The Akathist Hymn is one of the most beloved devotions of the Byzantine Rite. There has been some debate about the particular details of authorship of the first Akathist, but most scholars agree with the tradition that attributes it to St. Romanos the Melodist, who reposed in the year 556 in Constantinople. This original Akathist Hymn (to the Theotokos) proved so popular that many other hymns were written following its format praising other saints, holy events, Persons of the Trinity, etc. These pastiche forms are considered to be personal devotions; the only Akathist used liturgically is the original.
The word "akathistos" literally means "unseated," i.e., standing, because all participants stand while it is being prayed. The hymn is comprised of 24 stanzas, alternating long and short. Each short stanza (kontakion) ends with the singing of "Alleluia." Each longer stanza (ikos) ends with the refrain: "Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded," (or another invocation from the first kontakion).
As the hymn progresses, we encounter the object of the hymn more profoundly, repeatedly expressing needs, desires, and praises and finding them fulfilled in the glorious plan of salvation. Each person who participates in the Akathist tradition finds in these hymns an inspired means of expressing gratitude and praise to the Mother of God, Jesus, the Cross, etc. for what has been accomplished for their salvation.
The word "akathistos" literally means "unseated," i.e., standing, because all participants stand while it is being prayed. The hymn is comprised of 24 stanzas, alternating long and short. Each short stanza (kontakion) ends with the singing of "Alleluia." Each longer stanza (ikos) ends with the refrain: "Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded," (or another invocation from the first kontakion).
As the hymn progresses, we encounter the object of the hymn more profoundly, repeatedly expressing needs, desires, and praises and finding them fulfilled in the glorious plan of salvation. Each person who participates in the Akathist tradition finds in these hymns an inspired means of expressing gratitude and praise to the Mother of God, Jesus, the Cross, etc. for what has been accomplished for their salvation.
Kontakion 1
O most blessed and
all-worshipped Cross of Christ, faithfully do I venerate and magnify thee,
being joyous at thy Exaltation. As a trophy of victory and unconquered weapon,
protect, cover, and shelter me as I cry to thee: Rejoice, O exalted Cross of Christ!
Ikos 1
I behold the fearful
Cross glorified and exalted and see it now brilliant and shedding the light of
grace upon all who rejoice in the victory of Christ, I now stand amazed and cry
to thee:
Rejoice, O Cross,
guardian of the world!
Rejoice, O glory of the
holy Church!
Rejoice, thou that dost
bountifully bestow healing!
Rejoice, thou that dost
enlighten earth to its ends!
Rejoice, wood fragrant
with life and treasury of wonders!
Rejoice, thrice-blessed
bestower of grace!
Rejoice, for thou art the
divine footstool!
Rejoice, for thou wast
ordained for the worship of all!
Rejoice, bowl of nectar
filled to the brim!
Rejoice, torch of
heavenly radiance!
Rejoice, thou through
which creation is blessed!
Rejoice, thou through
which the Creator is worshipped!
Rejoice, O exalted Cross of Christ!
Kontakion 2
O faithful Cross, that
throughout the ages hast born witness to the glory of Christ’s passion and
mystery of his conquering death, may I who have eyes to behold, ears to hear,
and a mouth to speak and never cease to proclaim his glorious victory and cry out: Alleluia!
Ikos 2
Shining as a light upon
all in hades, O Savior, Thou didst enlighten them that lay below, and just as
Thou didst deliver them, deliver me also that I may behold the Cross and cry:
Rejoice, through which we
have such joy!
Rejoice, consolation of
them that mourn!
Rejoice, despoiling of
the treasures of hades!
Rejoice, enjoyment of the
Paradise of delight!
Rejoice, thou rod that
didst drown the Egyptian army!
Rejoice, that which in
turn didst water the Israelite people!
Rejoice, living Tree,
that Thief’s salvation!
Rejoice, fragrant rose,
sweet scent of the godly!
Rejoice, food of the
hungry in spirit!
Rejoice, seal that men
have received!
Rejoice, doorway to
mysteries!
Rejoice, that from which
divine streams pour forth!
Rejoice, O exalted Cross of Christ!
Kontakion 3
O holy and blessed wood,
on which our Savior raised man to a higher dignity than that forfeited in the
Garden, let me never turn to the Tree of Knowledge in pride but rather keep my
eyes fixed upon the Tree of Life in humility and approach in fear and trembling
to intone: Alleluia!
Ikos 3
O Cross, which didst first receive the cleansing water and nourishing blood from the side of Christ,
wounded by the lance thrust by sin and returning a blessing for a curse, may I
never cease to give thanks for the wellspring of grace flowing from the
life-giving passion and sing: Alleluia!
Rejoice, hope of all men
born into despair!
Rejoice, refuge of sinful
man before God!
Rejoice, which draw all men
to thyself!
Rejoice, that bore him who
bore all the word’s sorrows
Rejoice, that unitest men
of every time and place!
Rejoice, sign of life
springing from death!
Rejoice, which received
the first blood of the Lord!
Rejoice, heaviest burden
ever born!
Rejoice, burden most
lovingly born!
Rejoice, despised by all
men but embraced by Christ!
Rejoice, who embraced him
who the world rejected!
Rejoice, witness of the
redemption of sinners!
Rejoice, O exalted Cross of Christ!
Kontakion 4
O Cross, which didst embrace the Savior that sinners denied and condemned, thou didst accept him who was despised
and rejected although he rejected none; may the faithful who confess him Lord
never cease to honor his chosen Cross and cry out: Alleluia!
Ikos 4
He Who on Sinai did give the
law to the Godseer of old, by His own will was nailed to the Cross, lawlessly
for lawless men; and He loosed the ancient curse of the law, so that beholding
the might of the Cross, we might all now cry:
Rejoice, where love was
most profoundly revealed!
Rejoice, uplifting of the
fallen!
Rejoice, downfall of
those who adore the world!
Rejoice, inauguration of
the Resurrection of Christ!
Rejoice, divine joy of
monastics!
Rejoice, shady-leafed
Tree sheltering believers!
Rejoice,
prophet-proclaimed Tree planted on earth!
Rejoice, mighty
protection of the state!
Rejoice, manifestation of
the just Judge!
Rejoice, condemnation of
offending mortals!
Rejoice, succor of
orphans!
Rejoice, enricher of the
poor!
Rejoice, O exalted Cross of Christ!
Kontakion 5
O Cross, thou wert
designed by the Father of lies and Slanderer to defeat man’s hope of
redemption; may I, wretched sinner who have so often used creation for selfish
and evil ends, be eager to turn God’s gifts to good and sanctification that I
may behold his gifts in their goodness and cry: Alleluia!
Ikos 5
Like to the sun has the Cross
appeared in the world to fill men with its light; may I ever view it as the
cause of good raised up by divine hands and bless it, saying:
Rejoice, dawn of the
spiritual sun!
Rejoice, unfailing fount
of myrrh!
Rejoice, death-blow to
the prince of hades!
Rejoice, which in
exaltation, thou dost now also exalt us!
Rejoice, that in being
veneration, thou dost sanctify men’s souls!
Rejoice, most plentiful
strength of the martyrs!
Rejoice, thou through
which hades was cast down!
Rejoice, thou through
which God did rise up!
Rejoice, sign of
contradiction and confoundment to the world!
Rejoice, whose arms embrace
all the world in its Maker!
Rejoice, weapon of the
enemy made instrument of his defeat!
Rejoice, sign of hope for
those in a legacy of despair!
Rejoice, O exalted Cross of Christ!
Kontakion 6
With the purpose of
saving his creation the Lord of the world ineffably descended to it and
submitted to the Cross; and being God, for us He accepteth all that pertaineth
to our nature. Wherefore, having also redeemed us, he heareth from all: Alleluia!
Ikos 6
O Cross, thou wast
designed to humble the proud and humiliate, but in the mystery of the divine
plan thou wert used to manifest and exalt him who is most humble; may I who am
the proudest of sinners and most vain of evildoers learn humility that I may be
worthy for initiation to the mystery and cry:
Rejoice, who was never
embraced before thy Maker came to thee!
Rejoice, ladder to heaven
for us, the earth-bound!
Rejoice, foundation of
godliness!
Rejoice, conquest of the promised
land!
Rejoice, thou that dost
put the spiritual Amalek to flight!
Rejoice, thout that wast
prefigured by the hands of Jacob!
Rejoice, for thou didst
fulfill the prophetic utterances!
Rejoice, thou that disdt
bear the Savior of all!
Rejoice, thou that didst
destroy the corrupter of souls!
Rejoice, through which we
are united with angels!
Rejoice, through which we
are illumined by light!
Rejoice, for with honor
we worship thee!
Rejoice, O exalted Cross of Christ!
Kontakion 7
O Cross of rough,
unfinished wood, which held the Lord even as the manger had at his birth, thou
didst hold him displayed for the world to behold and mock; may I, wretched
sinner fond of sensuality, desire to forsake comforts for the sake of him to
whom I sing: Alleluia!
Ikos 7
Entire, he came down from
on high, retaining His divinity, the only Word from before all ages; and being
born of a Virgin Mother, He appeared to the world as a lowly man, accepting the
Cross, and gave life to them that cry thereto:
Rejoice, weapon of peace!
Rejoice, starting point
and goal of travelers!
Rejoice, wisdom and firm
support of the saved!
Rejoice, folly and
destruction of the damned!
Rejoice, fruitful,
immortal, life-bearing plant!
Rejoice, flower that
blossomed with our salvation!
Rejoice, for thou dost
join together things on earth with things above!
Rejoice, for thou dost
enlighten the hearts of them below!
Rejoice, thou through
which corruption is banished!
Rejoice, thou through
which sorrow has vanished!
Rejoice, thou myriad-numbered
wealth of good things!
Rejoice, thou
myriad-named boast of believers!
Rejoice, O exalted Cross of Christ!
Kontakion 8
Having willed to grant
grace unto men, Christ stretched out His hands on the tree, and doth call all
the nations together, granting the Kingdom of Heaven to all that faithfully
sing the hymn and faithfully cry: Alleluia!
Ikos 8
Chanting the hymn, out of
love I praise thee as the living Tree of the Lord; for being nailed upon thee
in the flesh, He that ruleth over the Hosts on high hath sanctified, glorified
and taught us to cry these words unto thee:
Rejoice, spiritual sword!
Rejoice, thou holy gaze
of saints!
Rejoice, wonder of the
saints!
Rejoice, dread of the
demons!
Rejoice, prediction of
the prophets and the righteous!
Rejoice, brilliant strategem of Christ!
Rejoice, brilliant strategem of Christ!
Rejoice, beauty and crown
of pious kings!
Rejoice, strength and
stronghold of reverent priests!
Rejoice, fair and noble
jewel of truth!
Rejoice, joyful splendor
of all!
Rejoice, lamp of purest
light!
Rejoice, thou gladness of
my soul!
Rejoice, O exalted Cross of Christ!
Kontakion 9
Fallen is the profane
legion of demons, seeing the Cross worshipped with longing, as it doth ever
gush forth healing to them that cry: Alleluia!
Ikos 9
Having all beheld the
God-crowned Tree, let us come under its protection. Taking it up as a weapon,
with it we put our enemies to flight and, touching the untouchable, with our
lips we cry to it:
Rejoice, height of the
wisdom of God!
Rejoice, thou depth of
his providence!
Rejoice, heavenly scepter
of the faithful king!
Rejoice, thou that
turnest back the ranks of our foes!
Rejoice, thou flame that
burnest demons!
Rejoice, invincible
trophy of those who love Christ!
Rejoice, thou that
humblest the arrogant!
Rejoice, undoer of the
trespass of the first-created!
Rejoice, opener of the
entrance to Paradise!
Rejoice, revered by all!
Rejoice, healer of the
sick!
Rejoice, constant help of
them that weep!
Rejoice, O exalted Cross of Christ!
Kontakion 10
O Cross, which became the
altar of self-immolation for the great High Priest, bearing the one acceptable
Sacrifice who atones for transgressions of this most wretched sinner, may I
never cease to give thanks for him who freely chose thee and withheld nothing,
and follow in his example by embracing three and crying out: Alleluia!
Ikos 10
O Cross of joy, that
although designed and fashioned by men for death and misery hast become the
cause of our rejoicing, may I who have been created to glorify God never cease
to rejoice before men and declare:
Rejoice, sign of
veritable joy!
Rejoice, redemption from
the ancient curse!
Rejoice, that didst
appear in the stars as a sign!
Rejoice, accomplishment
of the ineffable counsel!
Rejoice, on whose account
the Christ-bearers rejoice!
Rejoice, ladder set on
high, foreseen once of old!
Rejoice, wonder of the
angels!
Rejoice, wound of the
demons!
Rejoice, welcome relic of
the world!
Rejoice, quencher of
deception’s fire!
Rejoice, protection of
the helpless!
Rejoice, thou stern
trainer of the victors!
Rejoice, O exalted Cross of Christ!
Kontakion 11
Every hymn falleth short
that would comprehend the multitude of thy many wonders; for though we should
offer thee a multitude of praises, O precious Cross, we should do nothing worthy
of what thou hast granted us, but still we cry: Alleluia!
Ikos 11
The radiance that giveth
light to them in darkness doth this Life-giving Cross bestow; for it hath shown
us the immaterial light, and hath illumined the way for all to divine knowledge;
and being lifted up, it now lifteth up our minds that we might chant these
words:
Rejoice, thou that dost
receive tenderly the souls of men!
Rejoice, luminary that shineth
on them in darkness!
Rejoice, star that
dawneth upon the world!
Rejoice, defense against
many evils!
Rejoice, award of many
good things!
Rejoice, fulfillment of
the most mysterious prophecies!
Rejoice, thou whose form
hath appeared from Heaven!
Rejoice, thou whose power
doth dispel evil!
Rejoice, thou that dost
signify mortification of the flesh!
Rejoice, thou that dost
slay the insurrection of the passions!
Rejoice, thou upon which
Christ was crucified!
Rejoice, thou by which
all the world was saved!
Rejoice, O exalted Cross of Christ!
Kontakion 12
Seeing the strange
wonder, let us live our life as strangers, lifting our minds up to heaven;
since for this was Christ nailed to the cross, and suffered in the flesh,
having willed to draw to the heights them that cry to it: Alleluia!
Ikos 12
O wondrous Cross, which
is beheld by all creation as the instrument of salvation to the confoundment of
the world, may we accept the saving embrace of our Master as thou didst and
never cease to bear him on our bodies that we may continue to wonder and cry
out:
Rejoice, vessel of light!
Rejoice, treasury of
life!
Rejoice, bestower of the
gifts of the Passion!
Rejoice, calm port for
those at sea!
Rejoice, table that
holdest Christ as Sacrifice!
Rejoice, vine that
bearest the cluster dripping mystical wine!
Rejoice, protector of
God-fearing princes!
Rejoice, which dost crush
the heads of great serpents!
Rejoice, illustrious sign
of the faith!
Rejoice, preservation of all
the world!
Rejoice, blessing of God
upon mortals!
Rejoice, mediation of
mortals with God!
Rejoice, O exalted Cross of Christ!
Kontakion 13
O most laudable Tree
which held the Word, the most holy of all holy beings, having received our
entreaties, deliver us from every calamity and redeem from eternal torment all
them that cry to thee: Alleluia!
(Kontakion 13 is repeated three times. Then Ikos 1 and Kontakion 1 are repeated in that order.)
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