Song of Ascents, the first antiphon of Tone IV.
After the first chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone V: Spec. Mel.: “The Word Who with the Father and the Spirit is equally without beginning…”—
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.
Now & ever…: Theotokion—
On “God is the Lord…”, the troparion of the saint, twice; Glory…, Now & ever…, the resurrectional Theotokion in the tone of the saint’s troparion, in Tone II—
After the second chanting of the Psalter, this sessional hymn, in Tone V: Spec. Mel.: “The Word Who with the Father and the Spirit is equally without beginning …”—
Assembling, O ye faithful, let us praise together the mediator between the law and grace; for he preached repentance to us and, having boldly and publicly denounced Herod, was beheaded. And dwelling now with the angels, he entreateth Christ, that our souls be saved.
Now & ever…: Theotokion—
After the Polyeleos, this sessional hymn, in tone VIII: Spec. Mel.: “Of the piping of the shepherds…”—
Glory…, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel. “Thou hast appeared today…”—
Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion—
Celebrating thy radiant memory today, we beseech thee, O forerunner: earnestly entreat the Savior and Lord, that He grant forgiveness of offenses unto all.
We, the faithful, bless thee, the Theotokos, as the fervent help of those amid misfortunes, our aid and reconciliation to God, whereby we have been delivered.
In hymns let us praise John the forerunner, the baptizer of Christ, the prophet who was revealed unto us in his mother’s womb, the luminary who manifestly issued forth unto the world from a barren woman, the victorious athlete; for he prayeth to the Lord, that our souls find mercy.
Glory…, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Joseph marvelled…”—
Now hath the baptizer of the Savior, the adornment of the desert and seal of the prophets, appeared unto us, and maketh glad the thoughts of the faithful with understanding. Wherefore, the forerunner of Christ hath been shown forth, the true witness to His coming. Let us therefore cry out together unto John with spiritual hymns: O prophet, preacher of the truth, pray thou that we be saved.
All the angelic choirs marvelled at the awesome mystery of thy birthgiving, O pure one, how He Who holdeth all things in His hand is held as a man in thine arms, how the Preëternal One receiveth a beginning in time, and how He Who feedeth all creatures is nourished by thy milk in His ineffable goodness. And praising thee, we glorify thee as the true Mother of God.
After the Polyeleos, this magnification—
We magnify thee, O John, thou baptizer of the Savior, and we all honor the severing of thy precious head.
Selected Psalm verses—
A Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. [111: 1]
B In His commandments shall he greatly delight. [111: 1]
A His seed shall be mighty upon the earth. [111: 2]
B And his righteousness abideth unto ages of ages. [111: 3]
A In everlasting remembrance shall the righteous be. [111: 6]
B The righteous man shall flourish like a palm tree, and like a cedar in Lebanon shall he be multiplied. [91: 13]
A The righteous man shall be glad in the Lord, and shall hope in Him. [63: 11]
B Lo, my lips I shall not restrain, O Lord. [39: 10]
A Thou hast understood My righteousness and My truth.
B And my tongue shall treat of Thy righteousness, and of Thy praise all the day long. [Ps. 34: 28]
A A light hath dawned forth for the righteous man, and gladness for the upright of heart. [Ps. 96: 11]
B The generation of the upright shall be blessed. [Ps. 111: 2]
A With glory and honor hast Thou crowned him. [Ps. 8: 6]
B For Thou shalt bless the righteous, O Lord. [Ps 5: 13]
A As with a shield of Thy good pleasure hast Thou crowned us. [Ps. 5: 13]
B Whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us. [Lk. 1: 78]
A To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. [Lk 1: 79]
B To guide our feet into the way of peace. [Lk. 1: 79]
Glory…, Now & Ever…
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. Thrice
Having denounced Herod for the iniquity of Herodias, O ye faithful, the forerunner, baptizer and angel of the Deliverer of all dieth, beheaded, that he might proclaim with boldness to those in hades the glad tidings that God would descend thereto, to make death captive. Twice
The Word of the Father descended to earth, and the radiant angel said to the Theotokos: “Rejoice, O blessed one who alone hast preserved the bridal chamber, accepting the conception of the preëternal God and Lord, that He might, as God, save the human race from deception.
Prokimenon, in Tone IV—
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
Stichos: What shall I render unto the Lord for all that He hath rendered unto me?
“Let every breath praise the Lord.”
Gospel According to Matthew, §57 (14:1-13)
At that time, Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, and said unto his servants: “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him” For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife. For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. And she, being before instructed of her mother, said: “Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger.” And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and those who sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. When Jesus heard of it, He departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed Him on foot out of the cities.
After Psalm 50, this sticheron, in Tone VI—
The disciple of the most evil devil danced, and received thy head as her reward, O forerunner. O feast full of blood! Better would it have been not to have sworn thine oath, O iniquitous Herod, grandson of lies! For even though thou didst make thy vow, it was not well sworn. Better would it have been to be proved false, than to cut off the head of the forerunner, who spake the truth. Yet, honoring the Baptist as the greatest born of women, we call him blessed, as is meet.
Two canons of the Forerunner
Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.