Supplicatory Paraklesis to Saint John the Baptist
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
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, 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. 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. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and God. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God.
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. Troparion, Tone 4.
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.
O Forerunner and Baptist John, citizen of the wilderness, who didst hear the divine voice of the Father, who wast made worthy to baptise the Son and Lord and becamest a beholder of the Holy Spirit, and didst preach to all the baptism of repentance, be an intercessor for us sinners also, that by thy prayer we may receive forgiveness of sins.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The same troparion.
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. Ode 1, irmos. Ode 3, irmos.
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: To God, who of old saved His people from the sea and drowned Pharaoh the adversary, to Him alone let us sing, for He hath been glorified.
O holy and glorious Baptist John, pray to God for us.
O Baptist John, enlightened with a God-radiant crown, grant us the divinely beautiful crown of the virtues, we entreat thee.
O holy and glorious Baptist John, pray to God for us.
O angel among men, glorious in the heavens, grant us an angelic life, that we may sing to the King of the angels.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O praised John, Baptist of Christ, named by Jesus the greatest among those born of women, entreat Christ God to have mercy on His creatures.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
In the womb of Elisabeth John was filled with the Holy Spirit and called thee blessed, O Theotokos Mary; with him we entreat thee: have mercy on us.
Irmos: Establish our mind, O Lord, by that unwaning light, that I may sing to Thee, our God, unto the ages.
O holy and glorious Baptist John, pray to God for us.
O John, radiant in spirit, seal of the prophets, pour upon us the radiance of thy prayer for our enlightenment.
O holy and glorious Baptist John, pray to God for us.
Thou didst see the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove; entreat Him, O Baptist, to have mercy on our souls in the heavenly Zion.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O thou who wast enlightened by the Spirit and didst hear the voice of the Father, O voice of the Word of God, hear the voice of our prayer and have mercy on us.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Mary, most blessed among women, together with John, the greatest of those born of women, we entreat thee: have mercy on us, the unworthy, who entreat thee.
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… with the exclamation.
Sessional hymn. Tone 4. Ode 4, irmos. Ode 5, irmos. Ode 6, irmos.
O intercessor and mediator, glorious Baptist John, who reignest in great radiance in the heavens before the All-Holy Trinity, intercede with Her for us, O all-blessed one, that She may grant peace to those who entreat thee and great mercy to those who sing to thee.
Irmos: I have heard the report of Thee and was afraid; I have considered Thy works and marvelled, and I have magnified Thee, O Christ.
O holy and glorious Baptist John, pray to God for us.
O all-radiant lamp, John, make bright the lamps of our souls, that we may go forth to meet the Bridegroom, thy Friend.
O holy and glorious Baptist John, pray to God for us.
Thou becamest a candle, divinely beautiful and plain to see, bearing the divine light; enlighten our souls also, we entreat thee.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O illustrious and divinely enlightened candle, be a candle to our soul, O blessed one, and a light to our mind.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Behold, O Virgin Mary, when thou didst greet Elisabeth, the Baptist bowed down before thee; behold, we too bow down before thee.
Irmos: We rise early to Thee, the true Dayspring, who didst shine forth from the Father to enlighten the ends of the world with radiance.
O holy and glorious Baptist John, pray to God for us.
O morning star of the Sun of righteousness, pour upon us the rays of thy prayer, O John, that our soul may shine like the sun in the kingdom.
O holy and glorious Baptist John, pray to God for us.
O John, glorious Baptist, who didst baptise sweet Jesus in the Jordan, ask of Him, O blessed one, the enlightenment of our souls.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O Baptist, who drivest away the mist, O fragrant ointment, John, enlighten us with the light of thy holiness, we entreat thee.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
When thou, O Mary, didst arise and go to greet Elisabeth, John leapt up to praise thee; now we too cry to thee: have mercy on us.
Irmos: The dwelling of Jonah in the deep foreshadowed our nature in hades; from it deliver us, O Most Merciful.
O holy and glorious Baptist John, pray to God for us.
O John, head of all good things and eye of the virtues, entreat Jesus Himself to enlighten with radiance the eyes of our soul.
O holy and glorious Baptist John, pray to God for us.
By thine all-holy prayer show mercy to us, O John, and receive our prayer before thee as fragrant incense.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O John, all-sweet voice of one crying, hear the voice of our supplication and let us hear the voice of Christ’s blessing, we entreat thee, O blessed one.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Theotokos Mary, our hope and boast, together with thrice-blessed John we entreat you: ask of God that we be made worthy of the kingdom.
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 down upon us, O all-praised Theotokos, and heal the evil wounds of our bodies and the sicknesses of our soul. Kontakion, Tone 3. Prokeimenon before the Gospel… The Gospel according to Matthew. Ode 7, irmos. Ode 8, irmos. Ode 9, irmos.
To the preacher of repentance, who calleth sinners, the holy turtle-dove that loveth the wilderness, the sweetly calling swallow and the fair-voiced nightingale, the Baptist of Christ, let us fall down with compunction, O ye faithful, that he may ask of Christ for us forgiveness of sins and great mercy for our souls.
Priest: Let us attend. Wisdom.
The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree; like the cedar in Lebanon shall he grow.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is comely for the upright.
Priest: Let us pray to the Lord. For holy art Thou, O our God… Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord… And that He may make us worthy… Wisdom! Aright!
The Lord said: But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send My messenger before Thy face, which shall prepare Thy way before Thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
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 holy 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.
Sticheron: John the Baptist, whose greatness Thou didst declare, O Lord, 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 kings and great mercy to our souls.
Priest: O God, save… with the exclamation.
Irmos: The three youths in Babylon were likened to the Trinity, and they quenched the fury of that furnace and said in song: Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
O holy and glorious Baptist John, pray to God for us.
O blessed John, more radiant than the luminaries, enlightened by the Trinity, entreat the Holy Trinity to enlighten us also in soul and body.
O holy and glorious Baptist John, pray to God for us.
O dawn of the day, ray of the sun, grant us a life well-pleasing to God, that we may please the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O Baptist, spotless turtle-dove, beholder of the Spirit who came in the form of a dove, entreat Him that we may be spotless and behold His glory.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Mary, priceless pearl, fragrant myrrh, all-sweet manna, entreat the Saviour of all to have mercy on us.
Irmos: Him who, appearing in the fire in the likeness of an angel, delivered the youths from the furnace, bless ye the Lord, all ye works of the Lord.
O holy and glorious Baptist John, pray to God for us.
With the brightness of thy holiness, O Baptist, enlighten us, the children of the font, that together we may bless the Lord and supremely exalt Him.
O holy and glorious Baptist John, pray to God for us.
Make Jesus, the precious cornerstone, merciful towards us, O John the Baptist, that He may crush the roaring lion, and that we may sing to the Lord.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
When the Judge sitteth upon the thrones of glory, then intercede for us, O glorious John, that, lifted up with the righteous, we may sing to the Lord.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Ask thou too, O Mary, Mother of the all-merciful God, that then we also, caught up in the clouds with all the saints, may sing to the Lord.
Irmos: Let us magnify the Theotokos, who remained a virgin, the Mother of the Light.
O holy and glorious Baptist John, pray to God for us.
Thou singest Hosanna with the angels to the Holy Trinity, O John; remember us also before Her, O blessed one.
O holy and glorious Baptist John, pray to God for us.
Thou shinest amid the choir of the angels, O Baptist; we offer thee our supplication: intercede for us also, O holy one.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O John, enlightened by divinely beautiful light, we entreat thee: enlighten those who put their trust in thy holiness.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Mary, glory of the Church, be like unto Jesus, born of thee, and pour out thy mercy upon us, we entreat thee.
It is truly meet that we should magnify thee, O Theotokos, who art ever-blessed and all-immaculate and the Mother of our God. Thee, 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.
Higher than the heavens and more honourable than all born of women, glorious Baptist John, entreat the Lord of Sabaoth to have mercy on us, His unworthy servants.
We call upon thee, O voice of one crying: lift up thy hands, which touched the head of the Lord, and cry to Him to receive us into His divinely glorious kingdom.
O Baptist, who didst behold with thine eyes the All-holy Spirit, entreat Him, the Good One, to lead us into the land of uprightness, that we may be made worthy of the all-glorious kingdom.
O all-blessed John, glorified by the angels and praised by Jesus, together with the all-immaculate Virgin intercede for us, that we may behold your glory and radiance.
O most holy Theotokos, Lady Mary, through the prayers of the all-honourable Baptist and of all the saints, make us worthy to glorify thy Son and our God and to sing to Him.
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. Amen.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for, being without any defence, this supplication do we sinners offer to Thee, the good Master: have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O Lord, have mercy on us, for in Thee have we put our trust; be not exceedingly angry with us, neither remember our iniquities; but look upon us in mercy, as Thou art good, 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: have mercy on us.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
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. A prayer to be said kneeling
Lord, have mercy. (Twelve times)
Priest: Have mercy on us and hear us, O God.
O all-glorious John, Baptist of Christ, angel of God, seal of the prophets, head of the apostles, crown of the martyrs, guide of monks and greatest of all the saints, helper of the faithful and refuge of all who entreat thee!
O all-praised Forerunner John, dawn of that day which hath no evening, adorn our God-protected people and its sovereignty with the dawn of fair weather; O morning star of the Sun of righteousness, make radiant like the sun the most holy Orthodox patriarchs, the most reverend metropolitans, archbishops and bishops and all the priestly and monastic orders; O candle of the bodiless Light, enlighten like lamps the God-loving rulers, the Christ-loving armed forces and all Orthodox Christians; O voice of the Word of God, hear the voice of our supplication and entreat Jesus Christ, baptised by thee, to make us worthy of His endless glory.
O all-honourable prophet John, beloved of God, sweet friend of the immortal Bridegroom, make us faithful friends and heartfelt servants of Christ our God; O mediator between the old law and the new grace, be our mediator before the King, that He may grant us a long and well-ordered life, enlightenment in Orthodoxy, adornment by good works, radiance in the kingdom of heaven, 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.
It is truly meet that we should magnify thee, O Theotokos, who art ever-blessed and all-immaculate and the Mother of our God. Thee, 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.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both 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 our venerable and God-bearing fathers and of all Thy saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
And at the kissing of the icon of the precious Baptist we sing this:
Thou offerest up the prayers of all the faithful and receivest their supplication, for thou art a sweet intercessor for all and a good mediator; therefore we entreat thee, glorious Baptist John, fulfil our supplication and ask of the all-sweet Jesus for us, that we may be made worthy of the heavenly kingdom and delight in a crown without end.
O Lady of men, Mother of God Mary, look upon the cry of our prayer and have mercy on us for the love of thy Son and our God, for His is the glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.
