-
About
Fidelity & ExcellenceThomas Aquinas College is unique among American colleges and universities, offering a faithfully Catholic education comprised entirely of the Great Books and classroom discussions.
-
A Liberating Education
Truth MattersTruth, and nothing less, sets men free; and because truth is both natural and supernatural, the College’s curriculum aims at both natural and divine wisdom.
-
A Catholic Life
Under the Light of FaithThe intellectual tradition and moral teachings of the Catholic Church infuse the whole life of Thomas Aquinas College, illuminating the curriculum and the community alike.
-
Admission & Aid
Is TAC Right for You?Do you enjoy grappling with complex questions? Are you willing to engage in discussions about difficult concepts, with the truth as your ultimate goal?
-
Students & Parents
Mind, Body & SpiritThere is always something to do at TAC — something worthwhile, something fulfilling, and something geared toward ever-greater spiritual and intellectual growth.
-
Alumni & Careers
What Can You Do with a Liberal Education?Nothing speaks more to the versatility of the College’s academic program than the good that our alumni are doing throughout the Church and the world.
Video: Students Sing Ancient “Akathist” Hymn
“Rejoice, O Bride and maiden ever pure!”
On the eve of the Feast of the Presentation, several students and the College’s Dominican chaplain gathered to recite one of the Church’s most ancient prayers, the Akathist, or Akathistos Hymn. The 6th century Marian devotion, attributed to St. Romanos the Melodist, is “one of the greatest marvels of Greek religious poetry, with a richness of imagery that is the despair of any translator,” says Fr. Michael. The title “Akathistos” literally means “non-sitting,” because all remain standing while it is sung.
The worshippers met at 9:00 p.m. in the fittingly dark, intimate environs of the Guadalupe Chapel in the Doheny Hacienda. There they sang all 24 of the hymn’s main stanzas. “The greater part of the hymn is made up of praises addressed to the Holy Virgin, each beginning with the salutation of the Archangel Gabriel — ‘hail’ or ‘rejoice,’” explains Fr. Michael. “It passes in review the main events connected with Christ’s Incarnation, starting with the Annunciation and ending with the Flight into Egypt and the Presentation in the Temple.
The long stanzas, each bearing the title ikos, end with the refrain, “Rejoice, O Bride and maiden ever pure,” while each short stanza, or kontakion, concludes with “Alleluia!”