The Conception of the honoured, glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John

AT VESPERS
At Lord, I have cried…
Tone 4 - Called from the highest…
…Strange you appear to me in aspect and manner, strange too in words and tidings, answered Zachary. For I have come to ask salvation for the people, not to gain a child, as you announce…

Glory…
Tone 6
…Wilderness rejoice, humanity dance; the herald of repentance begins to take flesh in his mother’s womb…

At the Aposticha
Tone 6 - Having laid aside…
…Away with you, for I am beseeching the salvation of the people, not to obtain a child, a thing hard to admit…

Apolytikion
Tone 4 - Speedily anticipate…
Be glad, O barren one, who before did not bear child, for see, you have conceived for the sun a lamp that is about to enlighten the whole inhabited world, sick with blindness. Dance Zachary, cry aloud with boldness: The one to be born is Prophet of the Most High!

AT MATINS
Tone 4 - Speedily anticipate…
The desert-loving dove, the sacred Baptist, who preached repentance and revealed Christ become man, has been born, a patron for all who sin, unfailingly helping all who are storm-tossed. At his entreaties, O Christ, save your world.

The Canons
Ode 3 - None is holy…
The barren woman today conceives a sacred fruit, which afterwards is going by grace to cut out with the spiritual axe all fruitlessness of souls…

Theotokion
As he recognised Christ being carried in the womb of the Virgin, the issue of a barren woman leapt, foretelling the joy that had come to dwell on earth to ransom all from despair.

Ode 4 - Christ my power…
…With the axe of your supplication, O Forerunner, pluck out the thorns of my passions and the stumbling blocks of my thoughts, and make my mind fruitful with virtues, O all-blessed.

Theotokion
The womb of the Virgin was carrying you who carry the universe, when the Baptist, being carried in the womb, worshipped you, O Christ, and leaped rejoicing.

Ode 6 - As I watch the sea of life…My mind is full of doubt and I do not believe your words, the priest said to the Archangel; for I asked salvation for the people, not fruit from my loins…

Theotokion
The lamp, recognizing the Sun hidden in the cloud of his mother’s womb, himself in the sombre dwelling of the womb, rejoicing worshipped him and leapt for joy.

Ode 7 - The Angel made the furnace like dew…
…United to the moon, Elizabeth, Zachary, shining brightly like the sun, begot the resplendent lamp of the light which shines for us who are dreadfully held fast in the darkness of the passions. Using his leapings as words, Christ’s great Prophet worshipped you in the Virgin’s womb…

Theotokion
The moon, Elizabeth, carrying within her a divine star, the Forerunner, worshipped Mary, the cloud of light, who bore the Sun, Christ, incarnate of you to save us.

Ode 8 - You poured dew from the flame…
The friend of the Bridegroom is being made ready, the voice of the Word begins to be, and is nourished by barren loins, he the great soldier of the universal King. A husbandman has flowered for barren hearts, the axe of the passions is already being forged, the august calf is being fattened by self-mastery, the great Forerunner. Peoples rejoice.As of old you loosed the bonds of sterility, O Baptist, so loose the stiffness of my mind and make me sprout with fruits of repentance and live to the ages.

Theotokion
As Elizabeth contemplated you, O Maiden, bearing child, inspired by God she rejoiced, while the unborn child within her leapt as he recognized his Master.

Ode 9 - No human can see God…
…Like a soldier he will come forth ahead of the universal King to prepare his ways. Prophet of God, old man, dance, you will have a son, than whom no greater among mortals has arisen, John the Lord’s Forerunner. Elizabeth, leap for joy; all the earth be glad as you bring your praise to God the Maker of all things. As we sing your praise with faith, now remember us, Prophet and Forerunner of the Lord, rescuing us from passions of the soul, saving us from dangers and in a manner fitting God guiding us to heaven’s path, O ever-blessed.

Exapostilarion - With the Disciples let us go...
The glorious conception of the Forerunner foretells the King who is to be born of a Virgin, as he from the fruitless and barren Elizabeth and the old man and priest, the famous Zachary. At their prayers and those of the Mother of God and John your Baptist, Lord, save and take pity on us all.

At Lauds, Prosomia
Tone 1 - Joy of the heavenly hosts...
…The lamp prepared by God of the eternal light, the friend of the Bridegroom, the great Morning Star of the Sun of glory, the living voice of God the Word, the Forerunner of the coming of the Lord is now conceived at the message of an Angel.

Glory. Both now.
Tone 6
Elizabeth conceived the Forerunner of grace, the Virgin the Lord of glory. The mothers greeted one another and the infant leapt for joy. For within the slave was praising the Master…