New Texts arriving in the evening of April 17, 2024!
Event Information:
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Thu24Jun2021
The Nativity of the Honourable and Glorious Prophet John, Forerunner and Baptist of Christ
All-Night Vigil. A day when the faithful are highly encouraged to participate in the Divine Liturgy.
GREAT VESPERS
Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.
At Psalm 140
In Tone 4
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
When John was born, the silence of Zechariah was broken.* For when the Voice appeared, it was not proper that his father remain silent.* Just as disbelief bound the tongue of the father,* so now the appearance of John frees him.* Having revealed himself, he preaches good tidings to all.* The Forerunner of Light and the Voice of the Word is born,* and he prays for the salvation of our souls.
- Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
When John was born, the silence of Zechariah was broken.* For when the Voice appeared, it was not proper that his father remain silent.* Just as disbelief bound the tongue of the father,* so now the appearance of John frees him.* Having revealed himself, he preaches good tidings to all.* The Forerunner of Light and the Voice of the Word is born,* and he prays for the salvation of our souls.
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Today the Voice of the Word frees his father’s voice* which was lost through disbelief,* and he reveals the blessed posterity of the Church* by loosing his mother’s bond of barrenness.* The Lamp preceding the Light appears;* the star proclaims the coming of the Sun of Justice* who is the restoration of all* and the salvation of our souls.
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
When the time approached for the Word of God to be born from a Virgin,* a messenger came forth from a barren womb.* He is the greatest born of woman* and the greatest of the prophets.* Behold, the beginnings of God’s actions are beyond our understanding.* You were begotten eternally and conceived without seed;* you work wonders for our salvation. Glory to you!
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Today the great Forerunner appears,* born from the barren womb of Elizabeth.* He is a prophet greater than all prophets;* there is no other like him, nor has there ever been.* For the most wondrous Light followed the lamp of the Forerunner;* the Word followed the Voice,* and the Bridegroom followed the bridegroom’s friend.* He prepares a special people for the Lord,* cleansing them with water until the coming of the Spirit.* He is the offspring of Zechariah and the noble dweller of the desert,* the preacher of repentance, and the purification of sins.* He announced the good news* of the Resurrection from the dead to those in Hades,* and he prays for our souls.
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
O John, the Baptizer of Christ,* you manifested yourself to be a prophet and forerunner* from the time you were in the womb.* When you saw the queen coming to her servant,* you leaped for joy in the womb of your mother,* you, the one conceived of a barren woman,* according to the promise made to the elder Zechariah.* You knew she was bearing the eternal One* who was from the Father without a mother.* Now implore God to have mercy on our souls.
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Zechariah did not believe the word of the angel* who told that Elizabeth would conceive and bear a son.* Instead he replied: How can she give birth,* for we are both advanced in years.* He was made silent by your decree because of his disbelief.* Today he sees the promised birth,* and his silence is ended to give way to joy.* O, what a glorious marvel!* He shouts aloud: Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel,* for He has turned to his people and brought them salvation.* He grants great mercy to the world.
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
O most praiseworthy John and universal apostle,* good news of Gabriel and flower of the barren woman,* noble child of the desert,* true friend of the bridegroom Christ,* pray to Him to have mercy on our souls.
In Tone 6
Glory…
Today, like a shining star,* the Lamp prepares the way for the coming of the Word of God.* Today Zechariah speaks clearly, ending the silence imposed by the angel,* for it was not right that the father of the Voice be kept silent* once John was born from a barren womb.* He comes to announce with great boldness* the good news of salvation for all the world.
Now…
Elizabeth carried the Forerunner of grace,* and the Virgin carried the Lord of glory.* When the mothers greeted each other, the infant leaped for joy,* for even within the womb, the servant praised the Master.* The mother of the Forerunner was amazed and sang out:* How have I deserved that the mother of my Lord has come to me?* Glory to Him who with great mercy saves a despairing people.
Readings
(1) Genesis 17:15-19; 18:11-14; 21:1-8; (2) Judges 13:2-19; (3) Isaiah 40:1-3, 9; 41:17-18
Litya
In Tone 1
O mountains, give forth your sweetness;* O hills, skip about like lambs;* for today the Lord’s forerunner, desiring to abide with us, is born of Elizabeth.* At his birth he loosed his father’s silence.* Therefore, let us cry out to him:* O Baptizer of Christ, implore Him to save our souls.
The God-named Voice and Lamp of the Light, the Forerunner of the Lord,* was attested to by Christ as the foremost of the prophets.* Please remember your flock in order to preserve it intact,* and we also ask that you pray for the world.
O prophet and forerunner John,* you were the preacher of the Lamb who is the Word of God.* You prophesied the future;* you spoke beforehand to the ends of the earth:* Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world* and grants great mercy to all.
In Tone 5
Glory…
Today Elizabeth rejoices as she gives birth* to the end of the prophets and the beginning of the apostles,* the earthly angel and the heavenly man,* the voice of the Word, the soldier and forerunner of Christ,* who leaped for joy beforehand because of the Promised One* and who preached before the birth of the Sun of Justice.* In his old age Zechariah is amazed,* having cast aside the muteness imposed as a punishment.* As the father of the Voice, he prophesies most splendidly:* And you, O child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,* and you shall go before Him to prepare the way.* Therefore, O angel, prophet, apostle, and soldier,* forerunner, baptizer, preacher of penance, and guide,* as the voice of the light of the Word,* pray unceasingly for us who faithfully keep your memory.
Now…
O most pure Virgin ,* you are the temple, the gate, the palace, and the throne of the King.* Christ, our Redeemer and Lord,* appeared through you to those who slumbered in darkness.* For He, as the Sun of Righteousness,* wished to enlighten those whom He created with his own hands* according to his own image.* Therefore, O Lady, whom we always praise in song,* we beseech you to intercede with Christ for the salvation of our souls;* for, as his mother, you can approach Him with the greatest of confidence.
Aposticha
In Tone 2
With psalms and hymns and spiritual songs* let us praise the glorious desert-dweller John,* since he is the prophet of prophets* and the fruit of a barren womb,* greater than all born of women.* Let us cry out to him:* O Baptist and Forerunner of the Saviour,* by your holy birth you may implore Christ with confidence* to grant peace to the world* and great mercy to our souls.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and ransomed his people.
According to the promise,* John the Forerunner and the Voice of the grace of the Word has appeared.* He was born today of the childless, barren woman.* Rejoice, O people,* for he has come to prepare for us the way of the Saviour* to whom he bowed down and leaped for joy* while still in the womb of his mother.* He is the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world* and grants great mercy to us.
And you, O child, shall be called prophet of the Most High.
John, who was sanctified in the womb of his mother* and received the fullness of prophecy,* is born today from a barren woman.* Clearly he announces the coming of the Lord:* Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
In Tone 8
Glory…
Today the voice of the prophet Isaiah is fulfilled* in the birth of the greatest of the prophets, John.* He had said: Behold, I will prepare the way of the Lord.* He will be a soldier of the kingdom of heaven,* running before the path of our God.* By nature he was a man,* yet in the present life he became an angel,* for he welcomed moderation in complete purity.* He had a human nature but fled what was according to nature* and struggled beyond the natural.* Therefore, let all the faithful imitate his virtues* and beg him to pray for the salvation of our souls.
Now…
Elizabeth said to the Virgin Mary:* How is it that the Mother of my God has come to me?* You bear the King, and I, a soldier.* You bear the Lawgiver, and I, a preacher of the law.* You bear the Word, and I, the voice who announces the kingdom of heaven.
Troparia
In Tone 4
O Prophet and Forerunner of the coming of Christ,* in spite of our honour and devotion,* we are unable to give you worthy praise.* Through your glorious and noble birth* your mother’s childlessness was ended,* your father's tongue was freed,* and the Incarnation of the Son of God** was proclaimed to the world. (2)
In Tone 1
Hail, Mother of God, Virgin Mary full of grace!* The Lord is with you.* Blessed are you among women,* and blessed is the fruit of your womb.* For you have borne Christ, the Saviour* and Deliverer of our souls.
DIVINE LITURGY
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 4: O Prophet and forerunner of the coming of Christ,* we, who lovingly honour you are at a loss to praise you worthily;* for your mother’s barrenness and your father’s silence* were both ended by your honoured and glorious birth,* and the incarnation of the Son of God* is preached to the whole world.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 3: She who once was barren gives birth today to the Forerunner of Christ,* who will fulfil every prophecy.* In the Jordan he placed his hand upon the One Whom the prophets foretold* and thus was shown to be the prophet, the herald,* and the Forerunner of the Word of God.
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
The just man shall be glad in the Lord and shall hope in Him.
verse: Hear, O God, my voice when I make my petition to You. (Psalm 63:11,2)
Epistle
Romans 13:11b-14:4
Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited His people and redeemed them.
verse: And you, O child, will be called the prophet of the Most High (Luke 1:68,72)
Gospel
Luke 1:1-25, 57-68, 76, 80
Hymn to the Mother of God
O my soul, magnify the precious birth of Christ’s Baptist and forerunner, John.
And the Irmos: Words cannot express the hidden, divine, ineffable mystery* that is clearly fulfilled in you, Virgin immaculate,* for because of His loving mercy God became flesh of you.* And, therefore, as Mother of God, we magnify you.
Communion Hymn
The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)