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Menaion - February 24

Finding of Forerunner’s Head

__________

VESPERS

PRIEST

Blessed is our God always, now and forever and to the ages of ages.

( Amen. )

While the Introductory Psalm is being read, the Priest stands in front of the holy Table and reads the so-called Lamp-lighting Prayers.

READER

Come, let us worship and bow down before God our King.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ God our King.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Him, Christ our King and God.

Stand for the reading of the Introductory Psalm.

Psalm 103 (104).

Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, You are magnified exceedingly; You clothe Yourself with thanksgiving and majesty, who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, who stretch out the heavens like a curtain; You are He who covers His upper chambers with water, who makes the clouds His means of approach, who walks on the wings of the winds, who makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire. He established the earth on its stable foundation; it shall not be moved unto ages of ages. The deep like a garment is His covering; the waters shall stand upon the mountains; at Your rebuke they shall flee; at the sound of Your thunder, they shall be afraid. The mountains rise up, and the plains sink down to the place You founded for them. You set a boundary they shall not pass over; neither shall they return to cover the earth. You are He who sends springs into the valley; the waters shall pass between the mountains; they shall give drink to all the wild animals of the field; the wild asses shall quench their thirst; the birds of heaven shall dwell beside them; they shall sing from the midst of the rocks. You are He who waters the mountains from His higher places; the earth shall be satisfied with the fruit of Your works. You are He who causes grass to grow for the cattle, and the green plant for the service of man, to bring forth bread from the earth; and wine gladdens the heart of man, to brighten his face with oil; and bread strengthens man’s heart. The trees of the plain shall be full of fruit, the cedars of Lebanon, which You planted; there the sparrows shall make their nests; the house of the heron takes the lead among them. The high mountains are for the deer; the cliff is a refuge for the rabbits. He made the moon for seasons; the sun knows its setting. You established darkness, and it was night, wherein all the wild animals of the forest will prowl about; the young lions roar and snatch their prey, and seek their food from God. The sun arises, and they are gathered together; and they shall be put to bed in their dens. Man shall go out to his work and to his labor until evening. O Lord, Your works shall be magnified greatly; You made all things in wisdom; the earth was filled with Your creation. There is this great and spacious sea: the creeping things are there without number; the living things are there, both small and great; there the ships pass through; there is this dragon You formed to play therein. All things wait upon You, that You may give them food in due season. When You give it to them, they shall gather it; when You open Your hand, all things shall be filled with Your goodness. But when You turn Your face away, they shall be troubled; when You take away their breath, they shall die and return again to their dust. You shall send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth. Let the glory of the Lord be forever; the Lord shall be glad in His works; He looks upon the earth and makes it tremble; He touches the mountains, and they smoke. I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing to my God as long as I exist; may my words be pleasing to Him, and I shall be glad in the Lord. May sinners cease from the earth, and the lawless, so as to be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul.

The sun knows its setting. You established darkness, and it was night.

O Lord, Your works shall be magnified greatly; You made all things in wisdom. [SAAS]

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Glory to You, O God. (3)

Our hope, O Lord, glory to You.

DEACON

In peace, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For the peace from above and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For the peace of the whole world, for the stability of the holy churches of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For this holy house and for those who enter it with faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For pious and Orthodox Christians, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For our Archbishop (name), for the honorable presbyterate, for the diaconate in Christ, and for all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For our country, the president, all those in public service, and for our armed forces everywhere, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For the Holy and Great Church of Christ, for our Sacred Archdiocese, [for this Sacred Metropolis,] for this city and parish, for every city and land, and for the faithful who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For those who travel by land, sea, and air, for the sick, the suffering, the captives and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and distress, let us pray to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.

( Lord, have mercy. )

Remembering our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.

( To You, O Lord. )

PRIEST

For to You belong all glory, honor, and worship, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.

( Amen. )

CHOIR

Mode pl. 1.

Lord, I have cried to You; hear me. Hear me, O Lord. Lord, I have cried to You; hear me. Give heed to the voice of my supplication when I cry to You. Hear me, O Lord. [SAAS]

Let my prayer be set forth before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Hear me, O Lord. [SAAS]

Show Stichologia

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, a door of enclosure about my lips.

Incline not my heart to evil words, to make excuses in sins.

With men who work lawlessness; and I will not join with their choice ones.

The righteous man shall correct me with mercy, and he shall reprove me; but let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head.

For my prayer shall be intense in the presence of their pleasures. Their judges are swallowed up by the rock.

They shall hear my words, for they are pleasant. As a clod of ground is dashed to pieces on the earth, so their bones were scattered beside the grave.

For my eyes, O Lord, O Lord, are toward You; in You I hope; take not my soul away.

Keep me from the snares they set for me, and from the stumbling blocks of those who work lawlessness.

Sinners shall fall into their own net; I am alone, until I escape.

I cried to the Lord with my voice, with my voice I prayed to the Lord.

I shall pour out my supplication before Him; I shall declare my affliction in His presence.

When my spirit fainted within me, then You knew my paths.

For on the way I was going, they hid a trap for me.

I looked on my right, and saw there was no one who knew me.

Refuge failed me, and there was no one who cared for my soul.

I cried to You, O Lord; I said, “You are my hope, my portion in the land of the living.”

Attend to my supplication, for I was humbled exceedingly.

Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I.

Bring my soul out of prison to give thanks to Your name, O Lord.

The righteous shall wait for me, until You reward me.

Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice.

Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

Hide Stichologia

Stichera. For the Forerunner.

From Menaion - - -

Mode pl. 1. Rejoice.

Χαίροις ἀσκητικῶν.

If You, O Lord, should mark transgression, O Lord, who would stand? For there is forgiveness with You. [SAAS]

Rejoice, O sacred Head of St. John. * You are resplendent, and revered by angelic hosts. * Of old you were by a sword cut, for by your cutting reproofs * you cut off the shame of immorality. * O well-spring of miracles, you refresh the believers all. * The saving advent of the Savior you heralded. * And in former times you observed as the Spirit flew * down at the baptism of Christ, and how It remained on Him. * You mediated between both the Old and New Testament of grace. * To Christ pray intently, * and beseech that His great mercy be granted to our souls. [SD]

Because of Your law, O Lord, I waited for You; my soul waited for Your word. My soul hopes in the Lord. [SAAS]

Rejoice, O sacred Head of St. John. * You are resplendent, and revered by angelic hosts. * Of old you were by a sword cut, for by your cutting reproofs * you cut off the shame of immorality. * O well-spring of miracles, you refresh the believers all. * The saving advent of the Savior you heralded. * And in former times you observed as the Spirit flew * down at the baptism of Christ, and how It remained on Him. * You mediated between both the Old and New Testament of grace. * To Christ pray intently, * and beseech that His great mercy be granted to our souls. [SD]

From the morning watch until night; from the morning watch until night, let Israel hope in the Lord. [SAAS]

Hidden inside a vessel of clay * for many years, the sacred head of the Forerunner * was manifestly recovered out of the bowels of the earth, * and it gushes forth with streams of miracles. * Indeed in the Jordan’s streams he had baptized the head of Christ, * the Lord who showers God’s forgiveness on mortal man, * and who covers lofts with the waters, as David said, * Therefore let us proclaim as blest this truly all-lauded head, * and let us joyfully keep feast and celebrate its discovery, * as it now entreats Christ * and beseeches Him to grant His great mercy to the world. [SD]

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption; and He shall redeem Israel from all his transgressions. [SAAS]

Hidden inside a vessel of clay * for many years, the sacred head of the Forerunner * was manifestly recovered out of the bowels of the earth, * and it gushes forth with streams of miracles. * Indeed in the Jordan’s streams he had baptized the head of Christ, * the Lord who showers God’s forgiveness on mortal man, * and who covers lofts with the waters, as David said, * Therefore let us proclaim as blest this truly all-lauded head, * and let us joyfully keep feast and celebrate its discovery, * as it now entreats Christ * and beseeches Him to grant His great mercy to the world. [SD]

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; praise Him, all you peoples. [SAAS]

Here is the holy Forerunner’s head * that had announced the Lamb of God in the flesh appeared. * By means of divine instructions that it proclaimed, it affirmed * the salvific ways of repentance to all. * Because it had formerly censured Herod’s iniquity, * this head was cut off from the body of Prophet John, * and it then endured being hidden for many years. * Later it rose up like a sun and shone forth its light on us, * and once again it is crying, Repent, and come and submit yourselves, * with heartfelt compunction, * to the Lord who is bestowing great mercy on the world. [SD]

For His mercy rules over us; and the truth of the Lord endures forever. [SAAS]

Here is the holy Forerunner’s head * that had announced the Lamb of God in the flesh appeared. * By means of divine instructions that it proclaimed, it affirmed * the salvific ways of repentance to all. * Because it had formerly censured Herod’s iniquity, * this head was cut off from the body of Prophet John, * and it then endured being hidden for many years. * Later it rose up like a sun and shone forth its light on us, * and once again it is crying, Repent, and come and submit yourselves, * with heartfelt compunction, * to the Lord who is bestowing great mercy on the world. [SD]

Glory.

From Menaion - - -

Mode pl. 2.

Your precious head, which is guarded by God, has arisen from the hollows of the earth, O Forerunner, and it is a treasure of godly gifts, which we have faithfully retrieved. And as we venerate it, we are enriched by you, O glorious Baptist of Christ, with extraordinary miracles and forgiveness of offenses. [SD]

Both now. Mode 4.

From Octoechos - - -

The First Theotokion of the Mode.

By you, O Lady, the Prophet David became an ancestor of God. Long ago, he sang a Psalm to Him, who would do great things for you: “The Queen stood at Your right hand.” God chose you to be the mother who would engender Life. For it was His good pleasure to become human from you without father, so that He could refashion His image, which had become distorted by the passions, and so that He could find the lost sheep that had gone astray on the mountains, and carry it on His shoulders, and bring it to His Father, and reunite it with the heavenly hosts, as He willed, and so that He could save the world, O Theotokos, since He is Christ, and He has the great and rich mercy. [GOASD]

Stand for the Entrance.

DEACON (in a low voice)

Let us pray to the Lord.

PRIEST (in a low voice)

ENTRANCE PRAYER

In the evening, in the morning, and at midday, we praise You, we bless You, we give thanks to You, and we pray to You, Master of all, benevolent Lord. Let our prayer be set forth before You as incense. Incline not our hearts to evil words or thoughts, but deliver us all from those who pursue our souls. For our eyes, O Lord, O Lord, are toward You, and in You we hope. Leave us not embarrassed, O our God.

DEACON

Wisdom. Arise.

CLERGY AND PEOPLE

Mode 2.

Gladsome light of holy glory of the holy, blessed, heavenly, immortal Father, O Jesus Christ: arriving at the hour of sunset and having seen the evening light, we praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God. It is worthy for You to be praised at all times with happy voices, O Son of God and Giver of life; * and therefore the world glorifies You. [SD]

DEACON

The evening Prokeimenon!

CHOIR

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode.

You are my protector, O God. Your mercy shall go before me. (2) [SAAS]

Verse: Rescue me from my enemies, O God, and redeem me from those who rise up against me.

You are my protector, O God. Your mercy shall go before me.

DEACON

Let us all say with all our soul and with all our mind, let us all say.

( Lord, have mercy. )

Lord, Ruler of all, God of our fathers, we pray You, hear us and have mercy.

( Lord, have mercy. )

Have mercy on us, O God, according to Your great mercy, we pray You, hear us and have mercy.

( Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. )

Let us pray for pious and Orthodox Christians.

( Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. )

Again we pray for our Archbishop (name).

( Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. )

Again we pray for our brethren: the priests, the hieromonks, the hierodeacons, the monastics, and all our brotherhood in Christ.

( Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. )

Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, protection, forgiveness, and remission of the sins of the servants of God, all pious Orthodox Christians residing and visiting in this city: the parishioners, the members of the parish council, the stewards, and benefactors of this holy church.

( Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. )

Again we pray for the blessed and ever-memorable founders of this holy church, and for all our fathers and brethren who have fallen asleep before us, who here have been piously laid to their rest, as well as the Orthodox everywhere.

( Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. )

Again we pray for those who bear fruit and do good works in this holy and all-venerable church, for those who labor and those who sing, and for the people here present who await Your great and rich mercy.

( Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. )

PRIEST

For You are merciful and benevolent God, and to You we offer up glory, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.

( Amen. )

Stand for the reading of prayer.

READER

O Lord, keep us this evening without sin. Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is your name to the ages. Amen. O Lord, let your mercy be upon us for we have set our hope in you. Blessed are you, O Lord, teach me your commandments. Blessed are you, Master, grant me understanding of your commandments. Blessed are you, Holy One, enlighten me with your commandments. Lord, your mercy is forever. Do not despise the works of your hands. To you is due praise, to you is due song, to you is due glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. [HC]

( Amen. )

DEACON

Let us complete our evening prayer to the Lord.

( Lord, have mercy. )

Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.

( Lord, have mercy. )

That the whole evening may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and sinless, let us ask the Lord.

( Grant this, O Lord. )

For an angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us ask the Lord.

( Grant this, O Lord. )

For pardon and remission of our sins and transgressions, let us ask the Lord.

( Grant this, O Lord. )

For that which is good and beneficial for our souls, and for peace for the world, let us ask the Lord.

( Grant this, O Lord. )

That we may complete the remaining time of our life in peace and repentance, let us ask the Lord.

( Grant this, O Lord. )

And let us ask for a Christian end to our life, peaceful, without shame and suffering, and for a good defense before the awesome judgment seat of Christ.

( Grant this, O Lord. )

Remembering our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.

( To You, O Lord. )

PRIEST

For You are good and benevolent God, and to You we offer up glory, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.

( Amen. )

PRIEST

Peace be with all.

( And with your spirit. )

DEACON

Let us bow our heads to the Lord.

( To You, O Lord. )

PRIEST (in a low voice)

Lord our God, who inclined the heavens and came down for the salvation of humankind, look upon Your servants and Your inheritance; for they have bowed their heads and bent their necks to You, the fearsome yet compassionate Judge, not expecting human help, but awaiting Your mercy and anticipating Your salvation. Guard them at all times, this evening and the coming night, from every enemy, from all demonic activity against them, from unprofitable reflections, and from wicked thoughts.

PRIEST

Blessed and glorified be the majesty of Your kingdom, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.

( Amen. )

CHOIR

Aposticha.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 2. Joseph took You down.

Ὅτε ἐκ τοῦ ξύλου.

Come and let us celebrate today * the all-precious head of the Baptist, which was cut off with a sword. * O believers, let us honor its discovery, * and salute it with sacred songs, * revere it with longing. * Gifts of grace pour out from it, curing and healing us. * This head is what frivolous Herod * of old had cut off in his madness, * lustfully entangled with Herodias. [SD]

Verse: There I shall cause to spring up a horn for David; there I prepared a lamp for my anointed. [SAAS]

Just as gold extracted from a mine, * so the precious head of the Forerunner from the earth shines forth, * beaming in a vessel there, it still distinctly cries out * and rebukes the adultery and murder by Herod. * Glowing with the light of heaven, it illumines our minds. * Come, today in faith let us sing hymns, * as we venerate it with honor, * for it intercedes with God on our behalf. [SD]

Verse: The righteous man shall be glad in the Lord, and shall hope in Him. [SAAS]

Years passed since the venerable head * of St. John the Baptist was hid in a vessel underground. * Then the day came when it was revealed to all the world, * like a treasure that gushes forth * a well spring of healing, * curing all diseases and illuminating souls. * Therefore, as we now are enjoying * grace from it that brings divine gladness, * let us sing its praises with solemnity. [SD]

Glory.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 2.

Your Head, that all-venerable repository of divine concepts, which clearly foresaw the mystery of the ineffable Essence, has arisen today out of the storehouses of the earth, as it were out of a mother’s womb, O John, who are worthy of all praise. It poured forth the fragrant oil of sanctification and perfumed everything under the sun. It spiritually preaches the way of repentance, and it intercedes with the Savior of all, on behalf of our souls. [SD]

Both now. Theotokion.

Mode 2.

O immaculate Theotokos, we salute you and say, Rejoice, for you are our hope; rejoice, as the one who received the Angel’s salutation, “Rejoice.” Rejoice, O blessed one, who gave birth to the Father’s radiance. Rejoice, O the only dignified and all-holy Virgin extolled in all the world; all creation glorifies you, the Mother of the Light. [SD]

Stand for the reading of prayers

PRIEST

Song of Simeon.

Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples. A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel. [NKJV]

PEOPLE

Trisagion Prayers.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3)

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, forgive our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Your name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

PRIEST

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to ages of ages.

( Amen. )

CHOIR

Apolytikion.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4. Come quickly.

Ταχὺ προκατάλαβε.

The Forerunner’s head has risen once again from the earth; * it sends forth the brilliant rays of incorruption and cures to the faithful all. * Above it has assembled the arrays of the Angels; * below it calls the human race to gather together. * In unison we offer up glory to Christ our God. [SD]

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

From Octoechos - - -

Mode 4.

O Theotokos, revealed through you to us on earth was the mystery, that was hidden for ages and unknown by the angels. God became incarnate, uniting natures without confusion, and for us He voluntarily accepted crucifixion, through which He resurrected the first-formed man, and He saved our souls from death. [GOASD]

PRIEST

Wisdom.

( Father, bless! )

Blessed are You, Christ our God, always now and forever and to the ages of ages. ( Amen. )

HIERARCH or READER

The Lord God make firm the holy and pure faith of the pious Orthodox Christians, together with the Holy and Great Church of Christ, our Sacred Archdiocese, [this Sacred Metropolis,] and this city, to the ages of ages.

( Amen. )

PRIEST

Glory to You, O Christ our God. Glory to You.

May Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His all-pure and all-immaculate holy Mother, the power of the precious and life-giving Cross, the protection of the honorable, bodiless powers of heaven, the supplications of the honorable, glorious prophet and forerunner John the Baptist, the finding of whose venerable head we celebrate; of the holy, glorious, and praiseworthy apostles, of the holy, glorious, and triumphant martyrs, of our righteous and God-bearing fathers, (local patron saint); of the holy and righteous ancestors of God Joachim and Anna, and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, as He is good, benevolent, and merciful God.

Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us and save us.

( Amen. )