Kontakion (Greek: κοντάκιον) is a form of hymn performed in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly A hymn is a type of Song, usually religious specifically written for the purpose of praise adoration or Prayer, and typically addressed to a deity/deities The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world The word derives from the Greek word kontax (κόνταξ),[1] meaning pole, specifically the pole around which a scroll is wound. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly A scroll is a roll of Papyrus, Parchment, or Paper which has been written drawn or painted upon for the purpose of transmitting information or using as The term describes the way in which the words on a scroll unfurl as it is read. The word was originally used to describe an early Byzantine poetic form, whose origins date back certainly as far as the 6th century AD, and possibly earlier.
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Traditional history
Sacred Tradition ascribes the origin of the Kontakion to St. Romanos the Melodist during the 6th century. Sacred Tradition or Holy Tradition is a technical theological term used in some Christian traditions primarily in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox "Romanos" redirects here See Romanus for the Latin form of the same name or Romanos Spain for the municipality in Spain Certainly, Romanos' inspired compositions represent the apex of the Golden Age of Byzantine hymnography. The term Golden age is best known from Greek mythology and legend but can also be found in other ancient cultures (see below Byzantine literature may be defined as the Greek literature of the Middle Ages, whether written in the territory of the Byzantine Empire or outside His masterpiece is the Kontakion for the Nativity of Christ. For depictions in painting and sculpture see Nativity of Jesus in art. Up until the twelfth century, it was sung every year at the imperial banquet on that feast by the joint choirs of Hagia Sophia and of the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople. Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya Αγία Σοφία " Holy Wisdom " Sancta Sophia or Sancta Sapientia) is a former patriarchal Basilica, later For other structures of this name including in the Moscow Kremlin, see Church of the Holy Apostles (disambiguation. Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS Most of the poem takes the form of a dialogue between the Mother of God and the Magi, whose visit to the newborn Child is celebrated in the Orthodox Church on the 25th of December, rather than on the 6th of January (the Feast of the Theophany on January 6 celebrates the Baptism of Christ in the Orthodox Church). Epiphany ( Greek for "to manifest" or "to show" is a Christian Feast day which celebrates the "shining forth" or revelation of
Historical format
A “kontakion” is a poetic form frequently encountered in Byzantine hymnography. It was probably based in Syriac hymnographical traditions, which underwent an independent development in Greek-speaking Byzantium. It could best be described as a “sermon in verse accompanied by music”. In character it is similar to the early Byzantine festival sermons in prose—a genre developed by Isaac the Syrian—but meter and music have greatly heightened the drama and rhetorical beauty of the speaker’s often profound and very rich meditation. Isaac of Nineveh (d c 700) also remembered as Isaac the Syrian and Isaac Cyrus was a Seventh century Bishop and Theologian
The form generally consists of 18 to 24 metrically identical stanzas called oikoi (“houses”), preceded, in a different meter, by a short prelude, called a koukoulion (“cowl”). This article is about ancient Greek households For the ecology journal see Oikos (journal. This article is about the garment used by monks For other uses see Cowl (disambiguation or Cowling (disambiguation. The first letters of each of the stanzas form an acrostic, which frequently includes the name of the poet. An acrostic (from the late Greek akróstichon, from ákros, "top" and stíchos, "verse" is a Poem or other Writing The last line of the prelude introduces a refrain, which is repeated at the end of all the stanzas. A refrain (from Vulgar Latin refringere, "to repeat" and later from Old French refraindre) is the Line or lines that are
The main body of a kontakion was chanted from the ambo by a minister (often a deacon) after the reading of the Gospel, while a choir, or even the whole congregation, joined in the refrain. Podracing is the name for a Fictional Racing Pre-Imperial sport known in the Star Wars universe Deacon is a role in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind but which varies among theological and denominational traditions This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament For the musical composition see Chorale. A choir, chorale, or chorus is a Musical ensemble of Singers The length of many kontakia—indeed, the epic character of some—suggest that the majority of the text must have been delivered in a kind of recitative, but unfortunately, the original music which accompanied the kontakia has now been lost. Recitative /rɛsɪtə'tiv/ (also known by its Italian name "recitativo" (/retʃita'tivo/ is a style of delivery (much used in Operas Oratorios [2]
Modern performance
Over time, the performance of the kontakia came to be replaced by the canon. A canon is a structured Hymn used in a number of Eastern Orthodox services At the present time, the chanting of an entire kontakion is quite rare. Normally, only the first koukoulion (now referred to as "the Kontakion") and the first oikos are performed. The normal place for the Kontakion and Oikos is after the Sixth Ode of the Canon; however, if the typicon for the day calls for more than one, the more important Kontakion and Oikos will be chanted after the Sixth Ode, and the secondary ones will be chanted after the Third Ode. The Typikon, or Typicon ( Greek:, (typikon lit "following the order" Slavonic: ѹставъ, (ustav is a Liturgical
For the most part, the only time an entire Kontakion is performed is when an Akathist Hymn is chanted. The Akathist Hymn (Ἀκάθιστος Ύμνος unseated hymn) is an Eastern Orthodox Christian Hymn dedicated to a Saint, holy The original Akathist was composed in honor of the Theotokos, but Akathists have been composed to Christ and to various saints as well. Theotokos (Θεοτόκος translit Theotókos) is a title of Mary the mother of Jesus used especially in the Eastern Orthodox, The most important Akathist is the one to the Mother of God that is chanted on the fifth Saturday of Great Lent, though Akathists may be chanted as a devotional service at any time. Great Lent, or the Great Fast, is the most important Fasting season in the Church year in Eastern Christianity, which prepares Christians
Examples
These are from the Prayer Book published by Holy Trinity Monastery (Jordanville, New York):
Kontakion of Pascha (Easter)
Though Thou didst descend into the grave, O Immortal One, yet didst Thou destroy the power of Hades, and didst arise as victory, O Christ God, calling to the myrrh-bearing women: Rejoice! and giving peace unto Thine apostles, Thou Who dost grant resurrection to the fallen. Holy Trinity Monastery is a male monastic community in Jordanville New York. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Sanctum Sepulchrum also called the Church of the Resurrection, ( Greek: Ναός της Αναστάσεως Naos tis Anastaseos Hades (from Greek, Hadēs, originally, Haidēs or, Aidēs, probably from Indo-European *n̥-wid- 'unseen' refers both to the ancient The term Myrrhbearers ( Greek: Μυροφόραι Myrophorae; Slavonic: Жены́-мѷроно́сицы mironosiţe refers to the women who came
Kontakion of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos:
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, thou Bride Unwedded.
Kontakion of the Transfiguration of the Lord
On the mount Thou was transfigured, and Thy disciples, as much as they could bear, beheld Thy glory, O Christ God; so that when they should see Thee crucified, they would know Thy passion to be willing, and would preach to the world that Thou, in truth, art the Effulgence of the Father.
Kontakion of the Sunday of the Prodigal Son
Having foolishly abandoned Thy paternal glory, I squandered on vices the wealth which Thou gavest me. Wherefore, I cry unto Thee with the voice of the Prodigal: I have sinned before Thee, O compassionate Father. Receive me as one repentant, and make me as one of Thy hired servants.
References
- ^ Mpampiniotis, Georgios (1998). Lexiko tis neas ellinikis glossas (Modern Greek Language Dictionary — in Greek). Athens: Kentro lexikologias.
- ^ Lash, Archimandrite Ephrem (1995). St. Romanos the Melodist, On the Life of Christ: Kontakia. San Francisco: Harper, 1-12.
See also
- Troparion
- Apolytikion
External link
A troparion ( Greek: τροπάριον plural troparia, τροπάρια Church Slavonic: тропа́рь tropar) in ByzantineDapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic