www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Akathist to Our Lady of Fatima

Dear Kim,

May our Lady of Fatima help you through your exams - and into the arms of you know who - quickly and successfully!

Alex

Dear Friends,

In response to those who have contacted me about the Akathist, once again, please feel free to introduce whatever changes you like to highlight this or that aspect of the Fatima miracle etc.

This has no copyright and is only my little attempt.

You are invited to bring your own thoughts and insights to bear on it!

Alex

What does the Orthodox Churches say about Fatima??

I know the messages say a lot about Russia and the conversion of Russia to the Orthodox Church again.

I have seen a pamplet published by the Russian Orthodox Bishop of L.A. about the Virgin Mary that mentions Fatima in a good light. THis is even moe suprising since the bishop is ROCOR!

But most Orthodox that I have come into discussion with on the subject unfortunatly do not view it in such a positive light. Many believe that the vision is offensive since it talks about the conversion of Russia.

Robert K.

Dear Alex,

Your Akathist to Our Lady of Fatima is, in my estimation, a gem. Through it the theology, the history, and the culture of the Ukrainian Rus nation is contexualized in devotion to Mary. The love of the Orthodox/Byzantine Catholic churches for the Lady who appeared at Fatima is made clear. Scripture, sacramentology, mysticism and so much more are highlighted in your prayer like the strands of the color spectrum of light when they pass through a prism.

There is so much there. Your Akathist has helped me, a Western Christian, to become more aware of the power of the Akathist as a poetic-mystical form of prayer.

Thank you for that.

Steve

I wonder if the slave (doulos?) of Fatima is still lurking on this list? Something of special interest I'm sure.

Dear Steve,

Thank you for your kindness, dear Friend!

The Roman Catholic and Orthodox ecumenical commissions have tended to see the actions of certain Fatima promoters in a negative light insofar as these understand Our Lady's message as one of "conversion to Rome."

There is nothing of that in anything the Mother of God was reported to have said.

She did express her concern for the suffering of Russia under communism, the destruction of the Church and the many martyrs. She asked the world for prayer for Russia and for the restoration of religious faith and life there and around the world.

A Greek Orthodox priest I came across told me all this is now being fulfilled within the Russian Orthodox Church and heritage.

The Akathist (meaning "not to sit") is a standing service that resembles a "mini-Psalter" as it contains, ideally, just over 150 praises or "Chaire" in Greek.

It is a devotional prayer for both liturgical and extra-liturgical, private praying.

In Russia a long time ago, a special commission was set up to examine the plethora of Akathists that were being produced and used locally as liturgical services.

Many akathists were rejected e.g. there were seven different Akathists written to St Theodosius Archbishop of Chernihiv (and this before he was even canonized!) and all were rejected. A new one was formulated recently.

The Akathist genre has also been used to write "love poems" and other more secular uses. For example, Taras Shevchenko, the Ukrainian poet, wrote an Akathist of thanksgiving to a friend who assisted him in a difficult time in his life.

The Western Litany of Loreto and the litany genre as a whole are actually based on the Akathist of the Annunciation, the original one which, together with the Akathist of the Name of Jesus, are the two great Akathists of the Eastern Church.

Joe Zollars found an old Latin translation of that ancient Akathist and this is surely evidence that it was well known in Italy and perhaps other areas of the West.

God bless,

Alex

Alex,

Isaiah 60:13 indeed list three trees. In Hebrew they are:

the Berosh, literally the "noble tree"
the Tidhar
the Te'ashoor

I looked at three different lexical sources and their identity remains uncertain.

The Septuagint (Greek Old Testament), from which the Fathers would have drawn, translates the three trees as:

kyparissos (cypress)
peuke (pine)
kedros (ceder)

The verse reads:
The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the pine, and the ceder, to beautify the place of my sanctuary. And I will make the place of my feet glorious.

Does that last bit refer to the "third bar" of the Eastern cross?

yours in Christ,
Marshall

Dear Marshall,

You are too good, Friend!

As for the feet, yes, that is traditionally used, among other references, to describe the foot-rest of the Cross to which the Feet of Christ were nailed.

Another reference is in the Psalms where it says "Let us bow down to where the Feet of the Lord were" or words to that effect.

And the King James Version of the Bible has different trees listed.

The liturgical use wins out.

Interestingly enough, there are three types of trees on the front lawn of my new home where I'm about to move into.

They are the pine, the cedar and the cypress.

I think it was meant for me to live there, don't you?

Have you joined the Eastern Catholic Church yet?

Not that you need us, mind you, but I feel that we need you!!

Alex

Dear Friends,

A priest friend (married ) has reworked this Akathist for purposes of liturgical singing.

I've seen his draft and approved it (like I know about liturgical music . . .).

He's shortened the refrain and made a few minor changes.

When it's ready, it'll go to the bishop for review and approval.

More changes, no doubt . . .

Alex

Dear Alex,

Your akathist to the Theotokos of Fatima is MAGNIFICENT!!
Considering the involvement of many Byzantine Catholic priests in spreading devotion to Our Lady of Fatima in the past, I am surprised that an akathist to Our Lady of Fatima was never written decades ago. Thank you so much for writing this akathist!
This is the perfect prayer to pray before the icon of Our Lady of Fatima. Quite coincidentally, I�ve been in the process this past week of getting a copy of the "Fatimkaya" icon. I used to have a�"holy card" version of the icon.

I know there are different versions of the "Fatimskaya" icon, but I am looking for a copy of the original that was painted in Paris in the 1950�s. I have e-mailed Our Lady of Fatima Russian Byzantine Catholic Church in San Francisco since they have a copy of the "Fatimskaya" that serves as the patronal icon. So far, no response.
Do you have a copy of the "Fatimskaya" icon? If so, where did you get it?

I would recommend that you send a copy of this akathist to Our Lady of Fatima Russian Byzantine Catholic Church in San Francisco. They may want to pray this akathist before their patronal icon of Our Lady of Fatima.

God bless you,
griego catolico

Dear Griego,

Yes, I used to have a Fatima Icon but gave it to someone who begged me for it.

(I can't stand to see grown people act like that ).

The Blue Army has one that it has placed on the cover of its magazines, time and again.

I too have contacted the Chapel and hope to hear from them soon.

It is heart-warming to read so many e-mails I've received about this little prayer.

May the Mother of God use it to spread devotion to Her Son!

Alex

Dear Friends,

A Ukrainian Catholic priest has readapted the Akathist, mentioning specifically the names of Ukrainian saints and miraculous icons that would be most familiar to our Ukrainian people.

If anyone would like to do the same for their own cultural group, you know you have carte blanche to do that as well!

Alex

Dear Dr. Roman,

I just wanted to thank you for this spiritual pearl. Today after Liturgy, a few of us gathered around our shrine to O.L. Fatima to sing this akathist in celebration of our patronal feast last Monday. Those who sang it with us, including some visitors from Latin Churches (two of whom were Portuguese), were spiritually warmed. Thank you again, and may the Lord bless you through the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos Fatimskaya!

Justin

Dear Justin,

Your message has made my month!

May Our Lady of Fatima bless you and your friends always!

Alex