day 24

June 24: Nativity of the Honorable & Glorious Prophet & Forerunner John the Baptist

On “Lord, I have cried…”, 4 stichera, in Tone IV: Spec. Mel.: “Called from on high…” —

Now & ever…: Theotokion —

Troparion, in Tone IV —

The 24th Day of the MONTH OF JUNE

Thou wast born of a barren womb, O glorious forerunner of the coming of Christ, who hast loosed the barrenness of our hearts, giving utterance to our souls and fruitfulness in faith and truth. Thou art manifestly known to be the far-famed voice of the Word, the clarion-voiced herald of repentance, the divine mediator between the old and the new covenants, whose nativity we in gladness celebrate with love. Twice

Glory…, Now & ever…: Theotokion —

Commemoration of the Nativity of the Honorable & Glorious Prophet & Forerunner John the Baptist

Now the fatted calf of abstinence is born of the barren one, and pointeth out to us the Lamb Who was born of the Virgin Maiden and taketh away the sins of the world. He hath manifestly shone forth as a turtledove who loveth the wilderness, the harbinger of the coming of the divine spring; and at the sound of his voice the cruel winter of ungodliness hath ceased, for John, the true friend of the Bridegroom, hath splendidly arrived, praying that our souls be saved.

AT LITTLE VESPERS

O thou who wast born in accordance with the promise of God: when thy father was praying in the temple and the all-wondrous and great archangel announced thy nativity, then, as it is written, Gabriel sentenced the priest, who would not believe and protested, to be mute and deaf until thy birth. But when thou, O blessed forerunner, wast born, thou didst free the bonds of thy father’s tongue, and prayest in behalf of us all.

Glory…: Idiomelon, in Tone VIII —

Sweet fragrance is meet for John; the beauty of hymns is fitting for the Baptist; for the warrior of the King, the Forerunner of grace, proclaimed the beginning of our salvation, leaping up in his mother’s womb and crying out in the wilderness, announcing the Lamb and entreating the Savior in behalf of our souls.

O Mistress, accept the supplications of thy servants, and deliver us from all want and grief.

At the aposticha, these stichera, in Tone II: Spec. Mel.: “O house of Ephratha…” —

Thou didst cause thy tongue, to shine forth with splendor, crying out, O Zechariah: “This child will be a prophet of God and the Forerunner of the divine Word!”

Stichos: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He hath visited and wrought deliverance for His people.

From thy mother’s womb, O John, thou wast shown to be sanctified for God; for no one greater than thee hath ever arisen among men.

Stichos: And thou, O child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High.

Thou didst loose the muteness of thy father, O all-blessed one, as thou didst likewise open the lock of thy mother’s barrenness, when thou wast born through grace divine.

Glory…, Now & ever…, in Tone VIII —

Behold Elizabeth, who saith to the Virgin Mary: “Wherefore hast thou come to me, O Mother of my Lord? Thou bearest the King, I the warrior; thou the Law-giver, I the upholder of the law; thou the Word, I the voice which proclaimeth the kingdom of heaven!”

O prophet and forerunner of the coming of Christ, we who honor thee with love are at a loss how to praise thee worthily; for by thy glorious and honored nativity thou didst loose the barrenness of her who gave birth to thee and the muteness of thy father, and dost proclaim unto the world the incarnation of the Son of God.

The mystery hidden from before the ages and unknown even to the angels, through thee, O Theotokos, hath been revealed to those on earth: God incarnate in unconfused union, Who of His own will accepted the Cross for our sake and, thereby raising up the first-formed man, hath saved our souls from death.