Canon I

Exapostilarion: Spec. Mel.: “While the disciples watched…”—

Irmos: O Lord, Fashioner of the vault of heaven and Creator of the Church: establish me in Thy love, O Summit of desire, confirmation of the faithful, Who alone lovest mankind.

Katavasia: The rod of Aaron is taken to be an image of the mystery, for by its budding forth it chose one priest over others; and for the Church, which before was barren, the Tree of the Cross hath now budded forth, for her might and confirmation.

Kontakion, in Tone V—

Now and ever, in Tone VI—

Sessional hymn, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “Of the Wisdom…”—

On the Praises, 4 stichera, in Tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “O all-glorious wonder…”—

Theotokion: Having made thy bodily abode within the Virgin, O Lord, Thou didst appear unto men, in that it was fitting that they behold Thee. Her didst Thou show to be the true Theotokos and the help of the faithful, O thou Who alone lovest mankind.

As mediator standing between the old and the new covenant of the Gospel preachings, thou didst denounce the iniquitous union of the tyrant, and, rejoicing, didst accept a glorious death.

Glory…: another exapostilarion—

Irmos: None is as holy as the Lord, and none is as righteous as our God, Whom all creation doth hymn, singing: None is righteous save Thee, O Lord!

Katavasia: I have heard, O Lord, the mystery of Thy dispensation; I have considered Thy works, and have glorified Thy divinity.

O all-glorious wonder! the impure wanton girl hath borne to her adulterous mother the sacred head, which even the angels reverence, and which denounced her iniquitous acts. O thine ineffable patience, O Thou Who lovest mankind, whereby, save Thou our souls, O Christ, in that Thou alone art full of loving-kindness. Twice

Theotokion: As God, O Only-begotten One, thou didst abase Thyself, that Thou mayest save those whom Thou hadst created, for whose sake Thou becamest man, incarnate of the Virgin; and transforming my whole nature, Thou hast brought it to Thy Father.

Instructed beforehand by her iniquitous mother, the girl said unto Herod, who was befuddled with drunkenness: “Give me the head of John on a platter, that I may present to my mother the gift she desireth!”

Irmos: Thou art my strength, O Lord, Thou art my power; Thou art my God, Thou art my joy, Who, without leaving the bosom of the Father, hast visited our lowliness. Wherefore, with the Prophet Habbakuk I cry unto Thee: Glory to Thy power, O Thou Who lovest mankind!

Katavasia: O thrice-blessed Tree, whereon Christ, our King and Lord, was crucified, and whereby he that beguiled mankind by the tree did fall, beguiled by thee, when God was nailed in the flesh, He that granteth peace unto our souls.

O the hardness of Herod’s heart! He who dishonored God by violating His laws displayeth his hypocrisy by deceitfully keeping his oath and joineth murder to adultery, feigning regret. O Thine unspeakable loving-kindness, O Master, whereby save Thou our souls, O Christ, in that Thou alone art compassionate!

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—

The shameless tyrant, unable to endure the reproof of thy God-bearing tongue, O glorious prophet, gave thy precious martyr’s head to the girl as a reward for her dancing.

Irmos: O Word, with divine vision the prophet perceived Thee Who wast to become incarnate of the Theotokos alone, the mountain overshadowed; and with fear he glorified Thy power.

Katavasia: Stretching forth his arms in the form of a cross in the belly of the sea monster, Jonah clearly prefigured the saving Passion. And, issuing forth after three days, he foreshadowed the supramundane Resurrection of Christ God Who was nailed in the flesh and enlightened the world with His Rising on the third day.

O marvel past understanding! The seal of the prophets, the earthly angel, is shown to be the price of wanton dancing; the tongue of theology is sent forth as herald of Christ to those in hades. O Thine ineffable providence, O Master, whereby save Thou our souls, O Christ, in that Thou alone art compassionate!

Theotokion: Thou art the boast of the faithful, O thou who knewest not wedlock; thou art the intercessor and refuge of Christians, their bulwark and haven. For thou bearest entreaties to thy Son, O most immaculate one, and savest from misfortunes those who with faith and love know thee to be the pure Theotokos.

“None greater than John hath arisen among those born of women!” cried Christ the Truth; for in the womb the created being recognized the One Who had created him, and proclaimed Him with his mother’s voice.

Irmos: Wherefore hast Thou turned Thy face from me, O Light never-waning? And why hath a strange darkness covered me, wretch that I am? But turn me, and guide my steps to the light of Thy commandments, I pray.

Katavasia: The mad command of the impious tyrant, breathing forth threats and blasphemy hateful to God, cast the people into confusion. Yet the three children feared not the fury of the wild beasts, nor the roaring blaze; but, in the midst of the fire, when the dew-bearing wind blew upon it, they sang: O all-hymned God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Glory…, in Tone VI—

Theotokion: Born of the immaculate Virgin Mother, O Thou Who hast put on my whole nature save for sin, Thou didst preserve her pure even after she gave birth.

Having first pointed to the Lamb with his finger, he next denounced Herod with his tongue, and, lastly, poureth forth miracles upon us through his head, as from a created vessel.

Irmos: O Lord Who by divine knowledge brought the ends of the earth into the light out of the night of ignorance, enlighten me with the dawning of Thy love for mankind.

Katavasia: O children, equal in number to the Trinity, bless ye God, the Father of the Creator; hymn ye the Word Who came down and transformed the fire into dew; and the all-holy Spirit, Who giveth life to all, exalt ye supremely forever!

Again Herodias rageth insanely, again is she vexed. O what deceitful dancing, what a feast of deception! The Baptist is beheaded, and Herod is troubled. Through the supplications of Thy forerunner, O Lord, grant peace to our souls.

Theotokion: Possessing maternal boldness before thy Son, O all-pure one, disdain not thought of kinship with us, we pray, for thee alone do Christians set before the Master as a merciful cleansing.

Thy nativity was glorious, thy life blameless, and thy departure honorable, O Baptizer of Christ. Thy pointing to Christ was awesome, thy death was precious, and thy burial full of glory.

Irmos: Cleanse me, O Savior, for many are my transgressions; and lead me up from the abyss of evils, I pray, for to Thee have I cried, and Thou hast hearkened to me, O God of my salvation.

Katavasia: O Theotokos, thou art a mystical paradise, which, untilled, didst put forth Christ, by Whom the life-bearing Tree of the Cross was planted; wherefore, worshipping it as it is now raised aloft, we magnify thee, O Theotokos.

O Theotokos, thou art the true vine that hath blossomed forth for us the Fruit of life. Thee do we supplicate: Intercede, O Lady, together with the holy apostles, that our souls find mercy.

Theotokion: Rejoice, O pure one, thou divine mountain from whence the Stone was quarried without aid of men’s hands, thou mountain of curds which provided God the Word with a body!

Having shone forth by the judgment of God from a barren woman, and loosed the bonds on the tongue of thy father, thou didst show forth the Sun Who illumineth thee as the morning-star, and to the people in the wilderness didst proclaim the Creator, the Lamb Who taketh away the sins of the world. Wherefore, thou didst denounce the king with zeal, O ever-memorable and most lauded John, and thine all-glorious head was cut off. Pray thou to Christ God, that He grant remission of offenses unto those who with love celebrate thy holy memory. Twice

Irmos: As Thou didst deliver the prophet from the uttermost abyss, O Christ God, in that Thou lovest mankind deliver me from my sins, and direct my life, I beseech Thee.

Great Doxology

Theotokion: May we be delivered from grievous transgressions through thy supplications, O pure Theotokos, and may we receive divine radiance from the Son of God Who was ineffably incarnate of thee, O all-pure one.

All of us, the generations of men, call thee blessed, who, as a Virgin, alone among women, gavest birth without seed to God in the flesh; for the fire of the Godhead made its abode within thee, and thou didst nourish the Creator and Lord with milk as a babe. Wherefore, we, the generation of angels and men, glorify thine all-holy nativity as is meet and together cry out to thee: Entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of offenses unto those who with faith worship thine all-holy birthgiving.

Irmos: Once, in Babylon, the fire stood in awe of the condescension of God; wherefore, the youths, dancing with joyous step in the furnace, as in a meadow, chanted: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers!

The memory of the righteous is celebrated with hymns of praise, but the Lord’s witness is sufficient for thee, O forerunner. Thou wast truly shown to be more honorable than the prophets, in that thou wast counted worthy to baptize in the streams Him Whom thou didst proclaim. Wherefore, having suffered, rejoicing, for the truth, even unto those in hades thou didst proclaim God, Who had manifested Himself in the flesh, Who taketh away the sin of the world and granteth us great mercy.

Theotokion: The Son of the Virgin is now shown to have first been the Son of the Father, Who is not understood to be different in any fashion from the visible Son; and He hath remained One, perfect in both His natures.

He who was unable to endure the censure of boldness and the forthrightness of piety, who incurred the retribution of the law, who was depraved by vile pleasures, having bound him who is enrolled immaterially in the heavenly choirs before the end, placed him under guard.

Irmos: O Lord God of our fathers, Who in the beginning founded the earth and established the heavens by Thy word: blessed art Thou forever!

All of thy most glorious mysteries are beyond comprehension, O Theotokos; for, thy purity sealed and thy virginity intact, thou art known to be a true Mother, having given birth unto God. Him do thou entreat, that our souls be saved.

Theotokion: Delivered from the ancient fall and condemnation by thy birthgiving, O Virgin Mother, we ever glorify thee as the manifest cause of our liberation, with thy Son Who gave Himself as deliverance for us.

The wretched voluptuary, sick with spiritually harmful drunkenness and the burning of fornication, having been bound by the dancing of a girl’s feet, became the murderer of the prophet; for he conceived drunkenness, the mother of fornication, and begat grievous iniquity.

Irmos: Madly did the Chaldæan tyrant heat the furnace sevenfold for the pious ones; but, beholding them saved by a higher Power, he cried out to the Creator and Deliverer: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Litanies and dismissal. And holy oil is given to the faithful from the lamp of the holy forerunner. First Hour, during which the troparion and kontakion of the forerunner are read. Final dismissal.

Theotokion: Though incorporeal, the Creator of all became immutably incarnate; and being not subject to time, He was known to enter time through the Virgin, remaining as He had been, and becoming what He had not been, without confusion.

Of a truth, in thee the divine voice did not prove false; for thou art the greatest among the prophets, in that thou wast vouchsafed to prophesy from thy mother’s womb, as a fœtus not fully formed, and seeing God the Word Whom thou hadst prophesied, thou didst baptize Him in the body.

Irmos: The Lord Who was glorified on the holy mountain, and by the fire in the bush revealed to Moses the mystery of the Ever-virgin, hymn ye and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Theotokion: O all-pure Virgin, bearer of the Lord, by thy merciful entreaty cleanse thou the wounds and sores of my soul, and raise me up who am fallen. Save, O save me, the prodigal, O most immaculate one! For thou art mine intercessor and help, who alone art pure and blessed for all ages.

Thou didst make clear to us the kingdom of Christ, didst show the people the paths of repentance, and didst denounce the iniquitous Herod, O wise John, thou great preacher.

Irmos: Every ear trembleth to hear of the ineffable condescension of God, for the Most High willingly came down even to the flesh, becoming man through the Virgin’s womb. Wherefore we, the faithful, magnify the all-pure Theotokos.

Theotokion: Wholly above and wholly below, in the bosom of the Father and with Thy Mother, wholly God and wholly man by nature, One in hypostasis yet dual in nature art Thou, O Merciful One.

Unable to bear reproof, Herod was overcome with wrath, jealousy and bitterness, O Baptist; and he marked the day of his birth by cutting off thy head, O preacher of Christ.

Irmos: Thy birthgiving, O Ever-virgin, which was revealed to the law-giver on the mountain in the fire and the bush, for the salvation of us, the faithful, do we magnify with unceasing hymnody.

Theotokion: Draw Thy bow, and prosper and reign, O Son of the Mother of God, subduing the Moslems who wage war against us and granting victory to our Orthodox hierarchs over all heresies, through the entreaties of her who gave birth to Thee, O Word of God.

Be glad, O Baptist, that thy soul may make merry; for here thou didst denounce the ungodly Herod, while in hades thou didst preach to the souls, saying: “Our salvation draweth nigh!”

Theotokion: Thou alone among women wast shown to be a virgin even after giving birth; thou alone among women wast shown forth as the Theotokos; thou alone hast loosed the pangs of Eve and caused the primal curse to wither away.

The earth marvelleth at thy life, O John; heaven proclaimeth thine unjust murder; and the Church, chanting, declareth the multitude of thy virtues.

Now & ever…: Theotokion—

Inspired by the enmity of her mother, the yet more savage offspring of a savage lioness demanded as the price of her foul demonic dancing the head of the forerunner and herald, which the wild beasts themselves reverenced in the wilderness.

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion, in the same tone—

O Thine ineffable and unapproachable judgments, O Thou Who lovest mankind! For the vile girl won with her dancing him who, while yet in his mother’s womb, was a receptacle of the Holy Spirit, and grew in chastity and purity.

When he who with love and ardor preferred his intercourse with iniquity, he permitted the murder of the prophet to be added to his birthday drinking and with love of pleasure mingled a cup full of the holy blood of the prophet.

The forerunner, the lamb of the wilderness and treasure of the whole world, prepareth a spiritual banquet for us today.

O John, thou didst denounce Herod, the cruel lover of Herodias, the slave of lust and violator of the laws.

Herodias danceth, and John is bound and slain. O the drunkenness of Herod! O the mindlessness of his soul!

Bringing tribulation upon thyself for the commandments of the law, O blessed one, with reproofs thou didst chastise the one who was committing iniquity; for thou wast not a reed shaken by the winds of the enemy.

Thy head, dripping with the blood of thy slaughter, was offered as a prize for a lustful display, but continued to denounce Herod as one who committed incest, even after thine end.

Clad in camels’ hair while in the wilderness, thou didst live as splendidly as a king therein; and bearing royal adornment therein, thou didst gain dominion over the passions.

Honoring the decapitation of thine honored and most praised head, O forerunner of Christ, we glorify thine ever-laudable and universal memory, O all-blessed one.

O the vile feast! O the bitter birthday! O the drunkenness of the abominable and iniquitous Herod! For he was held fast by iniquity and, reviled, he was persuaded to slay the prophet.

The new Egyptian woman, dancing wantonly in the midst of the feast, asked for the head which had denounced her mother, the paramour of Herod.

The glorious beheading of the forerunner was part of God’s dispensation, that he might proclaim to those in hades the coming of the Savior. Let Herodias, who demanded the iniquitous murder, therefore lament; for she loved not the law of God nor the age of life, but rather this false and transitory one.

Ikos: The birthday of Herod was shown to all to be unholy when, into the midst of those who feasted, the head of the faster was borne as though it were food. Joy was joined to grief and laughter transformed into bitter lamentation. For, bearing the head of the Baptist on a platter, the girl entered in among them all, as she said. And because of Herod’s oath lamentation fell upon all who reclined there with the king. She did not gladden them, nor even Herod himself. For he said: They sorrowed not with true grief, but with that which is feigned and transitory.

Armed with lustful desire and grievous drunkenness, striking against the Baptizer of Christ, the immovable tower of abstinence and indestructible city of chastity, the iniquitous Herod was shattered.

Her mind beguiled by the suasions of her mother, she who was the pupil of the devil was neither afraid nor ashamed, nor in anywise reluctant to bear thy precious head shamelessly on a platter.

Sent forth like an angel, thou didst shine forth like a beacon; as a prophet thou didst preach Christ Who appeared as the Lamb of God; and as a martyr thou wast beheaded, proclaiming Him to the dead in hades.

Preaching the law of God, John was not afraid to teach the impious and iniquitous Herod to be chaste; for the fire of sin burned within him.

O the head which manifestly set forth the law and cried to Herod from out of the ground: “It is not fit for thee, who committest iniquity, to wear the purple robe of kingship as a garment of tyranny!”

The iniquitous Herod, armed with vile weaponry, committed an iniquitous deed with an oath, drunk at the banquet he was holding for himself.

Going before Thy nativity and divine suffering, in the nethermost parts of the earth John, as the voice of the Word, becometh, through the sword, the prophet and herald of Thy coming there, crying: Exalt Christ supremely for all ages: ye dead as Life-bestower; ye blind, as Giver of light; ye captives, as your Deliverer!

He who from a barren woman preceded the Offspring of the Virgin hath now, through the cutting off of his head, become the precursor of the voluntary crucifixion of the Creator of all, crying to those in hades: Ye children, bless; ye priests, hymn; ye people, exalt Him supremely for all ages!

When thy body was deprived of thy head, O forerunner, thy masterly soul was parted from thy flesh; but the divinity of Emmanuel was never separated from his flesh, and not a bone of God the Master was broken. Wherefore, we exalt Him supremely for all ages.

Him who proclaimed the coming of Christ to those in hades, exclaiming with faith: “The Lord of glory cometh, loosing men’s pangs!”, let us exalt supremely for all ages.

Herod imprisoned thee in a dungeon, O John, thou second Elijah, and, having bound thee with iron chains, slew thee, the faithful and sacred proclaimer of repentance and the kingdom.

O feast full of blood! O food mingled with murder! O banquet replete with vainglory! O the inhumanity and vile murder of the iniquitous Herod!

The evil horde and the devil, its commander, were afraid of thy divinely eloquent tongue which proclaimed Christ, O prophet, and through the agency of a wanton girl prevailed upon Herod to cut off thy head; but we magnify thee as the baptizer of Christ.

The valley of humble nature hath been exalted, and the hill of deadly pride hath been laid low; for the voice of the Light crying in the wilderness hath cried out in the dwellings of hades: “Lift up, ye gates, for the King of all shall enter!”

Human passions tremble, and the demons flee in fear from the overshadowing of the grace given thee by God. But deliver thy flock, which ever magnifieth thee with faith, O forerunner of the Lord, from temptation by both.

Again doth Jezebel exult over Elijah; again doth the Egyptian woman seek after Joseph; for the vile Herodias hath now been seen to devise the death of the prophet and baptizer of the Savior.

Beheaded by Herod, O John, thou wast sent to the souls in hades, to proclaim Him Who had come to save all of the faithful who had died, from the time of Adam on.

O John, honored martyr of the Lord, lampstand of the Light, voice of the Word, herald of the Lamb of God, lamb of the wilderness: pray that those who hymn thee be saved.

With hymns of praise let us magnify the forerunner of grace, who is known to be the greatest among the prophets and was chosen before the apostles; for he was beheaded for the sake of the law of the Lord.

The vile Herod was in nowise able to cut off the reproofs of thy tongue, O baptizer of the Savior, and therefore deceitfully cut off the head of thee, the husbandman of purity.

Having destroyed the curse on the world by thy divine birthgiving, O pure Maiden, through thy supplications deliver from all misfortunes the flock which entreateth thee with faith.

After the Trisagion, the troparion of the forerunner, in Tone II—