BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.4.2//EN TZID:America/Winnipeg X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/Winnipeg BEGIN:VEVENT UID:567@liturgy.royaldoors.net DTSTART;TZID=America/Winnipeg;VALUE=DATE:20260829 DTEND;TZID=America/Winnipeg;VALUE=DATE:20260830 DTSTAMP:20260818T144310Z URL:https://liturgy.royaldoors.net/events/saturday-august-29-2026-the-behe ading-of-the-honourable-and-glorious-prophet-forerunner-and-baptist-john/ SUMMARY:Saturday\, August 29\, 2026\; The Beheading of the Honourable and Glorious Prophet\, Forerunner and Baptist John. DESCRIPTION:All-Night Vigil Feast\n\nGREAT VESPERS\n\nKathisma Reading\n\nB lessed is the man… is chanted.\n\nAt Psalm 140\n\nTone 6\n\nOut of the d epths I cry to You\, O Lord\;* O Lord\, hear my voice!\n\nWhile the birthd ay of the shameless Herod was being celebrated\,* the oath made to the lus tful dancer was fulfilled\;* the head of the Forerunner was cut off* and o ffered on a platter to those at table.* What a loathsome banquet\, filled with wickedness and horrible murder.* As for us\, let us worthily venerate and bless the Baptizer\,* for he is the greatest man born of woman.\n\nLe t Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.\n\nWhile the birthday of the shameless Herod was being celebrated\,* the oath made to the lustf ul dancer was fulfilled\;* the head of the Forerunner was cut off* and off ered on a platter to those at table.* What a loathsome banquet\, filled wi th wickedness and horrible murder.* As for us\, let us worthily venerate a nd bless the Baptizer\,* for he is the greatest man born of woman.\n\nIf Y ou mark iniquities\, Lord\, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is th at You may be revered.\n\nAfter dancing\, the disciple of the all-evil Sat an* requested your head as her payment\, O Forerunner.* What a bloody banq uet!* Would that you had not made that vow\,* O sinful Herod\, offspring o f a lie.* Since you did make it\, would that you had not carried it out\;* for it would have been better to have gone back on your oath and received life* than remaining true to your oath* to have cut off the head of the F orerunner.* As for us\, let us worthily venerate and bless the Baptizer\,* for he is the greatest man born of woman.\n\nI have waited for You as You have commanded\; my soul patiently relies on Your promise\,* for it has t rusted in the Lord.\n\nAfter dancing\, the disciple of the all-evil Satan* requested your head as her payment\, O Forerunner.* What a bloody banquet !* Would that you had not made that vow\,* O sinful Herod\, offspring of a lie.* Since you did make it\, would that you had not carried it out\;* fo r it would have been better to have gone back on your oath and received li fe* than remaining true to your oath* to have cut off the head of the Fore runner.* As for us\, let us worthily venerate and bless the Baptizer\,* fo r he is the greatest man born of woman.\n\nFrom the morning watch until ni ght* let Israel trust in the Lord.\n\nO Herod\, it was not appropriate for you\,* because of a satanic passion\, to condemn to death* the one who re proached you for your adultery* and the folly of your lust for women.* It was not proper for you to err* and to deliver his all-honoured head to a s inful woman* for the sake of a vow made to a dancer.* Woe to you for darin g such murder! * How was it that this adulterous dancer* was not consumed by fire in the midst of the banquet\,* as she carried the head on a platte r?* As for us\, let us worthily venerate and bless the Baptizer\,* for he is the greatest man born of woman.\n\nFor with the Lord there is mercy\, a nd with Him there is plentiful redemption\;* and He shall redeem Israel fr om all its iniquities.\n\nO Herod\, it was not appropriate for you\,* beca use of a satanic passion\, to condemn to death* the one who reproached you for your adultery* and the folly of your lust for women.* It was not prop er for you to err* and to deliver his all-honoured head to a sinful woman* for the sake of a vow made to a dancer.* Woe to you for daring such murde r! * How was it that this adulterous dancer* was not consumed by fire in t he midst of the banquet\,* as she carried the head on a platter?* As for u s\, let us worthily venerate and bless the Baptizer\,* for he is the great est man born of woman.\n\nPraise the Lord\, all the nations\;* proclaim Hi s glory\, all you people.\n\nAgain Herodias has lost her self-control\;* a gain she is disturbed.* What a cunning and deceiving dance\,* and what min dless drunkenness!* The Forerunner's head is cut off and Herod is troubled .* Therefore\, O Lord\, by the intercessions of your Forerunner\,* grant p eace to our souls.\n\nStrong is the love of the Lord for us\;* eternally w ill His truth endure.\n\nAgain Herodias has lost her self-control\;* again she is disturbed.* What a cunning and deceiving dance\,* and what mindles s drunkenness!* The Forerunner's head is cut off and Herod is troubled.* T herefore\, O Lord\, by the intercessions of your Forerunner\,* grant peace to our souls.\n\nTone 6\, Glory…\n\nWhile the birthday of the shameless Herod was being celebrated\,* the oath made to the lustful dancer was ful filled\;* the head of the Forerunner was cut off* and offered on a platter to those at table.* What a loathsome banquet\, filled with wickedness and horrible murder.* As for us\, let us worthily venerate and bless the Bapt izer\,* for he is the greatest man born of woman.\n\nNow…\n\nWho would n ot call you blessed\, O Virgin most holy?* Who would not sing a hymn of pr aise* to the glory of your giving birth without pain or travail?* The Only -begotten Son Himself\,* begotten of the Father before all ages\,* was mad e flesh out of you in a manner* that cannot be explained\, O Woman most pu re!* And for our sake\, He Who is God by nature* assumed the nature of a m an.* He is not divided into two persons\;* He is understood to have two na tures* without commixion or confusion.* O noble and blessed Woman\,* inter cede with Him that He may mercy on our souls.\n\nReadings\n\n(1) Isaiah 40 :1-3\, 9\; 41:17-18\; (2) Malachi 3:1-7\, 12\, 22-24\; (3) Wisdom 4:7\, 16 -20\; 5:1-7\n\nLytia\n\nTone 1\n\nWhat shall we call you\, O Prophet?* An angel\, an apostle\, or martyr?* An angel\, because you lived as a bodiles s being.* An apostle\, because you taught the nations.* A martyr\, because you were beheaded for Christ.* Entreat Him to have mercy on our souls.\n\ nLet us commemorate the beheading of the Forerunner.* At that time\, blood poured out on the platter\;* now healings are poured out throughout the w orld.\n\nToday the mother is the cause of a shameful and murderous act\,* for she urges her shameless daughter who was born of an unlawful union* to plot against the one whom God called the greatest of the prophets.* When the evil Herod celebrated his birthday with a banquet\,* she asked for the precious head of the divine Forerunner.* Because of his oath\, Herod deli vered the head* as a price for the daughter's dancing.* But the prophet of the coming of Christ * did not cease to denounce the union which was repr oved by God.* He denounced it\, saying: * It is not lawful for you to comm it adultery with your brother Philip's wife.* O the murderous birthday and feast overflowing with blood!* On this day of the beheading of the Prophe t and Forerunner\,* we the faithful celebrate in joy as in festive garb\,* and we pray that the Trinity may be compassionate to us\,* and deliver us from the disgrace of our passions\,* and that our souls may be saved.\n\n Tone 4\n\nAn evil birthday and a lustful banquet is celebrated by Herod to day\;* for having delighted in adultery and being driven by lustful desire s\,* he beheaded the Baptist.* But he could not stop the tongue of the Pro phet* which condemned his foolishness.* He spilled innocent blood to cover up his unlawful deeds\,* but he could not cover the voice who called the world to repentance.* And if he took pleasure in the murder\,* we celebrat e with all our heart the death of John the Baptist.* For he preceded the L ife of all into Hades* to announce to those in darkness and the shadow of death* the coming of Christ our God\, the Orient from on high\,* whose mer cy is beyond measure.\n\nCome\, O people\, let us exalt the Prophet\, Mart yr\, and Baptizer of the Saviour.* He is an angel in the flesh.* He has co ndemned Herod and convicted him of unlawful adultery.* Because of the unla wful dancing\, his precious head is cut off.* He is in Paradise and is pre aching the good news of the resurrection from the dead.* He is fittingly p raying to the Lord that our souls may be saved.\n\nCome\, O faithful\, let us exalt the Prophet\, Martyr\, and Baptizer of the Saviour.* He fled int o the desert and remained there\,* nourishing himself on locusts and wild honey.* He rebuked the king who violated the law.* And he comforts our fai nt-heartedness\, saying:* Repent\, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.\n \nTone 5\, Glory… Now…\n\nWhen Herod wished to free himself from the r ebuke of his sinful deeds\,* he delivered your head unjustly\, O Forerunne r\,* to a transgressing woman.* Nor did this wretched one realize that off ering it on a platter* was a condemnation for him.* Therefore\, since you are a practical teacher of purity* and a saving guide to repentance\, * O Baptizer\, implore Christ* to deliver us from the shame of our passions.\n \nAposticha\n\nTone 2\n\nO John the Baptizer and preacher of repentance\,* you sanctified the earth when you were beheaded.* You made plain to belie vers the law of God\,* abolishing disobedience to the law.* Therefore\, si nce you stand by the throne of Christ the heavenly King\,* beseech Him to have mercy on our souls.\n\nThe just will flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon.\n\nO most holy John\, your head was cut off for preaching the law of the Lord\,* for in blameless privilege you reproa ched the unbelieving king* when he disobeyed the law.* Therefore\, the hos ts of angels wonder at you\,* and the ranks of apostles and martyrs praise you.* We also honour your yearly memorial\, O most noble one\,* glorifyin g the holy Trinity* who has crowned you\, O blessed Forerunner.\n\nThe jus t one is glad In the Lord and takes refuge In Him.\n\nBorn of the prophet Zechariah\, he was the greatest of the prophets* and was sanctified from h is mother's womb for the service of the Lord.* Today he was beheaded by an evil king.* Both before and after his beheading\,* his head was a living reproach for the maiden who danced indecently\,* thus covering one sin wit h another.* Therefore\, we call out:* O John the Baptizer\, having acquire d favour with the Lord\,* beseech Him unceasingly for the salvation of our souls.\n\nTone 8\, Glory…\n\nYou rebuked kings\, O Forerunner of the Sa viour\,* that they might not act contrary to the law.* But the frolicking of a sinful woman* won over Herod to behead you.* Therefore\, your name is praised* from the place of the rising to the place of the setting of the sun.* And since you have favour with the Lord\,* beseech Him unceasingly f or the salvation of our souls.\n\nNow…\n\nO Virgin\, you have never know n wedlock\,* yet you conceived God in the flesh  in a manner which words can never describe* You thus became the Mother of God on high.* O immacula te Lady\, receive the supplication of your servants* and grant us the clea nsing of our sins.* Accept now our prayers and beseech God to save all of us.\n\nTroparia\n\nTone 2\n\nThe remembrance of the just is worthy of prai se\,* but the Lord's testimony is sufficient for you\, O Forerunner\;* for it has shown that you are indeed more worthy of honour than the prophets. * You were found worthy to baptize the Lord whom you foretold.* Thereafter \, you suffered for the truth* and\, rejoicing\, also announced the good n ews to those in the Abyss* that God had appeared as man\,* taking away the sins of the world\,* and granting to all of us the abundance of mercy. (2 )\n\nTone 4\n\nRejoice\, O Virgin Theotokos\, full of grace!* The Lord is with you.* Blessed are you among women\,* and blessed is the fruit of your womb.* For you have borne to Christ\, the Saviour and Deliverer of our so uls.\n\n \;\n\nAT DIVINE LITURGY ON SATURDAY MORNING\n\nTroparia and K ontakia\n\nTroparion\, Tone 2: The just man is remembered with praises\,* but for you the Lord’s testimony suffices\, O Forerunner\,* for you trul y became more honourable than the prophets* and were deemed worthy to bapt ize the One foretold.* Then you suffered for the truth and joyfully announ ced to those in Hades* that God appeared in the flesh taking away the sin of the world* and offering us great mercy.\n\nGlory be to the Father and t o the Son and to the Holy Spirit\, now and for ever and ever. Amen.\n\nKon takion\, Tone 5: The Forerunner's glorious beheading* came to be a form of dispensation divine* that he might proclaim to those in Hades* the messag e of the coming of the Saviour.* Lets Herodias shed tears of lament* for a lawless murder that was her request\;* for she loved a false and transito ry age* rather than God's law and the age of life.\n\nProkeimenon\, Tone 7 \n\nThe just man shall be glad in the Lord and shall hope in Him.\n\nverse : Hear\, O God\, my voice when I make my petition to You. (Psalm 63:11\,2) \n\nEpistle\n\nActs 13:25-32\n\nAlleluia\, Tone 4\n\nverse: The just man s hall flourish like the palm tree\; and he shall grow like the cedar in Leb anon.\n\nverse: They who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flouri sh the courts of our God. (Psalm 91:13\,14)\n\nGospel\n\nMark 6:14-30\n\nC ommunion Hymn\n\nThe just man shall be in everlasting remembrance\;* of ev il hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia\, alleluia\,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6) END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Winnipeg X-LIC-LOCATION:America/Winnipeg BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20260308T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR