www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Questions about the structure of Akathists

Does anyone know if there is a defined structure to writing Akathists inasfar as the verses as couplets in groups of six couplets or in other groupings?

Also are the troparia assigned particular tones or is there some freedom in the useage of troparion melody for the prescribed troparia?

Lastly, though the various akathists I've seen here on Bzcath.org would presumably for private worship, is there a particular format for group celebration, ie clergy and laity, who typically does which parts?

I've experienced akathists celebrated different ways and wondered if there are any particular traditions for Greek or Rusyn forms of akathist prayers.

Thanks,

Steve

my suggestion is get a copy of an akathist in Greek.

I was most surprised that the verses were done in rhyming couplets.

Also I found that poetic forms like rhythm(beat) and alliteration, imagery, contrast, repetition are also widely used.

Alas, the English translations have not, as far as I have seen, been able to duplicate or translate this - not even the rhyming structure - which seems so very basic to this form of poetry.

Herb

Steve, while there are hundreds of Akathists out there a few commonalities do exist. Remember first of all that the first Akathist by St. Roman the Melodist was essentially a "full" Kontakion formed by a central Kontakion expanded with enough oikoi and other kontakia-enriching collects to form an acrostic of the Greek alphabet.

So generally there are always 12 Oikoi and 13 Kontakia with any Akathist, with Kontakion 13 repeated 3 times, and Oikos and Kontakion 1 repeated at the end. Obviously for those more modern Akathists written in English or Slavonic they may or may not form that acrostic when translated into Greek.

There is always a refrain to the end of each Kontakia after Kontakion 1 (which almost always Alleluia) and the end of each oikos (which is the "special refrain" used at the end of Kontakion 1).

That is where the commonalities end. In terms of stanzas for an oikos, conventions that have historically been used are 5, 6, 8, or 12 verses plus the special refrain as the ending verse.

One can see 5 verses in the Akathist to the Resurrection, 6 with the Akathists to the Most Holy Trinity, to the Passion, to Christ's Tomb, St. Michael the Archangel, St. John the Theologian, St. George and others. One can find 8 in the Akathist to St. Seraphim of Sarov and many saints.

Perhaps most popular is 12 verses such as in the Akathist to the Mother of God (the original one), to the Sweetest Lord Jesus Christ, to the Cross, the various Akathists to icons of the Theotokos ("Joy of All who Sorrow", "Kursk-Root", etc. and to many saints such as St. Nicholas, St. Herman of Alaska, St. Panteleimon, etc.

Regarding the actual meter of the verse, it does not have to rhyme. There are many Akathists in the original Greek that are in "free verse", i.e. do not rhyme, although they all have the structure of 12 Oikoi and 13 Kontakia with Oikos and Kontakion 1 repeated.

Just as in English there are beautiful works of poetry in freer verse, so also with liturgical poetry. A striking example of this can be seen in the Akathist to the Departed, for which the English translation has no verse form at all for the oikoi, but more prosaic laments for the dead concluded with the special refrain.

In terms of the tones of Kontakion 1, there is no standard convention. Tones 8 and 6 appear to be quite popular, and one can see 2, 7, and 4 on occasion as well. I am sure if you look at enough texts, you will find them all.

Generally all of the other kontakia besides 1 and 13 are chanted plain chant by the reader or clergy, sometimes with the people singing the Alleluia. Likewise the introductory part of the oikos is sung recto tono by the reader or clergy, with the people responding with the verses.

At least speaking for Obikhod and Galician chant, the "default tone" for the first Kontakion seems to be Tone 8.

Often there are also special melodies used for Kontakion 13 which can be repeated between the clergy and people which are quite nice, various Iromologion melodies, and other possibilities.

A common melody for the verses of the oikoi is the Pochaiv melody, which is easily learned, easily harmonzied and quite beautiful.

Diak, or anyone,

do you know where I can find .wav or .mp3 files of some of these melodies?

To answer Steve's question in absolute terms-the "Kontakion" portions (actually called proemia) would be metrically the same (in Greek) to the first Proemeion "Ti Hypermaxu." The Oikoi will have the same metrical structure as the first Oikos (Angellos protostatis), though there seems to be some leeway allowed for the "Chaire"s (though i am not absolutely sure on this accoutn, i have not studied this part). For the contrafacts in the menaion that i have seen (which will only be the first proemion and oikos for the saint), they follow very closely to the original. Of course, in translation, following the metrical structure is difficult, if not impossible. It seems that many of the writers of the modern Russian "Akathists" do not follow the form very closely (many of the akathists Randy mentions are of Russian make from the late 18th to the early 20th centuries, and have little bearing on the questions asked, since they are not suitable for Liturgical use, though valuable for paraliturgical and private use).

As far as melody is concerned-the Akathist for the Annuncation (the model for all others) is in Tone 8/pl 4, and uses two closely related melodies (one for the proemia, the other for the oikoi). For our part, in lieu of having the model melody (when we lost it, i do not know-a study of the manuscripts and early printed books would reveal this), i would think we would use the T8 Kondak melody, or adapt either/both of the melodies for the refrains listed in Bokshaj. FWIW, the Old Believers have a melody for Vozbranoje Vojevoda (Ti Hypermaxu).

The Greek thext can be found here (though it is missing the first proemion for some reason):
http://www.tcgalaska.com/glt/Polytonic/texts/Hor/Staseis.uni.htm

As far as how it can be served: it can be said by itself (with intro prayers, and the Troparion at the end and ending with the prayer for for the Akathist-if these come with the Akathist) or during Vespers (i think right before the Aposticha is the correct place) or during Compline (the rubrics specifically mention this) after or instead of the canon. So, there is a lot of flexibility in usage.

From what i gather, originally Kontakia (Akathists included) were a part of Matins, where the Canon resides, and were a core part of the Pannychis, the all-Night Vigil. There are Slavonic melodies for these, but no one has figured out how to read the musical notation yet (these are contained in books called Kondakaria, and use notation by the same name).

In Christ,
Adam

"not suitable for liturgical use" seems to be generally nonsensical, since precisely the original Akathist came as a developed Kontakion with oikoi for a Pannachys to the Theotokos (and was not only just used for the Annunciation as the misnomer avove indicates). Anything developed or derived from this original Akathist, if singeable (hard not to with Pochaiv and certain adaptable Znamenny melodies) and orthodox in content, would by its nature be "suitable". Since they are used publically, that would seem to make them "suitable".

The use of Akathists in connection with Canons as a Moleben or by themselves has certainly developed into a mainstay of popular Slavic devotion. The Akathists mentioned have precedent of public liturgical use not only with the Russians, as the Akathist to St. John the Baptist was recently used publically in eparchial pilgrimages in Parma.

And check it out - even in Greek you will find exceptions on meter and number of verses of the Chaire, although these may be back-translations from Slavonic or Russian.

In reality the use of them as part of a nightly Pannachyis attached to Vespers is also practically nonexistent in current usage. What does remain are vestiges such as the Small Compline with the Akathist Hymn in the Greek tradition for the Great Fast, which is actually a later development.

I don't really see any defensible distinction between a "liturgical" use of the Akathist as part of Compline vs. the use of an Akathist part of a Moleben. The liturgical/paraliturgical distinction is highly subjective in this case and is only dependant on the exception that one is stuck in an office of the Horologion and one is not. The actual precise "liturgical" use of these Akathists is generally lost, and usages often get "lost" for a reason.

And as far as a rather presumptive judgement of bearing of my response on the questions asked, they are seemingly directly related as his question was related to the number of couplets in use and other groupings, which was illustrated with concrete examples of a developed Slavic tradition and not speculation. Regardless of any personal opinions on the texts and interpretations themselves, of which I would disagree, these are beautiful Akathists.

The more people pray, albeit in a so-called "paraliturgical" fashion, the better - it is still quite harmonious with the larger Constantinopolitan tradition.

To answer the question of Steve regarding the form of celebration: in reality outside of the Akathist with Small Compline there are not a whole lot of liturgical examples of the Akathist being used with the Greeks with the exception of in frequently used vestiges preceding Ode 7 in certain Menia at Matins.

One example I can give inspired by Greek usage is this. We take part in an annual pro-life rally and procession at the Kansas state capitol. For this event we have used the Small Paraklesis with the Akathist to the Theotokos in Greek fashion as it is a fairly long march.

I experienced this format at a Greek parish dedicated to the Theotokos during the patronal feast day with a procession and was inspired to adapt it for use in our rally at the State Capitol. I am sure I still have it electronically if you would like.

In reality this differs not all that much from a standard Russian, Ukrainian or Rusyn Moleben with a Canon and/or the Akathist. You can always use the general Moleben form as a general guide and introduction to the Akathist. You can find an easy format provided in the Old Rite prayer book, and insert the Akathist instead of a Canon.

While many Molebens do include a Gospel, they do not necessarily have to include one if all you want to do is sing the Akathist. If you do use a Canon in the Moleben with an Akathist, the Akathist is sung after Ode 6 and the kondak of the Canon is moved to after Ode 3 and the first kondak and oikos of the Akathist is sung at the end of Ode 6.

We have also done Akathists frequently in this way, using the easily learned and adapted Moleben structure. Those are available electronically as well from various sources.

That structure is quite straightforward and you probably have been at or lead a Moleben - "Blessed is our God" by the priest, Nachalo, doxology by priest, Lord have mercy X12, Glory, Come let us worship, Psalm 142, God is the Lord with verses, Troparia, Psalm 50, Akathist, "It is truly proper", Trisagion, troparia, litany (or 40 X Lord Have Mercy if no priest), prayer(s) of the Akathist (if given), dismissal. You can add various standard refrains to the saints, Theotokos, etc. if you want as well which are usually sung samopodobny.

As far as what to do with a priest - besides his usual "stuff" of Blessed is our God, the doxologies, the dismissal, etc. he usually sings the Kontakia/Proemia with the people responding Alleluia, he sings the introduction to the Oikos and the people sing the couplets/verses of the oikos. Technically a deacon is supposed to do the verses of "God is the Lord" but certainly the priest or cantor can take those if a deacon is not present.

An even simpler approach can be seen in the "Byzantine Book of Prayer" which was inspired by Archbishop Raya's order - the Priest exclaims "Blessed is our God", Nachalo, and then right after the doxology at the end of the Our Father - the Akathist begins. At the end of the Akathist is "Glory to You, our God' etc. and right to the dismissal.

Let's face it - we have to do what is pastorally prudent. The Akathists are wonderful ways to get people to pray together, and can become greatly loved parts of feasts on their own. It is quite easy to learn and teach a flowing melody for the oikoi such as the Pochaiv melody. I don't know how many Latins and others have commented specifically on the beauty of our Akathist services.

And for public devotion in new mission country or part of a procession, a name day, whatever, they are so easy to do, easily learned, and beautiful pieces of liturgical poetry. Really a wonderful example of Constantinopolitan liturgical economia, of inculturation to popular cult, and all sorts of other neat aspects.

The Akathists have come to be loved and cherished by many of our converts and new visitors. I don't know if this is a good thing, but our Friday Compline and Akathists often draw better than Presanctified.

Man, I have rambled on this one. Sorry for the barely coherent verbosity.

Domilsean - Liturgy.ru had a file somewhere at one time I can probably dig something up, or even send you a tape as an example. Ask Andrij -I can even teach you something over the phone if you are in a pinch...

Sheet music for that can be found in various places if you read music.

Dear Diak,

Does an Akathist always need to be part of a Canon in private/liturgical use?

Alex

Alex - that is the beauty of it all, in that you can use a Canon, an Akathist with the Canon, or just the Akathist.

The Jordanville Prayer Book has a nice order for using Canons or Akathists when alone starting with the Seven-Bow Beginning, Nachalo, Psalm 50, Creed and then Akathist, prayer after Akathist and then departure prayers - essentially the same general order as St. Seraphim's version of the Rule of St. Pachomius, except the Akathist is used instead of the Jesus Prayer.

Here is the Seven-Bow Beginning:
O God, be merciful to me, a sinner. (bow)
O God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me. (bow)
Having created me, O Lord, have mercy on me. (bow)
I have sinned immeasurably, O Lord, forgive me. (bow)
My sovereign, most holy Mother of God, save me, a sinner, (bow)
O Angel, my holy Guardian, protect me from all evil. (bow)
Holy Apostle (or martyr, or holy father Name) pray to God for me. (bow)

Dear Diak,

Great - but I use the Old Believer seven-bow beginning . . .

Your influence, I believe

Alex

Yes, I too avail myself of the Old Rite entrance and departure bows...just trying to be accomodating to our Nikonian friends...