AT VESPERS

Today from a barren womb the fruit of prayer has sprouted, John the Forerunner. Wilderness rejoice, humanity dance; the herald of repentance begins to take flesh in his mother’s womb. Come rejoicing in his glorious conception, lovers of feasts, let us dance as we cry out: You are the greatest of those born of women; do not cease to intercede for those who with faith honour your divine conception, that we may find atonement for sins and God’s great mercy.

Glory. **Tone 6.**

**At Lord, I have cried,** **we insert 6 Stichera and sing Prosomia, doubling them.**

Both now*.* **Theotokion.**

**Tone 4. Called from the highest***.*

Both now. **Theotokion.**

As godlike Zachary was serving as priest and was within the most sacred temple and offering up the requests of the people to the Benefactor and All-compassionate, he saw a godlike Angel, who cried out to him: Your prayer and supplication have been heard. Courage, old man, and do not disbelieve me. For you will have a child, a divine Forerunner, greater than all those born of women, who will go before the Christ in the power of Elias.

**Theotokion.**

Strange you appear to me in aspect and manner, strange too in words and tidings, answered Zachary. For I have come to ask salvation for the people, not to gain a child, as you announce. I find you quite the converse of my requests and I suspect that you may not speak the truth; for how will what you say be confirmed? The members of Elizabeth are deadened, and my own old age now counsels disbelief.

Why do you not believe my words, Zachary, saying that I bring good tidings that are false? I am God’s Archangel. The things that I have been ordered to, these I now tell as I stand here with you. But since you have doubted and have not believed, you will be dumb and without speech, until you see the divine outcome of my words. But when Elizabeth bears you a child, the voice of the Word, the great Forerunner, your tongue will be clear and you will bless the God of Israel.

Glory*.* **Tone 6. By Vyzantios.**

Who will not call you blessed, All-holy Virgin? Who will not sing the praise of your child-birth without labour? For the only-begotten Son, who shone from the Father beyond time, came forth from you, pure Maiden, ineffably incarnate. By nature he is God, by nature he became man for our sake, not divided in a duality of persons, but known without confusion in a duality of natures. O honoured and all-blessed, implore him to have mercy on our souls.

**At the Aposticha, Prosomia. Tone 6. Having laid aside.**

As the holy priest and Prophet, went in holiness to the Holy of Holies, a holy Angel stood by him, as it is written, and addressed him saying: Your prayer has been heard, and now Elizabeth’s barrenness is being abolished, and she will give birth for you, old man, to a son, John the Forerunner, lamp of Elias, Prophet of the Most High and voice of the Word who dawned from a Virgin, Child of God.

**Verse: And you child will be called the Prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways.**

Tell me quite plainly, how shall I know this? the most blessed elder answered the Angel. For, as you see, I am full of years; Elizabeth is barren. How then do you utter words to me beyond nature? I am amazed. Now I suspect that you are not speaking the truth at all, my friend. Away with you, for I am beseeching the salvation of the people, not to obtain a child, a thing hard to admit.

**Verse: To serve him in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.**

I am a Archangel of God Almighty, my name is Gabriel, said the Bodiless One to the old man. Now be dumb and practise silence, for you have not believed my words. But when your wife bears you a the trumpet of the Word the Spirit will instruct your tongue and you will cry out most clearly: You, child, will be called Prophet of the Most High, by grace to prepare beforehand his paths, as he has been well pleased.

An Angel you came forth from barren loins, O Baptist, from your swaddling bands you dwelt in the wilderness and were declared seal of all the Prophets, for you were counted worthy to baptize in Jordan the One whom they had contemplated in divers manners and proclaimed beforehand in riddles. And you heard the voice of the Father from heaven bearing witness to his sonship; and you saw the Spirit in the form of a dove drawing down the voice upon the One baptized. But, O higher than all the Prophets, do not cease to intercede for us who celebrate with faith your memorial.

Mother of God, you are the true vine who gave bud to the fruit of life; we implore you, Sovereign Lady, with the Forerunner and all the Saints, that God may have mercy on our souls.

**Apolytikion. Tone 4. Speedily anticipate.**

Be glad, O barren one, who before did not bear child, for see, you have conceived for the sun a lamp that is about to enlighten the whole inhabited world, sick with blindness. Dance Zachary, cry aloud with boldness: The one to be born is Prophet of the Most High!

The mystery hidden from all eternity and unknown to Angels, has been revealed to those on earth through you, O Mother of God: God being made flesh in a union without confusion, and willingly accepting the Cross for us, through which he raised the first-formed man and saved our souls from death.