Medieval Byzantine Chant, 7th century AD. Title: "Τη Υπερμάχω Στρατηγώ" (Unto the Defender General) Service: Akathist Hymn This famous kontakion comes from the 7th century Akathist to the Theotokos, is attributed to St. Romanos the … [More]

Medieval Byzantine Chant, 7th century AD. Title: "Τη Υπερμάχω Στρατηγώ" (Unto the Defender General) Service: Akathist Hymn This famous kontakion comes from the 7th century Akathist to the Theotokos, is attributed to St. Romanos the Melodist and it is a hymn addressing Mary as the savior of Constantinople in the 626 AD siege. There are many versions of the chant, with varying duration, though the most frequently used is the shortest, which is about 1'50" long. This version is a lengthier one, with a duration of about 10 minutes. Lengthier still versions exist, even up to 20+ minutes. The Akathist Hymn is chanted traditionally in its entirety on the 5th Saturday of Lent, but it's also divided into 4 parts and each part is chanted each Saturday of Lent from the first Saturday to the fourth and then the whole Service on the fifth. Each of these services occur on Friday evenings, as according to byzantine calendar, the beginning of one day is immediately after the sunset of the previous one (hence Saturday begins with the sunset of Friday). ~ Greek: Τῇ ὑπερμάχῳ στρατηγῷ τὰ νικητήρια, Ὡς λυτρωθεῖσα τῶν δεινῶν εὐχαριστήρια, Ἀναγράφω σοι ἡ Πόλις σου Θεοτόκε. Ἀλλ' ὡς ἔχουσα τὸ κράτος ἀπροσμάχητον, Ἐκ παντοίων με κινδύνων ἐλευθέρωσον, Ἵνα κράζω σοι· Χαῖρε, Νύμφη ἀνύμφευτε. ~ English: Unto the Defender General the dues of victory, and for the deliverance from woes, the thanksgiving I, Thy city, ascribe Thee, O Theotokos. And having your might unassailable, deliver me from all danger so that I may cry unto Thee: Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.

Medieval Byzantine Chant, 7th century AD. Title: "Τη Υπερμάχω Στρατηγώ" (Unto the Defender General) Service: Akathist Hymn This famous kontakion comes from the 7th century Akathist to the Theotokos, is attributed to St. Romanos the Melodist and it is a hymn addressing Mary as the savior of Constantinople in the 626 AD siege. There are many versions of the chant, with varying duration, though the most frequently used is the shortest, which is about 1'50" long. This version is a lengthier one, with a duration of about 10 minutes. Lengthier still versions exist, even up to 20+ minutes. The Akathist Hymn is chanted traditionally in its entirety on the 5th Saturday of Lent, but it's also divided into 4 parts and each part is chanted each Saturday of Lent from the first Saturday to the fourth and then the whole Service on the fifth. Each of these services occur on Friday evenings, as according to byzantine calendar, the beginning of one day is immediately after the sunset of the previous one (hence Saturday begins with the sunset of Friday). ~ Greek: Τῇ ὑπερμάχῳ στρατηγῷ τὰ νικητήρια, Ὡς λυτρωθεῖσα τῶν δεινῶν εὐχαριστήρια, Ἀναγράφω σοι ἡ Πόλις σου Θεοτόκε. Ἀλλ' ὡς ἔχουσα τὸ κράτος ἀπροσμάχητον, Ἐκ παντοίων με κινδύνων ἐλευθέρωσον, Ἵνα κράζω σοι· Χαῖρε, Νύμφη ἀνύμφευτε. ~ English: Unto the Defender General the dues of victory, and for the deliverance from woes, the thanksgiving I, Thy city, ascribe Thee, O Theotokos. And having your might unassailable, deliver me from all danger so that I may cry unto Thee: Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.

Medieval Byzantine Chant, 7th century AD. Title: "Τη Υπερμάχω Στρατηγώ" (Unto the Defender General) Service: Akathist Hymn This famous kontakion comes from the 7th century Akathist to the Theotokos, is attributed to St. Romanos the Melodist and it is a hymn addressing Mary as the savior of Constantinople in the 626 AD siege. There are many versions of the chant, with varying duration, though the most frequently used is the shortest, which is about 1'50" long. This version is a lengthier one, with a duration of about 10 minutes. Lengthier still versions exist, even up to 20+ minutes. The Akathist Hymn is chanted traditionally in its entirety on the 5th Saturday of Lent, but it's also divided into 4 parts and each part is chanted each Saturday of Lent from the first Saturday to the fourth and then the whole Service on the fifth. Each of these services occur on Friday evenings, as according to byzantine calendar, the beginning of one day is immediately after the sunset of the previous one (hence Saturday begins with the sunset of Friday). ~ Greek: Τῇ ὑπερμάχῳ στρατηγῷ τὰ νικητήρια, Ὡς λυτρωθεῖσα τῶν δεινῶν εὐχαριστήρια, Ἀναγράφω σοι ἡ Πόλις σου Θεοτόκε. Ἀλλ' ὡς ἔχουσα τὸ κράτος ἀπροσμάχητον, Ἐκ παντοίων με κινδύνων ἐλευθέρωσον, Ἵνα κράζω σοι· Χαῖρε, Νύμφη ἀνύμφευτε. ~ English: Unto the Defender General the dues of victory, and for the deliverance from woes, the thanksgiving I, Thy city, ascribe Thee, O Theotokos. And having your might unassailable, deliver me from all danger so that I may cry unto Thee: Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.

Medieval Byzantine Chant, 7th century AD. Title: "Τη Υπερμάχω Στρατηγώ" (Unto the Defender General) Service: Akathist Hymn This famous kontakion comes from the 7th century Akathist to the Theotokos, is attributed to St. Romanos the Melodist and it is a hymn addressing Mary as the savior of Constantinople in the 626 AD siege. There are many versions of the chant, with varying duration, though the most frequently used is the shortest, which is about 1'50" long. This version is a lengthier one, with a duration of about 10 minutes. Lengthier still versions exist, even up to 20+ minutes. The Akathist Hymn is chanted traditionally in its entirety on the 5th Saturday of Lent, but it's also divided into 4 parts and each part is chanted each Saturday of Lent from the first Saturday to the fourth and then the whole Service on the fifth. Each of these services occur on Friday evenings, as according to byzantine calendar, the beginning of one day is immediately after the sunset of the previous one (hence Saturday begins with the sunset of Friday). ~ Greek: Τῇ ὑπερμάχῳ στρατηγῷ τὰ νικητήρια, Ὡς λυτρωθεῖσα τῶν δεινῶν εὐχαριστήρια, Ἀναγράφω σοι ἡ Πόλις σου Θεοτόκε. Ἀλλ' ὡς ἔχουσα τὸ κράτος ἀπροσμάχητον, Ἐκ παντοίων με κινδύνων ἐλευθέρωσον, Ἵνα κράζω σοι· Χαῖρε, Νύμφη ἀνύμφευτε. ~ English: Unto the Defender General the dues of victory, and for the deliverance from woes, the thanksgiving I, Thy city, ascribe Thee, O Theotokos. And having your might unassailable, deliver me from all danger so that I may cry unto Thee: Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.