Nativity of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist

Date: 24 June 2005 10:29:21

[Icon from OCA]

Prophet and Forerunner of the coming of Christ,
although we cannot praise you worthily,
we honour you in love at your nativity,
for by it you ended your father's silence and your mother's barrenness,
proclaiming to the world the incarnation of the Son of God!

Troparion

Today the formerly barren woman gives birth to Christ's Forerunner,
who is the fulfillment of every prophecy;
for in the Jordan,
when he laid his hand on the One foretold by the prophets,
he was revealed as Prophet, Herald, and Forerunner of God the Word.

Kontakion

Today in the Church's Calendar is the Feast of the Nativity of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist. Among the readings is the Benedictus, a wonderful song of thanksgiving:

Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited and redeemed His people,
And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of His servant David,
As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,
Who have been since the world began,
That we should be saved from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us,
To perform the mercy promised to our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,
The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
To grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.

Luke 1:68-79, NKJV

Via Fr Jim Tucker's excellent blog, The Shrine of Holy Whapping has a list of observances tied to this Feast Day.