The
Nativity of St. John the Baptist
Beatitude Verses: Forerunner: 4
from Ode 3; 4 from Ode 6.
1 & 2. The birthgiving of the Master is
accomplished through the Virgin, while that of
His beloved servant is through an elderly and barren
mother; wherefore, -- Wonder of
wonders! – he goeth on
before unto splendor.
3 & 4.
The elderly and barren woman kisseth the Virgin Mother, truly
recognizing her
birthgiving, for the bond of her barrenness hath
been loosed by the will of God.
5. Today John is born: the citizen of the desert,
the preacher of repentance, the true
witness of grace, the Forerunner of the Word, the
star which shineth before the Light.
6. Today, the
axe which hath been forged bodeth hewing for barren
souls, planteth the
fruits of the virtues, and cometh forth steadily in
thy nativity, O Forerunner.
7. Jordan
hath rejoiced most gloriously and leapeth up,
learning that John is born of the
barren one’s womb; and the sea danceth with leaping
waters.
8. O Most
immaculate Theotokos, who gavest birth to the Abyss of mercy: Drowning the
abyss of my passions in the depth of thy
compassions, grant me a torrent of tears from the
depths of my soul.
Troparion
Tone 4: O Prophet and Forerunner of
the coming of Christ, * we who honor thee with
love
are unable to extol thee worthily; * for by thy holy
and august birth * the barrenness
of
thy mother and the speechlessness of thy father were loosened, * and the
incarnation of
the
Son of God is proclaimed to the world.
Glory… Both now… Tone 4: The mystery hidden from before the ages /
and unknown even to the angels, /through thee, O Theotokos, hath been revealed to those on earth: /God incarnate in unconfused union, /Who willingly accepted the Cross for our sake /and thereby raising up the first-formed man, //
hath saved our souls from
death.
The Epistle
Reader: The Prokimenon 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: Hearken,
O God, unto my prayer, when I make supplication unto Thee..
Choir: The righteous man shall be glad in the Lord and
shall hope in Him.
Reader: The righteous man shall be glad in the Lord.
Choir: And shall hope in Him.
Reader: The Reading is
from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Romans:
[Romans
13:11b-14:4]
Reader: Alleluia in the 1st Tone .
Choir: Alleluia,
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: Blessed
be the Lord God of Israel, for He hath visited and wrought redemption
for His people.
Choir: Alleluia,
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: And thou, O
child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High.
Choir: Alleluia,
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Gospel [Luke 1:5-25, 57-68, 76, 80]
Kontakia
Tone 3: She that was formerly
barren giveth birth today to the Forerunner of Christ, *
Who is the fulfillment of all prophecy; * for He
Whom the prophets foretold is God the
Word * Who hath appeared to the prophet, herald, and
forerunner * when he laid his hand
on Him in the Jordan.
Glory… 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.