To thee, the Champion Leader, we thy servants dedicate a feast of victory and of thanksgiving as ones rescued out of sufferings, O Theotokos: but as thou art one with might which is invincible, from all dangers that can be do thou deliver us, that we may cry to thee: Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.
ORTHODOX 6TH CENTURY AD
Akathist to the Theotokos: Opening Kontakion
Also known as To Thee, the Champion Leader · Akathist Hymn Opening
About this prayer
The Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos (Mother of God) is one of the greatest examples of Byzantine liturgical poetry. It is attributed by some sources to Romanos the Melodist (c. 485-560 AD), though modern scholars debate the attribution. The hymn was sung to celebrate the deliverance of Constantinople from siege, traditionally in 626 AD, and has been associated with Marian intercession in times of crisis ever since. The word 'akathist' means 'not seated' in Greek, indicating that the hymn is sung standing as a mark of special reverence. The full Akathist consists of twelve kontakia (longer strophes) and twelve oikoi (longer strophes with refrains), alternating through the entire narrative of the Annunciation, Incarnation, and Marian praise. The opening kontakion given here is the one best known in Western contexts and is used as a standalone Marian prayer.
When it's said
The full Akathist is sung on the Saturday of the Fifth Week of Great Lent in the Orthodox Church, known as Akathist Saturday. It is also sung on the feast of the Annunciation (March 25) and on other Marian feast days. The opening kontakion is used as a standalone Marian prayer throughout the year. Many Orthodox Christians say it as part of their daily prayer to the Theotokos.
Notes on the text
The title 'Theotokos,' meaning 'God-bearer' or 'Mother of God,' was affirmed at the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD. The phrase 'Bride unwedded' is one of the most distinctive paradoxes of the Akathist, expressing Mary's simultaneous roles as virgin and mother. The refrain 'Rejoice, O Bride unwedded' is repeated throughout the full hymn.
Common questions
What does 'Akathist' mean?
'Akathist' comes from the Greek ἀκάθιστος (akathistos), meaning 'not seated.' It refers to the rule that the hymn is sung standing, as a sign of reverence. The Akathist to the Theotokos is the original akathist hymn from which the entire genre takes its name; later Akathists to Christ, the saints, and other holy persons follow the same form.
Who is the Theotokos?
'Theotokos' is Greek for 'God-bearer' or 'Mother of God,' the title given to the Virgin Mary in Eastern Christianity. It was confirmed as an official theological title at the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD, against the Nestorian position that Mary was the mother only of Christ's human nature. The title affirms that the child Mary bore was fully God as well as fully human.
When is the Akathist sung?
Traditionally the full Akathist to the Theotokos is sung in Eastern Orthodox churches on the fifth Saturday of Great Lent, which is therefore called the 'Saturday of the Akathist.' Portions of it are sung at other points in the Lenten cycle. Many Orthodox Christians also include it in personal prayer, particularly during Lent or at times of special petition to the Virgin Mary.
Who wrote the Akathist?
The Akathist to the Theotokos was composed in Greek in the 6th or 7th century AD. The traditional attribution is to Romanos the Melodist (c. 490-556 AD), the great hymnographer of Constantinople, but this is debated by modern scholars. What is certain is that the hymn was already being sung in Constantinople by 626 AD, when it was offered in thanksgiving after the city was delivered from a Persian and Avar siege, and that event is the origin of the Saturday of the Akathist in Great Lent.
Source
Byzantine liturgical tradition, 6th century AD. English text from the Service Book of the Holy Orthodox Church, compiled by Isabel F. Hapgood, 1906. Public domain.
Last reviewed: May 2026 against primary source.