13th Sunday After Pentecost / The Beheading of St. John the Baptist

Beatitudes on 10 Octoechos 6; Forerunner 4, from Ode 3.

 

1. By the tree was Adam forced to depart from paradise; but by the Tree of the Cross was the thief made to dwell in paradise.  For the one by tasting, broke the commandment of the creator; while the other, crucified with Him, confessed the hidden God, crying out: Remember me in Thy kingdom!

 

2. O Lord Who wast lifted up upon the Cross, Who hast destroyed the power of death and as God hast destroyed the record of our sins, grant also the repentance of the thief unto us who faithfully serve Thee and cry out to thee, O Christ God Who alone lovest mankind: Remember us also in Thy kingdom!

 

3. On the Cross Thou didst tear asunder with the spear the record of our sins; and, numbered among the dead, Thou didst bind the tyrant of hades, O Lord Who lovest mankind, Who by Thy resurrection hast delivered all from the bonds of hades.  Thereby have we been illumined, and we cry to Thee: Remember us also in Thy kingdom!

 

4. O Thou Who alone art immortal, Who wast crucified and as almighty didst arise from the tomb on the third day, and hast raised up Adam, the first created: Vouchsafe that I also may turn to repentance with my whole heart, and may ever cry out to Thee with fervent faith: Remember me, O Savior, in Thy kingdom!

 

5. For our sake He Who is without passion became a man subject to the passions; and, nailed of His own will to the Cross, He hath raised us up with Himself.  Wherefore, we glorify His Cross, passion, and resurrection, whereby we have been refashioned and whereby we also are saved, who cry out: Remember us also in Thy kingdom!

 

6. O ye faithful, let us entreat Him who hath risen from the dead, hath made captive the dominion of hades, and wast seen by the myrrh-bearing women and said to them: “Rejoice!”, that He deliver from corruption the souls of us who ever cry out to Him with the voice of the noble thief: Remember us also in Thy kingdom!

 

7.  As mediator standing between the old and the new covenant of the Gospel preachings, thou didst denounce the iniquitous union of the tyrant, and, rejoicing, didst accept a glorious death.

 

8. Instructed beforehand by her iniquitous mother, the girl said unto Herod, who was befuddled with drunkenness: “Give me the head of John on a platter, that I may present to my mother the gift she desireth!”

 

9.  The shameless tyrant, unable to endure the reproof of thy God-bearing tongue, O glorious prophet, gave thy precious martyr’s head to the girl as a reward for her dancing.

 

10. Having made Thy bodily abode within the virgin, O Lord, Thou didst appear unto men, in that it was fitting that they behold Thee. Her didst Thou show to be the true Theotokos and the help of the faithful, O Thou Who alone lovest mankind.

 
Troparia
 
Tone 4:  Having learned the joyful proclamation of the Resurrection from the angel, /
and having cast off the ancestral condemnation, /
the women disciples of the Lord spake to the apostles exultantly: /
Death is despoiled and Christ God is risen, //
granting to the world great mercy.
 

Glory… Tone 2: The memory of the righteous is celebrated with hymns of praise, /

but the Lord's testimony is sufficient for thee, O Forerunner; /

for thou hast proved to be even more venerable than the prophets /

since thou wast granted to baptize in the running waters Him Whom they proclaimed. /

Wherefore, having contested for the truth, /

thou didst rejoice to announce the good tidings even to those in Hades; /

that God hath appeared in the flesh, //

taking away the sin of the world and granting us great mercy.

 

Both now… Tone 2: 

All of thy most glorious mysteries are beyond comprehension, O Theotokos; /

for, thy purity sealed and thy virginity intact, /

thou art known to be a true Mother, /

having given birth unto God.  //

Him do thou entreat, that our souls be saved.

 

The Epistle

 

Reader: The Prokimenon in the 4th Tone: How magnified are Thy works O Lord! In wisdom hast Thou made them all.

Choir:  How magnified are Thy works O Lord! In wisdom hast Thou made them all.

Reader: Bless the Lord, O my soul; O Lord my God, Thou hast been magnified exceedingly.

Choir:  How magnified are Thy works O Lord! In wisdom hast Thou made them all.

Reader:  In the 7th tone: The righteous man shall be glad in the Lord, and shall hope in Him.

Choir:  The righteous man shall be glad in the Lord and shall hope in Him.

 

Reader: The Reading is from the First Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Corinthians: [I Cor. 16:13-24 (§166); Acts 13:25-32 (§33)]

 

Reader: Alleluia in the 4th Tone: Bend Thy bow, and proceed prosperously, and be king, because of truth and meekness and righteousness.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader:  Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader:  The righteous man shall flourish like a palm tree, and like a cedar in Lebanon shall he be multiplied.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

 

Gospel [Matt. 21:33-42 (§87); Mark 6:14-30 (§24)]

 

Kontakia

 

Tone 4:  My Savior and Redeemer hath, as God, /
raised up the earthborn from the grave and from their fetters, /
and He hath broken the gates of hades, /
and, as Master, //
hath risen on the third day.

 

Glory… Tone 5:  The glorious beheading of the Forerunner /

was part of God’s dispensation, /

that the coming of the Savior might also be preached to those in hades. /

Lament then, Herodias, that thou hast demanded a wicked murder, /

for thou didst love neither the law of God nor eternal life, //

but one false and fleeting.

 

Both now... Tone 6: O protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, /

O mediation unto the creator unfailing, /

disdain not the suppliant voices of sinners, /

but be thou quick, O good one, to help us who in faith cry unto thee; /

hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, //

thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.

 

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