Kontakia

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of hymn or chant in Eastern Orthodox Christianity characterized by its poetic form and liturgical use during services; a structured religious song with a distinctive meter and melody; a spiritual composition expressing theological themes in a formal arrangement
2. Liturgical verses used primarily in the Eastern Christian tradition, consisting of poetic and melodic elements performed as part of worship; a hymn type featuring repeated refrains and theological content; a sacred song employed in specific prayer settings
3. Religious chants integral to Byzantine worship, typically composed in a patterned structure for congregational or choral singing; poetic hymns embodying doctrinal messages in an organized format; devotional chants intended for solemn religious ceremonies

Etymology: "Kontakia" is the plural of "kontakion," a form borrowed from Medieval Greek "kontákion," meaning a short liturgical hymn of the Byzantine Church. The plural is the form most English readers meet, so the entry itself is the root word's plural rather than a separate term. The Greek word's own sense points to a physical object. "Kontákion" is a diminutive of "kontos," a pole or staff, so the original idea was a little rod or stick. The link to hymns is less obvious: the name is usually explained as referring to a short scroll or roll wound around a stick, the form in which these hymns were once written down. This explanation is commonly given, though the precise reasoning behind the naming is not fully settled.

Synonyms: hymns, chants, odes, psalms, antiphons