Saturday of the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos
The date changes each year; in 2026 it falls on March 28.
Dates follow the calendar tradition used by this project. Parishes using the new calendar celebrate fixed feasts on different civil dates.
The fifth Saturday of Great Lent is dedicated to the Laudation of the Most Holy Theotokos and to the icon known by that name. The Church gives thanks to God and honors the Mother of the Lord, singing of hope, intercession, and God’s mercy.
Meaning of the feast
The Saturday of the Akathist is observed on the fifth Saturday of Great Lent. It is dedicated to the Laudation of the Theotokos and to the commemoration of the icon called the “Laudation of the Virgin.” Its name points to thankful praise of the Mother of God. In Orthodox prayer, the Theotokos is honored not as a replacement for Christ, but as the pure Mother of the Lord who intercedes before her Son. The Akathist to the Theotokos gives voice to joy at Christ’s Incarnation and to gratitude for God’s help.
History and Church tradition
Church tradition connects this commemoration with the deliverance of Constantinople during an attack in 625. While Emperor Heraclius was fighting the Persians, forces sent by the Khan threatened the city by land and sea. Patriarch Sergius encouraged the people not to lose heart, but to trust in God. A procession went around the city with the Cross of the Lord, the Virgin’s robe, the Icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands, and the Hodegetria Icon of the Mother of God. Tradition relates that, after the Patriarch dipped the Virgin’s robe in the sea, the waters became rough, the attackers’ boats were lost, and the invaders withdrew. The Akathist is believed to have originated in this period and later spread from Constantinople to other Orthodox lands. Tradition also recalls the Theotokos’ protection of the city from Saracen invaders in 655 and 705.
Spiritual meaning today
Great Lent prepares Christians for Pascha through repentance, watchfulness, and hope. The Saturday of the Akathist recalls that a Christian need not face fear or hardship alone, but may turn with trust to God and ask for the Theotokos’ prayers. The thanksgiving offered on this day does not promise freedom from every sorrow. Rather, it teaches believers to recognize God’s mercy and to resist despair. The icon of the Laudation depicts the Mother of God seated on a throne and surrounded by prophets holding scrolls. It invites contemplation of the fulfillment of the hope to which prophetic witness pointed.
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Sources: Orthodox Church in America