Akathist Hymn to the Mother of God

The Akathist Hymn to the Mother of God is a beautiful, prayerful, and poetic hymn of praise to the Virgin Mary, mother of God. Consisting of 24 stanzas, which alternate between long and short, the Akathist is divided into 4 stasis (or “standings”), one of which is sung or chanted on each of the first four Fridays of Great Lent. These stasis describe the annunciation, the birth of Christ, and the promise of salvation of the world through Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, in a poetic and lyrical manner. For the duration of the service, an icon of the Mother of God is displayed on a stand in the center of the solea at the front of the church.