Thursday 7 January 2027
Synaxis of St John the Baptist
Thursday of the 32nd week after Pentecost
Synaxis of St John the Baptist
About Synaxis of the Forerunner →
Saints commemorated
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New Martyr Athanasius of Attalia (1700)
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Our Venerable Father Cedd, Bishop of Essex and Abbot of Lastingham (664)
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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.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Brannock of Braunton (6th C)
- St. Cronan Beg, bishop of Aendrum (7th C)
- St. Kentigerna, mother of St. Foellan (734)
Troparia & kontakia
Apolytikion
When thou wast baptized in the Jordan, O Lord, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest; for the voice of the Father bore witness to thee, naming thee his beloved Son, and the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the sureness of the word. O Christ our God, who hast appeared and enlightened the world, glory to thee.
Kontakion — Tone 6
Dreading thy bodily presence, the Jordan turned back in trembling; and John, fulfilling his spiritual ministry, drew back in fear. The ranks of the angels were struck with wonder, beholding thee baptized in the flesh amid the streams; and all that were in darkness were flooded with light, hymning thee who hast appeared and enlightened all things.
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.
Stichera
Thy hand which touched the most pure head of the Master, and with which thou didst point him out to us with thy finger — lift it up on our behalf, O Baptist, since thou hast great boldness before him; for by him thou hast been witnessed to be greater than all the prophets. And thine eyes again, which beheld the all-holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove — raise them up to him, O Baptist, and make him merciful to us; and come, stand with us, sealing our praise.
Troparion — Tone 4
The memory of the righteous is kept with praises; but for thee, O Forerunner, the witness of the Lord sufficeth. For thou wast shown to be truly more honourable than the prophets, in that thou wast counted worthy to baptize in the streams the One whom thou didst proclaim. Therefore, having contended for the truth, thou didst rejoice to bring the good tidings even to those in Hades: that God was made manifest in the flesh, taking away the sin of the world and granting us great mercy.
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
Acts 19.1-8 (Forerunner)
1And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. 4Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. 7And all the men were about twelve. 8And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
James 4.7-5.9
7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. 11Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? 13Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. 16But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. 17Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. 1Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. 2Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. 3Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. 4Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. 5Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. 6Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you. 7Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 9Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
Gospel
John 1.29-34 (Forerunner)
29The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 30This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 31And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 32And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
Luke 18.31-34
31Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: 33And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. 34And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.