Met. Tikhon of Washington (OCA): Reflection on the Saturday of the Akathist
The following reflection was originally posted to the OCA website as part of an ongoing series of His Eminence's reflections titled Reflections in Christ.
"In the sacred tradition of the Holy Eastern Orthodox Church, the importance of the Akathist hymn to the Mother of God can scarcely be overstated. As the lives of many saints and ascetics amply demonstrate, this hymn is a boundless well from which we draw joy in sorrows, resolution in trials, and comfort in afflictions. The words of the Akathist have accompanied many saints throughout all the phases and turns of life in this world, carrying them all the way to the kingdom of heaven. Let this feast be a reminder for us to recite this wondrous hymn not just once a year, but as often as we can. Its words proclaim the mystery of our salvation, honor the Mother of God and her divine Son, and invoke the aid and protection of the Theotokos and the Savior. Let us strive to read or sing this holy hymn at least weekly, all the days of our life."
Read also
Bishop Luke on the Spiritual Dangers of Artificial Intelligence
His Grace Bishop Luke of Syracuse, Vicar of the Eastern American Diocese of ROCOR and rector of Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, New York, offered the following reflection on artificial intelligence from an Orthodox perspective.
Stars, Stripes, Celebrities, and Secular Veneration in America
Veneration is unavoidable – Orthodoxy provides a right-ordered practice of it.
Where We are Powerless, The Only Remedy Is Prayer
A Reflection from Optina Hermitage on the Commemoration Day of the Venerable Confessor Nikon of Optina.
Three Years Since Overturning of Roe v. Wade, Much Work is Still Required
Obeying laws is one thing, while obeying God’s will out of love and conviction of transcendent moral truths is another. And one thing is clear – America still lacks a culture of life.
Pope Leo and the Trads: The Honeymoon Is Over
Many traditionalist Catholics had high hopes for Pope Leo. However, his first months in office suggest that he is cut from the same cloth as his predecessor, Pope Francis.
Saints Do Not Fit into Templates
A Word about Saint John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco