At Great Vespers

After the Introductory Psalm, we chant “Blessed is the man…”, the first antiphon.

A Reading from the Prophecy of Isaiah

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 8 stichera: 3 of the feast, in Tone VI: Spec. Mel.: “Go ye before us, O angelic hosts…”—

Troparion of the martyrs, in Tone II—

A Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon

O my Jesus, Who art the radiant and self-shining Light which illumineth men: baptized in the streams of the Jordan, Thou hast greatly illumined all. O Christ, Thou Light Who art consubstantial with Thy Father, all creation, illumined by Thee, crieth to Thee: Blessed art Thou Who hast appeared! O our God, glory be to Thee!

Glory…, Now & ever…: Troparion of the feast, in Tone I—

Come ye, and let us noetically purify our senses, that we may partake to repletion of divine glory; and, beholding Christ baptized in the flesh and crushing the head of the deceiver, let us cry out to Him, chanting with joy: Blessed art Thou Who hast appeared! O our God, glory be to Thee!

Troparion of the feast, in Tone I—

In Thy loving-kindness, O my Jesus Who lovest mankind, in the River Jordan Thou dost give living water as drink to us who are burning with thirst. And, drinking of Thee, the light-bearing Wellspring of immortality, we chant: Blessed art Thou Who hast appeared! O our God, glory be to Thee!

And 5 stichera of the martyrs, idiomela, in Tone VIII—

What shall we call you, O holy ones, in that ye crushed the hordes of the demons and shattered their darts by your mighty suffering at the hands of tormentors? For ye stood fearlessly for the Orthodox Faith of Christ, for which ye bravely gave your bodies over to torture, O ye holy seventy-two martyrs, with Isidore your teacher; and by your suffering, O honored ones, ye have gladdened the Holy Church of Christ. Heal us who are sick with sin, O godly martyrs, in that ye have boldness before the Lord, Who hath received baptism from a servant. Twice

What shall we name thee, O valiant priest Isidore? For thou didst lead to Christ a regiment of martyrs, and with them hast glorified the Orthodox Faith of your fathers in the face of the vain-minded Latins, and didst cast down their strange doctrines and false persuasions by the power of Christ Who by His baptism hath crushed the heads of the serpents in the Jordan, that He might save us and wash away the multitude of our sins through the entreaties of His martyrs, in that He is compassionate and loveth mankind. Twice

What shall we call you, O holy and right victorious martyrs of Christ, with your sacred teacher Isidore? For, having preserved the law of the Lord inviolate, ye maintained the pious worship of Christians and put the prideful tyrants to shame through the power of Christ our Savior, Who hath been baptized in the Jordan. Him do ye beseech, O martyrs of the Lord, that we be delivered from the outer darkness and the fire of Gehenna, and that our souls may be saved.

Glory…, in Tone V—

Rejoice, O Isidore, thou priest of God, valiant minister of the mysteries of Christ, having with thee the equally zealous assembly of seventy-two martyrs, for like a star of surpassing radiance thou hast shone forth in the firmament of the Church, didst manifestly preach the consubstantial and indivisible Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit Who proceedeth from the Father—before the malicious Roman bishop and many people, denouncing the Latin faith. Wherefore, your holy bodies were committed to the river’s streams, O martyrs of Christ, yet were later cast up upon dry land by the providence of God; and Christ hath given rest to your spirits in the mansions of heaven. And now, O holy martyrs who died for the Orthodox Faith, entreat Christ God, that our souls may be saved.

Now & ever…, of the feast, 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:

Thus saith the Lord: All the nations are gathered together, and princes shall be gathered out of them. Who will declare these things, or who will declare to you things from the beginning? Let them bring forth their witnesses, and be justified; and let them hear, and declare the truth. Be ye My witnesses, and I too am a witness, saith the Lord God, and My servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know, and believe, and understand that I am He; before Me there was no other God, and after Me there shall be none. I am God; and beside Me there is no Savior. I have declared, and have saved; I have reproached, and there was no strange god among you. Ye are My witnesses, and I am the Lord God, even from the beginning; and there is none that can deliver out of My hands. I will work, and who shall turn it back? Thus saith the Lord God Who redeemeth you, the Holy One of Israel.

The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery, and their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace. For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality. And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for Himself. As gold in the furnace hath He tried them and received them as a burnt offering. And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble. They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign forever. Those who put their trust in Him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with Him: for grace and mercy is to His saints, and He hath care for His elect.

Reading from the Wisdom of Solomon [5:15-6:3]

The righteous live for evermore; their reward also is with the Lord, and the care of them is with the Most High. Therefore shall they receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown from the Lord’s hand: for with His right hand shall He cover them, and with His arm shall He protect them. He shall take to Him His jealousy for complete armor, and make the creature His weapon for the revenge of His enemies. He shall put on righteousness as a breastplate, and true judgement for an invincible shield. His severe wrath shall He sharpen for a sword, and the world shall fight with Him against the unwise. Then shall the right-aiming thunderbolts go abroad; and from the clouds, as from a well drawn bow, shall they be cast as out of a stone bow, and the water of the sea shall rage against them, and the floods shall cruelly drown them. Yea, a mighty wind shall stand up against them, and like a storm shall blow them away: thus iniquity shall lay waste the whole earth, and ill dealing shall overthrow the thrones of the mighty. Hear, therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth. Give ear, ye that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations. For power is given you by the Lord, and sovereignty from the Most High.

At Litia, the sticheron of the feast, the composition of Cosmas the Monk, idiomelon, in Tone IV—

He that doth clothe Himself with light as it were with a garment hath deigned for our sake to become like as we are; and today He is covered with the streams of the Jordan, though He hath no need to be purified by them, but that, through the cleansing He receiveth, He might Himself bestow regeneration upon us. Oh, the wonder! Without fire Christ God, the Savior of our souls, casteth anew, and without shattering He fashioneth, and He saveth those who are enlightened in Him.

Of the martyrs, in Tone I—

Great is the wonder! On the holy feast, the enemies of the Trinity prevent the wondrous Isidore and his flock from sanctifying the waters; yet having steadfastly resisted the persuasion of the heretics, the holy martyrs are thrust down through the ice by the ungodly, thereby sanctifying the river by their martyric death. O ye who love the saints of the Church, rejoice and be glad, for the martyrs, having received their reward from Christ in the heavens, pray fervently in behalf of those who honor their ineffable sacrifice.

Glory…, of the martyrs, in Tone II—

Come, ye who love the martyrs, and let us noetically enjoy today the spiritual banquet which the seventy-three martyrs of the Lord have set before us. As ye dwell in spirit with the angels, O athletes of Christ, entreat ye Christ the Savior, that He grant remission of sins unto us who with faith celebrate your honored memory.

Now & ever…, 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!

Aposticha stichera of the martyrs, in Tone VI: Spec. Mel.: “As one valiant among the martyrs…”—

The wrathful tyrant sought to cow you with multifarious threats that he would give your bodies over to grievous tortures, O godly minded martyrs; yet ye did not fall away from the Orthodox Faith of Christ, but endured suffering in prison, and received a bitter death in the expectation of future reward and immortal glory.

Stichos: The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them.

Let the wondrous, divine and all-wise passion-bearers be honored with sacred hymns, for, in preaching Orthodoxy before the enemy in sacred manner, they extinguished ungodly falsehood by their sufferings, and have received that glory which fadeth not away.

Stichos: Many are the tribulations of the righteous, and the Lord shall deliver them out of them all.

Ye put to shame the lawless tyrant who iniquitously commanded you to confess an erroneous faith, O blessed and wise martyrs of great renown; and, suffering patiently, ye wove wreaths of victory, praying for the world.

Glory…, idiomelon, in Tone IV—

Breathing forth insatiable love for Christ, ye refused to renounce Orthodoxy, O holy seventy-two martyrs with your teacher, the sacred Isidore, and ye endured divers insults and ill treatment; yet, strengthened by Christ, ye set at naught the audacity of the torturers, O holy ones, and, holding to the Faith of Christ without wavering, ye have been translated to the heavens, to the Creator of all, for Whom ye suffered. Wherefore, as ye have boldness before Him, ask ye that He grant peace and great mercy to our souls.

Now & ever…, of the feast, the composition of Theophanes, in Tone VI—

Beholding the Sun Who shone forth from the Virgin asking for baptism in the Jordan, the radiant luminary who shone forth from the barren woman cried out to Him with fear and joy: “Do Thou sanctify me by Thy divine epiphany, O Master!”

O blessed passion-bearers of the Lord, ye preached the Orthodox Faith of Christ with boldness, and at the tribunal denounced the false doctrines of the enemy; wherefore, ye were cast into the depths of the river, O holy ones, yet your souls have made their abode in the mansions of heaven, where, standing with the saints before the throne of God, the King of all, ye pray to Him for all Orthodox people who hold your struggles in honor.

When Thou wast baptized in the Jordan, O Lord, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest: for the voice of the Father bore witness unto Thee, calling Thee His beloved Son; and the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the certainty of the word. O Christ God, Who hast appeared and enlightened the world, glory be to Thee!

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera: 3 for the venerable George, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “As one valiant among the martyrs…”—

The assaults of evil thoughts, O blessed one, did not shake the battlements of thy soul; for, setting forth thy steadfast asceticism like a rampart, thou didst keep thyself unwounded and utterly unharmed by the cruel adversary, and, crowned as a victor, thou didst stand before the Master of all.

Exhausted by lying long in one place, afflicted with tears, and worn out by standing in night-long vigils of prayer, thou becamest a most magnificent example for monks, a model for all and a crown of praise. For thou didst master every form of the virtues and wast shown to be an heir to the kingdom on high through asceticism, O wise one.

Neither the length of the road, nor the harshness of thy surroundings, O venerable one, were able to weaken the fervor of thy journey toward God; and arriving and making thine abode in the places where the feet of our God once walked, thou didst not spare thyself in any way until thou didst reach the heavenly Sion through abstinence and pangs.

And 3 stichera of the venerable Domnica, in the same tone: Spec. Mel.: “Thou hast given a sign…”—

Showing the desire of thy heart, with compunction thou didst water the earth with tears, O glorious one, and didst wipe the footstool of Christ with thy hair; and, mindful of Him, and beholding Him as present, thou didst love Him and follow His footsteps in thought. And thou didst enlighten thy soul with most divine visions.

Thou didst shine forth from the western lands even unto the East, O most blessed one, as radiant as a most radiant star with the beams of thy virtuous works, O venerable one; and thou hast illumined the thoughts of the faithful with the splendor of thy miracles. Wherefore, we call thee blessed and honor thy memory, magnifying Christ Who hath glorified thee with honor.

Wounded with desire for the love of Christ, O most lauded Domnica, thou didst follow after Him, having spurned corruptible glory, the pleasures of the flesh and every other delight of life. Wherefore, Jesus, the Savior of our souls, Who loveth mankind, hath caused thee to dwell in a most splendid bridal-chamber.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone I—

He Who clotheth the sky with clouds is clothed today with the streams of the Jordan; He Who taketh away the sin of the world is cleansed with my cleansing. And He is borne witness to from on high by His kindred Spirit, as the only-begotten Son of the Father Most High. To Him let us cry aloud: O Christ our God Who hast appeared and saved us, glory to Thee!

Aposticha stichera, in Tone VI: Spec. Mel.: “Go ye before us, O angelic hosts…”—

O my Jesus, Who art the radiant and self-shining Light which illumineth men: baptized in the streams of the Jordan, Thou hast greatly illumined all. O Christ, Thou Light Who art consubstantial with Thy Father, all creation, illumined by Thee, crieth to Thee: Blessed art Thou Who hast appeared! O our God, glory be to Thee!

Stichos: The sea beheld and fled, Jordan turned back.

Come ye, and let us noetically purify our senses, that we may partake to repletion of divine glory; and, beholding Christ baptized in the flesh and crushing the head of the deceiver, let us cry out to Him, chanting with joy: Blessed art Thou Who hast appeared! O our God, glory be to Thee!

Stichos: What aileth thee, O sea, that thou fleddest? And thou Jordan, that thou didst turn back?

In Thy loving-kindness, O my Jesus Who lovest mankind, in the River Jordan Thou dost give living water as drink to us who are burning with thirst. And, drinking of Thee, the light-bearing Wellspring of immortality, we chant: Blessed art Thou Who hast appeared! O our God, glory be to Thee!

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone II—

Seeing Thee coming to him at the River Jordan, John said: “O Christ God, wherefore hast Thou come to Thy servant? O Lord, since Thou art free of defilement, in whose name shall I baptize Thee? The Father? But Thou bearest Him within Thee. The Son? But Thou Thyself art Him incarnate. The Holy Spirit? Thou knowest how to give Him to the mouths of the faithful. O God Who hast appeared, have mercy upon us!

When Thou wast baptized in the Jordan, O Lord, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest: for the voice of the Father bore witness unto Thee, calling Thee His beloved Son; and the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the certainty of the word. O Christ God, Who hast appeared and enlightened the world, glory be to Thee!