Akathist To The Nativity Of Christ

The Akathist to the Nativity of Christ is a prayer read during the preparation for the Nativity of Christ. It helps to deepen the understanding of this sacred event and focus on the true meaning of the New Year. Reading this akathist helps to strengthen faith and encourage a deeper understanding of God’s love.

Condak 1

Chosen from among all nations and peoples, in the language of the saints, the royal priesthood, sons of the Light and heirs of the Kingdom, come, let us rejoice in the Lord and Savior God, born in Bethlehem and wrapped in swaddling clothes for our sake, let us worship Him with the Magi and shepherds, singing the angelic hymn with joy:

Glorify in the heights God and on earth peace, among men goodwill!

Icos 1

Revealing the glorious mystery of Your providence, Christ, which was unknown to the angels, You, as the Word of God, without beginning, lie in the manger of the mute and appear to the world in a humble cave, O wondrous and awe-inspiring mystery! O divine condescension! Therefore, beholding Your incomprehensible and boundless mercy with fear and joy, we cry out to You:

Glorify You, O Light of Peace, who shone forth from the Virgin for the world;

Glorify You, O Joy of Angels, who came to the land of lamentation;

Glorify You, O Ruler of the World, who proclaimed salvation;

Glorify You, O Son of God, who established it by Your own power;

Glorify You, O Radiance of the Father’s glory;

Glorify You, O One who called men from darkness to Your wondrous light;

Glorify You, O Jesus, Only-Begotten Son, who descended to earth;

Glorify You, O Jesus, who, having become incarnate, established heaven;

Glorify in the heights God and on earth peace, among men goodwill!

Condak 2

Seeing the poverty and destruction of the human race, the all-powerful, radiant Word of God, holding all things in quiet silence, and dividing the night into day, descended from the Throne of the King from heaven to the earth, which is subject to death, for the salvation of those who sing to Him:

Alleluia

Icos 2

Prophet Habakkuk, understanding by the Spirit Your coming, was filled with awe and cried out: Lord, I have heard Your voice and was afraid, I understood Your deeds and was terrified! We, however, beholding the fulfillment of the mystery, celebrate Bethlehem and worship Your manger, crying out:

Glorify You, O Wisdom and Power of God;

Glorify You, who visited our weakness;

Glorify You, who wraps the earth in darkness and the heavens in clouds;

Glorify You, who wrapped us in swaddling clothes;

Glorify You, who adorns the valleys with beauty;

Glorify You, who clothes our nakedness with the garment of immortality;

Glorify You, who receives the form of a servant;

Glorify You, who frees us from the slavery of passions;

Glorify in the heights God and on earth peace, among men goodwill!

Condak 3

Heavenly Powers, with a mighty voice, extol Thee, O radiant Sun of Glory, who risest from the immaculate Cloud and enlightenest the world with boundless mercy, and in joy, we hymn Thee:

Alleluia

Icos 3

Thy throne is in heaven, and Thy footstool is upon the earth, yet Thou hast no place to lay Thy head, O Pure Maiden, Mother of God, therefore Thou hidest Thee from the cold of the night in a humble manger and in the cave of the beasts, Thou placest Thee, O Treasure of the heavenly world and Creator of all things. Beholding Thy mercy, we thus call to Thee:

Glory to Thee, O Thou Who art beyond all praise;

Glory to Thee, O Thou Who art beyond all riches;

Glory to Thee, O Thou Who dost take upon Thyself our weakness;

Glory to Thee, O Thou Who dost clothe us with Thy power;

Glory to Thee, O Thou Who dost endure the cold of the night;

Glory to Thee, O Thou Who dost warm the world with the heat of Thy love;

Glory to Thee, O Thou Who hast no place to lay Thy head;

Glory to Thee, O Thou Who dost bend the heavens with Thy descent;

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men!

Condak 4

The storm of wicked thoughts assails Herod and all Jerusalem with him; but the Eastern kings bring Thee, O King of kings, their chosen gifts. With them, we beseech Thee, enable us to bow down to Thee in spirit and in truth, and to bring Thee faith as gold, a pure life as frankincense, and love as myrrh, crying out:

Alleluia

Icos 4

When Adam, the first-formed, heard the voice of the Lord of Glory, walking in the garden, he hid in fear, trembling at Thy face. Now, O Savior, Thou hidest beneath a humble covering the fearful glory of Thy Divinity and descendest upon the earth, bearing the likeness of Adam, seeking the lost, and we cry out to Thee:

Glory to Thee, O Thou Who hast descended from heaven;

Glory to Thee, O Thou Who hast exalted man;

Glory to Thee, O Thou Who hast taken upon Thyself my sins;

Glory to Thee, O Thou Who hast healed me with Thy wound;

Glory to Thee, O Thou Who hast united me to Thy flesh;

Glory to Thee, O Thou Who hast united me to Thy Divinity;

Glory to Thee, O Thou Who hast covered the nakedness of men with the garment of Thy glory;

Glory to Thee, O Thou Who hast satisfied the hunger of the soul with the sweetness of Thy table;

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men!

Condak 5

The divine Star, shining from on high, shows Thee, O pre-announced Star of thought, who shone forth from Jacob. Enable us also, who have come as star-worshippers to the humble manger, to behold, with eyes cleansed beyond stars and sun, the radiant glory of Thy Divinity, and to hymn Thee:

Alleluia

Iskos 5

Foreseeing from afar Thy day, O Christ, Thy ancestor Abraham rejoiced in spirit; but we, seeing Thee, the Light of Unsetting Glory, resting upon the arms of the Virgin Thy Mother, as if upon a throne, joyfully sing to Thee with these songs:

Glory to Thee, fed by the milk of the Virgin;

glory to Thee, who nourishest every creature.

Glory to Thee, Son of the Virgin, Immanuel, Infant Child;

glory to Thee, Eternal God, Father of the age to come.

Glory to Thee, borne upon the shoulders of Cherubim;

glory to Thee, who layest near the manger for our sake.

Glory to Thee, being born upon the earth;

glory to Thee, makest us children of God.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, in men toward favor!

Conakion 6

The prophet Elijah the Tishbite preaches to the world Thy merciful coming, for on the mountain of Horeb Thou didst reveal the gentle radiance of Thy glory; for not in the wind, nor in the fire, nor in the earthquake, but in the voice of a thin silence didst descend to the earth, Lord, illuminating and saving all who call unto Thee:

Alleluia

Iskos 6

At times did the Heavenly Light shine upon the shepherds of Bethlehem, who kept the night watch over their flock and watched; likewise we, in the night of this life, shake off the sleep of sloth, becoming sober in prayer, so that with the shepherds we may become witnesses to the glory of the born Savior, and thus cry out to Him:

Glory to Thee, Bread of Life, nourishing all souls;

glory to Thee, who deliverest the world from mortal hunger.

Glory to Thee, Divine G Cluster, pouring forth the new wine;

glory to Thee, who removest from the world the thirst of sin.

Glory to Thee, radiant Sun of Righteousness Light of Truth;

glory to Thee, who makest the earth alive by the warmth of the Spirit.

Glory to Thee, Heavenly Rain, moistening the face of the earth;

glory to Thee, who givest the spring of grace to the world.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, in men toward favor!

Conakion 7

Wishing to correct the pride of the first man, Thou Word of God didst humble Thelf down unto the manger and the death of the cross, giving us an image, so that all, turning their hearts to Thee, may clothe themselves in the royal garment of Thy humility andriumph over passions and lusts, calling upon Thee, King of all things:

Alleluia

Iskos 7

Singing today the wondrous mystery of the Incarnation of God who humbled Himself, come, let us be exalted from earthly passions; let us approach with pure thought and fall down before the God-Child lying in the manger, crying out in contrition:

Glory to Thee, who wast born upon the earth;

glory to Thee, who gavest rebirth to the world.

Glory to Thee, who wast enrolled as a slave by decree of Caesar;

glory to Thee, who wrote the names of Thy faithful in the Book of Life in Heaven.

Glory to Thee, the Creator, to whom Angels serve in hosts;

glory to Thee, who camest to serve the universal Adam.

Glory to Thee, who didst heaven with earth by Thy descent;

glory to Thee, who did reconcile God with man by Thy Birth.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, in men toward favor!

Condak 8

Beholding the stranger and the pilgrim on earth, we beseech Thee to deliver us from the vain cares of this world and to seek the Heavenly Kingdom of our Father, O Lord, with all fervor, beseeching Thee and hymning Thee, saying:

Alleluia

Icos 8

Thou wert all present beneath the manger, O Lord, incomprehensible, seated on the Throne with the Father. The angels hymn Thee as the Eternal God, while men behold Thee as a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes. We, however, offer Thee tears of compunction, saying thus:

Splendor is Thine, O Lord, not departing from the depths of the Father;

Splendor is Thine, O Lord, living eternally with mortals;

Splendor is Thine, hiding the inaccessible glory of Thy Divinity;

Splendor is Thine, not rejecting sinners who draw near to Thee;

Splendor is Thine, Fountain of purity and sanctity;

Splendor is Thine, visiting the sinner and the unclean with love;

Splendor is Thine, gathering all who come to Thee with repentance into the fellowship of Thy friends;

Splendor to Thee in the heavens, O God, and peace on earth, goodwill to men!

Condak 9

The whole earth has come to know the riches of Thy love, O Jesus, the All-Ruler, when Thou didst bestow Thyself upon the sinful world as a Babe, for the purification of men, and didst prepare Thyself as a Sacrifice. For this reason, O Savior, the generations of generations, redeemed by Thy coming, hymn Thee with thanksgiving, saying:

Alleluia

Icos 9

The multitudes of the ages are perplexed, unable to hymn the incomprehensible and ineffable mystery of Thy Nativity, O Savior. For what tongue, whether angelic or human, can express the depth of Thy mercy? Receive, therefore, the tears of gratitude from the earthly-born, who have been redeemed by Thy Blood, and who, in supplication, cry out to Thee:

Splendor is Thine, O Lord, who hast devised all the paths of wisdom;

Splendor is Thine, who hast united the Divinity with humanity;

Splendor is Thine, who hast come forth from the manger as a dwelling-place for Thyself;

Splendor is Thine, who hast prepared heavenly habitations for men;

Splendor is Thine, who hast taken upon Thyself the sins of the world and invitest the burdened to come to Thee;

Splendor is Thine, who hast healed the infirmities of humanity and comfortest those who toil;

Splendor in the heavens, O God, and peace on earth, goodwill to men!

Condak 10

Thou hast wrought salvation for the world through Thy self-emptying, O Lord, and hast opened the gates of God’s mercy and the heavenly Kingdom through Thy coming. From this time on, O children of humanity, we are fellow citizens with the angels, and we rejoice in the easy path of ascent to the heavens, hymning Thee without ceasing, saying:

Alleluia

Ikos 10

O Sovereign King, born of the earth for the sake of humanity, Christ our God! Show us the worthy ones of Your radiance, grant us in every day of our life to remember Your benevolences and to sing to You with a pure heart:

Glorify You, King of the ages, opening the kingdom of heaven to the faithful,

Glorify You, Good Shepherd, calling the lost sheep to the verdant pasture,

Glorify You, Key of David, opening the gates of Eden for us;

Glorify You, Divine Key, opening hearts to receive grace,

Glorify You, Heavenly Manna, nourishing us in the wilderness of this life;

Glorify You, Jesus our God, leading the New Israel into the promised land,

Glorify You, Lamb of God, coming into the world for sacrifice;

Glorify You, giving us life through Your death,

Glorify You, God of peace, and on earth, goodwill to men!

Kondak 11

Accept this hymn of thanksgiving from us, Word of God, and enable us, lowly ones, to meet You with pure deeds and to take You, Christ, who in the flesh of a newborn, Christ, who in voluntary poverty, Christ, who for our sake came down to the earth, Whom the heavenly Angels continually hymn, saying:

Alleluia

Ikos 11

Envelop Yourself with light as with a garment, entering this world in shame and nakedness, and carrying the Word of God, which bears all the power of Your words, the silent Infant is seen on earth, to Whom all bow down and say:

Glorify You, Word, remaining silent in the manger;

Glorify You, teaching the silence of goodness and the word of wisdom,

Glorify You, Life, wrapped in swaddling clothes;

Glorify You, coming to release the bonds of death,

Glorify You, coming to the poor as a herald;

Glorify You, healing the sorrowful of heart,

Glorify You, preaching sight to the blind;

Glorify You, releasing the sorrowful to joy,

Glorify You, God of peace, and on earth, goodwill to men!

Kondak 12

The saving grace has appeared to all humanity, and all deliverance has come: for the Lord of glory has descended to the earth for the sake of mercy. Mountains and hills, fields and forests, men and Angels, every breath and creature, filled with the joy of the divine, exclaiming in greeting Him:

Alleluia

Ikos 12

Singing the great mystery of Your incarnation, Lord, we beseech You, Your servants, when You come again to the earth with great power and glory, have mercy and save all who honor Your birth from the Virgin, which is ineffable, and who call You with love:

Glorify You, incarnate on earth to proclaim the good news to the lost;

Glorify You, descending into Hades to seek the fallen;

Glorify You, revealing the treasures of Your grace;

Glorify You, showing the easy path to heaven;

Glorify You, renewing human nature through the waters of Baptism;

Glorify You, making this human nature divine through the divine mysteries;

Glorify You, leading the faithful into Your kingdom at the end of life;

Glorify You, giving joy to the heavenly Jerusalem for all the ages;

Glorify You, God of peace, and on earth, goodwill to men!

Condak 13

Oh, unfathomable and unutterable Abyss of Love and Bounty, Jesus, enfleshed as a babe! Accept this humble prayer offered to You and do not be displeased by the inarticulate souls of my heart, which lie in the manger. Oh, Unapproachable Light of Peace! Illuminate me with Your radiance, come and establish Your dwelling in my heart, that I may sing to You forever:

Alleluia

[This condak is repeated three times.][We then repeat the first ikos and condak:]

Icos 1

Revealing the glorious mystery of Your consideration at the end of the ages, Christ, You lie in the manger of the inarticulate and appear in the humblest of shelters, Word of God, without beginning. Oh, awe-inspiring mystery! Oh, divine condescension! Therefore, beholding Your unfathomable dispensation with fear and joy, we thus call out to You:

Glorify You, O Light of Peace, born of the Virgin for the salvation of the world;

Glorify You, O Joy of Angels, who came to the land of lamentation;

Glorify You, O Prince of Peace, who proclaimed salvation;

Glorify You, O Son of God, who established all things by Your own power;

Glorify You, O Radiance of the Father’s glory;

Glorify You, O One who called people from darkness into Your wondrous light;

Glorify You, O Jesus, Only-Begotten Son, who descended to earth;

Glorify You, O Jesus, who established the heavens and ascended on high;

Glorify You, O God of gods, and Lord of lords;