The First Hour

At the beginning of the second hour [i.e., 8 o’clock in the morning], the bells are rung. When we have assembled in church, the priest vesteth in epitrachelion and phelonion, and the deacon in sticharion. The paraecclesiarch setteth forth an analogion, suitably adorned, facing the royal doors, and he lighteth a candle on a candle-stand. The priest entereth the nave of the church, or the refectory, through the royal doors, the deacon preceding him and bearing a censer. The priest setteth the Holy Gospel on the analogion and, standing before the analogion, intoneth the usual beginning: “Blessed is our God…” The reader respondeth: “Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee!”, “O heavenly King…”, and the rest. And after the exclamation [following the Lord’s Prayer], the priest censeth round the analogion on which the Holy Gospel resteth, and then censeth the rest of the icons, the whole temple, the superior and the brethren. And the reader readeth:

Then, Trisagion through Our Father… Kontakion of the forefeast, in Tone IV—

Then these stichera, the composition of Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem, are each chanted twice—

In Tone VIII: Today the nature of the waters is sanctified: the Jordan parteth and turneth back the streams of its waters, beholding the Master baptized.

Now & ever…: Theotokion—

Glory…: Troparion of the forefeast, in Tone IV—

Psalm 5

Then the first choir, resuming, chanteth the stichos:

And the second choir also chanteth the foregoing sticheron, without any stichos.

Unto my words give ear, O Lord; hear my cry. Attend unto the voice of my supplication, O my King and my God; for unto Thee will I pray, O Lord. In the morning Thou shalt hear my voice. In the morning shall I stand before Thee, and Thou shalt look upon me; for not a God that willest iniquity art Thou. He that worketh evil shall not dwell near Thee, nor shall transgressors abide before Thine eyes. Thou hast hated all those who work iniquity; Thou shalt destroy all those who speak a lie. A man that is bloody and deceitful shall the Lord abhor. But as for me, in the multitude of Thy mercy shall I go into Thy house; I shall worship toward Thy holy temple in fear of Thee. O Lord, guide me in the way of Thy righteousness; because of mine enemies, make straight my way before Thee, For in their mouth there is no truth; their heart is vain. Their throat is an open sepulchre, with their tongues have they spoken deceitfully; judge them, O God. Let them fall down on account of their own devisings; according to the multitude of their ungodliness, cast them out, for they have embittered Thee, O Lord. And let all them be glad that hope in Thee; they shall ever rejoice, and Thou shalt dwell among them. And all shall glory in Thee that love Thy name, for Thou shalt bless the righteous. O Lord, as with a shield of Thy good pleasure hast Thou crowned us.

A Reading from the Prophecy of Isaiah

Therefore will I remember Thee from the land of Jordan and Hermoniem.

Psalm 22

Deacon: Wisdom, stand aright! Let us listen to the Holy Gospel.

O Christ our King, Thou hast come as a man to the river, and dost hasten to receive the baptism of a servant at the hand of the Forerunner because of our sins, O Good One Who lovest mankind.

The Lord is my shepherd, and I shall not want. In a place of green pasture, there hath He made me to dwell; beside the water of rest hath He nurtured me. He hath converted my soul, He hath led me on the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they have comforted me. Thou hast prepared a table before me in the presence of those who afflict me. Thou hast anointed my head with oil, and Thy cup which filleth me, how excellent it is! And Thy mercy shall pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days.

Priest: Peace be unto all.

And the second choir chanteth the second stichos:

Psalm 26

Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew, §5 [Mt. 3: 1-11]

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

The Lord is my light and my savior; whom then shall I fear? The Lord is the defender of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid? When the wicked draw nigh against me to eat my flesh, those who afflict me and are mine enemies, they themselves became weak and they fell. Though a host should array itself against me, my heart shall not be afraid; though war should rise up against me, in this have I hoped. One thing have I asked of the Lord, this will I seek after: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may behold the delight of the Lord, and that I may visit His holy temple. For He hid me in His tabernacle in the day of my troubles, He sheltered me in the secret place of His tabernacle, upon a rock hath He exalted me. And now, behold, He exalted my head above mine enemies. I went round about and I sacrificed in His tabernacle a sacrifice of praise and jubilation; I will sing and I will chant unto the Lord. Hearken, O Lord, unto my voice, wherewith I cried; have mercy on me, and hearken unto me. My heart said unto Thee: I will seek the Lord. My face hath sought after Thee; Thy face, O Lord, will I seek. Turn not Thy face from me and turn not away in wrath from Thy servant. Be Thou my helper; cast me not utterly away, and forsake me not, O God my Savior. For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord hath taken me to Himself. Set me a law, O Lord, in Thy way, and lead me in the right path because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the souls of those who afflict me, for unjust witnesses are risen up against me, and injustice hath lied to itself. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be thou manful, and let thy heart be strengthened, and wait on the Lord.

Priest: O God, have pity on us and bless us; cause Thy face to shine upon us, and have mercy on us.

Then, the foregoing sticheron is repeated.

Glory…, Now & ever…

Then, the reader readeth this prayer—

Glory…, in the same tone—

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Glory to Thee, O God! Thrice

To the voice of one crying in the wilderness “Prepare ye the way of the Lord!” didst Thou come, O Lord, having assumed the guise of a servant, asking baptism, although Thou knewest not sin. The waters saw Thee and were afraid, and the Forerunner trembled and cried out, saying: “How can I enlighten the Beacon of light? How can a servant set his hand upon his Master? Sanctify me and the waters, O Savior Who takest away the sin of the world!”

Once, the River Jordan was turned back by the mantle of Elisha when Elijah was borne aloft, and the waters were parted on either side, and the path which before was wet became dry for him, as a true image of baptism, whereby we pass through the flow of life. Christ hath appeared in the Jordan to sanctify the waters.

Now & ever…: The foregoing is repeated.

What shall we call thee, O thou who art full of grace? Heaven, for thou hast shone forth upon us the Sun of righteousness. Paradise, for thou hast put forth the Flower of immortality. Pure Mother, for thou didst have in thy holy embrace the Son Who is God of all. Him do thou entreat, that our souls be saved.

Then, the prokimenon, in Tone IV—

The voice of the Lord hath thundered from heaven, the Most High hath given forth His voice.

Stichos: I will love Thee, O Lord, my strength; the Lord is my confirmation.

Thus saith the Lord: “Be glad, thou thirsty desert: let the wilderness exult and flower as the lily.” And the desert places of Jordan shall blossom and rejoice; the glory of Lebanon hath been given unto it, and the honor of Carmel; and my people shall see the glory of the Lord and the majesty of God. Be strong, ye feeble hands and palsied knees. Comfort one another, ye faint-hearted; be strong, fear not. Behold, our God rendereth judgment, and He will render it; He will come and save us. Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall hear. Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the stammerers shall speak plainly: for water hath burst forth in the desert, and a channel of water in a thirsty land. And the dry land shall become pools, and a fountain of water shall be poured into the thirsty land; there shall there be a joy of birds, ready habitations and marshes. There shall be there a pure way, and it shall be called a holy way; and there shall not pass by there any unclean person, neither shall there be there an unclean way; but the dispersed shall walk on it, and they shall not go astray. And there shall be no lion there, neither shall any evil beast go up upon it, nor at all be found there; but the redeemed and gathered on the Lord’s behalf shall walk in it, and shall return, and come to Sion with joy, and everlasting joy shall be over their head; for on their head shall be praise and exultation, and joy shall take possession of them: sorrow and pain, and groaning have fled away.

Acts of the Apostles, § 33 [Acts 13: 25-33]

In those days, as John fulfilled his course, he said: “Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh One after me, Whose shoes of His feet I am not worthy to loose.” Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. For those who dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew Him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning Him. And though they found no cause of death in Him, yet desired they Pilate that He should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of Him, they took Him down from the Tree, and laid Him in a sepulchre. But God raised Him from the dead: and He was seen many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses unto the people.

People: And to thy spirit.

People: Glory to Thee, O God, glory to Thee!

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judæa, And saying: “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is He Who was spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah, saying: ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.’” And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judæa, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them: “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He Who cometh after me is mightier than I, Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire.”

People: Glory to Thee, O God, glory to Thee!

My steps do Thou direct according to Thy saying, and let no iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the false accusation of men, and I will keep Thy commandments. Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant, and teach me Thy statutes.

Let my mouth be filled with praise, that I may hymn Thy glory and Thy majesty all the day long.

In the streams of the Jordan the Lord crieth out to John today: Fear not to baptize Me, for I have come to save Adam the first-created!

Lord, have mercy! Forty times

O Christ God, Thou Long-suffering, greatly Merciful and exceedingly Compassionate One, Who at all times and at every hour, in heaven and on earth, art worshipped and glorified; Who lovest the righteous and hast mercy on the sinful; Who callest all to salvation in the promise of good things to come: do Thou Thyself, O Lord, accept also our prayers at this hour, and guide our life toward Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, purify our bodies; set our minds aright; and cleanse our thoughts. And deliver us from every sorrow, evil and pain. Protect us by Thy holy angels, that, preserved and guided by their array, we may attain unto the unity of the Faith and to the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy! Thrice

Glory…, Now & ever…

We magnify thee, the Theotokos, who art more honorable than the cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the seraphim, and without corruption gavest birth to God the Word.

In the name of the Lord, father, bless!

O Christ, Thou true Light Who enlightenest and sanctifiest every man who cometh into the world: let the light of Thy countenance be signed upon us, that therein we may behold the unapproachable light; and guide our steps to the doing of Thy commandments, through the supplications of Thine all-pure Mother and of all Thy saints. Amen.