Composite 8 - Isaiah 40, 41, 45, 48, 54 (Vespers, Forerunner)

1Thus says the Lord: Comfort, comfort my people, says God. Priests, speak to the heart of Jerusalem. Comfort her, because her humiliation has been completed; for her has sin has been abolished, because she has received from the Lord’s hand double for her sins. A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God. Every valley will be filled and every mountain and hill made low; what is crooked will become straight, and the rough ways will be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Go up onto a high mountain, you who bring good tidings to Sion; lift up your voice with strength, you who bring good tidings to Jerusalem. Lift it up, do not be afraid. I the Lord God, I, the God of Israel, will hearken and will not forsake them; but I will open rivers from the mountains and springs in the middle of plains. I will turn the wilderness into water meadows and the thirsty earth with water courses. Let the heavens rejoice from on high and let the clouds rain justice. Let the earth sprout and blossom with mercy and justice. Announce a voice of gladness to the end of the earth and let this be heard: Say that the Lord has delivered his servant Jacob. And if they thirst through deserts, he will bring water for them from a rock. Rejoice you barren who have never given birth, break out and shout, you who have never known birth pangs, for the children of the deserted are more than those of her who has a husband.

Composite 9 - Malachi 3, 4 (Vespers, Forerunner)

1Thus says the Lord Almighty: See, I am sending my Angel, my messenger, before your face, who will prepare your way before you. And the Lord whom you seek will come to his temple. And who will endure the day of his entrance? And who will withstand at his appearing? Because he will enter like fire in a smelting furnace and like the lye of launderers. And he will come to you in judgement; and he will be a swift witness against the wicked and against adulteresses and against those swear falsely in his name and those who do not fear him, says the Lord Almighty. Because I am the Lord your God, and I have not changed and you, children of Jacob, have perverted the laws and not kept them. Therefore turn back to me and I will turn back to you, says the Lord Almighty. And all the nations will call you blessed and you will know that I am the Lord who discern between just and lawless on the day on which I make a peculiar possession of those who love me. Know then and remember the law of Moses my servant, as I gave him commandment on Horeb, to all Israel ordinances and judgements. And see, I will send you Elias the Thesbite, before the great and manifest day of the Lord comes; he will turn again the heart of father to son and of a man to his neighbour, lest when I come I smite the earth grievously, says the Lord Almighty, God the Holy One of Israel.

Composite 3 - Wisdom of Solomon 4, 5 (Vespers, Forerunner)

1A just man if he comes to his end will be at rest. A just man who dies will condemn the ungodly who are alive; for they will see the end of a just man and will not understand what they counselled concerning him. For the Lord will break the ungodly, render them voiceless and cast them headlong, and he will shake them from the foundations and they will be utterly worsted in sorrow, and their memory shall perish. They shall come with fear at the accounting of their sins, and their iniquities will convict them to their face. Then the just will stand with much boldness in the face of those who afflicted him and made his toils of no account. When they see this they will be troubled with great fear and will be amazed at the wonder of his salvation. For they will say as they repent and with anguish they will groan and say: Is this he whom we fools once made a laughing stock and a byword of reproach? We reckoned his life folly and his end dishonour. How has he been numbered among the children of God and his lot with the Saints? Therefore we have erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousness has not shone on us and the sun has not dawned on us. We have been filled with paths of lawlessness and destruction and journeyed through trackless paths, but have not known the way of the Lord.

Luke 7.17-30 (Matins Gospel, Forerunner)

17I otide glas ovaj o njemu po svoj Judeji i po svoj okolini. 18I javiše Jovanu uèenici njegovi za sve ovo. 19I dozvavši Jovan dva od uèenika svojijeh posla ih k Isusu govoreæi: jesi li ti onaj što æe doæi, ili drugoga da èekamo? 20Došavši pak ljudi k njemu rekoše: Jovan krstitelj posla nas k tebi govoreæi: jesi li ti onaj što æe doæi, ili drugoga da èekamo? 21A u taj èas iscijeli mnoge od bolesti i od muka i od zlijeh duhova, i mnogima slijepijem darova vid. 22I odgovarajuæi Isus reèe im: idite i kažite Jovanu što vidjeste i èuste: slijepi progledaju, hromi hode, gubavi èiste se, gluhi èuju, mrtvi ustaju, siromašnima propovijeda se jevanðelje. 23I blago onome koji se ne sablazni o mene. 24A kad otidoše uèenici Jovanovi, poèe narodu govoriti za Jovana: šta ste izišli u pustinji da vidite? Trsku, koju ljulja vjetar? 25Šta ste dakle izišli da vidite? Èovjeka u meke haljine obuèena? Eto, koji gospodske haljine nose i u slastima žive po carskijem su dvorovima. 26Šta ste dakle izišli da vidite? Proroka? Da, ja vam kažem, i više od proroka; 27Jer je ovo onaj za koga je pisano: eto ja šaljem anðela svojega pred licem tvojijem koji æe pripraviti put tvoj pred tobom. 28Jer vam kažem: nijedan izmeðu roðenijeh od žena nije veæi prorok od Jovana krstitelja; a najmanji u carstvu Božijemu veæi je od njega. 29I svi ljudi koji slušahu i carinici opravdaše Boga, i krstiše se krštenjem Jovanovijem; 30A fariseji i književnici odbaciše svjet Božij za njih, i ne htješe da ih on krsti.

3 John 1.1-14 (Epistle)

1Od starješine Gaju ljubaznome, kojega ja ljubim vaistinu. 2Ljubazni! molim se Bogu da ti u svemu bude dobro, i da budeš zdrav, kao što je tvojoj duši dobro. 3Obradovah se vrlo kad doðoše braæa i posvjedoèiše tvoju istinu, kako ti u istini živiš. 4Nemam veæe radosti od ove da èujem moja djeca u istini da hode. 5Ljubazni! vjerno radiš što èiniš braæi i gostima, 6Koji posvjedoèiše tvoju ljubav pred crkvom; i dobro æeš uèiniti ako ih spremiš kao što treba pred Bogom. 7Jer imena njegova radi iziðoše ne primivši ništa od neznabožaca. 8Mi smo dakle dužni primati takove, da budemo pomagaèi istini. 9Ja pisah crkvi; ali Diotref, koji želi da bude najstariji meðu njima, ne prima nas. 10Zato, ako doðem, spomenuæu njegova djela koja tvori ružeæi nas zlijem rijeèima; i nije mu to dosta, nego sam braæe ne prima, i zabranjuje onima koji bi htjeli da ih primaju, i izgoni ih iz crkve. 11Ljubazni! ne ugledaj se na zlo, nego na dobro: koji dobro èini od Boga je, a koji zlo èini ne vidje Boga. 12Dimitriju svjedoèiše svi, i sama istina; a i mi svjedoèimo; i znate da je svjedoèanstvo naše istinito. 13Mnogo imadoh da pišem; ali neæu mastilom i perom da ti pišem; 14Nego se nadam da æu te skoro vidjeti, i iz usta govoriti.

2 Corinthians 4.6-15 (Epistle, Forerunner)

6Jer Bog koji reèe da iz tame zasvijetli vidjelo, zasvijetli u srcima našima na svjetlost poznanja slave Božije u licu Isusa Hrista. 7Ali ovo blago imamo u zemljanijem sudovima, da premnoštvo sile bude od Boga a ne od nas. 8U svemu imamo nevolje, ali nam se ne dosaðuje; zbunjeni smo, ali ne gubimo nada; 9Progone nas, ali nijesmo ostavljeni; obaljuju nas, ali ne ginemo. 10I jednako nosimo na tijelu smrt Gospoda Isusa, da se i život Isusov na tijelu našemu pokaže. 11Jer mi živi jednako se predajemo na smrt za Isusa, da se i život Isusov javi na smrtnome tijelu našemu. 12Zato dakle smrt vlada u nama, a život u vama. 13Imajuæi pak onaj isti duh vjere kao što je napisano: vjerovah, zato govorih; mi vjerujemo, zato i govorimo. 14Znajuæi da æe onaj koji podiže Isusa, i nas podignuti s Isusom, i postaviti s vama. 15Jer je sve vas radi, da blagodat umnožena izobiluje hvalama na slavu Božiju.

Luke 19.29-40, 22.7-39 (Gospel)

29I kad se približi Vitfazi i Vitaniji kod gore koja se zvaše Maslinska, posla dva od uèenika svojijeh 30Govoreæi: idite u to selo prema vama, i kad uðete u njega naæi æete magare privezano na koje nikakav èovjek nikad nije usjedao; odriješite ga i dovedite. 31I ako vas ko upita: zašto driješite? ovako mu kažite: ono Gospodu treba. 32A kad otidoše poslani, naðoše kao što im kaza. 33A kad oni driješahu magare rekoše im gospodari od njega: zašto driješite magare? 34A oni rekoše: ono Gospodu treba. 35I dovedoše ga k Isusu, i baciše haljine svoje na magare, i posadiše Isusa. 36A kad iðaše, prostirahu haljine svoje po putu. 37A kad se približi veæ da siðe s gore Maslinske, poèe sve mnoštvo uèenika u radosti hvaliti Boga iza glasa za sva èudesa što su vidjeli, 38Govoreæi: blagosloven car koji ide u ime Gospodnje! mir na nebu i slava na visini! 39I neki fariseji iz naroda rekoše mu: uèitelju! zaprijeti uèenicima svojijem. 40I odgovarajuæi reèe im: kažem vam: ako oni uæute, kamenje æe povikati. 7A doðe dan prijesnijeh hljebova u koji trebaše klati pashu; 8I posla Petra i Jovana rekavši: idite ugotovite nam pashu da jedemo. 9A oni mu rekoše: gdje hoæeš da ugotovimo? 10A on im reèe: eto kad uðete u grad, srešæe vas èovjek koji nosi vodu u krèagu; idite za njim u kuæu u koju on uðe, 11I kažite domaæinu: uèitelj veli: gdje je gostionica gdje æu jesti pashu s uèenicima svojijem? 12I on æe vam pokazati veliku sobu prostrtu; ondje ugotovite. 13A oni otidoše i naðoše kao što im kaza; i ugotoviše pashu. 14I kad doðe èas, sjede za trpezu, i dvanaest apostola s njim. 15I reèe im: vrlo sam željeo da ovu pashu jedem s vama prije nego postradam; 16Jer vam kažem da je otsele neæu jesti dok se ne svrši u carstvu Božijemu. 17I uzevši èašu dade hvalu, i reèe: uzmite je i razdijelite meðu sobom; 18Jer vam kažem da neæu piti od roda vinogradskoga dok ne doðe carstvo Božije. 19I uzevši hljeb dade hvalu, i prelomivši ga dade im govoreæi: ovo je tijelo moje koje se daje za vas; ovo èinite za moj spomen. 20A tako i èašu po veèeri, govoreæi: ova je èaša novi zavjet mojom krvi koja se za vas proljeva. 21Ali evo ruka izdajnika mojega sa mnom je na trpezi. 22I sin èovjeèij dakle ide kao što je ureðeno; ali teško èovjeku onome koji ga izdaje! 23I oni staše tražiti meðu sobom koji bi dakle od njih bio koji æe to uèiniti. 24A posta i prepiranje meðu njima koji bi se držao meðu njima da je najveæi. 25A on im reèe: carevi narodni vladaju narodom, a koji njim upravljaju, zovu se dobrotvori. 26Ali vi nemojte tako; nego koji je najveæi meðu vama neka bude kao najmanji, i koji je starješina neka bude kao sluga. 27Jer koji je veæi, koji sjedi za trpezom ili koji služi? Nije li onaj koji sjedi za trpezom? A ja sam meðu vama kao sluga. 28A vi ste oni koji ste se održali sa mnom u mojijem napastima. 29I ja ostavljam vama carstvo kao što je otac moj meni ostavio: 30Da jedete i pijete za trpezom mojom u carstvu mojemu, i da sjedite na prijestolima i sudite nad dvanaest koljena Izrailjevijeh. 31Reèe pak Gospod: Simone! Simone! evo vas ište sotona da bi vas èinio kao pšenicu. 32A ja se molih za tebe da tvoja vjera ne prestane; i ti kadgod obrativši se utvrdi braæu svoju. 33A on mu reèe: Gospode! s tobom gotov sam i u tamnicu i na smrt iæi. 34A on reèe: kažem ti, Petre! danas neæe zapjevati pijetao dok se triput ne odreèeš da me poznaješ. 35I reèe im: kad vas poslah bez kese i bez torbe i bez obuæe, eda vam što nedostade? A oni rekoše: ništa. 36A on im reèe: ali sad koji ima kesu neka je uzme, tako i torbu; a koji nema neka proda haljinu svoju i kupi nož. 37Jer vam kažem da još i ovo treba na meni da se izvrši što stoji u pismu: i meðu zloèince metnuše ga. Jer što je pisano za mene, svršuje se. 38A oni rekoše: Gospode! evo ovdje dva noža. A on im reèe: dosta je. 39I izišavši otide po obièaju na goru Maslinsku; a za njim otidoše uèenici njegovi.

Matthew 11.2-15 (Gospel, Forerunner)

2A Jovan èuvši u tamnici djela Hristova posla dvojicu uèenika svojijeh, 3I reèe mu: jesi li ti onaj što æe doæi, ili drugoga da èekamo? 4A Isus odgovarajuæi reèe im: idite i kažite Jovanu što èujete i vidite: 5Slijepi progledaju i hromi hode, gubavi èiste se i gluhi èuju, mrtvi ustaju i siromašnima propovijeda se jevanðelje. 6I blago onome koji se ne sablazni o mene. 7A kad ovi otidoše, poèe Isus ljudima govoriti o Jovanu: šta ste izišli u pustinji da vidite? Trsku, koju ljulja vjetar? 8Ili šta ste izišli da vidite? Èovjeka u meke haljine obuèena? Eto, koji meke haljine nose po carskijem su dvorovima. 9Ili šta ste izišli da vidite? Proroka? Da, ja vam kažem, i više od proroka. 10Jer je ovo onaj za koga je pisano: eto, ja šaljem anðela svojega pred licem tvojijem, koji æe pripraviti put tvoj pred tobom. 11Zaista vam kažem: nijedan izmeðu roðenijeh od žena nije izišao veæi od Jovana krstitelja; a najmanji u carstvu nebeskome veæi je od njega. 12A od vremena Jovana krstitelja dosad carstvo nebesko na silu se uzima, i siledžije dobijaju ga. 13Jer su svi proroci i zakon proricali do Jovana. 14I ako hoæete vjerovati, on je Ilija što æe doæi. 15Koji ima uši da èuje neka èuje.

First (4th c.) and Second (9th c.) Findings of the Precious Head of St John the Baptist

After the Forerunner was beheaded at the order of Herod and his illicit wife Herodias, his head was discarded in what the Synaxarion calls “an unseemly location,” presumably a privy. According to some, it was secretly recovered by Joanna, one of the Myrrhbearing women, and given honorable burial near Jerusalem. There it was found, through a revelation of the Forerunner, by two monks who had come to Jerusalem to worship at the tomb of our Savior (the first finding). Putting the head in a bag, the monks returned home. On the way, they met an indigent potter from Emesa. That night the Forerunner appeared to the poor man and instructed him to make off with the relic. He returned with it to Emesa and immediately began to prosper in his business. Just before he died, he put the holy relic in a chest, which he left to his sister with these instructions: never to open it without instructions from the one hidden inside it; and to pass it on to a pious man beloved of God. Thus the Head of the Baptist passed through many generations, eventually being concealed in a cave near a monastery founded during the reign of Marcian (450-457), whose abbot was the godly Marcellus.

The blessed Forerunner appeared several times to Marcellus, embracing him and once even giving him a pot of honey. The Baptist ordered Marcellus to follow a star which led him to the cave and came to rest in front of a niche in the wall. Marcellus dug there and came upon a marble slab, under which was a large jar containing the precious Head. The holy relic was taken with rejoicing to the cathedral in Emesa,where it worked many wonders. In the reign of Michael III (842-867), it was taken to Constantinople. It was at this translation that the present Feast was instituted.

The version given here is that of St Symeon Metaphrastes. Other sources give substantially different accounts.

The Prologue observes: “It is important and interesting to note that, while he was alive, John did not work a single miracle (Jn 10:41), but to his relics was given the blessed power of working miracles.”

Saint Aethelberht (Ethelbert), first Christian King of Kent (616)

In 597, a party of forty missionary monks, led by St Augustine of Canterbury (May 28), was sent to Britain by the holy Pope Gregory the Great, to bring the blessed Gospel of Jesus Christ to the English people. Aethelberht, who had been King of Kent for thirty-six years, received the monks favorably, allowed them to preach in his kingdom, and invited them to establish their headquarters in Canterbury, his capital city, which already contained a small, ruined church dedicated to St Martin of Tours in Roman times.

The king himself was converted and received holy Baptism at the hands of St Augustine; a crowd of his subjects followed his example. When St Augustine was consecrated bishop, Aethelberht allowed him to be made Archbishop of Canterbury and gave his own palace to serve as a monastery. The king worked steadily for the conversion of the neighboring kindoms, and in 604 established an episcopal see in London. Unlike some Christian rulers, he refused to see anyone converted forcibly.

Saint Aethelberht reposed in peace in 616, after reigning for fifty-six years. He was buried in the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, which he had established. Many miracles were worked at his tomb, where a lamp was kept lit perpetually until the monastery was disbanded by the Protestants in 1538.