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Tuesday 23 September 2025

Conception of St John the Baptist

Tuesday of the 16th week after Pentecost

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No Fast — Wine and Oil are Allowed Tone 6

Conception of St John the Baptist

Saints commemorated

  • Antiochian commemoration

    John the Forerunner

    John the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord — son of the priest Zachariah and the righteous Elizabeth, kinsman of Christ, desert ascetic, preacher of repentance at the Jordan, and the one found worthy to baptize the incarnate God — is honoured by the Orthodox Church above every saint except the Theotokos. The Lord himself pronounced the verdict the Church repeats: "among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater." Last and greatest of the prophets, he pointed to the Lamb of God with his finger, rebuked a king, was beheaded for righteousness' sake, and — the tradition sings — went as forerunner even to those in Hades. His cycle of six fixed feasts, from his Conception (September 23) to the Findings of his Head, structures the whole liturgical year, and every Tuesday of the week is dedicated to him.

  • Holy Martyr Iraida (Rais) of Alexandria (308)

    Rhais (Irais, Iraida; in Russian usage Raisa) was a virgin of Alexandria who suffered martyrdom in Egypt around the year 308, in the last great persecution. Going to a well to draw water, she saw at the shore a ship crowded with Christian prisoners — men, women, clergy and monastics in chains — and, casting her pitcher aside, freely joined the confessors and was fettered with them. Carried with the company to the city of Antinoe (Antinopolis) on the Nile, she was the first to be tortured and beheaded, and the rest sealed their confession after her. She is commemorated on September 23.

  • New Martyr John of Epirus (1814)

  • Andrew, John, Peter and Antoninus

    Andrew, John, and John's sons Peter and Antoninus were Christians of Syracuse in Sicily who suffered martyrdom in North Africa in the later ninth century, under the Aghlabid emir Ibrahim. Carried captive to Africa after the fall of Syracuse, the two boys were raised at the emir's court, educated in Arabic learning, and advanced to high favour — until their secret Christian faith was discovered. Scourged, mutilated and paraded, the sons died confessing Christ; their father John was slaughtered by the emir's own hand; and the aged Andrew, worn down by hunger and run through with a spear, was beheaded. They are commemorated together on September 23.

  • Nicholas the Grocer

    Nicholas "the Grocer" (Pantopoles), a young Greek of Karpenisi in central Greece, was martyred at Constantinople in 1672 at about fifteen years of age. Sent to the City to work in his father's provision shop in the market quarter of Tahtakale, he was set to learn Turkish from a Muslim neighbour, who by trickery drew from the boy a recitation of the Muslim confession of faith and then, with witnesses, demanded he live as a Turk. Nicholas answered that he was born a Christian and would die one; neither promises, nor prison, nor torture moved him, and he was beheaded, sealing his baptism with his blood. He is commemorated on September 23 in the Greek calendar.

  • Xanthippe and Polyxena

    Xanthippe and Polyxena were sisters of Spain in the first age of the Church, remembered as disciples of the apostles. The tradition relates that Xanthippe and her husband Probus were converted by the preaching of the apostle Paul in Spain; that Polyxena, carried off before her baptism and taken by sea to Greece, was preserved from defilement, heard the apostle Philip, and was baptized at Patras by the apostle Andrew, whose martyrdom she witnessed; and that returning home she laboured beside her sister some forty years, converting many, Xanthippe preaching in Toledo, until Polyxena reposed in peace around the year 109, a virgin to the end. They are commemorated together on September 23.

British Isles and Ireland

  • St. Adomnan (Eunan), abbot of Iona and biographer of St. Columba (704)
  • St. Cissa of Crowland, hermit (8th C)

Troparia & kontakia

Kontakion — Tone 1

Zachariah the great rejoiceth with splendour, with Elizabeth his all-glorious yokefellow, for she hath worthily conceived John the Forerunner, whom the Archangel announced with rejoicing, and whom we men honour as is due, an initiate of the grace of God.

Troparion — Tone 4

Rejoice, O barren one, that hadst not borne until now: for behold, thou hast conceived the lamp of the Sun, who is to enlighten all the world, that lay sick with blindness. Dance, O Zachariah, and cry out with boldness: the one to be born is the Prophet of the Most High.

Readings

Epistle

Galatians 5.11-21

11And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. 12I would they were even cut off which trouble you. 13For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 4.22-31 (Forerunner)

22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 30Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

Gospel

Luke 3.23-4.1

23And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, 24Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph, 25Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge, 26Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda, 27Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri, 28Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er, 29Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, 30Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim, 31Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David, 32Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson, 33Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda, 34Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor, 35Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala, 36Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech, 37Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan, 38Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God. 1And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

Luke 1.5-25 (Forerunner)

5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judæa, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. 8And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, 9According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. 11And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. 16And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 18And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. 21And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. 22And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. 23And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. 24And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 25Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.