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Hieratikon

Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

Pentecostarion

Monday of the Seventh Week

Menaion - May 25

Third Finding of the Forerunner’s Head

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LITURGY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

An optional alternative to the Antiphons are the Typika (Psalms 102 and 145), and the Beatitudes with the appointed troparia, which are provided here.

Psalm 102.

Psalm 145.

The Beatitudes.

Mode 4.

In Your kingdom. Remember us, O Lord, when You come in Your kingdom. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [RSV]

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. [RSV]

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. [RSV]

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. [RSV]

Canon 2 of the Feast.

Ode iii. Mode 4. Establish your servants.

Τοὺς σοὺς ὑμνολόγους.

From Pentecostarion - - -

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. [RSV]

“Behold, Christ the Lord and King of glory is coming, now that He has put on * a body, which was made of earth. * Therefore lift up your heavenly gates.” * Thus did the lower bodiless orders call out to the higher ones. [GOASD]

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. [RSV]

Adam was beguiled by the serpent. O Christ, You came down to look for him, * assuming his humanity. * You found him and ascended and sat * at Your coequal Father’s right, while angels praised and exalted You. [GOASD]

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. [RSV]

The feast of the glorious Ascension of Christ the Creator of the world * is celebrated joyfully * in heaven and on earth today; * for by His will He visibly unites what used to be separate. [GOASD]

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [RSV]

Theotokion.

Lady, you gave birth to the destroyer of death, yes the only deathless God. * O Virgin Mother wholly pure, * ever entreat Him earnestly * to kill the passions that will be the death of me, and to save my soul. [GOASD]

Canon for the Forerunner.

From Menaion - - -

Ode vi. Mode pl. 4. Be gracious to me.

Ἱλάσθητί μοι Σωτήρ.

Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely [for my sake]. [RSV]

O Christ, when the precious head * of John the Baptist, Your Forerunner, * was exhumed from the earth, * the truth like the sun arose, * dispelling the winter of heresy and falsehood, * while enlightening the whole wide world. [GOASD]

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. [RSV]

Believers, come forth and draw * illumination, the grace of God, * and mercy, and have your heads * and souls sanctified, when you * with faith venerate the head of St. John the Baptist, * who in the river touched the head of God. [GOASD]

Glory.

O Forerunner, pray to God * to crush the heads of our enemies * attacking us and defend * the country wherein we live, * so that we may lovingly venerate your precious * head that castigated Herod of old. [GOASD]

Both now. Theotokion.

O blessed Forerunner John, * when you went down to the netherworld, * you preached to those who were there * that Light had become a man, * incarnate of virgin blood, and that He was coming * for the good of all humanity. [GOASD]

Entrance Hymn. Mode 2.

Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ. Save us, O Son of God, who were taken up in glory to heaven from us. We sing to You, Alleluia. [GOA]

Hymns after the Entrance.

Apolytikion of the Feast.

From Pentecostarion - - -

Mode 4.

You ascended in glory, O Christ our God, after You filled the Disciples with joy, by promising to send them the Holy Spirit, and You blessed them and established their faith, that You are the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world. [SD]

For the Forerunner.

From Menaion - - -

Mode 4. Come quickly.

Ταχὺ προκατάλαβε.

Now Christ has revealed to us your sacred head once again, * a most holy treasure hidden underground for so long, * O Prophet and Forerunner. * Therefore we have assembled for the feast of its Finding, * singing our God-inspired hymns in praise of the Savior, * who saves us from destruction, by your earnest prayers to Him. [SD]

The Apolytikion of the parish church is sung. Then:

Kontakion of the Feast.

From Pentecostarion - - -

Mode pl. 2. Automelon.

Τὴν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν.

When You had fulfilled the dispensation for our sake, * and united things on earth with the things in heaven, * You were taken up thither in glory, O Christ our God, * going not away from any place, * but continuing inseparable, * and to them that love You crying out: * “I am with you, and there is, therefore, none against you.” [SD]

Trisagios Hymn

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

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

Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.

THE READINGS

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 63.

The righteous man shall be glad in the Lord. [SAAS]

Verse: Hear my voice, O God. [SAAS]

The Epistle

For the Forerunner.

The reading is from Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians.

2 Cor. 4:6 – 15

Brethren, it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we too believed, and so we speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. [RSV]

Alleluia. Mode 4. Psalm 91.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 1: The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree. [SAAS]

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Verse 2: Those planted in the house of the Lord.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

The Gospel

For the Forerunner.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Mt. 11:2 – 15

At that time, when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by two of his disciples and said to him, “Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is he who takes no offense at me.” As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who wear soft raiment are in kings’ houses. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way before you.’ Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been coming violently and men of violence take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John; and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” [RSV]

Hymn to the Theotokos.

It is truly right to bless you, Theotokos, ever blessed, most pure, and Mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, without corruption you gave birth to God the Logos. We magnify you, the true Theotokos.

Communion Hymn. Psalm 111/112.

The righteous will be remembered for ever. Alleluia. [RSV]

Hymn after Holy Communion.

Instead of “We have seen.”

Mode 4.

You ascended in glory, O Christ our God, after You filled the Disciples with joy, by promising to send them the Holy Spirit, and You blessed them and established their faith, that You are the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world. [SD]

DISMISSAL

Glory to You, our God, glory to You.

May He who ascended from us into heaven in glory, and sat at the right hand of God the Father, 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 precious 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.

Fasting Rule

Fast Free: All foods allowed.