Theotokos begins with Vespers, which, in apply, is well known on Friday morning. Through the night psalms “Lord, I’ve cried,” festal stichera from the Annunciation are added.
The very first sticheron of this set units the tone and thematic route for all of the others that comply with.
“Revealing to thee the pre-eternal counsel, Gabriel got here and stood earlier than thee, O Maid; and greeting thee, he stated, ‘Rejoice, thou earth that has not been sown; rejoice, thou burning bush that continues to be unconsumed; rejoice, thou unsearchable depth; rejoice, thou bridge that results in heaven, and ladder raised on excessive that Jacob noticed; rejoice thou divine jar of manna; rejoice thou deliverance from the curse; rejoice, thou restoration of Adam, the Lord is with thee’.”1
The remaining stichera are additionally taken from the service of the Annunciation.
On Friday night, in apply (although in accordance with the Typikon it’s appointed for 10 p.m.), Matins is well known with Nice Doxology. The distinguishing characteristic of this service is the studying of the Akathist to the Theotokos. That is the one day within the liturgical calendar when the Typikon prescribes the studying of an Akathist. Extra particulars on this may comply with under.
Notably, the Akathist shouldn’t be learn in a single steady block, as we’re used to, however is split into 4 components, which are interspersed all through the Matins service.
The Matins begins as standard: with the two-psalm introduction, adopted by the Six Psalms, then the Nice Litany. After this, “God is the Lord” is sung with verses, and the Troparion of the Feast is chanted melodiously:
“At this time is the crown of our salvation and the manifestation of the thriller that’s from all eternity. The Son of God turns into Son of the Virgin, and Gabriel proclaims the nice tidings of grace. Subsequently allow us to additionally be part of him and cry aloud to the Theotokos: Rejoice thou who artwork filled with grace: the Lord in with thee.”2
At this level within the service, the Royal Doorways are opened, and the clergy come out from the altar into the middle of the church, the place the icon of the Reward of the Theotokos or one other commemorated picture of Her is positioned. The priest censes the church, after which the choir chants the primary kontakion of the Akathist:
“To Thee, the Champion Chief, we Thy servants dedicate a feast of victory…”
Then the clergy learn the primary part of the Akathist—from the primary ikos to the fourth kontakion. Afterward, the choir repeats the kontakion “To Thee, the Champion Chief,” and the clergy return to the altar.
Following this, a kathisma (portion of the Psalter) is learn, and the second a part of the Akathist is chanted—from the fourth ikos to the seventh kontakion. After every half, the clergy once more return to the altar.
Subsequent, Psalm 50 (Have mercy on me, O God) is learn, and the Canon begins. This canon can also be devoted to the Theotokos, providing particular reward for Her function in giving beginning to the Divine Little one.
The canon was composed by Saint Joseph the Hymnographer and options an acrostic—the place the primary letters of the troparia within the Greek authentic type a phrase:
“Rejoice, dwelling place of pleasure, to Thee alone it’s becoming to rejoice. Joseph.”
The primary and third odes of the canon are learn, after which the third part of the Akathist is chanted—from the seventh ikos to the tenth kontakion. The canon then continues as much as the sixth ode, after which the ultimate portion of the Akathist is learn—from the tenth ikos to the conclusion.
The Matins service then proceeds as standard: the festal praises (reward stichera) are sung, adopted by the Nice Doxology, and the rest of the service in accordance with custom.
On Saturday morning, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is well known.
Now allow us to flip to the historical past and significance of the Akathist hymn itself.
The time period “ἀκάθιστος ὕμνος” in Greek actually means a “hymn throughout which one doesn’t sit.” Based on the Church Typikon, there is just one official Akathist that’s prescribed for liturgical use: the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos, chanted throughout the Feast of Her Reward. The Typikon doesn’t prescribe using every other Akathists inside the Divine Providers.
In type, the Akathist is much like the traditional kontakion and consists of an introduction (known as a prooimion, or “koukoulion”—that means “hood,” because it ‘covers’ or introduces the next strophes) and 24 stanzas. The shorter strophes are known as kontakia, the longer ones ikoi. In Greek custom, all stanzas are sometimes referred to easily as ikoi.
Every ikos accommodates a sequence of “Chairetismoi”—greetings or praises starting with the phrase “Χαῖρε” (Rejoice).
The kontakia conclude with the chorus “Alleluia,” whereas the ikoi finish with “Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!”
In a while, many different Akathists have been composed in imitation of this authentic hymn—although not all of them reached the identical degree of theological depth or literary high quality.
As for the authorship and date of composition, scholarly opinions range. Most definitely, the core of the Akathist was composed no later than the primary half of the sixth century. Many researchers attribute the principle physique of the hymn to St. Romanos the Melodist, an important hymnographer of the early Church.
The chairetismoi (the sequence of “Rejoice” greetings) have been doubtless added later, most likely by Patriarch Sergius of Constantinople within the 620s, through the time of the siege of Constantinople.
The primary kontakion of the Akathist—“To Thee, the Champion Chief”—was more than likely not half of the unique hymn, however an unbiased thanksgiving troparion composed in 626 AD to commemorate the deliverance of Constantinople from the Avars and Slavs.
When it comes to theme, the Akathist is a poetic and theological meditation on the Incarnation—significantly the Annunciation and the Nativity of Christ—emphasizing all through the central and salvific function of the Most Holy Theotokos in these sacred occasions.
Why, then, is the Akathist hymn chanted particularly on the Saturday of the fifth week of Nice Lent?
Initially, judging by its content material, the Akathist was sung on the Feast of the Synaxis of the Theotokos (January 8), and later, on the Feast of the Annunciation. For an extended time, it was firmly related to that feast.
Nevertheless, in 628, near the date of the Annunciation, peace negotiations have been held between Emperor Heraclius and the Persians, marking a Byzantine victory. The chanting of the Akathist, on this context, took on a celebratory and thanksgiving character.
On the identical time, there was already a practice in Constantinople of holding all-night vigils from Friday to Saturday in honor of the Mom of God. Regularly, the Akathist hymn turned established as a part of this Lenten Saturday vigil, and so its common place within the liturgical calendar turned the Saturday of the fifth week of Nice Lent.
Thus, the fifth week of Nice Lent concludes with a joyful glorification of the Most Holy Theotokos within the type of the Akathist hymn.
On the 
Sunday of St. Mary of EgyptThis week of Nice Lent, the Church celebrates the reminiscence of St. Mary of Egypt. The story of St. Mary is the story of a repentant harlot. Why does the Church discover this story so essential? Why does the entire Orthodox world bear in mind this girl?
“>Sunday of the fifth week, we return to the life and non secular battle of St. Mary of Egypt, commemorating her yet another time. Moreover, some hymns of that day check with the parable of the wealthy man and Lazarus.
Church hymnography attracts a symbolic connection between the Lazarus of the parable and Lazarus, the buddy of Christ, whose resurrection we’ll quickly commemorate. Because the sixth week of Nice Lent begins, the Church begins the pre-feast of Lazarus Saturday and the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.
All through the week, the hymns narrate, in chronological sequence, the story of Lazarus:
He falls unwell,
He dies,
Christ units out to lift him,
He’s buried,
And eventually, he’s resurrected.
Thus, the Church calls us to start the journey with Christ towards His Ardour, making ready our hearts for Holy Week and the glory of the Resurrection.
The next sources (in Russian) have been used:
“Akathist.” Orthodox Encyclopedia, vol. 1, pp. 371–381. Accessed at:
Debolsky, Archpriest G. S. The Liturgical Days of the Orthodox Catholic Japanese Church. St. Petersburg, 1846.
Mansvetov, I. D. On the Fasts of the Orthodox Japanese Church. Moscow, 1886.
Karabinov, I. The Lenten Triodion: A Historic Overview of Its Construction, Content material, Redactions, and Slavic Translations. Chapter 3: Redactions and Slavic Translations of the Lenten Triodion. Moscow: Ikhthios, 2004.
Kashkin, A. Liturgics. Half 2: The Lenten and Festal Triodia. Saratov, 2017.
