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The '''Hymn of Kassiani''', also known as the ''Hymn of the Fallen Woman'', is a work classified as a [[Penitential Hymns|Penitential Hymn]] that is based on the Gospel reading for Holy Wednesday morning ([[Mary MagdaleneGospel of Matthew|Matthew]] <ref> 26:6-16), which speaks of a sinful woman who anoints Jesus' feet with costly ointment (distinguished from a similar incident with a different woman, St. [[Mary Magdalene is first introduced by the the Evangelist Luke in the Gospel according to Luke 7:36-50.</ref>]]). This hymn is chanted only once a year and considered a musical high-point of the [[Holy Week]], at the [[Matins]] and chantedPresanctified Liturgy of [[Holy Week|Holy Wednesday]], in the Plagal Fourth Plagal Tone <ref>A major scale with a frequently flatted seventh degree.</ref>, for the morning office of Holy Wednesday.

One story, related by Saint [[Theodora (9th century empress)|Theodora]] in The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church holds that Abbess Kassiani spent the afternoon in the garden composing this hymn. As she finished writing that verse which says, "I shall kiss Thine immaculate feet, and wipe them again with the tresses of my head. ," she was informed that Emperor Theophilos had arrived at the convent. She did not wish to see him, and in her haste to conceal herself, left behind the scroll and pen. Theophilos, having entered the garden, found her half-completed poem, and added the phrase, "those feet at whose sound Eve hid herself for fear when she heard Thee walking in Paradise in the Afternoonafternoon. " After he departed, Kassianh Kassiani came out from hiding. When she took up her composition, she beheld the phrase written in his handwriting. She retained it and went on to complete the poem.

==TextHymn of Kassiani text ==''<blockquote>O LordGod, the woman who had fallen into many sins, perceiving having perceived Thy divinity, took upon herself received the duty rank of a myrrhointment-bearer; with lamentation she bringeth offering Thee myrrh oils spices before Thine entombment. "Thy burialwailing and crying:Woe unto is me," she said, "for night is become for the love of adultery and sinhath given me a frenzy of licentiousness, a gloomy dark and moonless love of sin. Receive lightless night;accept the fountains of my tears, O Thou Who dost gather into clouds drawest the waters the water waters of the sea. Incline unto by the cloudsincline Thou to the sighings sigh of my heart, O Thou Who didst bow bend the heavens by Thine ineffable kenosis (self-emptying)inapprehensible condescension;I will kiss Thy pure feetand I will wipe them with my tressesI will kiss Thy feet Whose treadwhen it fell on the ears of Eve in Paradisedismayed her so that she did hide herself because of fear;who then shall examine the multitude of my sinand the depth of Thy judgment?Wherefore, O my Saviourand the Deliverer of my soulturn not away from Thy handmaidenO Thou of boundless mercy.''</blockquote>

''I shall kiss Thine immaculate feet, and wipe them again with == See also ==* [[Kassiani the tresses of my head, those feet at whose sound Eve hid herself for fear when she heard Thee walking in Paradise in the afternoon. The multitude of my sins and the abyss of Thy judgments, who can search them out, O my Saviour of souls? Do not disdain me, Thy handmaiden, O Thou Whose mercy is measureless.''Hymnographer]]

{{inprogress}}[[Category:Liturgics]] [[ro:Cântarea Casianei]]