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.

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