Encountering the Divine Liturgy Part 30: The Megalynarion Explained

 The hymn "Axion Estin" (Ἄξιόν ἐστιν) is a very significant prayer in the Greek Orthodox Church. It translates to "It is Truly Meet" or "It is Truly Right". Here are the Greek lyrics of the "Axion Estin" prayer: 

Ἄξιόν ἐστιν ὡς ἀληθῶς, μακαρίζειν σε τὴν Θεοτόκον, τὴν ἀειμακάριστον καὶ παναμώμητον καὶ μητέρα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν. Τὴν τιμιωτέραν τῶν Χερουβεὶμ καὶ ἐνδοξοτέραν ἀσυγκρίτως τῶν Σεραφείμ, τὴν ἀδιαφθόρως Θεὸν Λόγον τεκοῦσαν, τὴν ὄντως Θεοτόκον, σὲ μεγαλύνομεν. 

And here's an English translation: 

It is truly meet to bless thee, O Theotokos, ever blessed, and most pure, and the Mother of our God. More honorable than the cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the seraphim. Without corruption thou gavest birth to God the Word. The true Theotokos, we magnify thee. 

Significance of "Axion Estin" Hymn to the Virgin Mary: This prayer is specifically addressed to the Theotokos (Mother of God), expressing profound veneration for her role in giving birth to Jesus Christ, the God-Word. Part of Divine Services: This hymn is a beloved and recognizable part of the Divine Liturgy and other services in Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic Churches. Miraculous Origin: Tradition states that the hymn was revealed in the late 10th century in a miraculous way, chanted by the Archangel Gabriel to an elder monk on Mount Athos. Icon: The Axion Estin is also the name of an icon of the Mother of God, housed in the Protaton Church in Karyes, Mount Athos, before which the hymn is believed to have been revealed. Magnification of the Theotokos: The hymn magnifies the Mother of God, recognizing her unique position above all heavenly beings, including the Cherubim and Seraphim.

The hymn "Axion Estin" (Ἄξιόν ἐστιν) occupies a treasured place in the liturgical, theological, and devotional life of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Its name, meaning “It is truly meet” or “It is truly right,” signals its purpose as an act of rightful veneration toward the Theotokos, the Virgin Mary, who is honored not merely as a pious woman or saint, but as the God-bearer—the one who gave birth to the Incarnate Word of God. This hymn is both a confession of faith and an outpouring of devotional love, encapsulating the Orthodox Church’s profound reverence for Mary as the unique and living temple of the divine.

Liturgical Context and Placement

“Axion Estin” is sung most prominently during the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, at the Megalynarion portion of the Anaphora, immediately after the Epiclesis and the Great Intercession. It is a fixed hymn in most Sunday and festal liturgies, though on major feasts it may be replaced by a festal magnification (the irmos of the 9th Ode of the Canon). The hymn serves as a doxological interlude in the Eucharistic Prayer—drawing the faithful’s attention to the Mother of God as the highest of all creation, inseparable from the mystery of the Incarnation which the Liturgy celebrates and actualizes.

Theological Content

The words of the hymn affirm several key theological doctrines:

• "It is truly meet to bless thee, O Theotokos": This introductory line establishes that blessing (μακαρίζειν) the Virgin Mary is not only permissible but fitting and appropriate—an affirmation against those who would reduce her role to that of a passive bystander in salvation history.
  
  

• "Ever blessed and most pure": Mary’s ever-blessedness (ἀειμακάριστον) refers to her perpetual state of grace and beatitude, while most pure (παναμώμητον) expresses her sinlessness and freedom from any moral defilement. These are not merely poetic epithets but theological assertions of her sanctity.
  
  

• "More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim": This line magnifies her ontological elevation above even the highest angelic ranks, not by nature, but by grace, through her intimate participation in the mystery of the Incarnation. Unlike the angels, she bore God bodily—a privilege that elevates her to an unparalleled position.
  
  

• "Without corruption thou gavest birth to God the Word": Here, the virginal and incorrupt birth of Christ is proclaimed, rejecting both ancient and modern Christological or Mariological heresies. This line affirms both the divinity of Christ (“God the Word”) and the true maternity of Mary—a union without sin, defilement, or physical corruption, a miracle of divine grace.
  
  

• "The true Theotokos, we magnify thee": The final line reiterates Mary’s dogmatic title—Theotokos, meaning “God-bearer.” The term was definitively affirmed at the Council of Ephesus in 431 as a defense of the unity of Christ’s divine and human natures. To magnify her (μεγαλύνομεν) is to acknowledge her role in that singular mystery.
  
  

Miraculous Revelation

According to Orthodox tradition, the hymn was revealed miraculously in the 10th century on Mount Athos. A young monk was visited by a mysterious monk—later revealed to be the Archangel Gabriel in disguise—who chanted the opening words “It is truly meet…” before the existing hymn “More honorable than the Cherubim…”. The angel then inscribed the hymn on a stone tablet with his finger, which became soft like wax under his touch. This miraculous event took place in the Cell of the Elder Gabriel near Karyes, the administrative center of Mount Athos, and the icon before which this occurred became known as "Axion Estin". It is still preserved and venerated in the Protaton Church of Karyes.

This miracle was not merely a private mystical event—it was embraced by the Church and incorporated into the public liturgy. Thus, the hymn bears both liturgical authority and charismatic origin, reinforcing its deep spiritual resonance in the Orthodox mind.

Devotional and Doctrinal Significance

The Axion Estin hymn operates on multiple levels:

• Devotionally, it invites the faithful to engage in a pure act of praise and thanksgiving to the Theotokos, rooted not in emotionalism but in theological precision.
  
  

• Doctrinally, it guards against both Nestorianism (which separates Christ’s natures and rejects Mary as Theotokos) and Monophysitism (which denies Christ’s true humanity), offering a balanced confession of the Incarnate Logos born of Mary.
  
  

• Spiritually, it models for the Christian soul how to approach the mystery of God—with reverence, humility, and awe—and how to honor those through whom God chose to act.
  
  

Conclusion

“Axion Estin” is not simply a beautiful hymn; it is an epitome of Orthodox Mariology and a jewel of the Church’s liturgical inheritance. It magnifies the Theotokos without deifying her, exalting her unique role in the divine economy of salvation. By commemorating both its theological truths and its miraculous origin, the Orthodox Church continues to sing with the voice of the Archangel—blessing the one who bore the Eternal Word for the life of the world.

Encountering the Divine Liturgy Part 29: The Megalynarion and Commemorations During the Anaphora

 

And taking the censer, the priest exclaims:

Especially our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed, glorious Lady, Theotokos and Ever-virgin Mary.

And he censes before the holy table thrice.
Then the deacon censes the holy table round about, and he remembers whom he will of the living and the dead. The choir sings:

Meet it is in truth to bless thee, O Theotokos, who art ever blessed and all-blameless, and the Mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim and more glorious without compare than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, verily Theotokos, we magnify thee.

    Or instead of Meet it is, the Hermos of the feast that is being celebrated. The priest prays:

For the holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, the holy glorious and all-laudable Apostles, Saint Name, whose memory we celebrate, and all thy saints, through whose supplications do thou look upon us, O God.
And remember all those who have fallen asleep in the hope of resurrection unto life eternal,
And he remembers by name whom he will of those who have fallen asleep.
And give them rest where the light of thy face watcheth over them.
Again we call upon thee, remember, O Lord, the whole episcopate of the Orthodox rightly dividing the word of thy truth, all the presbytery, the diaconate in Christ, and every priestly order.
Again we offer unto thee this rational worship for the world, for the holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, for those who continue in purity and in a sober way of life, for all civil authorities and the armed forces. Grant them, O Lord, peaceful times, that we also in their tranquility, may lead a calm and quiet life in all piety and sobriety.

The Megalynarion, which follows the Epiclesis and continues the Great Eucharistic Intercession. It is a profound act of remembrance and exaltation—extending both vertically toward heaven and horizontally toward the entire Church—uniting the entire Body of Christ in prayer.

Exaltation of the Theotokos: The Megalynarion

The priest begins by exalting the Theotokos, calling her "all-holy, immaculate, most blessed, glorious Lady, Theotokos and Ever-virgin Mary." This exclamation, coupled with a triple censing before the altar, inaugurates the liturgical moment where the Church turns its attention to the Mother of God, who stands as the highest intercessor among the saints. She is not worshipped, but magnified—acknowledged as the chosen vessel who bore God the Word, the link between heaven and earth, time and eternity.

The choir responds by singing the Megalynarion (Magnification), most often:

“It is truly meet to bless thee, O Theotokos…”

This hymn is a confession of Orthodox Christology and Mariology, affirming that she gave birth to God the Word “without corruption.” The exaltation of Mary is therefore Christocentric: her glory derives from her role in the Incarnation. The faithful declare her more honorable than the Cherubim and more glorious than the Seraphim—not due to essence, but due to the unique mystery she embodies, having physically contained the uncontainable God.

On feast days, this hymn is replaced by the irmos of the 9th Ode of the Canon of the feast, tying the Liturgy directly to the festal cycle and making the celebration of the Incarnation, Resurrection, or other salvific events liturgically present.

Commemoration of Saints and the Departed

Following this exaltation, the priest continues the prayer of intercession, beginning with St. John the Baptist, the Apostles, and the saint of the day (whose memory is being celebrated), and "all thy saints." The theology here is unmistakably communion-centered: the Church exists not in isolation but in continuity with those who have attained holiness. Their prayers are not optional pleasantries but vital supplications offered for us before the throne of God.

The priest then petitions for those who have "fallen asleep in the hope of resurrection unto life eternal." Here, the remembrance of the departed is not an act of mourning but an eschatological hope. The priest names those for whom he wishes to intercede, and prays that God would “give them rest where the light of thy face watcheth over them”—a poetic image of divine presence and mercy, echoing Psalm 4:6 and the vision of eternal life in Revelation.

Intercession for the Living and the Church

The prayer expands again, embracing the entire ecclesiastical hierarchy—the bishops “rightly dividing the word of truth,” presbyters, deacons, and all priestly orders. These are not merely administrative offices, but spiritual shepherds who must remain faithful to the apostolic deposit (cf. 2 Timothy 2:15).

Finally, the prayer includes the whole world, asking that God would grant peace to civil authorities and the armed forces. This petition is deeply rooted in 1 Timothy 2:1–2, which urges intercessions for kings and rulers so that Christians may “lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.” This is not subservience to earthly powers, but a recognition that external peace can support the inner peace needed for salvation. Even secular order can become a tool of divine providence.

Conclusion

Part 30 of the Divine Liturgy reveals the deep interconnectedness of the Church’s life: glorifying the Theotokos as the bearer of salvation, uniting with the saints, interceding for the living and the dead, and praying for the well-being of the world. It reflects the Church’s comprehensive vision of salvation—cosmic, historical, and personal. The offering that began as “Thine own of Thine own” now resounds through the heavens and the earth, encompassing the entirety of human life and culminating in a symphony of intercession, thanksgiving, and exaltation before the face of God.

Encountering the Divine Liturgy Part 28: The Anaphora

 Let us stand aright. Let us stand with fear. Let us attend, that we may offer the holy Oblation in peace.

    Choir: A mercy of peace, a sacrifice of praise.

The priest, having taken the aer from off the holy Things, kissed it, and laid it to one side, says: The grace of our. . .
The deacon, having made a reverence, goes into the sanctuary, and taking a fan, devoutly fans the holy Things. If there are no fans, he does this with one of the veils. Exclamation:

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
    Choir: And with thy spirit. The priest, facing east: Let us lift up our hearts. Choir: We lift them up unto the Lord. Priest: Let us give thanks unto the Lord. Choir:

It is meet and right to worship Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Trinity one in essence and undivided. The priest prays:

It is meet and right to hymn thee, to bless thee, to praise thee, to give thanks unto thee, and to worship thee in every place of thy dominion, for thou art God inexpressibie, inconceivable, invisible, incomprehensible, everexisting, eternally the same, thou and thine only-begotten Son and thy Holy Spirit. Thou didst bring us from nonexistence into being, and when we had fallen away, didst raise us up again, and didst not cease to do all things until thou hadst brought us up to heaven, and hadst bestowed upon us thy kingdom, which is to come. For all these things we give thanks unto thee, and to thine only-begotten Son, and to thy Holy Spirit, for all things of which we know and of which we know not, for the benefits both revealed and unrevealed, which have been done for us. And we give thanks unto thee for this service which thou hast vouchsafed to accept from our hands, even though there stand beside thee thousands of Archangels and ten thousands of Angels, Cherubim and Seraphim, six-winged, many-eyed, borne aloft on their wings.

And the deacon, taking the holy star from the holy diskos, makes the sign of the cross above it, and having kissed it, he lays it aside. Exclamation:

Singing the hymn of victory, shouting, crying, and saying: Choir:

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabaoth, heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

    Then the deacon comes and stands on the right side, and taking a fan in his hand, waves it quietly with all heed and fear over the holy Gifts, so that flies or other insects may not settle on them. The priest prays:

With these blessed Powers, we also, O Master, Lover of man, cry and say, Holy art thou and all-holy, thou and thine only-begotten Son, and thy Holy Spirit; holy art thou and all-holy, and magnificent is thy glory, Who hast so loved thy world as to give thine only-begotten Son that all that believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life, Who when He had come and had fulfilled all the dispensation for us, in the night in which He was given up, or rather, gave Himself up, for the life of the world, took bread in His holy andimmaculate and blameless hands, and when He had given thanks, and blessed it, and hallowed it, and broken it, He gave it to His holy disciples and apostles, saying: Exclamation:

Take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for you, for the forgiveness of sins.
    Choir: Amen.

    While this is being said, the deacon shows the priest the holy diskos, holding his orarion with three fingers of his right hand, and in like manner when the priest says: Drink ye all of this, he shows him the holy chalice. The priest, secretly: And likewise the cup after supper, saying: Exclamation:

Drink ye all of this; this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. The priest prays:

Remembering this saving commandment and all those things which came to pass for us: the cross, the grave, the resurrection on the third day, the ascension into heaven, the sitting down at the right hand, the second and glorious coming again, Exclamation:

Thine own of thine own we offer unto thee on behalf of all and for all. While this is being said, the deacon puts aside the fan, and crossing his arms, elevates the holy diskos and the holy chalice, and makes a devout reverence. Choir:

We hymn thee, we bless thee, we give thanks unto thee, O Lord, and we pray unto thee, O our God. The priest prays:

Again we offer unto thee this rational and bloodless worship, and we call upon thee and pray thee, and supplicate thee: send down thy Holy Spirit upon us and upon these Gifts set forth.

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    And the deacon sets aside the fan and draws near to the priest, and they both make three reverences before holy table, praying within themselves and saying: Priest:

O Lord, who at the third hour didst send down thine all-holy Spirit upon thine Apostles, take not the same from us, O Good One, but renew Him in us who pray unto thee. Deacon, the verse:

A clean heart create in me, O God, and a right spirit renew in my inmost parts. Again the priest:

O Lord, who at the third hour . . . Deacon, the verse:

Cast me not away from thy face, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. And again the priest:

O Lord, who at the third hour . . .

Then bowing his head and pointing to the holy Bread with his orarion, the deacon says: Bless, Master, the holy bread.

And the priest, rising, signs the holy Bread saying:

And make this bread the precious Body of thy Christ.
    Deacon: Amen. And again the deacon: Bless, Master, the holy cup. And the priest blessing, says:

And that which is in this cup the precious Blood of thy Christ.
   Choir: Amen.

And again the deacon, showing both the holy Things, says: Bless, Master, both.

The priest, blessing both the holy Things, says: Changing them by thy Holy Spirit. Deacon: Amen. Amen. Amen.

And bowing his head to the priest, the deacon says: Remember me a sinner, holy Master. And the priest says:

May the Lord God remember thee in His kingdom always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

    The deacon says, Amen, and goes forth to where he was before, and taking a fan, waves it overthe holy Things as before. The priest prays:

That to those who shall partake thereof they may be unto cleansing of soul, unto forgiveness of sins, unto communion of thy Holy Spirit, unto fulfillment of the kingdom of heaven, unto boldness toward thee, not unto judgment nor unto condemnation.
Again we offer unto thee this rational worship for those who in faith have gone before to their rest, Forefathers, Fathers, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Preachers, Evangelists, Martyrs, Confessors, Ascetics, and for every righteous spirit in faith made perfect,

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The portion of the Divine Liturgy described above is known as the Anaphora, the central Eucharistic prayer and the spiritual high point of the entire service. In it, the Church fulfills Christ’s command to “do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19), and mystically participates in the eternal sacrifice of Christ, offered once for all (Hebrews 10:10) yet made present anew in every celebration of the Liturgy.

"Let us stand aright... that we may offer the holy oblation in peace"

This solemn call to spiritual vigilance marks the transition from preparation to offering. The faithful are invited to stand with reverent awe, aware that they are about to enter the holiest mystery of the Church: the consecration of the Gifts and the communion in Christ’s very Body and Blood. The peace with which the oblation is offered is not simply emotional tranquility, but the deep peace (Hebrew shalom, Greek eirēnē) that Christ gives (John 14:27) and which reigns in the reconciled Body of believers.

The Eucharistic Dialogue

The priest’s greeting—“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ… be with you all”—comes directly from St. Paul’s letters (2 Corinthians 13:14), and affirms that this offering is made in the grace-filled communion of the Holy Trinity. The call to "lift up your hearts" is an ancient dialogue rooted in early Christian worship and echoes Lamentations 3:41: "Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven." The people's response, “We lift them up unto the Lord,” proclaims their readiness to ascend in spirit to the heavenly altar.

The Preface: A Thanksgiving for Salvation History

The priest's great prayer of thanksgiving—“It is meet and right to hymn Thee…”—is known as the Preface, and recounts the saving acts of God in history. This is a profoundly theological moment. The Church confesses God's eternal nature, His loving creation of humanity, and His persistent efforts to restore fallen mankind: “Thou didst bring us from nonexistence into being… and didst not cease to do all things until Thou hadst brought us up to heaven.” This rich summary of the divine economy culminates in gratitude for the Kingdom which is already begun and yet still to come.

The Sanctus: Angelic Participation

The Sanctus, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabaoth,” joins the earthly Church to the worship of the heavenly hosts, echoing Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8. The inclusion of "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord" (Psalm 118:26, Matt. 21:9) reveals that Christ Himself is the One who comes, both in His first coming and again sacramentally in the Eucharist.

Institution Narrative and Anamnesis

The priest now solemnly recalls the words and actions of Christ at the Mystical Supper. These are not mere historical recollections, but liturgical and sacramental actions that make the past present: “Take, eat… Drink ye all of this...” This is followed by the Anamnesis, a sacred remembrance not only of the Last Supper but also of the entire economy of salvation: the Cross, the tomb, the Resurrection, Ascension, and Christ’s second and glorious coming. The Church here steps into kairos—God’s eternal time—and offers up all that it has received from God: “Thine own of Thine own, we offer unto Thee, on behalf of all and for all.”

The Epiclesis: Invocation of the Holy Spirit

The most solemn and mystical moment now unfolds: the Epiclesis, or invocation of the Holy Spirit. Just as the Spirit overshadowed the Theotokos (Luke 1:35) and transformed the waters at Theophany (Matt. 3:16), so now the priest prays for the descent of the Spirit upon the Gifts and upon the people. The transformation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is not magical, but pneumatic and ecclesial—a work of the Spirit in the context of the Church's prayer.

The repeated prayer, “O Lord, who at the third hour didst send down Thy Holy Spirit…”, alludes to Pentecost (Acts 2:15) and is chanted three times while the priest and deacon bow before the altar. This threefold prayer is joined with Psalm verses pleading for spiritual renewal (Psalm 50:10–12), reinforcing that the Spirit must renew not only the Gifts but also the hearts of the faithful.

Consecration and Transfiguration of the Gifts

The priest now signs the Gifts with the sign of the Cross, saying: “Make this bread the precious Body of Thy Christ… and that which is in this cup the precious Blood of Thy Christ… changing them by Thy Holy Spirit.” This explicit prayer of consecration affirms that the transformation is effected by the will of the Father, through the Word of the Son, and by the action of the Holy Spirit. The triple "Amen" uttered by the deacon and choir is the response of the entire Church, affirming the mystery with awe and faith.

Prayers for the Living and Departed

The Church, having offered the Gifts, now extends the Eucharistic offering to intercession. The priest prays that the Holy Communion may lead to “the cleansing of soul, forgiveness of sins… fulfillment of the Kingdom,” and not judgment. This reinforces that the Eucharist must be received worthily, as St. Paul warns (1 Corinthians 11:27–29). Following this, the Church remembers those who have gone before, the great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1), affirming that the Eucharist unites the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant—the living and the departed, time and eternity.

Conclusion

This entire section of the Divine Liturgy, from the opening exhortation to “stand aright” to the invocation of the Holy Spirit and remembrance of the saints, is a cosmic and mystical act. It is Christ's offering of Himself through His Body, the Church, to the Father. In it, time and eternity meet, heaven and earth are united, and the faithful are drawn into the very life of the Holy Trinity. Through the Epiclesis and the consecration, the Liturgy becomes what St. Nicholas Cabasilas called “the mystery of mysteries,” a participation in the eternal sacrifice of Christ, the true and living Bread come down from heaven (John 6:51).