Every January, a week after the birth of Christ, there is another great Christian holiday - Circumcision of the Lord.January 14 it completes a whole cycle of services dedicated to all the faithful joyful event - the birth of the Savior.On this day the Orthodox people gather in churches where the sound of prayer chants, among which occupies an important place Akathist Circumcision of the Lord.Whence came to us this holiday and what is its meaning?
Old Testament circumcision
Circumcision - this ancient custom, dating back to the Old Testament.Seven days after the birth of a male child in the priestly, symbolizing their entry into union with God.Thus newborns are named, it is like a stamp of the event.
Infant Jesus, who in the flesh came from the kind of Abraham, and in due course was brought Mary and Joseph, her betrothed to the temple, where he was circumcised.At the same time he received the name of Jesus, which he commanded to give him the Archangel Gabriel, when the Virgin Mary proclaimed the message of her great destiny.
Establishing a holiday and its meaning
From the first centuries of Christianity is celebrated annually on this great event.This celebration, Circumcision of the Lord, the great Fathers of the Church inspired the creation of many theological works.In particular, they emphasized that in the performance of this custom of the Christ child has a profound meaning.An example was revealed strict implementation Commandments of God, so that no one doubted that his true human flesh, not ghostly, despite the late approval of the followers of the various heretical teachings.In honor of this momentous event it was set holiday and written Akathist Circumcision of the Lord.
What akathist
Speaking of the Orthodox church services and hymns, performed in connection with one or other significant events, you need to understand is what the Orthodox hymns, when and after which they are executed.People attending the service, know that akathist - motet is a complex consisting of 25 stanzas.In it he praises Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary and various saints.During the singing, as well as throughout the life of the Orthodox, are prayers.By the way, the word "Akathist" in Greek means "not sitting".
structure build akathist
structure of this form of hymns includes thirteen pieces, called Kondakov, and the twelve, called ICOS.Kontakion in translation - "core".In it it summarizes the meaning of the holiday, or describes the exploits of the saint after whom it is performed.At the end of each kontakion praise God - "Hallelujah!" Ikos - is a lengthy description of the essence of the holiday.He never performed separately.Rounding out his cry of "Hail!" And the chorus of the first kontakion.In Greek, it means "house".
All singing or reading the Akathist consists of alternating pairs Kondakov and ICOS.Thirteenth, unpaired kontakion is a prayer to the saint after whom comes a prayer or holiday.He repeated three times.In the structure of building akathists many unusual and worthy of attention.Few people know that all current executable hymns, and there are more than six hundred written on the model of the ancient akathist Blessed Virgin Mary, dating back to the sixth or seventh centuries.The shape and construction of it served as a starting point for future authors.
Features Akathist Circumcision of the Lord
Akathist Circumcision of the Lord written in the same classic for spiritual works of this genre, the scheme.The beginning of it is the first stanza, called Kukula, which translated from Greek means "hood."She seemed to be covering a whole future composition.It is followed by twelve pairs of large and small stanzas.ICOS are based on a strict rhythmic foundations achieved by alternation of stressed and unstressed syllables.This gives the text of the musical and poetic elegance.All this gives reason to put Akathist Circumcision of the Lord in the number of outstanding works of religious poetry.
In Russia, the first hymns appeared in the second half of the 14th century.Ancient monuments of works of this kind is the Akathist Presladkomu name of Jesus, now known as the Akathist to Jesus the Sweetest.In the same period, at the end of the Byzantine era and Greek hymns were written on the model of the Akathist of the Theotokos.
which was the Savior of the world to set a new covenant with the people, and instead of circumcision commanded the sacrament of Baptism also symbolizes the union with God.Thus, the Old Testament circumcision was the prototype of the future cleansing from sin in the baptismal font.This is the meaning of the holiday, which is the church calendar ascribed to the category of the Great.In honor of it were composed ceremonial canons and consecrated temples.His religious and philosophical meaning came from time immemorial.Celebration of the Lord's Circumcision coincides with the day of memory of St. Basil the Great, and sometimes popularly called Vasilyev day.It is from ancient times was one of the most respected holidays of Orthodox Russia.
