Event Information:
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Fri03Jan2025
The Holy Prophet Malachi; The Holy Martyr Gordius.
Pre-feast of Theophany. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today. The Royal Hours for Theophany are sung in the morning.
VESPERS ON THURSDAY EVENING
Kathisma Reading
The appointed psalms are chanted.
At Psalm 140
Tone 6
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
The feast of Christ’s birth has passed.* It shone more brightly than the sun!* The day of His manifestation is on its way.* That day will be even more radiant.* There the shepherds gave glory with the angels, worshipping God made Man;* here John’s right hand will touch the Master, as he cries out in fear:* Sanctify both me and the waters, only merciful One!
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Make ready, river Jordan!* Behold, Christ God approaches to be baptized by John.* He will crush the heads of invisible dragons in your waters.* Rejoice, wilderness of Jordan!* Dance with gladness, mountains!* The eternal Life has come to recall Adam!* Voice crying in the wilderness, John the forerunner, cry:* Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight!
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Desert of Jordan, rejoice exceedingly! * Blossom as the lily!* A voice is heard within you: * Prepare the way of the Lord!* He who weighs the mountains in scales* and the wooded valleys in a balance,* who fills all things in His divinity,* approaches to be baptized by a servant.* The Giver of riches has become poor!* Eve was told in days of old:* You shall bring forth children in pain,* but now the Virgin hears:* Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord who has great mercy is with you!
Tone 8
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Seeing that the words of your tongue are now fully realized,* I admire the truth and bless you, O Prophet.* You are truly to be admired;* for you enlightened the world by your splendorous voice,* announcing beforehand the redemptive coming of the Lord.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
You lived on earth as if your were an angel.* Likewise, you were enriched with a name signifying an angel.* You joined spiritual goodness to physical goodness,* O all-blessed Prophet, Malachi.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
O Lord, I offer Your prophet to You* as an intercessor and suppliant.* Through his pleas and prayers, O generous One,* remit the sins of a hopeless soul;* for You are compassionate and kind by essence and nature.
Tone 8, Glory… Now…
How glorious is the marvel!* He who baptizes by fire and the Spirit is coming to the Jordan,* neither as God alone nor mere man, but in two natures;* the one, the same, and the only-begotten Son.* In His humanity He seeks baptism from a mortal,* and in His divinity He takes away the sin of the world* and grants great mercy to all.
Prokeimenon, Tone 6
My help is from the Lord,* Who made heaven and earth.
verse: I lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from where my help shall come.
Aposticha
Tone 6
Behold the illumination of the faithful.* Behold the One who obtains pardon for us.* Christ our God desires to enter into the currents of the river* so that He may wash away the stain of our wickedness* and renew for us our broken nature.
I think of You from the country of Jordan and Mount Hermon.
O Lord, when Your Forerunner saw You coming to him* and asking to be baptized,* he cried out with fear:* My God and my Creator,* how is it that I baptize You,* the only-sinless One?
The waters saw You, O God; the waters saw You and trembled.
O faithful, let us come together in spirit* at the currents of the Jordan* so that we may clearly see the great miracle;* for the Creator of all has manifested Himself* and has come to be baptized.
Tone 5, Glory… Now…
Christ our God is coming to the Jordan River to be baptized.* He desires to cleanse us of our sins by His Theophany,* for He alone is gracious and the Lover of mankind.
Troparia
Tone 2
O divinely inspired Malachi, you announced the coming of Christ,* and you spoke of His dominance over the Law.* How clearly you informed us:* The Lord is surely coming; seek Him in the temple with joy.* Beg Him now to save our souls.
Tone 4, Glory…
O Lord our God, Your holy martyr Gordius,* has deserved the crown of immortality* on account of his good fight.* Armed with Your strength, he has vanquished his persecutors* and crushed Satan's dreadful might.* Through his supplications, O Christ our God, save our souls.
Tone 4, Now…
Make ready, O Zabulon,* and prepare yourself, O Nephtali;* O river Jordan, stop and receive with joy* the Master coming to be baptized.* O Adam, rejoice with the first mother, Eve,* and do not hide yourselves as before in paradise.* For having seen you unclothed* Christ has appeared to clothe you with the first robe:* He has appeared to renew all creation.