A bit of a brightness...
Categories: life
Date: 01 April 2012 07:20:05
As a storm rolls through...
I know I will never win any flower arranging or photography competitions, but it is nice seeing the tulips open up of a day (they are under a skylight) and close at night. The church on Friday evening was decked out for the full Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos, some from the parish, others brought in by the faithful.
At the end of such services, especially if only a few [10 or so, plus 5 choir members and priest on the night] attend, there are plenty of flowers to take home. It does brighten up my day, and it looks like they will last until tomorrow (am I correct in cutting a little off the stems and replacing the water each day?) when mum and dad return from a holiday, and it will hopefully brighten mum's day.
The Akathist Hymn became used within a special feast of thanksgiving for victory when Constantinople was besieged in 717-718 by Arab invaders, where the Mother of God, together with a multitude of the angelic hosts, appeared suddenly over the city walls. The enemy forces fled in disarray and the Arab fleet was utterly destroyed by a terrible storm on the eve of the Annunciation, March 24, 718. Even before this attempted invasion, and others before it, the Akathist Hymn was already in use as the prescribed Service for the Feast of the Annunciation (tradition attributes it to St Romanos the Melodist, who died after 555 AD), together with the beautiful hymn, "When the bodiless one learned the secret command...". On the eve of the Annunciation in 718 the hymn "To you, the Champion Leader" was composed, most likely by Saint Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople, and is now part of the Akathist service. It is a beautiful service, and while it may be read with some concern by those who are not used to honouring the Theotokos, as there is some very flowery imagery, with a proper understanding as to the view of the Theotokos as the one deemed worthy by God of bearing God incarnate, the themes and imagery used become clearer. It is indeed a wonder beyond nature that the eternal Word of God, not setting aside His Divinity, became fully man, for our salvation. Well is it said that Gabriel stood in awe...
When the bodiless one learned the secret command, in haste he came and stood before Joseph's dwelling, and spoke unto the Maiden who knew not wedlock: The One Who has bowed the Heavens by His descent is held and contained unchanging wholly in you. Seeing Him receiving the form of a servant in your womb, I stand in awe and cry to you: Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded! To you, the Champion Leader, we your servants dedicate a feast of victory and of thanksgiving as ones rescued out of sufferings, O Theotokos: but as you are one with might which is invincible, from all dangers that can be do you deliver us, that we may cry to you: Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!