Table of Contents

Abbreviations
Acknowledgements
Preface

The Akathistos Hymn (Greek text with parallel translation) 1

1. Introduction 21
2. Description of the Hymn 31
3. State of the Research 40
4. A New Approach to the Akathistos Hymn 49
5. The Image: A Structural Analysis 115
6. Epilogue 217

Bibliography 219

The References to Christ in the Akathistos Hymn 231
Index of Greek Words Appearing in the Akathistos Hymn 233
General Index 240

About the Author

Leena Mari Peltomaa, Ph.D. (2000) in Classical Philology (Greek), University of Helsinki, is working among a team of international scholars researching early Mariology. Her concern is to chart the stages in the origin of the cult of Mary.