#hymn
- Akathist — A hymnographic composition and liturgical service of praise in the Orthodox Church, dedicated to the Savior, the Mother of God, or the saints, strictly structured into 13 kontakia and 12 ikoi. Etymologically, the term indicates a solemn chant during which the faithful do not sit, but stand or kneel as a sign of profound veneration. In current, popular usage, the term also designates the list of names (prayer slip) accompanied by an offering, given to the priest to be commemorated during this service.
- Axion — An archaic, regional, or phonetically corrupted form of the liturgical term 'axion' (derived from the Greek 'axion', meaning 'it is worthy'). It represents a religious hymn of praise dedicated to the Mother of God, sung during the Orthodox Divine Liturgy within the eucharistic ritual. In old popular speech, the term also designated the solemn moment in the service when the entire community offered their thanksgiving.
- Holy chant — A short form, liturgical hymn, or slow church chant based on the Greek word for holy; by extension, in popular or colloquial Romanian, it has been preserved as a neuter noun linked to the idea of a mournful singing or deep sleep, deriving directly from the text of the Trisagion hymn (Holy God).
- Agnus — A shortened common term for 'Agnus Dei' (Lamb of God); it refers to a liturgical prayer, hymn, or formula recited in the Catholic Mass before communion, or to an iconographic representation of Jesus Christ depicted as a lamb bearing a triumphal banner or cross.
- Hallelujah — A liturgical ritualistic exclamation of praise and glorification addressed to God, heavily used in Hebrew and Christian worship during services and religious hymns. In contemporary colloquial language, the term is employed as an exclamation of relief, joy, or gratitude upon the successful completion of a difficult task or the resolution of a prolonged problem.
- Alleluia — A ritual exclamation of praise and glorification addressed to God, frequently used in Christian liturgical services and Jewish religious chants; a structural church song or hymn that includes this word. In a secular sense, it is sometimes used as an exclamation to express joy, relief, or deep satisfaction following the resolution of a difficult situation.
- Anastasimatarion — An official liturgical book used in the Orthodox Church comprising the chants appointed for Saturday evening (Vespers) and Sunday morning (Matins) services, focused exclusively on the theme of the Resurrection of Christ and structured based on the eight tones of psaltic music. This structural work is indispensable at the cantor's stand, gathering hymns such as Dogmatika, Resurrectional Stichera, and Apolytikia from the Octoechos.
- Anthem — A solemn musical piece, a national or religious anthem, or a polyphonic choral composition specific to the Anglican liturgy; in a modern cultural sense, a highly emotional song that defines a generation, group, or movement.
- All-bearing — Bearing, supporting, or protecting all things in the universe; the one who maintains the entire creation through his own strength or mercy. In Byzantine liturgical terminology and ancient Romanian religious texts, the term is used as an exclusively divine epithet, describing the divine providence that sustains the continuous existence of the world.
- Hail Mary — A traditional Christian prayer in Roman Catholicism, addressed to the Virgin Mary, based on the angel Gabriel's salutation at the Annunciation and Elizabeth's blessing; by extension, a sacred musical composition inspired by this liturgical text, with the most famous versions composed by Franz Schubert, Charles Gounod, and Giuseppe Verdi. The text invokes divine grace and requests the spiritual intercession of the Mother of God for the salvation of the faithful.
- Axion — A solemn religious hymn of praise and glory chanted in the Orthodox Church during the Holy Liturgy, immediately after the consecration of the Holy Gifts, dedicated to the hyperdulia and delicate veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The name originates from Greek, from the first words of the liturgical chant 'Axion estin' ('It is truly meet' or 'Worthy it is'). Historically, the text is structurally formed of two distinct parts: the first being an Athonite introduction from the 10th-11th centuries, and the second an irmos composed in the 8th century by Saint Cosmas the Melodist.