After the Introductory Psalm, we chant “Blessed is the man…”, the first antiphon.
A Reading from Proverbs
On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera: 3 of the holy Gregory, in Tone V: Spec. Mel.: “O venerable father…”—
A Reading from Proverbs
O venerable father, most sacred Gregory, thou blown by the breath of the Comforter, most manifest tongue of piety, greatly radiant beacon of divine effulgence, preacher of the Truth, foundation of theology, wellspring of exalted dogmas, torrent of teachings sweet as honey, harp played by God, delighting the minds of the faithful with divinely composed hymns: Entreat Christ, pray thou to Christ Who hath restored the world in the streams of the Jordan, O most wise one, that He save our race.
Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon.
O venerable father, most honored Gregory, thou axe cutting off the assaults of the heretics, two-edged sword of the Comforter, scythe mowing down the tares of adultery, fire burning up the dross of heresy, true winnowing-fan of the Husbandman, whereby the heavy seed of doctrine is separated from the chaff, compass pointing all to the path of salvation: Entreat Christ, pray thou ever to Christ Who hath restored the world in the streams of the Jordan, O most wise one, that He save our race.
O venerable father, most blessed Gregory, thou mouth giving utterance to divine sounds, drawing forth salvation from the inexhaustible divine springs, and showing forth discourses and prayers unto all, thou rule directing all to virtue, who art enlightened by divine visions and illumined with the radiance of the uncreated Trinity, Whose invincible champion thou wast: Entreat Christ, O most wise one, pray thou to Christ Who hath restored the world in the streams of the Jordan, O most wise one, that He save our race.
And 3 stichera of the holy Dometian, in Tone I: Spec. Mel.: “O most lauded martyrs…”—
He who of old threatened to destroy the whole earth and boasted that he would dry up the sea hath been shown today to be mocked by the faithful as a sparrow, as a most ridiculous gnat, whose semblance was stripped away like that of a scarecrow, and is trampled underfoot by the favorite of Christ.
Today, O ye faithful, Dometian doth summon us to the God-pleasing banquet. Let us dine with him with goodly cheer, and let us celebrate with him, honoring his corrections, and entreating the Savior of our souls, that He grant peace to the world.
O most honored one, thou didst return the talant of Christ which had been given thee, having increased it twofold by grace, as a good steward. Wherefore, thou dost hear: “O good and faithful servant, be it unto thee, as to My truly dedicated favorite, and enter now into the joy of thy Lord, receiving the reward of thy labors!”
Glory…, in Tone IV—
Having adorned thy discourse with wisdom and immaculate virtue, thou wast rendered comely in both, O Gregory of Nyssa, adorning and gladdening the people with thy God-proclaiming voice, and elucidating by reason the one Godhead of the Trinity, O all-wise one. Wherefore, having overcome alien heresies by Orthodox dogmas, thou didst exalt the might of the Faith in the ends of the earth. Standing before Christ with the immaterial ministers, ask those peace and great mercy for our souls.
Now & ever…, in the same tone—
The hand of the Baptist trembled when it touched Thine all-pure head; the River Jordan turned back, not daring to minister unto Thee; for if it was in awe of Joshua son of Nun, how could it not have been stricken with awe by its own Creator? O our Savior Who alone lovest mankind, Thou hast fulfilled all Thy dispensation, that Thou mayest save the world by Thine epiphany.
On “Lord, I have cried…”, 8 stichera: 3 of the feast, the composition of John the Monk, in Tone II—
The Forerunner, beholding our Enlightener, Who illumineth every man, coming to be baptized, rejoiceth in soul and trembleth. He pointeth to Him with his hand and saith to the people: “This is He Who delivereth Israel, Who freeth us from corruption! O sinless Christ our God, glory be to Thee!”
When our Deliverer was baptized by His servant and borne witness to by the coming of the Holy Spirit, the angelic armies, looking on, were stricken with awe; and a voice was borne down from the Father in heaven: “He Whom the Forerunner baptized with his hand is My beloved Son, in Whom I have been well-pleased!” O Christ our God, glory be to Thee!
The currents of the Jordan received Thee, the Wellspring, and the Comforter descended upon Thee in the form of a dove. Thou Who bowed down the heavens dost bow Thy head, and clay crieth out to the Potter: “What dost Thou command me to do, O Thou Who art greater than I? It is I who must needs be baptized of Thee! O sinless Christ our God, glory be to Thee!”
And 5 of the saint, in Tone I—
Come, O ye faithful, and let us piously bless Theophanes, the holy hierarch of Christ, the all-good shepherd, the teacher of golden discourse, the comforter of the sorrowful, the guide of all who have recourse unto him with faith, and who now prayeth in behalf of our souls. Twice
O holy hierarch Theophanes our father, thy memorial hath shone forth on us like the radiant sun, enlightening those who approach thee with faith and earnestly entreat thee: Pray that our souls may be saved! Twice
O all-blessed father Theophanes, man of God and faithful servant, chosen vessel of the Holy Spirit, heir to the kingdom of God: Ask peace for the Orthodox Church, prosperity for our land, and for all the faithful confirmation in the Faith, remission of sins and deliverance from misfortunes.
Glory…, in the same tone—
O divinely wise father Theophanes, even though thou didst run the race in secret struggles, yet wast thou shown to the people to be an all-radiant beacon, enlightening us with the rays of thy words; and thou dost teach all to know Christ. Wherefore, joyfully bowing down before the shrine of thy precious relics, we cry out with compunction: Glory to Him Who glorifieth His saints!
Now & ever…, of the feast, the composition of Byzantius, in Tone II—
Thou didst bow Thy head before the Forerunner, and didst crush the heads of the serpents. Having come to the streams, thou didst illumine all things, that they may glorify Thee, O Savior, the Enlightener of our souls.
Entrance. Prokimenon of the Day. Three Readings:
The memory of the just is praised, and the blessing of the Lord is upon his head. Blessed is the man who hath found wisdom, and the mortal who knoweth prudence. For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver. And she is more valuable than precious stones: no precious thing is equal to her in value. For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth righteousness proceedeth, and she carrieth law and mercy upon her tongue. Hearken to me, O children, for I will speak solemn truths. Blessed is the man who shall keep my ways; for my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and in them is prepared favor from the Lord. Ye, O men, do I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men. I, wisdom, have built up; upon counsel, knowledge and understanding have I called. Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and strength is mine. I love those that love me; those who seek me shall find grace. O ye simple, understand subtlety, and ye that are untaught, imbibe knowledge. Hearken unto me again; for I will speak solemn truths. For my throat shall meditate truth; and false lips are an abomination before me. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing in them wrong or perverse. They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge. For I will instruct you in truth, that your hope may be in the Lord, and ye may be filled with the Spirit.
The mouth of the righteous droppeth wisdom: but the tongue of the unjust shall perish. The lips of just men drop grace: but the mouth of the ungodly is perverse. False balances are an abomination before the Lord: but a just weight is acceptable unto Him. Wherever pride entereth, there will also disgrace: but the mouth of the humble doth meditate wisdom. The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the overthrow of the rebellious shall spoil them. Possessions shall not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness will deliver from death. When a just man dieth, he leaveth regret: but the destruction of the ungodly is speedy and causeth joy. Righteousness traceth out blameless paths: but ungodliness encountereth unjust dealing. The righteousness of upright men delivereth them: but transgressors are caught in their own destruction. At the death of a just man his hope doth not perish: but the boast of the ungodly perisheth. A righteous man escapeth from a snare, and the ungodly man is delivered up in his place. In the mouth of ungodly men is a snare for citizens: but the understanding of righteous men is prosperous. In the prosperity of righteous men a city prospereth, but at the destruction of the wicked there is exultation. At the blessing of the upright a city shall be exalted, but by the mouths of ungodly men it is overthrown. A man void of understanding sneereth at his fellow citizens: but a sensible man is quiet.
When the righteous is praised, the people will rejoice; for his memory is immortality, because it is known with God, and with men; for his soul pleased the Lord. Love wisdom, therefore, O men, and live; desire her, and ye shall be instructed. For the beginning of her is love and the observation of the law. Honor wisdom, that ye may reign for evermore. I will tell you, and will not hide from you the mysteries of God, for he it is who is the instructor of wisdom, the director of the wise, the master of all understanding and activity. And wisdom teacheth all understanding; for in her is a spirit understanding and holy, the brightness of the everlasting light, and the image of the goodness of God. She maketh friends of God, and prophets; she is more beautiful than the sun, and above all the constellations of the stars; compared with the light, she is found preëminent. She hath delivered from pain those who please her, and guided them in right paths, given them knowledge of holy things, defended them from their enemies, and given them a mighty struggle, that they might all know that godliness is stronger than all; vice shall never prevail against wisdom, neither shall judgment pass away without convicting the evil. For they said to themselves, reasoning unrighteously: Let us oppress the righteous man, let us not spare his holiness, neither need we be ashamed of the ancient gray hairs of the aged, for our strength shall be a law unto us; let us lie in wait for the righteous, for he is displeasing to us, opposeth our doings, upbraideth us with our offending the law, and denounceth to our infamy the transgressions of our training. He professeth to have the knowledge of God, and calleth himself the child of the Lord. He is become a reproof to our thoughts, and is grievous even for us to behold; for his life is not like other men’s, his ways are of another fashion. We are accounted by him as a mockery, and he avoideth our ways as filth, and pronounceth the end of the just to be blessed. Let us see if his words be true; let us test what things happen to him. Let us examine him with mockery and torture, that we may know his meekness and prove his forbearance. Let us condemn him with a shameful death, for by his own words shall he be visited. Such things did they imagine, and were deceived; for their own wickedness blinded them. As for the mysteries of God, they knew them not; neither bethought those who Thou alone art God, who hast the power of life and death, savest in time of tribulation, and deliverest from all evil; who art compassionate and merciful, givest grace to Thy saints and opposest the prideful with Thine own arm.
At Litia, these stichera, in Tone III—
O all-blessed Theophanes, all-glorious wonder-worker and helper of the faithful, vessel full to overflowing with grace, and wellspring of mercy: Pray to the Lord in our behalf, that our souls may find mercy.
O divinely wise father Theophanes, good and faithful friend of the Lord, adornment of hierarchs and glory of the fathers: As when thou wast alive, so after thy repose hath God, Who is wondrous in His saints, given thee the grace of healings. Pray now unceasingly to the Lord in our behalf, that our souls may find mercy.
O all-blessed Theophanes, faithful keeper of the words of the Gospel, who didst take up voluntary poverty as it were a treasure, and didst preserve the purity of the monastic life, providing a model of humility after the example of thy Lord: Standing now before the throne of the Almighty, pray thou earnestly in behalf of us who keep thy sacred memory.
Glory…, in Tone VIII—
Today is the Monastery of Vyshensk adorned, and the whole Orthodox Church keepeth festival, celebrating thy memorial, O holy hierarch Theophanes; for through thee did the Lord reveal wondrous and all-glorious miracles when He was pleased to glorify thy precious relics . Wherefore, we hasten to thee and pray: Make entreaty for us unto the Lord, that our souls may find mercy.
Now & ever…, of the feast, the composition of Anatolius, in Tone VIII—
Today creation is enlightened! Today all things are glad, those of heaven and those on earth! Angels and men mingle together! For where the King arriveth, there doth order prevail. Wherefore, let us all hasten to the Jordan and see how John baptizeth the sinless head which no man fashioned. And, chanting the cry of the angel, let us exclaim together: The grace of God hath appeared, saving all men, illumining and granting mercy unto the faithful!
Translated by Isaac Lambertsen. Edition menaion.en.lambertsen.