Are You Praying for Your City?
Last night throughout the entire Orthodox Christian world, Churches were filled with faithful. It wasn’t liturgy, but it was just as important. Tens of thousands of Orthodox Christians sang the Akathist to the Theotokos according to our custom. It is a service which commemorates a time when our faithful ancestors prayed to the Theotokos to protect their city.
O Champion General, I your City now inscribe to you
Triumphant anthems as the tokens of my gratitude,
Being rescued from the terrors, O Theotokos.
Inasmuch as you have power unassailable,
From all kinds of perils free me, so that unto you
I may cry aloud: Rejoice, O unwedded Bride.
Kontakion of Annunciation
If we want to make our faith real, the Akathist Hymn cannot remain just a commemoration of the past. For our tradition to be a living tradition, we should be offering the hymn for our cities and towns.
It is our job as Orthodox Christians to pray for our cities, one by one. If the Church doesn’t pray for each city, who will? Take a moment today, in honor of the Akathist Hymn, and pray for your city, your city leaders, and your neighbors.
Tags: Church History, prayer
