Feast of the Beheading of the Forerunner (29 August)
Antiphons for Weekday celebration of the Feast of the Beheading
FIRST ANTIPHON 2nd Mode
Vs: Give ear, O God, unto my prayer, and disdain not my supplication. Ps 54: 1
Refrain: Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
Vs: Lo, I have fled afar off and have dwelt in the wilderness. Ps 54: 7
Refrain: Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
Vs: I am become like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl in a ruined house. Ps 101: 7
Refrain: Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
Vs: And I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer shall return to my bosom. Ps 34: 16
Refrain: Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us. Glory… Both now…
Refrain: Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.
SECOND ANTIPHON 2nd Mode
Vs: My face hath sought after thee; thy face, O Lord, will I seek. Ps 26: 9b
Refrain: Save us, O Son of God, who art wondrous in the saints, we who chant to thee. Alleluia.
Vs: My soul hath thirsted for thee; how often hath my flesh longed after thee in a land barren and untrodden and unwatered. Ps 62: 1b
Refrain: Save us, O Son of God, who art wondrous in the saints, we who chant to thee. Alleluia. Vs: For the sake of the words of thy lips have I kept the ways that are hard. Ps 16: 4b Refrain: Save us, O Son of God, who art wondrous in the saints, we who chant to thee. Alleluia. Vs: I have not concealed thy mercy, nor thy truth, from the great assemblage. Ps 39: 14 Refrain: Save us, O Son of God, who art wondrous in the saints, we who chant to thee. Alleluia. Glory… Both now… O only begotten Son and Word of God…
THIRD ANTIPHON
Vs: I said to the transgressors: Do not transgress; and to the sinners: Lift not up the horn. Ps 74: 4
Refrain: The memory of the righteous is celebrated with hymns of praise… (apolytikion of the day).
Vs: I have proclaimed the glad tidings of thy righteousness in the great congregation; lo, my lips I shall not restrain. Ps 39: 12
Refrain: The memory of the righteous is celebrated with hymns of praise… (apolytikion of the day). Vs: And my tongue shall treat of thy righteousness, and of thy praise all the day long. Ps 34: 32 Refrain: The memory of the righteous is celebrated with hymns of praise… (apolytikion of the day).
THE ORDINARY EISODIKON
O come let us worship…, Save us, O Son of God, who art wondrous…
TROPARIA AFTER THE ENTRANCE
APOLYTIKION of the FORERUNNER 2nd Mode
The memory of the righteous is celebrated with songs of praise, but the Lord’s testimony is sufficient for thee, O Forerunner. Thou wast shown indeed to be more honorable than the prophets, for in the waters thou didst baptize him whom they had proclaimed. After suffering with joy in behalf of the truth, thou didst proclaim even to those in Hades the God who appeared in the flesh, who taketh away the sin of the world, and granteth us great mercy.
APOLYTIKION of the LOCAL ALTAR (Ss Peter & Paul) 4th Mode
O foremost in the ranks of Apostles and teachers of the world, Peter and Paul, intercede with the Master of all to grant safety to the world and to our souls the great mercy.
SEASONAL KONTAKION (24 August through 8 September) 4th Mode
Joachim and Anna were freed from the reporach of childlessness, and Adam and Eve from the corruption of death, O immaculate one, by thy holy Nativity, which thy people, redeemed from the guilt of offences, celebrate by crying to thee: The barren woman giveth birth to the Theotokos, the mother of our life.
TRISAGION HYMN
Holy God… (as usual)
PROKEIMENON OF THE APOSTLE
The righteous shall rejoice in the Lord.
Vs: Hearken unto my voice, O God!
THE APOSTLE
The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles. (13: 25-33a)
In those days, as John was fulfilling his course…
[see Royal Hours of Theophany, First Hour: The Book of the Epistles, 403]
ALLELUIA 2nd Mode
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Vs: The righteous man shall flourish like a palm tree, and like a cedar in Lebanon shall he be multiplied.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Vs: Those that are planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of our God shall they blossom forth.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
THE GOSPEL
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark. (6: 14-30)
At that time, King Herod heard this report…
** and the rest of the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, as usual.**
KOINONIKON for the FORERUNNER
In everlasting remembrance shall the righteous be; he shall not be afraid of evil tidings Ps 111: 6