On the Holy Trinity
Icon of the Son on His heavenly throne
Orthodox Terms & Definitions
AKATHIST - a hymn, which is sung and prayed while standing; emerges and has been used in the Church since the 7th century. This hymn consists of twelve two-part hymns, kondaks and ikos chants, preceded by an introductory hymn, also a kondak. The akathist belongs to one of the oldest hymographic genres, the kontakion. The akathist par excellence is the Akathist to the Mother of God, sung in Matins of the fifth Saturday of Great Lent. Akathist hymns of Christ, the saints and holy events also exist.
The Authorship of the Gospels
We are all familiar with the four Gospels. The Gospel of Matthew, Marc, Luke and John.
The Seven Ecumenical Councils
The Seven Ecumenical Councils were a series of important gatherings in the early history of the Christian Church that took place between the 4th and 8th centuries. These councils addressed various theological and doctrinal issues and played a crucial role in shaping the beliefs and practices of the Christian faith.