Very Rev. Archpriest Bohdan Hladio

NATIVITY OF THE HOLY PROPHET, FORERUNNER, AND BAPTIST OF THE LORD, JOHN

(June 24 | July 7)

MAGNIFICATION:

We magnify you, Forerunner of the Saviour, John, and we venerate your most glorious birth from a barren mother.

After each verse, we repeat the Magnification.

1. And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest.
2. For you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways.
3. Тo guide our feet into the way of peace.
4. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

TROPAR, TONE 4:

O Prophet and Forerunner of the coming of Christ, all we who honour you with love are at a loss to praise you worthily. For the barrenness of your mother and the silence of your father have been ended by your glorious and honourable nativity, and the incarnation of the Son of God is preached to the world.

KONDAK, TONE 3:

She who once was barren today bears the Forerunner of Christ, who is the fulfillment of every prophecy. For he, in the Jordan, laid his hand on Him Whom the prophets preached, and was revealed as Prophet, Preacher and Forerunner of the Word of God.

PROKEIMEN, TONE 7:

(Psalm 63:11, 2)

The righteous man shall rejoice in the Lord and hope in Him.
Verse: Hearken, O God, unto my prayer, when I make supplication unto You.

EPISTLE:

Romans 13:11-14:4

¹¹And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
¹²The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
¹³Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
¹⁴But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

Chapter 14

¹Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.
²For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.
³Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.
⁴Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

ALLELUIA VERSES, TONE 3:

(Luke 1:68, 72)

Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people.
Verse: And You, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High.

GOSPEL:

Luke 1:5-25, 57-68, 76, 80

⁵There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
⁶And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
⁷But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
⁸So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,
⁹according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
¹⁰And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
¹¹Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
¹²And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
¹³But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
¹⁴And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
¹⁵For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
¹⁶And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
¹⁷He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
¹⁸And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
¹⁹And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.
²⁰But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”
²¹And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.
²²But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.
²³So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.
²⁴Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,
²⁵“Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

⁵⁷Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.
⁵⁸When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.
⁵⁹So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.
⁶⁰His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”
⁶¹But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”
⁶²So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called.
⁶³And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled.
⁶⁴Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.
⁶⁵Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea.
⁶⁶And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.
⁶⁷Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
⁶⁸“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people,

⁷⁶“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways.

⁸⁰So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.

COMMUNION VERSE:

(Psalm 111:6)

The righteous man shall be in everlasting remembrance. He shall not fear evil tidings. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.