Supplicatory Paraklesis for the Beheading of the Holy and Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John
Priest: Blessed is our God…
And if a layman, he says: O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Thy most pure Mother and of all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art everywhere present and fillest all things with Thy grace, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O Good One.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice) Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, deliver us and release us from our sins; O Master, pardon our iniquities; O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name’s sake. Lord, have mercy. (Thrice) Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Priest: For Thine is the kingdom…
Choir: Amen.
Lord, have mercy. (Twelve times)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O come, let us worship God our King. (Thrice)
O Lord, attend to my prayer: hearken to my supplication in thy truth; hear me in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has brought my life down to the ground; he has made me to dwell in a dark place, as those that have been long dead. Therefore my spirit was grieved in me; my heart was troubled within me. I remembered the days of old; and I meditated on all thy doings: yea, I meditated on the works of thine hands. I spread forth my hands to thee; my soul thirsts for thee, as a dry land. Pause. Hear me speedily, O Lord; my spirit has failed; turn not away thy face from me, else I shall be like to them that go down to the pit. Cause me to hear thy mercy in the morning; for I have hoped in thee; make known to me, O Lord, the way wherein I should walk; for I have lifted up my soul to thee. Deliver me from mine enemies, O Lord; for I have fled to thee for refuge. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God; thy good Spirit shall guide me in the straight way. Thou shalt quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake; in thy righteousness thou shalt bring my soul out of affliction. And in thy mercy thou wilt destroy mine enemies, and wilt destroy all those that afflict my soul; for I am thy servant.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
God is the Lord and hath appeared unto us; blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Verse 1: O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever. Verse 2: All the nations compassed me about, and in the name of the Lord I withstood them. Verse 3: I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. Verse 4: The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner; this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.
The memory of the righteous is celebrated with praises, but the testimony of the Lord sufficeth thee, O Forerunner; for thou hast proved to be truly more glorious than the prophets, since thou wast made worthy to baptise in the waters Him whom thou didst proclaim. Wherefore, having suffered for the truth, thou didst rejoice to announce the good tidings even to those in hades: that God hath appeared in the flesh, who taketh away the sin of the world and granteth us great mercy.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Troparion (the same)
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
We will never cease, O Theotokos, we the unworthy, from speaking of thy mighty acts; for hadst thou not stood before us to intercede, who would have delivered us from so many dangers? And who would have kept us free until now? We will not depart from thee, O Lady, for thou ever savest thy servants from all misfortunes.
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of thy compassions blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I am conscious of mine iniquity; and my sin is continually before me. Against thee only have I sinned, and done evil before thee: that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. For, behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother conceive me. For, behold, thou lovest truth: thou hast manifested to me the secret and hidden things of thy wisdom. Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be purified: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow. Thou shalt cause me to hear gladness and joy: the afflicted bones shall rejoice. Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit in my inward parts. Cast me not away from thy presence; and remove not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation: establish me with thy directing Spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and ungodly men shall turn to thee. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation: and my tongue shall joyfully declare thy righteousness. O Lord, thou shalt open my lips; and my mouth shall declare thy praise. For if thou desiredst sacrifice, I would have given it: thou wilt not take pleasure in whole-burnt-offerings. Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit: a broken and humbled heart God will not despise. Do good, O Lord, to Sion in thy good pleasure; and let the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then shalt thou be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, offering, and whole-burnt-sacrifices: then shall they offer calves upon thine altar.
Irmos: Pharaoh who rode in the chariot was drowned by the rod of Moses, which once worked wonders when it struck crosswise, traced the figure of the Cross and divided the Red Sea; but it saved Israel, the fugitive going on foot, singing a hymn to the Lord: for gloriously hath He been glorified.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
O courageous forerunner of the King of Light, who didst leap in thy mother’s womb, thou didst preach the ceasing of the Law and the confirmation of grace, and didst teach the people of the kingdom of heaven that was at hand.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
From thy youth living in the wilderness after the manner of the angels, thou wast great among the prophets and wast made worthy to baptise the Saviour and God of all; entreat Him now to deliver me from evil passions.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
Dwelling in the wilderness in the flesh and called first as the preacher of repentance, thou didst appear as one who calleth the guilty, and becamest the way that leadeth sinners to God; entreat Him now to strengthen me against His adversaries and against the devil.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The Forerunner, nurtured in the wilderness, foretold repentance to the Gentiles, and as he preached Thy Godhead, O Christ, Thou didst bow Thine incorrupt head for baptism and blot out the sins of the world, O Lord; glory to Thy power.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Glorious things have been spoken of thee from generation to generation, O Virgin, who didst receive the Word of God into thy womb and remain a virgin, O Theotokos Mary; therefore we all magnify thee, who wast found to be our deliverer after God, for gloriously art thou glorified.
Irmos: O Lord, who didst fix the vault of heaven and art the Builder of the Church, establish us in Thy love, Thou summit of all joy and strength of the faithful, who alone lovest mankind.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
Herod was adorned with royal riches, but thou, clothed in camel’s hair and walking in the wilderness, didst reprove him and set the law before him who was clothed in purple. Now enlighten us too, O holy one, and deliver us from an alien law.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
Thou wast poor and didst not eat, and thou didst stand over those who sat at the royal table, and to him who ruled over others thou didst say thus: “It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife”, and thou didst urge that king to put the woman away.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
When thou, eater of locusts and wild honey, didst withstand the mighty king Herod and reprove him, that he might please God, he was enraged, and Herodias still more, for they were namesakes and equals in abomination.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Though the king desired to kill thee, yet he feared the people, for they honoured thee as a holy prophet and heard thy teaching and preaching with great fear.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou didst dwell in the womb of the Virgin, O Lord, and didst appear to men in the flesh, as Thou wast well pleased, and didst show her forth as truly the Theotokos, O Thou who alone lovest mankind, and as the helper of all the faithful.
Deliver thy servants from dangers, O most holy Virgin Theotokos, for after God we all flee unto thee, as to an unbreakable wall and protection.
Look upon us, O all-praised Theotokos, and heal the grievous wounds of our bodies and the sicknesses of our souls.
Priest: Have mercy on us, O God, according to Thy great mercy, we pray Thee, hearken and have mercy.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Priest: Again we pray for our God-protected people and its sovereignty (for its Christ-loving authorities and armed forces).
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Priest: Again we pray for the Most Holy and Most Blessed Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazeti, the great lord, our father Ilia, and for the most reverend (the local bishop is commemorated), and for all our brethren in Christ.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Priest: Again let us pray to the Lord our God that He may have mercy on the servant or handmaid (here name those for whom you are praying).
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Priest: Multiply, O Lord, the days and years of their life, and deliver them, O Lord, from every affliction, wrath and distress, and from every wound of soul and body, and forgive them every transgression, voluntary and involuntary.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Priest: Again we pray for all Orthodox Christians.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Priest: For Thou art a merciful God who lovest mankind, and unto Thee we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
When Elisabeth had conceived a son in her old age, Mary went up to greet her; then John leapt for joy in his mother’s womb, for he beheld God incarnate in the Virgin’s bosom. And he began to preach God’s descent to earth by the mouth of his mother; and when by the Holy Spirit his parents called his name John, whereby the silence of Zacharias was loosed, he began to fulfil the ten commandments of the first Law and the nine beatitudes of the New Covenant, and became the beginning of the solitaries and a good pattern for monks; and, calling all to repentance, he said to the people: Prepare ye the way of the Lord. Behold, He cometh, of whom I have spoken glory and praise.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The evil one, who by the hand of a woman drove the first-formed man out of paradise, thought to silence Thy Forerunner, the preacher of the word of God; and he now stirred up Herodias together with Herod in lawlessness, and made the girl’s dance pleasing to him, that the head might be cut off of him who laid his hand upon Christ, the Lord of all; for he did not understand the unchanging mystery of our salvation. But do thou, O voice crying in the wilderness, cry out to Him on whom thou didst lay thy hand, that He may grant peace and great mercy.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Do thou, unwedded and all-holy Virgin, ask of Him who became flesh from thee, O Lady, to grant our faithful people victory over the heathen and the heretics, and deliverance from the yoke of the enemies, and to keep unshaken the Church established in right confession.
Irmos: Thou didst mount the chariots of Thine apostles, O Lord, and didst take their reins mightily into Thy hands; Thy cavalry is salvation for the faithful, who cry: Glory to Thy power, O Lord.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
O Forerunner, herald of the true Light, when thou didst unceasingly reprove the king for his lawless deeds, he seized thee and put thee in prison; yet not even in prison wast thou silent, but thou didst say boldly: Put away that consort of thy wickedness.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
Born of a defiled mother, the all-wicked girl was sent by her on the birthday of the lawless Herod, that by her dancing she might ask of him that precious head which had reproved their shameful bed.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
At that time the defiled girl, the daughter of Herodias, came in to that bloodthirsty banquet, and Herod saw the daughter of his brother dancing before them and was not ashamed, but her dancing pleased him in his drunkenness.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The daughter of that shameless mother, destroyer of soul and body, asketh of Herod thy head on a platter as the price of her dancing; and he made his oath the cause of death, and, cutting off thy head, fulfilled the request of that defiled niece.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The tongues of men are too weak to utter the mystery of thy spotless birthgiving, O unwedded Bride; but with faith they confess thee as the Mother of the Light.
Irmos: Cast me not away from Thy face, O Light that never setteth, lest the unillumined darkness cover me; but look upon me and direct my ways to the light of Thy commandments, I pray Thee.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
O the blindness of Herod, who despised the commandment of God, added murder to fornication, and gave thy holy head, cut off and quivering with blood, set out like food on a platter, to that defiled girl.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
Not even after death did the great herald of the coming of Christ, the blessed theologian, cease his reproof, but he cried out: It is not lawful for thee to commit adultery with thy brother’s wife, O defiled one, for the ordinance of the Law forbiddeth thee.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
When Herod, enslaved to fornication, slew thee with the sword, the company of thy disciples anointed thy precious body and, as a victorious contender and a true martyr, laid it in a tomb with fragrant spices.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O holy Forerunner and preacher of repentance, show thy mercy upon me and send down upon me of thy grace; wash away the passions of my soul and soften my hard heart, that I may shed tears and wash away my sin.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou hast gained a mother’s boldness towards thy Son, O all-immaculate one; cease not to help us before Him, we entreat thee, for thou hast intercession with Him and the forgiveness of sins for all Christians.
Irmos: Forgive, O Good One, my countless sins, for which I call upon Thee; deliver me from evils; to Thee I cry: hear me, O God my Saviour.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
O dread sight! The asp, offspring of the viper, carrieth thy head on a platter, before which the hosts of demons tremble and which the hosts of heaven honour.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
When thy body was laid in the tomb, thou wast sent in spirit to hades, and wast the first to preach to its prisoners the coming of the Sun of righteousness, Christ our King, who alone is most merciful.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
The voice of one crying, of the dweller in the wilderness who walked the mountains and the ravines, by the cutting off of his head reached the gates of hades and cried mightily: Lift up your gates, O princes of the gatekeepers, for Christ the King of glory entereth.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Called the Forerunner, herald and Baptist of Christ God, by the cutting off of thy head thou becamest the forerunner of His descent into hades, and didst announce to those there the descent of the Deliverer for their salvation.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Deliver us from the snare of our sins, O Virgin Theotokos, by thy supplication to thy Son, who was born of thee beyond nature, the Son of God without beginning.
Deliver thy servants from dangers, O most holy Virgin Theotokos, for after God we all flee unto thee, as to an unbreakable wall and protection.
Look upon us, O all-praised Theotokos, and heal the grievous wounds of our bodies and the sicknesses of our souls.
The beheading of the glorious Forerunner was a divine dispensation, that he might preach to those in hades the coming of the Saviour; let Herodias therefore lament, who asked for the lawless murder, for she loved not the law of the living God nor the eternal kingdom, but this vain and passing world.
The days of Herod’s birthday became unholy before all, for among the drinkers the head of the faster was set out like food, and joy was mingled with sorrow, for the head of the Baptist, lying on a platter, was brought in before all, as that wicked girl had asked; and mourning and sorrow fell upon all who sat at table with the king, for it did not please them, nor Herod himself, as it is written that he was sorrowful, but not with a true sorrow, as for vain things of this passing world, and for a moment.
Priest: Let us attend. Wisdom. Prokeimenon, Tone 4
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
Verse: What shall I render unto the Lord for all that He hath rendered unto me?
Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.
Choir: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: For holy art Thou, O our God, who restest in the saints, and unto Thee we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
Priest: Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.
Verse: Praise God in His saints; praise Him in the firmament of His power.
Priest: And that He may make us worthy to hear the holy Gospel, let us pray to the Lord our God.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Priest: Wisdom! Aright! Let us hear the holy Gospel. Peace be unto all.
Choir: And to thy spirit.
Priest: The reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.
Priest: Let us attend.
At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, and said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife. For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger. And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. When Jesus heard of it, He departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed Him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and He healed their sick.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Through the intercessions of holy John the Baptist, O Merciful One, blot out the multitude of our transgressions.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Merciful One, blot out the multitude of our transgressions.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy, and according to the multitude of Thy compassions blot out my transgression, and have mercy on me, O God.
The true herald and turtle-dove of the wilderness, Thy Forerunner and Baptist John, whose greatness Thou didst declare, O Christ, entreateth Thee and asketh peace for the faithful people who glorify his memory, that through his intercession Thou mayest grant glory to the churches, safety to the Christian peoples and great mercy to our souls.
Priest: O God, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance; visit Thy world with mercy and compassion; exalt the horn of Orthodox Christians and send down upon us Thy rich mercies, through the intercessions of our all-immaculate Lady Theotokos and ever-Virgin Mary; by the power of the precious and life-giving Cross, by the power of the Cross of the vine; through the protection of the honourable bodiless Powers of heaven; of the holy prophet Elijah the Tishbite and righteous Enoch; of the holy, glorious and all-praised foremost apostles Peter and Paul; of the holy apostle Thomas and the apostles who enlightened Georgia, Andrew the First-called, Simon the Canaanite and Matthias; of our holy mother, the virgin Nino, equal to the apostles; of the holy King Mirian and Queen Nana, equal to the apostles; of our fathers among the saints, the great ecumenical teachers and hierarchs Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom; of our father among the saints Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the wonderworker; of the holy, glorious and victorious martyrs: the holy great-martyr George the Trophy-bearer and the holy great virgin-martyrs Barbara and Marina; the holy priest-martyr Neophytus of Urbnisi and the holy great-martyr Abo of Tbilisi; the holy glorious martyrs David and Constantine, princes of Argveti; the holy martyr Shalva of Akhaltsikhe and the holy hundred thousand martyrs slain in Tbilisi by the Khwarezmians; our holy and venerable father John of Zedazeni and his twelve disciples, the second enlighteners of the Church of Georgia and her ever-protectors, and among the disciples our venerable father David of Gareja; our holy and blessed fathers Lucian, Dodo, Damian, Onuphrius and Simeon of Gareja and the holy six thousand martyred monks of Gareja; the God-wise and blessed fathers Hilarion the Georgian, Serapion of Zarzma, Gregory of Khandzta and Sergius of Radonezh; our venerable Athonite fathers John, Gabriel, John-Tornike, Euthymius and George; our holy, pious and great kings Vakhtang Gorgasali, Ashot the Kuropalates, David the Builder and Solomon; the holy and pious King Tamar; the holy victorious kings and queens Archil, Demetrius, Shushanik, Ketevan and Luarsab; holy Ilia the Righteous; the holy and righteous ancestors of God Joachim and Anna, and the honourable and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, and all Thy saints: we entreat Thee, O most merciful Lord, hearken to the supplication of us sinners, and have mercy on us.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (12 times)
Priest: Through the mercies and compassions and love for mankind of Thine Only-begotten Son, with whom Thou art blessed, together with Thine all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
Irmos: At the descent of God the fire was put to shame in Babylon of old; therefore the youths in the furnace, treading as on roses with joyful feet, sang in choir: Blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
Thou didst fulfil the angelic way of life on earth and didst preach, saying to the people: Prepare ye the way of the Lord. Behold, He cometh, of whom I spoke: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
Not only in the wilderness, but before kings also thou didst not cease to reprove lawlessness, and in spirit thou didst ever sing with Christ: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Thy Forerunner, proclaimed not only the preparing of Thy ways but also the keeping of Thy statutes, O Christ; therefore the lawless Herod shed the spotless blood of the dweller in the wilderness, John the righteous.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The word of God came unto thee, O Forerunner, and thou wast sent as a herald of the loosing of the bound, the release of captives and sight to the blind, of the resurrection of the dead and eternal life; now fulfil for us too the petition of our heart.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The bush that burned and was not consumed was a figure of thee, O Virgin, for thou didst contain the burning Fire in thy womb and wast not burned by Him who burned up the snares of the enemy and granted us eternal life.
Irmos: The Chaldean tyrant in his fury heated the furnace sevenfold for the youths, but, seeing them saved by a higher power, unharmed and untouched by the fire, he cried out to the Creator and Deliverer: Bless Him, ye youths; sing His praises, ye priests; ye people, supremely exalt Him unto the ages.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
The tongues of the wise and of orators cannot praise thee, for Christ bore witness of thee, O Forerunner, that thou art greater than the prophets and the apostles and the choirs of the righteous and the martyrs, as His Baptist and herald, O all-praised John.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
Thou didst become an imitator of Elijah, O blessed one, and, coming in his power and spirit, thou wast likened to Moses in meekness and to the prophets in holiness, and didst appear greater than they, O John; thou wast called angel and apostle, priest and martyr, theologian and prophet.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
Truly thou didst appear as a heavenly man and an angel on earth, O herald of God, glorious John, and becamest the friend of the immortal Bridegroom; therefore thou wast glorified by Him, and, made worthy to reign before Him, thou ever offerest the holy hymn in divine radiance together with the assembly of the heavenly powers.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thou hast attained to the assembly of the bodiless, to those places of holiness, to the glory which men cannot imagine and to the good things which eye hath not seen, O herald of the Saviour, and thou beholdest face to face the All-Holy Trinity; remember me before Her, that She may shelter me from all sorrows, sicknesses and pains.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Godhead, the Trinity, one in essence and glorified, incomprehensible in essence and three in Persons, the Father unbegotten who begetteth, the Son begotten without beginning, and the Holy Spirit co-essential and eternal: bless, ye children; sing, ye priests; ye people, supremely exalt Her unto the ages.
Irmos: Creation trembled at the ineffable descent of God, how the Most High came down of His own will into the womb of the Virgin to become flesh and became man unchangeably in humility; therefore let us the faithful magnify the immaculate Theotokos with hymns.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
Having fulfilled thy labour like an angel, O great Forerunner John, greatest among those born of women, thou didst preach Christ and turn the people from error to the glory of the Trinity one in essence; entreat Him now to deliver us also from every affliction and evil.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
As the one who calleth to repentance, O voice of the Word and friend of the Bridegroom, grant us repentance and make our minds contrite, O John; guide us on the way of the divine commandments, and ask forgiveness of our countless sins for us who sing to thee and entreat thee unceasingly.
O holy and glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, pray to God for us.
Above the rank of the apostles and the prophets, and the assembly of the hierarchs, the martyrs and the righteous, thou wast the planter of holiness and the labourer of fasting, as Christ the King bore witness of thee, who worthily glorified thy memory as that of His Forerunner.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Who would not call thee blessed, O Forerunner of Christ, or who would not praise thy memory, at which the souls of the righteous and the Mother of God are gathered together? Entreat Him now, O venerable one, to deliver His own inheritance from the snares of the devil and from the delusion and warfare of the evil Antichrist.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Bend Thy bow, O Mighty One, go forth and reign, Thou who wast born of the Virgin; give our people victory over its enemies and oppressors, and good counsel to keep Thy commandments in Orthodoxy, through the intercession of Thy glorious Forerunner and of Thy Mother, the Theotokos.
It is truly meet that we should magnify thee, O Theotokos, who art ever-blessed and all-immaculate and the Mother of our God. More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the only Theotokos, we magnify in song.
The priest censes; the reader or a layman reads:
Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He showed forth the Forerunner John in the power and spirit of Elijah, and called him greater than the prophets and the apostles, who with a theologian’s tongue cried out in the wilderness the repentance of life and announced to us the washing with the Spirit and with fire.
Thou didst worthily glorify Thy Forerunner, O Lord, for in holiness he fulfilled the worthy ministry of the dispensation of Thy Godhead: for righteousness he endured affliction in prison, for the truth he received the cutting off of his head; he filled the world with fragrance and adorned the churches with holiness; therefore he ever rejoiceth before Thee and intercedeth unceasingly for our souls.
Come, ye flocks of Christ, let us praise the prophet and courageous martyr, the Baptist of Christ the Saviour, who made the wilderness fertile with fasting and reproved the king, and sweetly taught and instructed our faint-heartedness: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Like the dawn of the morning and like the day-star, thou didst go before His face as a light, and, preaching the Creator to the people in the wilderness, O Forerunner, herald of Christ, thou didst call Him the Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world; and when out of divine zeal thou didst reprove the king, thou didst receive the cutting off of thy glorious head, and becamest for all Christians a protector and an unsleeping guard.
O Forerunner, who wast made worthy to be the Baptist of Christ, the Giver of life to our souls, and didst preach glory and life to those in hades, wall us about with the shelter of thy grace from every evil and keep unharmed our people and all the cities and villages of Iberia from the assault of the fierce enemy.
Thine incorrupt relics, O Baptist, ungrudgingly pour forth true grace and mercy and raise up all to the glory of God, who rightly glorified His Forerunner as the beginning of grace and the end of the Law and the prophets, and honoured thee with wonderworking and a multitude of signs.
The powers of darkness tremble and the passions of believing men flee by the grace of God given unto thee, O Forerunner of Christ, blessed one; keep our people from both these trials, and establish us upon the firm rock of thy preaching, laws and teachings, that we who honour thee may glorify God in quiet and without disturbance.
O our hope and boast, our Lady Theotokos! Look down upon us, bless us who with faith fall down before thy motherly grace and help, and enlighten us through the intercession of the prophet John, that we may ever glorify in Orthodoxy the Trinity one in essence:
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, deliver us and release us from our sins; O Master, pardon our iniquities; O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name’s sake.
Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Priest: For Thine is the kingdom…
Choir: Amen.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for, at a loss for any defence, this supplication do we sinners offer unto Thee as Master: have mercy on us. Glory…
O Lord, have mercy on us, for we have put our trust in Thee; be not exceeding wroth with us, nor remember our iniquities; but look upon us now, as Thou art compassionate, and deliver us from Thy just wrath; for Thou art our God, and we are Thy people; we are all the work of Thy hands, and Thy name is called upon us; and have mercy on us. Both now…
Open unto us the doors of compassion, O blessed Theotokos, that hoping in thee we may not perish, but through thee be delivered from our adversaries, for thou art the salvation of the Christian race.
Priest: Have mercy on us, O God, according to Thy great mercy, we pray Thee, hearken and have mercy.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Priest: Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, long life, salvation, enlightenment, forgiveness, prosperity and quiet for the servants (or handmaids) of God and for all the children of our Church, that the Lord our God may preserve this our royal city and this holy church and all the cities and villages of Iberia from famine, pestilence, earthquake, flood, fire, the sword, the invasion of foreigners, civil war and deadly plague; that God, in His goodness and love for mankind, may be merciful to us so that we may stand well, and may turn away from us the wrath that daily cometh upon us, and deliver us from His righteous judgement that is laid upon us, and have mercy on us.
Choir: Lord, have mercy. (12 times)
Priest: Hear us, O God our Saviour, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of them that are far off upon the sea; and be gracious, be merciful unto our sins, and have mercy on us; for Thou art a merciful God who lovest mankind, and unto Thee we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
O John, Forerunner and Baptist of the Word of God, who became flesh for our salvation, who callest sinners to repentance, fair-voiced nightingale and turtle-dove that lovest the wilderness, prophet, teacher of priests and martyr, herald of the deliverance and bringing up of those shut up in hades, and swift helper and refuge of all who entreat thee!
O prophet and apostle, greatest of all born of women, herald of Christ, John, Baptist and forerunner of grace! When thy holy head was cut off, thou didst come before the Holy Trinity and become a partaker of the glory and kingdom of Christ, whom thou didst baptise, and to thee hath been given intercession for all the guilty, as befitteth thy labours; therefore I, tossed by the storm, fall down before thee and confess my faults before thee, for defiled thoughts do not leave me, and I am near to drowning in the depth of my sins, and there are no good works in me; but guide me on the way of repentance, and commend me, the apostate, sorely wounded by the arrows of the passions, to God, that He may enlighten my mind, darkened by the craft of the enemy, and cleanse my heart and senses by the outpouring of thy grace, fill me with divine watchfulness and grant me unshaken faith, purity of life and the fear of God. Entreat the sweet Jesus whom thou didst preach to forgive us our apostasies, the destruction and defilement of churches, the murders of the servants of God, treachery, envy and disorders, the killing of our infants in the womb and the multitude of our other transgressions. Strengthen in their ministry the Most Holy and Most Blessed Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazeti, the great lord, our father Ilia, the most reverend metropolitans, archbishops and bishops, the honourable priests, the deacons in Christ and all the monastic orders, members of the Orthodox Church; shelter those who bear thy name and entreat thee, and keep all Orthodox Christians by thy precious intercession.
O holy and glorious prophet, Forerunner of Christ and Baptist John, who by the cutting off of thy head didst sanctify the breadth of the whole world and didst teach the faithful the law of God, now, standing in glory before the thrones of Christ, intercede for us before Him, that He may grant glory to the churches, honour to the clergy, good shepherding of the people to the rulers, valour to the soldiers, sinlessness to the laity and chastity to women, and may grant us divine zeal for the fatherland, love of righteousness and courage of soul, adornment by good works, enlightenment by holy prayer, cleansing by confession, radiance by Communion, an honourable end, a dwelling in the kingdom, singing with the angels, reigning with the saints, and glory and thanksgiving with thee; for to Him befitteth all glory, honour and worship, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Priest: Wisdom!
O most holy Theotokos, save us.
Choir: More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the only Theotokos, we magnify in song.
Priest: Glory to Thee, O our God, glory to Thee.
Choir: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy. (Thrice) Bless.
The priest gives the dismissal.
Choir: Amen.
A layman: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Thy most pure Mother, of the honourable Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, and of all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
At the kissing of the icon of the precious Baptist we sing thus:
O Prophet, Forerunner of Christ and Baptist John, for our intercession and mediation entreat our Lord Jesus Christ, whom thou didst baptise, that, as for love of us He delivered us from eternal hades by the shedding of His immortal blood, so He may deliver Iberia from the countless enemies and trials that surround her; and as thou didst say of unrepentant sinners that they shall be cut down with the axe like an unfruitful tree, so by thine intercession may He cut off from us our sins and iniquities and send down the voice of peace to the Iberians, that, kept and sheltered from the trials of the devil, we may ever glorify Jesus our God with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O glorious and incorrupt Mother of God, because of the multitude of our sins we have no boldness to entreat God, but intercede for us before Him, that He may not deprive us of His help, His mercy and His protection, through the intercession of the prophet John, whose beheading we ever commemorate and whose holy and precious icon we kiss.
Compiled by Tinatin Mchedlishvili
