Terminology - Kontakion

AKATHISTOS  (Gr. not permitted to sit) 1) A service consisting of many hymns of praise to the Savior, the All-Holy Theotokos, or some Saint, which may be sung in church or at home. The word Akathist comes from the Greek word Akathistos meaning “not sitting” and denotes a hymn of praise honoring Christ, the Mother… Read More

The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos Troparion, Tone 4: Thy nativity, O Theotokos Virgin, hath proclaimed Joy to all the world;for from thee hath dawned the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, annulling the curse, and bestowing the blessing, abolishing death and granting us life eternal. Kontakion, Tone 4: Joachim and Anna were freed… Read More

Lenten Triodion Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee Kontakion, Tone 4: Let us flee the bragging of the Pharisee, And learn the humility of the Publican, While crying out unto the Saviour with groanings: Be gracious unto us, O Thou Who alone dost readily forgive. Sunday of the Prodigal Son Kontakion, Tone 3: Having… Read More

Pentecostarion Thomas Sunday Troparion, Tone 7: While the tomb was sealed, Thou, O life, didst shine forth from the grave, O Christ God. And while the doors were shut, Thou didst come unto Thy disciples, O Resurrection of all,Renewing through them an upright Spirit in us according to Thy great mercy. Kontakion, Tone 8: With… Read More

To All Saints Troparion: Apostles, Martyrs, and Prophets,holy Hierarchs, Saints and Righteous, having fought the good fight and kept the faith you have boldness towards the Savior. Intercede for us with Him, for He is good, we pray, that He may save our souls. Kontakion: The world offers to Thee, O Lord, as the Father… Read More

To Holy Apostles Troparion: Holy Apostles, Intercede with our merciful God, That He may grant to our souls the forgiveness of our sins. Kontakion: Thou hast taken the firm and divinely inspired Preachers, O Lord, the chiefest of Apostles, For the enjoyment of Thy blessings and for repose. For Thou hast accepted their labors and… Read More

St. Herman of Alaska Troparion in Tone 4: O Blessed Father Herman of Alaska, North Star of Christ?s Holy Church; The light of your holy life and great deeds Guides those who follow the Orthodox Way. Together we lift high the Holy Cross You planted firmly in America. Let all behold and glorify Jesus Christ… Read More

Apostle and Evangelist John Troparion Tone 2: O Apostle, beloved of Christ the God, hasten to set free the people that have no word of defense: thee fallen down in adoration will accept He Who hath received thee whenever thou fellest on His breast. Entreat then, O Theologian, Him that He may disperse also the… Read More

St. Sergius, abbot of Radonezh Troparion in Tone 4: Athlete in virtue, true warrior of Christ our God, You fiercely fought the good fight against the passions during this earthly life and have been an example to your disciples by your spiritual labors in song, vigil, and fast. Wherefore, the Holy Spirit took up His… Read More

St. John of Kronstadt, Wonderworker Troparion, Tone 4: With the Apostles your message has gone out to the ends of the world, With the Confessors you endured sufferings for Christ; You are like the Hierarchs by your preaching of the Word, With the monks who are saints you were radiant with God’s grace. Therefore the… Read More

St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia Troparion, Tone 4: As a rule of faith and model of tenderness and teacher of abstinence hath the reality shown thee unto thy flock; therewithal hast thou acquired by humility greatness, by poverty riches; O Father Hierarch Nicholas, intercede before Christ God that our souls may be saved…. Read More

St. Mary Magdalene Troparion, Tone 1: After Christ Who for our sake was born of the Virgin, Thou didst, O venerated Mary Magdalene, follow, keeping His statutes and laws; Wherefore celebrating today thine all-holy memory we obtain, Through thine intercessions, the remission of sins. Kontakion, Tone 3: Standing at the Savior’s cross with many others,… Read More

Joy of all the Sorrowful Troparion – Tone 4 Let us, sinful and humbled, now earnestly run to the Mother of God, and let us fall down in repentance, crying from the depths of our soul: O Lady, help, have compassion on us. Make haste, for we perish from the multitude of our sins. Turn… Read More

Pascha (hymns) Troparion: Christ is risen from the dead,Trampling down death by death,And upon those in the tombsBestowing life. Paschal Verse: (Paslm 67[68]): Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee from before his face!As smoke vanishes, so let them vanish; as wax melts before the fire,So the sinners… Read More

The Compilation of a Church Service

On a Given Day.

Each church service consists of a combination of the “unchanging” parts of the service, which are inherent in it daily, with the “changing” parts of the service, the contents of which depend on what day of the week it is and what date of what month of the year. The unchanging parts of the service, which, as it were, constitute its framework, are taken from the Service Book by the clergy, and from the Horologion by the readers and singers. If it is a Sunday or a normal weekday, then to these unchanging prayers are added changing ones from the Ochtoechos, Menaion, and Psalter, or from the Lenten Triodion or the Festal Menaion, with additions from the Menaion or without the Menaion. On days of great and mid-ranking immovable feasts the changing parts of the service are taken only from the Menaion, while on the days of movable feasts, only from the Lenten Triodion or the FestalMenaion. The rule for combining the unchanging portions with the changing, and precisely what to select, are indicated for the most part “in place” in the liturgical books themselves. Everything is indicated and explained in detail in the Typicon. Several explanatory chapters of the Typicon which contain such directions, called Markovy Chapters, are likewise printed in the Menaions and the Triodion “in place,” or collected together at the end. Before every service it is essential to prepare all the necessary books ahead of time and, having opened them, to look over the whole order beforehand, following the directions given in the books.