Includes bibliographical references and index.

Abbreviations -- Acknowledgements -- Preface -- The Akathistos Hymn (Greek text with parallel translation) 1 -- 1. Introduction 21 -- 2. Description of the Hymn 31 -- 3. State of the Research 40 -- 4. A New Approach to the Akathistos Hymn 49 -- 5. The Image: A Structural Analysis 115 -- 6. Epilogue 217 -- Bibliography 219 -- The References to Christ in the Akathistos Hymn 231 -- Index of Greek Words Appearing in the Akathistos Hymn 233 -- General Index 240.

The Akathistos Hymn, the most famous work of Byzantine hymnography, has been enshrined in the Orthodox liturgy since the year 626, and its image of the Virgin Mary has exerted a strong influence upon Marian poetry and literature. Anonymous, undated and highly rhetorical, the hymn has presented a challenge to scholars over the years. This study has been undertaken by an innovative method. The approach brings new insights to the era which brought forth the hymn, and the metaphorical image of the Virgin becomes conceptually accessible to the modern-day reader. The investigation leads to the conclusion that the Council of Ephesus (431) constitutes the most likely historical context for the hymn's composition. The book will be of value to all scholars of early Byzantine and Marian studies.

Description based on print version record.