The Canon for the Conception of the Forerunner

The canon of the Forerunner, the composition of John of Damascus, in Tone VI:

Ode I, Irmos: When Israel walked on foot in the sea as on dry land, * on seeing their pursuer Pharaoh drowned, * they cried: * Let us sing to God * a song of victory.

Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John, pray to God for us.

O offspring of the barren woman: uproot thou the barren thoughts of my barren soul, as I begin to praise thy holy conception in thy mother’s womb.

Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John, pray to God for us.

The sacred Zechariah, entering the temple, beheld the divine angel, who manifestly proclaimed to him: O priest, in thine old age thou shalt receive a son, the Forerunner.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

The great Forerunner, the radiant beacon of the Sun of glory, is conceived to shine forth in his mother’s womb, by whom the darkness of the passions hath been rent asunder and the bonds of barrenness have been loosed.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen

Perceiving the Master borne in thy womb, O most pure Theotokos, John, as His Forerunner, manifestly leapt for joy in his mother’s womb.

Ode III, Irmos: There is none as holy as Thou, * O Lord my God, * who hast exalted the horn of The faithful O good One, * and strengthened us upon the rock * of Thy confession.

Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John, pray to God for us.

Today the barren one conceiveth the sacred fruit, who in later times will cut down all the barrenness of souls with grace, the noetic axe.

Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John, pray to God for us.

Having been struck dumb within the temple, the great Zechariah receiveth the yoke of the Word by an awesome announcement, and radiantly magnified the compassionate Lord.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

The glorious Forerunner, who hath shown the faithful the firm path of repentance, by divine counsel surpassing hope hath at the angel’s command sprung forth in his mother’s womb.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen

As he who was born of the barren woman perceived Christ borne in the Virgin’s womb, he leapt up, heralding the Joy which had come into the world, delivering all from grief.

Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)

Sessional Hymn, in Tone IV: From heaven Gabriel came down and stood before the sacred Zechariah as he was censing in the temple; and he said unto him: “In thine old age thou shalt bear a right glorious fruit, and the former sterility of Elisabeth shall now straightway be loosed, and the barren one shall give birth. And having conceived, she shall bear the Forerunner and herald of Jesus.” By their entreaties, O Savior of the world, save Thou our souls. (Twice)

Theotokion, Tone IV: O pure and all-immaculate one who knewest not wedlock, thou who alone hast given birth in time to the timeless Son and Word of God: with the holy and honorable apostles, martyrs and prophets, and the venerable, do thou beseech Him to grant us cleansing and great mercy.

Ode IV, Irmos: Christ is my power, * my God and my Lord, * the holy Church divinely singeth, * crying with a pure mind, * keeping festival in the Lord.

Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John, pray to God for us.

O blessed Forerunner, the voice of the angel proclaimed thee in a sacred manner to the priest as the herald of the coming of Christ, who wast to spring forth from a barren womb.

Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John, pray to God for us.

O barren one, who before wast childless and hadst not given birth, be thou now glad, for all-gloriously wilt thou bring forth as fruit the Baptist and Forerunner, O right wondrous Elisabeth.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

O Forerunner, with the axe of thy prayer hew down the thorns of my passions and remove the stumbling block of mine evil thoughts; and by thy virtues render my mind fertile, O all-blessed one.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen

The womb of the Virgin held Thee Who holdest all things, O Christ; and when the Baptist, borne in his mother’s womb, worshipped Thee, he rejoiced, leaping up.

Ode V, Irmos: Illumine with Thy divine light, I pray, O Good One, * the souls of those who with love rise early to pray to Thee, * that they may know Thee, O Word of God, * as the true God, * Who recalleth us from the darkness of sin.

Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John, pray to God for us.

To the prophet who entered the sanctuary and was offering up to the Creator the services of the Law, the holy angel appeared, announcing the divine conception of the Forerunner.

Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John, pray to God for us.

“How can this happen to me, for I am an old man, as thou seest, and I have a barren wife?” Zechariah said to the archangel. “Thou dost utter to me words which are contrary to nature!”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

“Look at Sarah, the wife of Abraham, and behold how she brought forth Isaac in her old age, O man; and believe thou those things which have been justly spoken,” the great angel exhorted the elder.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen

“Blessed art thou among women, O thou who art full of the joy of God,” Elisabeth manifestly cried to thee when she knew thee to be her who would give birth without having known a man, her who alone would remain incorrupt after giving birth.

Ode VI, Irmos: Beholding the sea of life surging with the tempest of temptations, * I run to Thy calm haven, and cry to Thee: * Raise up my life from corruption, * O greatly Merciful One.

Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John, pray to God for us.

“My thoughts are filled with doubt, and I shall not believe thy words,” the priest said to the archangel, “for I am asking for the salvation of the people, not for the fruit of my loins.”

Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John, pray to God for us.

“The Creator of nature, the King of angels, hath been well pleased that thou give birth unto the herald of His own coming,” the ministering angel replied; “Do not disbelieve my words, O man!”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

“Fiery is thine aspect, awesome thy visage, and wondrous thy discourse,” said Zechariah to the servant of God; “yet I will not believe thee who utterest words strange to me, and which surpass nature!”

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen

In the dark abode of the womb, the lamp of the Sun offered worship and leapt up, rejoicing, recognizing the One concealed in the cloud of His Mother’s womb.

Kontakion, Tone I: Rejoice with splendor, O great Zechariah * and all-glorious Elisabeth, his spouse, * in conceiving John the Forerunner as is meet, * whom the archangel announced, rejoicing. * O ye mortals, let us right worthily honor him ** as the initiate of the mystery of grace.

Ikos: Let us open the hallowed Gospel which the sacred and wondrous Luke hath recorded for us, and let us behold the radiant and honorable conception of the Forerunner. For he saith that, as the righteous elder Zechariah entered into the Holy of Holies to cense when it was his turn so to do, Gabriel stood before him, proclaiming and saying: “O priest, in thine old age thou shalt have a son, the prophet and Forerunner, the voice and herald, the ever-radiant beacon and initiate of the mysteries of grace!”

Ode VII, Irmos: An Angel made the furnace bedew the holy Children. * But the command of God consumed the Chaldeans * and prevailed upon the tyrant to cry: * O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou.

Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John, pray to God for us.

“Since thou dost not believe my words, receive thou manifest muteness; and when thou shalt see the voice of the Word born, receive again thy voice, crying out: ‘Blessed art Thou, O God of Israel!’“

Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John, pray to God for us.

As radiant as the sun, Zechariah, cleaving unto Elisabeth, the moon, begat the light-bearing beacon of the Light, which shineth upon us who are cruelly held fast in the darkness of the passions.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Using leaps instead of words, the great Forerunner worshipped Thee in the Virgin’s womb, O Christ Jesus, while he himself was borne in the womb of Elisabeth. O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen

Elisabeth, the moon, bearing within herself a star, the divine Forerunner, bowed down before Mary, the radiant cloud, who was bearing Christ, the Sun, Who had taken flesh of her for our salvation.

Ode VIII, Irmos: Thou didst make flame bedew the holy children, * and didst burn the sacrifice of a righteous man with water. * For Thou alone, O Christ, dost do all as Thou willest, * Thee do we supremely exalt throughout all ages.

Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John, pray to God for us.

The friend of the Bridegroom hath been prepared; the voice of the Word receiveth his beginning; the great warrior of the King of all is now nourished in the womb of the barren one.

Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John, pray to God for us.

A husbandman hath come forth to tend barren hearts; an axe is already forged to fell the passions; an honorable bullock is nurtured on abstinence: the great Forerunner. Be glad, O ye people!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Break thou the stoniness of my mind, O Forerunner, as of old thou didst loose the bonds of the barren woman; and cause me to increase the fruits of repentance that I may live forever.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen

As Elisabeth beheld thee pregnant, O Maiden, she rejoiced in a godly manner, while within her the babe leapt as he recognized his Master.

Ode IX, Irmos: It is impossible for mankind to see God * upon Whom the orders of Angels dare not gaze; * but through thee, O all-pure one, * did the Word Incarnate become a man * and with the Heavenly Hosts * Him we magnify and thee we call blessed.

Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John, pray to God for us.

Now having thrown wide the gate of the barren one, the great and divine Forerunner of Christ taketh up his abode within his mother’s womb, as within a royal chamber, that he may issue forth as a warrior, preparing the way for the King of all.

Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John, pray to God for us.

Dance thou, O prophet of God and elder, for thou shalt bring forth a son, of whom none greater shall arise among mankind: John, the Forerunner of the Lord! Leap up, O Elisabeth! Rejoice, all the earth, and offer praise to God, the Creator of all!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

O prophet and Forerunner of the Lord, remember us now who praise thee in faith, and deliver us from spiritual passions. Save us from misfortunes, and guide us in a godly manner along the path to heaven, O ever-blessed one.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen

Sensing herself loosed of the bonds of barrenness and bearing the Forerunner of Him Who dwelt within thy womb, Elisabeth manifestly acknowledged thee to be the pure Mother, O pure Virgin Mary, full of the joy of God.