Akathists at St. Michael, Orthodox Hymns of Praise in Tampa Bay
Glory to Jesus Christ! An Akathist is a hymn of standing praise. The word akathistos (Greek, “not sitting”) tells you the posture: you stand, you pray, you praise. Across the Orthodox world the Akathist has become one of the most beloved forms of prayer outside the Divine Liturgy itself, a way for the faithful to come close to Christ, to the Theotokos, and to the saints with words drawn straight from the heart of the Church.
This page is the hub for Akathist prayer at our parish. We celebrate the Akathist to the Theotokos Pantanassa, the All-Holy Queen who heals, on the last Sunday of every month after the Divine Liturgy. We also offer this page as a small directory for parishioners who want to pray Akathists at home, in your own icon corner, with your own family.
If you have never prayed an Akathist before, you are welcome to join us in church. You do not need to know what to do. You stand, you listen, you let the refrain Rejoice carry you. By the third or fourth oikos you will find yourself praying along.
What is an Akathist?
An Akathist is a long hymn of praise, sung or chanted standing, addressed most often to the Theotokos or to a particular saint, and built on a strict and beautiful pattern.
Every Akathist consists of:
- 13 kontakia, short opening verses that end with Alleluia
- 12 oikoi, longer stanzas that follow each kontakion (except the last) and end with a series of chairetismoi
- Chairetismoi (Greek for “rejoicings”), the chain of Rejoice salutations that gives the Akathist its characteristic music. Each oikos contains twelve of these salutations, six pairs, each pair completing a small theological thought
- A final kontakion, repeated three times, which gathers the whole hymn into a single offering
The structure is mathematical and the effect is musical. Twenty-four stanzas in all, one for each letter of the Greek alphabet in the original Akathist. The repetition of Rejoice is not redundancy; it is the way the Church teaches the heart to recognize, to greet, and to bless the holy. By the end, the one who prays has greeted the Mother of God or the saint twenty-four times over, in twenty-four different ways. The mind is full. The heart is warm.
The pattern was set by the original Akathist hymn to the Theotokos, written in Constantinople in the seventh century, and every Akathist composed since then follows the same architecture.
The original Akathist hymn
The great-grandmother of all Akathists is the Akathist Hymn to the Most Holy Theotokos, composed in the seventh century, traditionally associated with the deliverance of Constantinople from the Avar siege of 626. The people gathered through the night in the Church of the Theotokos at Blachernae, stood in vigil, and chanted this hymn in thanksgiving. The Patriarch Sergius led them. The siege was lifted. The hymn has been sung standing ever since.
For centuries the Orthodox Church has chanted this Akathist publicly on the Saturday of the Akathist, the fifth Saturday of Great Lent. The four Saturdays before it carry portions of the hymn at Compline, and on the fifth Saturday the whole Akathist is sung at Matins. The salutations Rejoice, Bride Unwedded (Радуйся, Невісто Неневісная) close every other oikos and have become some of the most familiar words in Orthodox prayer.
This original Akathist set the pattern for every Akathist that followed: to Christ, to the Cross, to individual saints, to wonderworking icons, even to the Resurrection. There are hundreds of them today, and Orthodox Christians continue to compose new ones in living tradition.
Our monthly Akathist to the Theotokos Pantanassa
In May 2026 our parish received a great gift. His Eminence Metropolitan Daniel brought to us, in honor of our pilgrimage, an icon of the Theotokos Pantanassa, the All-Holy Queen, an image celebrated across the Orthodox world for the healing of cancer and other grave illnesses.
In gratitude for the icon and as a small offering of love to the Mother of God, our parish observes the Akathist to the Theotokos Pantanassa on the last Sunday of every month, immediately after the Divine Liturgy. The first parish observance was Sunday, June 28, 2026.
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Last Sunday of each month | Akathist to the Theotokos Pantanassa |
| Approximately 11:30 AM | After the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy |
| Where | In the nave, before the Pantanassa icon |
| Duration | About 25 to 30 minutes |
| Language | Ukrainian and English, mixed as we sing it together |
You may bring a written list of names of those who are sick, in body or in soul, for Fr. Stephen to commemorate during the Akathist. There is no charge for this. You may also light a candle before the icon and remain in prayer as long as you wish after the service ends.
Anyone is welcome. You do not need to be a parishioner of St. Michael. You do not need to be Orthodox. If someone you love is suffering, come and stand with us before the icon and ask the prayers of the Theotokos. Friends and family from across Tampa Bay are welcome, and we will keep your names in our prayers.
Popular Akathists for home prayer
A short and trustworthy library of Akathists for your icon corner. These are some of the most loved across the Orthodox world. Any of them may be prayed at home, alone or as a family, and many parishioners chant a portion of one each evening.
To the Most Holy Theotokos
The Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos is the original, the source. Its salutations Rejoice, Bride Unwedded are sung from memory by Orthodox Christians of every nation. This is the Akathist you sing when you do not know what else to pray, when you want to greet the Mother of God simply, fully, in the words the Church has chosen for you. Translations into English and Ukrainian are widely available; ask Fr. Stephen for a printed copy if you do not have one.
To the Theotokos Pantanassa, the All-Holy Queen
The Akathist to the Theotokos Pantanassa was composed at the Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos in honor of the wonderworking icon of the same name. It is the prayer the Orthodox world turns to in the face of cancer and grave illness. Our parish chants it monthly. If you are praying for a sick friend or relative, this is the Akathist for you. Hard copies are available at the candle desk; we are happy to send you one.
To Our Sweetest Lord Jesus Christ
The Akathist to the Sweetest Lord Jesus Christ is a hymn of love addressed to the Savior Himself. Its refrain, Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, ties it intimately to the Jesus Prayer. Many spiritual fathers recommend it for those who want to deepen their love for Christ and quiet a troubled heart. It is a treasure of the Russian and Ukrainian tradition.
Glory to God for All Things, the Thanksgiving Akathist
The Akathist of Thanksgiving, “Glory to God for All Things”, was composed by Metropolitan Tryphon (Turkestanov) in the early twentieth century and discovered in the prison camps of the Soviet Union, where Protopresbyter Gregory Petrov is said to have written or transmitted it shortly before his death. It is a hymn of pure gratitude composed in the deepest darkness of the twentieth century, and its refrain, Glory to God for all things, has become one of the great prayers of modern Orthodoxy. Pray it when life is difficult and you do not know how to give thanks. The Akathist will teach you.
To St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
The Akathist to St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, is one of the most beloved in the Slavic tradition. St. Nicholas is the swift helper of those in distress, the patron of travelers, children, prisoners, and the poor. Pray this Akathist when you need help and do not know where to turn. He will hear you.
To St. Panteleimon the Healer
The Akathist to the Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon is a hymn of intercession for the sick. St. Panteleimon was a physician in the time of Diocletian who healed without payment and gave his life for Christ. His Akathist is prayed at hospital bedsides across the Orthodox world.
Other Akathists
There are Akathists to the Holy Cross, to the Resurrection, to the Holy Archangel Michael (see our page on the Holy Archangel Michael), to St. Sophia, to St. Olha, to St. Volodymyr, to the New Martyrs and Confessors of Ukraine, and to countless other saints. If there is a saint who is dear to your family, ask Fr. Stephen; an Akathist for that saint may already exist.
Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos «Всецариця» (Pantanassa)
The Akathist to the Theotokos Pantanassa was composed at the Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos in honor of the wonderworking icon of the same name. The icon shows the Mother of God seated on a royal throne, the Christ Child on her lap blessing with His right hand and holding a scroll in His left. From the seventeenth century forward, the Pantanassa icon has been venerated across the Orthodox world for the healing of cancer and other grave illnesses. Pilgrims from every nation come to Vatopedi to pray before the original; copies of the icon work miracles in their own places.
The text below is an excerpt: the First Kontakion, the First Oikos, and two further kontakia and oikoi that show the shape of the hymn. The full Akathist has thirteen kontakia and twelve oikoi. Printed copies in English and Ukrainian are available at the candle desk.
Kondak 1 / Кондак 1
O chosen Queen, Lady Theotokos, who bore the King of all, Christ our God: hearken unto the prayers of all who flee unto thee, and ask of thy Son and our God deliverance from every misfortune for all who cry out:
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded, who dost grant healing to thy faithful servants by thy grace.
Возбранній Воєводо і Володарко, Богомати Всецарице! Ми, недостойні раби Твої, прославляємо величну Твою милість, з якою прихильно і ласкаво схилилася Ти зіслати нам, грішним, недостойним і немічним, чудотворне Своє ім’я Пантанасса:
Радуйся, Невісто Неневісная, Всецарице, Ти бо подаєш зцілення вірним рабам Твоїм.
Ikos 1 / Ікос 1
An archangel was sent from heaven to say to the Mother of God: Rejoice. And beholding Thee, O Lord, taking bodily form, he was amazed and with his bodiless voice stood crying to her such things as these:
Rejoice, thou through whom joy shall shine forth; Rejoice, thou through whom the curse shall be lifted. Rejoice, recalling of fallen Adam; Rejoice, redemption of the tears of Eve. Rejoice, height beyond the climbing of human thought; Rejoice, depth beyond the seeing even of the eyes of angels. Rejoice, for thou art the throne of the King; Rejoice, for thou dost bear Him who beareth all. Rejoice, star that causest the Sun to shine; Rejoice, womb of the divine incarnation. Rejoice, thou through whom creation is renewed; Rejoice, thou through whom the Creator becometh a child.
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded, Pantanassa, who dost grant healing to thy faithful servants by thy grace.
Kondak 3 / Кондак 3
By the power of the Most High, the barren womb of righteous Anna was made fruitful, and the Pantanassa was born for our salvation. We, the sick and afflicted, hasten to her healing image and cry out to God:
Alleluia. Алилуя.
Ikos 3 / Ікос 3
Hearing of thee, O Pantanassa, all-merciful Queen, the cancer-stricken hasten to thy holy icon and receive healing of body and of soul. Heal also us thy unworthy servants who cry to thee:
Rejoice, swift visitation of the sick; Rejoice, deliverance from cruel suffering. Rejoice, healing of the incurable; Rejoice, hope of those whom the physicians have left. Rejoice, raising up of those who lie upon their beds; Rejoice, comfort of those who weep in the night. Rejoice, thou who dost stay the hand of death; Rejoice, thou who dost grant the years that the Lord wills. Rejoice, thou who dost teach us to suffer with thanksgiving; Rejoice, thou who dost gather our tears as a mother. Rejoice, refuge of the dying; Rejoice, gladness of the saved.
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded, Pantanassa, who dost grant healing to thy faithful servants by thy grace.
This is the Akathist our parish chants on the last Sunday of every month before the Pantanassa icon. You are welcome to join us. Bring the names of your sick.
Akathist of the Theotokos, the original seventh-century hymn
This is the great-grandmother of every Akathist that has ever been composed. The Orthodox Church has chanted it for fourteen hundred years, in Greek, in Slavonic, in Ukrainian, in English, and in every language the Gospel has reached. Its salutations Rejoice, Bride Unwedded (Радуйся, Невісто Неневісная) are sung from memory by Orthodox Christians of every nation. The Saturday of the Akathist, the fifth Saturday of Great Lent, is the day the whole Church sings this hymn together.
The excerpt below is the First Kontakion and the First Oikos. The full Akathist has thirteen kontakia and twelve oikoi, each oikos closing with the same refrain.
Kondak 1 / Кондак 1
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.
Возбранній Воєводі переможні, як визволені від лютих бід, благодарственная воспісуєм Ти, раби Твої, Богородице; але як Тая, що маєш владу непереможну, від усяких нас бід свободи, нехай зовемо Ти:
Радуйся, Невісто Неневісная.
Ikos 1 / Ікос 1
An archangel was sent from heaven to say to the Mother of God: Rejoice. And beholding thee, O Lord, taking bodily form, he stood in awe and with bodiless voice cried out to her such things as these:
Rejoice, thou through whom joy shall shine forth; Rejoice, thou through whom the curse shall vanish. Rejoice, recalling of fallen Adam; Rejoice, redemption of the tears of Eve. Rejoice, height hard to climb for the thoughts of men; Rejoice, depth hard to contemplate even for the eyes of angels. Rejoice, for thou art the throne of the King; Rejoice, for thou bearest Him who beareth all. Rejoice, star that causest the Sun to appear; Rejoice, womb of the divine incarnation. Rejoice, thou through whom creation is renewed; Rejoice, thou through whom the Creator becometh a babe.
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded.
Радуйся, Невісто Неневісная.
A note on the refrain
The Greek Chaire, Nymphe Anympheute (Χαῖρε, Νύμφη Ἀνύμφευτε), the Slavonic Радуйся, Невісто Неневісная, the English Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded — all three refer to the same paradox of the Theotokos: she is a Bride, betrothed to the Holy Spirit, and yet she has known no husband. Virginity and motherhood are joined in her in a way that breaks the categories of the world. The Akathist circles this mystery for twenty-four oikoi without ever exhausting it.
Akathist of Thanksgiving, “Glory to God for All Things”
This Akathist was composed by Metropolitan Tryphon (Turkestanov), a hierarch of the Russian Church who lived through the Revolution. It was discovered in the Soviet prison camps, where Protopresbyter Gregory Petrov is said to have written or transmitted it shortly before his death in 1940. The manuscript was found in his belongings after he died.
It is a hymn of pure gratitude composed in the deepest darkness of the twentieth century, by men who had lost everything the world counts as life, and who saw, through that loss, the glory of God shining in every leaf and every face. Its refrain, Slava Bohu za vse (Слава Богу за все), Glory to God for all things, has become one of the great prayers of modern Orthodoxy. Pray it when life is difficult and you do not know how to give thanks. The Akathist will teach you.
Kondak 1 / Кондак 1
O everlasting King, thy will for our salvation is full of power. Thy right arm doth govern the whole course of human life. We give thee thanks for all thy mercies, seen and unseen: for eternal life, for the heavenly joys of the Kingdom which is to be. Grant mercy to us who sing thy praise, both now and in the time to come:
Glory to thee, O God, from age to age.
Нетлінний Царю віків, що тримаєш у руці Своїй всі шляхи людського життя силою спасенного Твого Промислу, ми благодаримо Тебе за всі Твої явні і таємні благодіяння, за земне життя і за небесні радості Царства Твого майбутнього. Простирай і на нас, недостойних, надалі милості Твої, ми ж, співаючи Тобі, заволаємо:
Слава Тобі, Боже, во віки.
Ikos 1 / Ікос 1
I was born a weak and defenseless child, but thine angel spread his wings over my cradle to defend me. From birth until now, thy love hath illumined my path, and hath wondrously guided me toward the light of eternity. From birth until now, the generous gifts of thy providence have been wonderfully showered upon me. I give thee thanks, with all who have come to know thee, who call upon thy name:
Glory to thee for calling me into being; Glory to thee for showing me the beauty of the universe. Glory to thee for spreading out before me heaven and earth, like the pages of a book of eternal wisdom; Glory to thee for thine eternity in this fleeting world. Glory to thee for thy mercies, seen and unseen; Glory to thee through every sigh of my sorrow. Glory to thee for every step of my life’s journey; Glory to thee for every moment of glory. Glory to thee for the love of parents, for the faithfulness of friends; Glory to thee for the devotion of those around me. Glory to thee for the warmth of the sun; Glory to thee for the freshness of the spring breeze.
Glory to thee, O God, from age to age.
Слава Тобі, Боже, во віки.
Ikos 2 (excerpt) / Ікос 2 (уривок)
O Lord, how lovely it is to be thy guest. Breeze full of scents, mountains reaching to the skies, waters like boundless mirrors, reflecting the sun’s golden rays and the scudding clouds. All nature murmurs mysteriously, breathing the depth of tenderness. Birds and beasts of the forest bear the imprint of thy love. Blessed art thou, mother earth, in thy fleeting loveliness, which wakens our yearning for happiness that will last forever, in the land where, amid beauty that grows not old, the cry rings out:
Alleluia. Алилуя.
Pray this Akathist when life is hard. Pray it when life is easy. Pray it especially when you are tempted to ask why. The men who wrote it had every reason to ask why and they did not. They sang.
How to pray an Akathist at home
If you wish to begin praying Akathists in your own home, here is a simple way to start.
- Stand before your icon corner. (If you do not have one yet, see our page on the icon corner.)
- Light a candle or a vigil lamp.
- Begin with the usual beginning: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. O Heavenly King, the Trisagion, the Lord’s Prayer.
- Chant or read the Akathist slowly. There is no hurry. If you cannot pray the whole thing, pray three or four oikoi, or even one. The Church is patient with us.
- Close with a prayer of your own, in your own words, for whomever you are carrying that day.
Many parishioners pray a portion of an Akathist as part of their daily evening rule. Others pray a full Akathist once a week. Find a pattern that fits your life and your strength, and keep it.
Come and pray with us
Each month our parish stands together before the icon of the Theotokos Pantanassa and asks her prayers for the sick and the suffering of our community and of the wider world. We would love to see you there.
| Time | Service |
|---|---|
| 9:30 AM | Hours and Confession |
| 10:00 AM | Divine Liturgy (Ukrainian and English) |
| approx. 11:30 AM | Akathist to the Theotokos Pantanassa (last Sunday of each month) |
| after the Akathist | Coffee and fellowship in the parish hall |
St. Michael Ukrainian Orthodox Church 9201 60th St, Pinellas Park, FL 33782 Phone: 727-777-4450
We serve all of Tampa Bay, with parishioners from Pinellas Park, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa, Brandon, and the surrounding communities.
Learn More
- The Holy Archangel Michael, our patron and the Akathist to him
- The Icon Corner, how to set up a place of prayer in your home
- Prayer at Home, the morning and evening rule
- The Jesus Prayer, the short prayer of the heart
- Orthodox Icons, why we pray before icons
- Divine Liturgy, the Sunday celebration that precedes our monthly Akathist