December 20: Forefeast Of The Nativity of Our Lord, God & Savior Jesus Christ & St. John Of Kronstadt
Glory..., in Tone VIII—
At “Lord, I have cried...,” four stichera, in Tone II—
The 20th Day Of The Month Of December
“O Jesus, Son of God, my strength! O Light of my mind, Thou peace and joy of my heart: Glory to Thee! Glory to Thee Who dost deliver me from my invisible enemies!” didst thou cry aloud, O John. Thus do thou also teach us to hymn the Lord with all our heart, O righteous John, servant of Christ. Twice
The Forefeast Of The Nativity In The Flesh Of Our Lord, God & Savior Jesus Christ
Incarnate, Christ called thieves and harlots to repentance, and thou, O merciful pastor, fulfilling the commandment of the Chief Shepherd, ate with publicans and conversed with sinners, calling all to repentance and teaching all to pray: O God, be merciful to me, a sinner! O merciful God, glory to Thee!
Commemoration Of The Repose Of Our Father John Of Kronstadt, The Wonderworker
“Ye are the image of God, wherefore preserve ye this great image, the image of God’s beauty, the image of His boundless love, that ye may be children of our Father Who is in heaven, that ye may be holy as your Father is holy.” Thus, O divinely wise pastor, didst thou instruct thy flock, and thus didst thou thyself live in holy manner.
(for this day we provide also the service in honor of St. Ignatius the God-bearer)
Never hath thy love failed, O merciful father John of Kronstadt. Thou art our hope for correction of life, our pastoral protector, a generous benefactor, our hope, O righteous John.
At Little Vespers
Now & ever…, of the forefeast, in the same tone—
December 20: Forefeast Of The Nativity & Commemoration Of The Holy Hieromartyr Ignatius Of Antioch, The God-Bearer
O house of Ephratha, thou holy city, glory of the prophets: adorn thou the house wherein the Divine One is born.
Also On The 20th Day Of The Month Of December
Forefeast Of The Nativity In The Flesh Of Our Lord, God & Savior Jesus Christ
Commemoration Of The Holy Hieromartyr
Ignatius Of Antioch, The God-Bearer
Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.