Final Kontakion
Literally it
means "from a pole". Originally this was a long poem. It seems that
the text was rolled up on a pole and hence its name. It consisted of a short
preliminary stanza and was followed by some 18 to 24 strophes, each known as an
ikos. The stanza and the ikos concluded with the same refrain. Today, all what
remains is the stanza - particularly called Kontakion - followed by the first
ikos. These are to be found in the canon at Matins, between Ode Six and Seven.
The Kontakion without the ikos is also sung at the Divine Liturgy and during the
Hours. The most famous author of kontakia is St. Romanos the Melodist.
The Final Kontakion to be sung is as
follows:
- September 1 – Kontakion of
the New Year
- September 2 to 6 – Nativity
of the Mother of God
- September 7 – Vigil of the
Nativity of the Mother of God
- September 8 to 12 –
Nativity of the Mother of God
- September 13 – Dedication
of the Basilica of the resurrection
- September 14 to 21 –
Exaltation of the Holy Cross
- September 22 to September 30
– O never-failing Protectress … Kontakion of the Paraclisis
- October 1 – Protection of
the Mother of God
- October 2 to November 7 - O
never-failing Protectress … Kontakion of the Paraclisis
- November 8 to 19 – Entrance
of the Mother of God into the Temple
- November 20 – Preparation
of the Entrance of the Mother of God into the Temple
- November 21 to 25 –
Entrance of the Mother of God into the temple
- November 26 to December 8 –
Preparation of the Nativity of Our Lord
- December 9 – Maternity of
Anne
- December 10 to December 23
– Preparation of the Nativity of Our Lord
- December 24 – Paramony of
the Nativity
- December 25 to December 31
– Nativity of Our Lord
- January 1 – Circumcision of
Our Lord
- January 2 to 4 –
Preparation of the Theophany of Our Lord
- January 5 - Paramony of the
Theophany
- January 6 to 14 – Theophany
of Our Lord
- January 15 to 31 –
Presentation of Our Lord to the Temple
- February 1 – Preparation of
the Presentation of Our Lord to the Temple
- February 2 to the Leave-taking -
Presentation of Our Lord to the Temple
- July 2 – Kontakion of the
Deposition of the Mantle of the Mother of God at Blachernae
- July 3 to 24 – O never-failing
Protectress …
- July 25 – Kontakion of the
Grand-parents of Our Lord
- July 26 – O never-failing
Protectress …
- July 27 to 31 – Kontakion of the
Transfiguration of Our Lord
- August 1 – Kontakion of the
Exaltation of the Cross
- August 2 to 4 - Kontakion of the
Transfiguration of Our Lord
- August 5 – Kontakion of the
Preparation of the Transfiguration of Our Lord
- August 6 to 13 - Kontakion of the
Transfiguration of Our Lord
- August 14 – Kontakion of the
Preparation of the Dormition of the Mother of God
- August 15 – 23 – Kontakion
of the Dormition of the Mother of God
- August 24 to 30 – Kontakion of
the Nativity of the Mother of God
- August 31 – Kontakion of the
Deposition of the Cincture of the Mother of God at Calcoprateia
Triodion
- Leave-taking of the Presentation
to the first Sunday of Lent: Weekdays, O never-failing Protectress …; Sundays the
Kontakion of the Triodion.
- Saturday of our God-bearing the
Ascetics, Kontakion of the Ascetics
- The first to the fourth Sunday
of the Lent – We are your own, O mother of God …
- The fifth Sunday – if after
March 25, O never-failing Protectress …, otherwise We are your own, …
- Saturday of Lazarus –
Kontakion of Lazarus
- Palm Sunday – Kontakion of
Palm Sunday
- From the Resurrection Sunday to
Sunday of Thomas and all Sundays during the period of Easter, (Leave-taking of Easter on
Wednesday after the Sunday of the man born Blind) – Kontakion of the Resurrection
- From Monday of St. Thomas to
Saturday – Kontakion of St. Thomas
- From Monday of Ointment-Bearing
Women to Saturday – Kontakion of the Ointment-Bearing Women
- Monday and Tuesday of the
Paralytic – Kontakion of the Paralytic
- Wednesday to Saturday of the
Paralytic – Kontakion of Mid-Easter
- Monday to Wednesday of the
Samaritan Woman – Kontakion of Mid-Easter
- Thursday to Saturday of the
Samaritan Woman – Kontakion of the Samaritan Woman
- Monday and Tuesday of the Man
Born Blind – Kontakion of the Man Born Blind
- Wednesday (Leave-taking of
Easter) – Kontakion of the Resurrection
- From Thursday of the Ascension
to the Leave-taking on Friday (9 days) – Kontakion of the Ascension
- Saturday of the Dead –
Kontakion of the Dead
- Sunday of Pentecost to the
Leave-taking on Saturday – Kontakion of Pentecost
- Sunday of All Saints –
Kontakion of the Divine Body
- Monday to Wednesday –
Kontakion of the Preparation of the Divine Body
- Thursday of the Divine Body to
the following Thursday – Kontakion of the Divine Body
- From Friday to July 1st
– O never-failing Protectress