At the Aposticha, Idiomels.

Glory. Both now.

Tone 1. By Monk John.

Glory. Both now.

Radiant the feast that has passed; more radiant the saving feast that draws near. The one had a Angel as the bearer of good tidings, and this found the Forerunner as the one who makes ready for it in advance. In the one, when blood was shed, Bethlehem grieved, as one who was childless; in this, when the waters were blessed, the Font was made known as source of many children. Then a Star guided the Magi, but now the Father revealed you to the world. Lord, who took flesh and are coming again made manifest, glory to you!

I will remember you from the land of Jordan and the Hermonites, from the little mountain. ****

Tone 2. By Andrew of Jerusalem.

Again my Jesus is cleansed in the Jordan, or rather cleanses our sins; for he truly comes to Baptism, wishing to wash out Adam’s record, and he says to John, ‘Come, Baptist, act as servant to the accomplishment of a strange mystery. Come, quickly stretch out your hand and touch the crown of the one who crushed the head of the dragon and opened Paradise, which the transgression had once shut, through the deception of the serpent, the tasting of the tree.

The waters saw you, Lord. The waters saw you and were afraid. ****

Tone 3.

Bright was the feast that has passed, glorious the present day. In the one Magi worshipped the Saviour; while in this one called slave baptised the Master. There Shepherds, keeping watch, saw and marvelled; here the voice of the Father proclaimed the only-begotten Son

**Same Tone.**

Come, all believers, leaving Judea let us cross over the desert of Jordan, and there let us contemplate today the one who was manifested in flesh for our sake asking for Baptism in the streams of Jordan, the Baptism refusing and crying out in fear, ‘I dare not with a palm of clay lay my hands on fire. The Jordan and the sea have fled and been turned back, my Saviour; how then shall I place my hand upon your head, at which the Seraphim tremble? Jordan turned back when it received through Elissaios the mantle of Elias. How will it not sink into chaos and the deep, when it sees you naked in your streams? How, wholly aflame from you, will it not burn me up?’ ‘Why do you hesitate, Baptist, to baptise my Lord?’ the Jordan cries to John. ‘Why do you prevent the cleansing of many? He sanctified all creation; let him sanctify both me and the nature of the waters, for this he has been made manifest’.

Apolytikion. Tone 4.

Zavoulon prepare, and make ready Nephthalim; river Jordan stand, leap for joy as you receive the Master who comes to be baptised. Adam with our Foremother be glad, do not hide yourselves as in Paradise of old; for seeing you naked, he has appeared that he may put on the first robe. Christ has appeared, as he wishes to renew the whole creation.

**(x3)** ****

The feast of Christ’s Nativity that has passed was more radiant than the sun; the feast of his divine Epiphany that is coming is resplendent and full of light. In the former Shepherds, giving glory with Angels, worshipped God become man, while in this John touched the Master with his right hand and said with fear, ‘Sanctify me and the waters, O you who alone have great mercy’.

I will remember you from the land of Jordan and the Hermonites, from the little mountain.

River Jordan prepare, for see Christ God is coming to be baptized by John, that by his Godhead he may crush the invisible heads of the dragons in your waters. Wilderness of Jordan rejoice; mountains leap for joy with gladness, for eternal life has come to call back Adam. Voice of one who cries, Forerunner John, shout aloud, ‘Prepare the ways of the Lord and make straight his paths’.

The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you and were afraid.

Let the wilderness of Jordan rejoice and flower like a lily; for the voice of one who cries has been heard in it, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord’; for the One who weighed the mountains with a balance and the valleys with a level, the One who fills all things as God is being baptized by a slave. The One who distributes rich gifts of grace has begun to make himself poor. Eve heard, ‘In pains you will give birth to children’, but now the Virgin has heard, ‘Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you who has great mercy’.

Tone 8. By Anatolios.

‘John Baptist, who in the womb recognized me the Lamb, be my servant in the river, minister to me with Angels; stretch out to touch my immaculate head with your palm; and when you see the mountains tremble and Jordan being turned back, shout with them, ‘Lord, incarnate from a Virgin for our salvation, glory to you!’’

The rest of the Office of Matins as usual, and Dismissal.