''Agni Parthene'' (

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

: ), rendered "O Virgin Pure" or "O Pure Virgin", is a

Marian hymn Marian hymns are Christian songs focused on Mary, mother of Jesus. They are used in devotional and liturgical services, particularly by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran churches. Some have been a ...

composed by St.

Nectarios of Aegina Nectarios of Aegina (; 1 October 1846 – 8 November 1920), Metropolitan of Pentapolis and Wonderworker of Aegina, is one of the most renowned Greek saints, venerated both in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches. On 20 Ap ...

in the late 19th century, first published in print in his ''Theotokarion'' () in 1905. In

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

churches, it is considered a paraliturgical hymn and therefore only to be used outside of liturgical services. However, it is often performed by some choirs as a recessional after the conclusion of the

Divine Liturgy Divine Liturgy () or Holy Liturgy is the usual name used in most Eastern Christian rites for the Eucharistic service. The Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Lutheranism, Eastern Lutheran Churches and the Eastern Orthodox Church believe the Divi ...

during the veneration of the cross and receiving of

antidoron The antidoron (, ') is ordinary leavened bread which is blessed but not consecrated and distributed in certain Eastern Orthodox Churches and certain Eastern Catholic Churches that use the Byzantine Rite. It comes from the remains of the loaf, lo ...

St. Nectarios' poem

St.

was ordained a Bishop of the

Greek Orthodox Church Greek Orthodox Church (, , ) is a term that can refer to any one of three classes of Christian Churches, each associated in some way with Christianity in Greece, Greek Christianity, Antiochian Greek Christians, Levantine Arabic-speaking Christian ...

in the late 1800s. Throughout the period of his episcopacy, he spent much time in prayer and contemplation, and dedicated himself to the monastic life. His spiritual lifestyle, and his particular dedication to the Virgin Mary, inspired him to write a wide variety of religious poetry, much of which was published during his life, and after his death in 1920. One of the many poems he wrote is "Agni Parthene" or "O Virgin Pure". According to a tradition passed down on the island of Aegina, St. Nectarios reportedly composed the text for this poem after having seen a vision of the Theotokos in a dream where she asked him to record this poem. The poem was written much like a canon in that it has nine odes. The original script can still be viewed on his prayer table in his bedroom at this monastery. It was later published as a poetic hymn for non-liturgical use and private edification in his publication called "Theotokarion of Odes & Hymns for the Most-Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary" of 1905, which included many other similar poems. Additionally, selected verses from the poem including the refrain were set to Byzantine musical notation by the

Simonopetra Simonopetra Monastery (, literally: "Simon's Rock"), also Monastery of Simonos Petra (), is an Eastern Orthodox monastery in the monastic state of Mount Athos in Greece. It ranks 13th in the hierarchy of the Athonite monasteries. It is on the sou ...

Monastery of

Mount Athos Mount Athos (; ) is a mountain on the Athos peninsula in northeastern Greece directly on the Aegean Sea. It is an important center of Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox monasticism. The mountain and most of the Athos peninsula are governed ...

in Greece. The result was the hymn "Virgin Pure" in Byzantine Greek. The monastery published the work in a book titled Ψαλτήριον Τερπνὸν (''Psaltirion Terpnon'', "The Pleasant Psaltery").

Contemporary practice

The hymn was first set to music in the 1970s by Hieromonk Gregory of

Simonopetra Monastery Simonopetra Monastery (, literally: "Simon's Rock"), also Monastery of Simonos Petra (), is an Eastern Orthodox monastery in the monastic state of Mount Athos in Greece. It ranks 13th in the hierarchy of the Athonite monasteries. It is on the sou ...

. On a pilgrimage to Jerusalem during the Christmas season, he happened to hear a Western choir sing What Child is This? to the tune of

Greensleeves "Greensleeves" is a traditional English folk song. A broadside ballad by the name "A Newe Northen Dittye of ye Ladye Greene Sleves" was registered by Richard Jones at the London Stationers' Company in September 1580,Frank Kidson, ''English F ...

. He was drawn to the song and found it fit the text of Saint Nectarios' poem. He adapted the melody to Saint Nectarios' poem, and it quickly spread throughout the Eastern Orthodox world. The hymn has been translated into many languages, including English. It is most commonly performed as a concert piece in Greece, and as a recessional hymn after liturgical services in parishes throughout the United States, particularly services dedicated to the Theotokos, such as the

Akathist An Akathist, akaphist or Acathist Hymn (, "unseated hymn") is a type of hymn usually recited by Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic Christians, dedicated to a saint, holy event, or one of the persons of the Holy Trinity. The name derives f ...

during

Great Lent Great Lent, or the Great Fast (Greek language, Greek: Μεγάλη Τεσσαρακοστή, ''Megali Tessarakosti'' or Μεγάλη Νηστεία, ''Megali Nisteia'', meaning "Great 40 Days", and "Great Fast", respectively), is the most impor ...

. The explosion in popularity has been attributed to St.

becoming a popular modern-day saint. A controversial practice has been the use of the hymn as a communion hymn and as a hymn to begin Vespers services. However, Fr. Gregory and his brethren of Simonopetra Monastery have clarified that although it has become popular, it was never meant to be used liturgically, but rather to be sung only as a non-liturgical religious song for the edification of individuals. A

Church Slavonic Church Slavonic is the conservative Slavic liturgical language used by the Eastern Orthodox Church in Belarus, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Slovenia and Croatia. The ...

version was translated by monks of

Valaam Monastery The Valaam Monastery (; ) is a stauropegic Eastern Orthodox Church, Orthodox monastery in Russian Republic of Karelia, Karelia, located on Valaam, the largest island in Lake Ladoga, the largest lake in Europe. History It is not clear when the mon ...

. A Russian virtual rendition of this hymn was recently performed. The text is in 24 stanzas or invocations, each followed by the refrain "Hail, unwedded bride". The 24 stanzas are arranged into four strophes, each strophe consisting of three tunes iterated twice over. The first three strophes describe attributes of the Theotokos, while the fourth consists of a prayer for intercession.

Text

The 24 invocations are labelled by strophe (1, 2, 3, 4), tune (A, B, Γ) and iteration (α, β). Church Slavonic variant :Марие, Дево Чистая, Пресвятая Богородице, :R: Радуйся, Невесто Неневестная. :Царице, Мати Дево, Руно, всех покрывающее, R :Превысшая Небесных Сил, нетварное сияние, R :Ликов девичьих Радосте и Ангелов Превысшая, R :Небес Честная Сило и Свете, паче всех светов, R :Честнейшая Владычице всех Небесных Воинств, R :Всех Праотцев Надеждо, пророков Исполнение, R :В подвизех Ты помоще, Кивоте Бога Слова, R :И девам Ликование, и матерем Отрадо, R :Целомудрия Наставнице, душ наших Очищение, R :Покрове, ширший облака, и страждущих Пристанище, R :Немощных Покров и Заступнице, Надеждо ненадежных, R :Марие, Мати Христа, Истиннаго Бога, R :Ааронов Жезле прозябший, Сосуде тихой радости, R :Всех сирых и вдов Утешение, в бедах и скорбех помоще, R :Священная и Непорочная Владычице Всепетая, R :Приклони ко мне милосердие Божественнаго Сына, R :Ходатаице спасения, припадая, взываю Ти, R

References

External links

Αγνή Παρθένε, the Greek textO Virgin Pure
chanted by the Choir of

{{Marian hymns Hesychasm Eastern Christian hymns Marian hymns

St. Nectarios' poem

Contemporary practice

Text

See also

References

External links