If the Eve of the Theophany falls on Saturday or Sunday, the Royal Hours are read on the preceding Friday. In such a case, the Liturgy is not celebrated on Friday.

The First Hour

After the blessing by the priest, we say Holy God…, and the opening prayers as usual. Then O come, let us worship…, and the following three psalms:

Psalm 5

Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto Thee will I pray. My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up. For Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with Thee. The foolish shall not stand in Thy sight: Thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. But as for me, I will come into Thy house in the multitude of Thy mercy: and in Thy fear will I worship toward Thy holy temple. Lead me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make Thy way straight before my face. For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue. Destroy Thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against Thee. But let all those that put their trust in Thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because Thou defendest them: let them also that love Thy name be joyful in Thee. For Thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt Thou compass him as with a shield.

Psalm 22

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Psalm 26

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When Thou saidst, Seek ye My face; my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not Thy face far from me; put not Thy servant away in anger: Thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. Teach me Thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory be to Thee, O God (three times).

Kyrie eleison (three times).

Then Glory be to the Father… and the troparion of the Forefeast:

Tone Four

The river Jordan once turned back before the mantle of Elisha, after Elijah had been taken up into heaven, and the waters were divided on this side and on that: the stream became a dry path before him, forming a true figure of the baptism whereby we pass over the changeful course of life. Christ has appeared in the Jordan to sanctify the waters.

Then the reader continues:

Both now…

Theotokion

What shall we call thee, O full of grace? Heaven? For thou hast made the Sun of Righteousness shine forth. Paradise? For thou hast put forth the flower of immortality. Virgin? For thou hast remained without corruption. Pure Mother? For thou hast held in thy holy embrace a Son who is God of all. Pray unto Him to save our souls.

Then we sing the following stichera:

Tone Eight

by Sophronios, Patriarch of Jerusalem

Today the nature of the waters is sanctified, and the Jordan is parted in two: it holds back the stream of its own waters, seeing the Master wash Himself (twice).

℣. Therefore will I remember Thee from the land of Jordan and of the Hermonites (Psalm 41:7).

Same Tone

O Christ the King, Thou hast come unto the river as a man, and in Thy goodness Thou dost make haste to receive the baptism of a servant at the hands of the Forerunner, for the sake of our sins, O Thou who lovest mankind.

℣. The waters saw Thee, O God, the waters saw Thee and were afraid (Psalm 76:17).

Repeat.

Glory be to the Father…

Same Tone

At the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord’, Thou hast come, O Lord, taking the form of a servant, and Thou who knowest not sin dost ask for baptism. The waters saw Thee and were afraid; the Forerunner was seized with trembling and cried aloud, saying: ‘How shall the lamp illuminate the Light? How shall the servant set his hand upon the Master? O Saviour who takest away the sin of the world, sanctify both me and the waters.’

Both now…

Repeat.

Immediately there follows the Prokimenon:

Tone Four

The Lord thundered upon many waters: the voice of Thy thunder was in the heaven.

℣. I will love Thee, O Lord my strength: the Lord is my support, my refuge, and my deliverer (Psalm 17:2–3).

Lessons:

Reading from the Prophet Isaiah (35:1–10).

Thus saith the Lord: The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: and the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Reading from the Acts of the Apostles (13:25–33).

In those days, as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not He. But, behold, there cometh One after me, whose shoes of His feet I am not worthy to loose. Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew Him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning Him. And though they found no cause of death in Him, yet desired they Pilate that He should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of Him, they took Him down from the tree, and laid Him in a sepulchre. But God raised Him from the dead: and He was seen many days of them which came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses unto the people. And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that He hath raised up Jesus again.

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (3:1–6).

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

After the Gospel the reader says:

Order my steps in Thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the false accusation of men: so will I keep Thy precepts. Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant; and teach me Thy statutes (Psalm 118:133–135).

Then Holy God…, etc., and the Lord’s Prayer, followed by the kontakion of the Forefeast:

Tone Four

When the Lord descended today into the waters of the Jordan, He cried aloud to John: ‘Be not afraid to baptize me: for I am come to save Adam the first-formed man.’

Kyrie eleison (forty times) and the Prayer of the Hours, Thou who at every season and every hour… Then Kyrie eleison (three times); Glory be to the Father… Both now…; Greater in honour than the cherubim…; In the Name of the Lord, give the blessing, Father.

The priest: God be merciful unto us…

And the prayer:

O Christ, the true Light who dost enlighten and sanctify every man that comes into the world, let the light of Thy countenance be marked upon us, that in it we may see the light unapproachable; and direct our steps in Thy commandments, at the prayers of Thine undefiled Mother and of all Thy saints. Amen.

The Third Hour

O come, let us worship…, and the following three psalms:

Psalm 28

Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars; yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness; the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in His temple doth every one speak of His glory. The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever. The Lord will give strength unto His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.

Psalm 41

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance. O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember Thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of Thy waterspouts: all Thy waves and Thy billows are gone over me. Yet the Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. I will say unto God my rock, Why hast Thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Psalm 50

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory be to Thee, O God (three times).

Kyrie eleison (three times).

Then Glory be to the Father… and the troparion:

Tone Four

The river Jordan once turned back before the mantle of Elisha, after Elijah had been taken up into heaven, and the waters were divided on this side and on that: the stream became a dry path before him, forming a true figure of the baptism whereby we pass over the changeful course of life. Christ has appeared in the Jordan to sanctify the waters.

After this the reader continues:

Both now…

Theotokion

O Theotokos, thou art the true vine, that hast put forth the fruit of life. We pray thee, O Lady, intercede together with the apostles and all the saints, that mercy may be granted to our souls.

Then we sing the following stichera:

Tone Eight

The right hand of the Forerunner and Baptist, the prophet honoured above all the prophets, trembled as he beheld Thee, the Lamb of God who cleanses the sins of the world. Seized with agony, he cried: ‘I dare not touch Thy head, O Word. Do Thou Thyself in Thy mercy sanctify and enlighten me: for Thou art the life and the light and the peace of the world’ (twice).

℣. Therefore will I remember Thee from the land of Jordan and of the Hermonites (Psalm 41:7).

Tone Four

The Trinity, our God, today has made Itself indivisibly manifest to us. For the Father in a loud voice bore clear witness to His Son; the Spirit in the form of a dove came down from the sky; while the Son bent His immaculate head before the Forerunner, and by receiving baptism He delivered us from bondage, in His love for mankind.

℣. The waters saw Thee, O God, the waters saw Thee and were afraid (Psalm 76:17).

Repeat.

Glory be to the Father…

Tone Five

Desiring to receive baptism, O Lord, Thou hast come with Thy flesh in man’s form to the Jordan, O Giver of life, to enlighten us who were gone astray, delivering us in Thy compassion from every device and snare of the dragon. Then the Father bore witness to Thee, and the divine Spirit in the form of a dove came down upon Thee. Make Thy dwelling in our souls, O Thou who lovest mankind.

Both now…

Repeat.

Immediately there follows the Prokimenon:

Tone Six

The waters saw Thee, O God, the waters saw Thee and were afraid (Psalm 76:17).

℣. The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundered, the Lord is upon many waters (Psalm 28:3).

Lessons:

Reading from the Prophet Isaiah (1:16–20).

Thus saith the Lord: Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgement, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Reading from the Acts of the Apostles (19:1–8).

In those days it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, he 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. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then 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. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve. And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark (1:1–8).

The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; as it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send My messenger before Thy face, which shall prepare Thy way before Thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; and preached, saying, There cometh One mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

After the Gospel the reader says:

Blessed be the Lord God: blessed be the Lord from day to day, and may the God of our salvation prosper us, for He is our God, the God of salvation (Psalm 67:20–21).

Then Holy God…, etc., and the Lord’s Prayer, followed by the kontakion:

Tone Four

When the Lord descended today into the waters of the Jordan, He cried aloud to John: ‘Be not afraid to baptize me: for I am come to save Adam the first-formed man.’

Kyrie eleison (forty times) and the Prayer of the Hours, Thou who at every season and every hour… Then Kyrie eleison (three times); Glory be to the Father… Both now…; Greater in honour than the cherubim…; In the Name of the Lord, give the blessing, Father.

The priest: God be merciful unto us…

And the prayer:

O God the Master, Father Almighty, O Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-begotten Son, and Thou, O Holy Spirit, one Godhead, one Power, have mercy upon me a sinner, and according to Thy divine judgement save me, Thine unworthy servant: for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The Sixth Hour

O come, let us worship…, and the following three psalms:

Psalm 73

O God, why hast Thou cast us off for ever? why doth Thine anger smoke against the sheep of Thy pasture? Remember Thy congregation, which Thou hast purchased of old; the rod of Thine inheritance, which Thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein Thou hast dwelt. Lift up Thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary. Thine enemies roar in the midst of Thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs. A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees. But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers. They have cast fire into Thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of Thy name to the ground. They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land. We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long. O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme Thy name for ever? Why withdrawest Thou Thy hand, even Thy right hand? pluck it out of Thy bosom. For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. Thou didst divide the sea by Thy strength: Thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters. Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness. Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: Thou driedst up mighty rivers. The day is Thine, the night also is Thine: Thou hast prepared the light and the sun. Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: Thou hast made summer and winter. Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Lord, and that the foolish people have blasphemed Thy name. O deliver not the soul of Thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of Thy poor for ever. Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise Thy name. Arise, O God, plead Thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth Thee daily. Forget not the voice of Thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against Thee increaseth continually.

Psalm 76

I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and He gave ear unto me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will He be favourable no more? Is His mercy clean gone for ever? doth His promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies? And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember Thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all Thy work, and talk of Thy doings. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? Thou art the God that doest wonders: Thou hast declared Thy strength among the people. Thou hast with Thine arm redeemed Thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. The waters saw Thee, O God, the waters saw Thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled. The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: Thine arrows also went abroad. The voice of Thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook. Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps are not known. Thou leddest Thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Psalm 90

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory be to Thee, O God (three times).

Kyrie eleison (three times).

Then Glory be to the Father… and the troparion:

Tone Four

The river Jordan once turned back before the mantle of Elisha, after Elijah had been taken up into heaven, and the waters were divided on this side and on that: the stream became a dry path before him, forming a true figure of the baptism whereby we pass over the changeful course of life. Christ has appeared in the Jordan to sanctify the waters.

After this, the reader continues:

Both now…

Theotokion

As there is no boldness in us because of the multitude of our sins, do thou, O Virgin Theotokos, intercede with the Son whom thou hast borne, for the entreaty of a mother has great power to win the favour of the Master. Despise not, O all-venerable Lady, the prayers of sinners, for He who took upon Himself to suffer for our sake is merciful and strong to save.

Then we sing the following stichera:

Tone Eight

Thus spake the Lord to John: ‘O Prophet, come and baptize Me who created thee, for I enlighten all men by grace and cleanse them. Touch My divine head and doubt not. O Prophet, suffer it to be so now: for I have come to fulfil all righteousness. Be in no doubt at all: for I am in haste to slay the enemy hidden in the waters, the prince of darkness, that I may now deliver the world from his snares, granting eternal life in my love for mankind’ (twice).

℣. Therefore will I remember Thee from the land of Jordan and of the Hermonites (Psalm 41:7).

Tone Six

Today the prophecy of the psalms swiftly approaches its fulfilment: The sea saw it and fled: Jordan was driven back, before the face of the Lord, before the face of the God of Jacob, when He came to receive baptism from His servant, that we, washed clean from the defilement of idolatry, through Him might be enlightened in our souls.

℣. The waters saw Thee, O God, the waters saw Thee and were afraid (Psalm 76:17).

Repeat.

Glory be to the Father…

Tone Five

Why dost thou turn back thy waters, O Jordan? Why dost thou stop thy streams, and why dost thou not proceed upon thy natural course? ‘I cannot bear’, said he, ‘the Fire that consumes me. I am filled with wonder and with dread before His extreme condescension. For I am not used to wash him that is clean: I have not learnt to bathe the sinless, but to purge the filthy vessels. Christ who is baptized in me teaches me to burn the thorns of sin. John, the voice of the Word, bears witness with me and cries: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” ’ Unto Him let us the faithful cry aloud: O God who art made manifest for our salvation, glory to Thee.

Both now…

Repeat.

Immediately there follows the Prokimenon:

Tone Four

The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundered, the Lord is upon many waters (Psalm 28:3).

℣. Bring unto the Lord, ye sons of God, bring unto the Lord young rams (Psalm 28:1).

Lessons:

Reading from the Prophet Isaiah (12:3–6).

Thus saith the Lord: With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon His name, declare His doings among the people, make mention that His name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord; for He hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

Reading from the Epistle to the Romans (6:3–11).

Brethren, know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died unto sin once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God, Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark (1:9–11).

And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him: and there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

After the Gospel the reader says:

Let Thy tender mercies, O Lord, speedily go before us, for we are become exceeding poor. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Thy Name: O Lord, deliver us and purge away our sins, for Thy Name’s sake (Psalm 78:8–9).

Then Holy God…, etc., and the Lord’s Prayer, followed by the kontakion When the Lord descended today….

Kyrie eleison (forty times) and the Prayer of the Hours, Thou who at every season and every hour… Then Kyrie eleison (three times); Glory be to the Father… Both now…; Greater in honour than the cherubim…; In the Name of the Lord, give the blessing, Father.

The priest: God be merciful unto us…

And the prayer:

O God, the Lord of hosts, and Author of all creation, who in Thine ineffable tender mercy hast sent down Thine Only-begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, for the salvation of our kind, and through His Holy Cross hast torn up the handwriting of our sins and thereby triumphed over the princes and dominions of darkness: do Thou, O Master, who lovest mankind, accept these prayers of thanksgiving and supplication even from us sinners, and deliver us from every deadly and dark transgression and from all the visible and invisible enemies that seek to do us harm. Nail our flesh with the fear of Thee, and let not our hearts incline to evil words or thoughts, but wound our souls with Thy love, that ever gazing upon Thee, guided by Thy light and beholding Thee, the eternal Light that no man can approach, we may send up unceasing praises and thanks unto Thee, the Father without beginning, together with Thine Only-begotten Son and Thy most holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The Ninth Hour

O come, let us worship…, and the following three psalms:

Psalm 92

The Lord reigneth, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith He hath girded Himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved. Thy throne is established of old: Thou art from everlasting. The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea. Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh Thine house, O Lord, for ever.

Psalm 113

When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language: Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion. The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back. The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs. What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan that thou wast driven back? Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs? Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob; which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth’s sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: they have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: they have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. O Israel, trust thou in the Lord: He is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord: He is their help and their shield. Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: He is their help and their shield. The Lord hath been mindful of us: He will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great. The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children. Ye are blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth. The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s; but the earth hath He given to the children of men. The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence. But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the Lord.

Psalm 85

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory be to Thee, O God (three times).

Kyrie eleison (three times).

Then Glory be to the Father… and the troparion:

Tone Four

The river Jordan once turned back before the mantle of Elisha, after Elijah had been taken up into heaven, and the waters were divided on this side and on that: the stream became a dry path before him, forming a true figure of the baptism whereby we pass over the changeful course of life. Christ has appeared in the Jordan to sanctify the waters.

After this, the reader continues:

Both now…

Theotokion

O good Lord, for our sakes Thou wast born of a Virgin and hast endured Crucifixion, despoiling death by death, and as God Thou hast shown forth the Resurrection. Despise not Thy handiwork: show Thy love for man, O merciful Lord. Accept the intercessions made on our behalf by the Theotokos who bore Thee; and save, O our Saviour, Thy people from despair.

Then we sing the following stichera:

Tone Seven

A strange wonder it was to see the Maker of heaven and earth stand naked in the river, and as a servant receive baptism from a servant, for our salvation. The choirs of angels were filled with amazement, fear, and joy. Joining with them, we worship Thee: O Lord, save us (twice).

℣. Therefore will I remember Thee from the land of Jordan and of the Hermonites (Psalm 41:7).

Tone Two

When he saw the Lord of glory draw near to him, the Forerunner cried out: ‘Lo, here is He who redeems the world from corruption. Lo, here is He who delivers us from affliction. Lo, here is He who in mercy has come forth upon earth from a pure Virgin, granting remission of sins. Instead of servants, He makes us the sons of God; instead of darkness, He gives mankind light, through the water of His divine baptism. Come ye, then, and let us with one accord glorify Him together with the Father and the Holy Spirit.’

℣. The waters saw Thee, O God, the waters saw Thee and were afraid (Psalm 76:17).

Repeat.

Glory be to the Father… Both now…

Tone Five

With thine hand hast thou touched the immaculate head of the Master (three times).

And with the finger of that hand thou hast shown Him to us: on our behalf, O Baptist, stretch out that same hand over Him, for thou hast great boldness before Him. To thee He bore witness, that thou art greater than all the prophets. With thine own eyes hast thou beheld the Holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove. Lift up those same eyes towards Him, O Baptist, and make Him merciful towards us.

Come and stand with us (three times),

Setting the seal upon our song and beginning our feast.

Immediately there follows the Prokimenon:

Tone Three

The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? (Psalm 26:1)

℣. The Lord is the defender of my life: of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 26:1)

Lessons:

Reading from the Prophet Isaiah (49:8–15).

Thus saith the Lord: In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; that thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for He that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall He guide them. And I will make all My mountains a way, and My highways shall be exalted. Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim. Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted His people, and will have mercy upon His afflicted. But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Thus saith the Lord Almighty.

Reading from the Epistle of Paul to Titus (2:11–14; 3:4–7).

My child Titus, the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (3:14–18).

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages. And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and will gather the wheat into His garner; but the chaff He will burn with fire unquenchable. And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.

After the Gospel the reader says:

Deliver us not up unto the end, for Thy Holy Name’s sake, neither disannul Thou Thy covenant; and cause not Thy mercy to depart from us, for the sake of Abraham Thy beloved, and Isaac Thy servant, and Israel Thy holy one (Song of the Three Children, verses 11–12).

Then Holy God…, etc., and the Lord’s Prayer, followed by the kontakion:

Tone Four

When the Lord descended today into the waters of the Jordan, He cried aloud to John: ‘Be not afraid to baptize me: for I am come to save Adam the first-formed man.’

Kyrie eleison (forty times) and the Prayer of the Hours, Thou who at every season and every hour… Then Kyrie eleison (three times); Glory be to the Father… Both now…; Greater in honour than the cherubim…; In the Name of the Lord, give the blessing, Father.

The priest: God be merciful unto us…

And the prayer:

O Master and Lord, Jesus Christ our God, who art longsuffering towards our faults and hast brought us even unto this present hour, in which, hanging upon the life-giving Cross, Thou hast opened unto the good thief the way into Paradise, and destroyed death by death: be merciful to us, Thy humble and sinful and unworthy servants. For we have sinned and transgressed, and we are not worthy to lift up our eyes and look at the height of heaven, since we have forsaken the path of Thy righteousness and have walked according to the desires of our own hearts. But we pray Thee of Thy boundless goodness, spare us, O Lord, according to the abundance of Thy mercy, and save us for Thy Holy Name’s sake, for our days have been consumed in vanity. Pluck us from the hand of the adversary, forgive us our sins, and kill our fleshly lusts, that putting off the old man, we may put on the new, and may live for Thee our Master and Protector; and that so, following Thine ordinances, we may attain to eternal rest, in the place where all the joyful dwell. For Thou, O Christ our God, art indeed the true joy and gladness of those that love Thee, and unto Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thy Father who is without beginning, and Thy most holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The Typika

The same order of the service is followed as on Christmas Eve (p. 119), except that we use the kontakion, When the Lord descended today….