AT VESPERS ON FRIDAY EVENING
At Psalm 140
Tone 4, Podoben “You have granted a sign…”
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
With the oil of anointing and holy vesture upon yourself, O ever-memorable Zachariah,* you ministered to God like an angel,* mediating, O blessed one, between the Creator and His creation,* and manifestly receiving the words of the divine Spirit.* Therefore, we call you blessed, and celebrate today your holy festival,* glorifying the Saviour.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
O divinely inspired Zachariah,* you beheld born of a maiden a Babe who is equally unoriginate with the Father;* and to your own child you prophesy manifestly beforehand:* “A prophet shall you truly be, preparing His ways!”* With him we call you blessed* and in sacred manner we celebrate your honoured festival,* O God-bearer who are most rich.
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
You were the living and animate temple of the divine Spirit;* and, ministering to God with a pure heart, O glorious one,* in the midst of the temple you were unjustly slain,* finishing your godly course in martyrdom, O right-glorious one.* Therefore, with your own blood you have entered into the temple of heaven,* entreating cleansing for our souls.
Tone 1, Podoben “Joy of the ranks of heaven…”
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
When you called the Virgin who greeted you the Mother of your Lord,* you beheld in her virginal womb Him, incarnate,* whose goings forth are from before time began.* Pray with her, O righteous Elizabeth,* that He save our souls.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
You exclaimed, “Blessed is the Fruit of the Virgin’s womb, who fills all things!”,* O all-blessed Elizabeth,* moved thus to say by the Spirit of God.* Therefore, honouring you in hymns, we magnify God* who is worshiped in Trinity.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
That which was said by the Lord became reality in the Virgin,* for she gave birth to Jesus who saves His people from their sins.* “He shall be the fulfilment of those things which were said to her,”* you exclaim, inspired by the Holy Spirit, O Elizabeth.* Therefore, we crown you with wreaths of praise, as is meet.
Tone 8, Glory…
Truly arrayed in the vestments of the priesthood of the law,* you served according to the order of Aaron;* and, standing in the temple, you clearly beheld the countenance of the angel, O all-blessed one.* Therefore, hymning your repose as is meet, O Zachariah,* we all praise with songs you who, in your old age, begat the glorious John.* Entreat the merciful God for us that we be saved.
Tone 5, Now…
A symbol of the undefiled Virgin and bride* was revealed in the Red Sea.* There, Moses divided the waters;* here, Gabriel is the messenger of the miracle.* There, the Israelites crossed the deep and their feet were not even wet;* here, the Virgin gives birth to Christ without human seed.* There, the sea remained uncrossed after the passing of Israel;* here, the immaculate remained incorrupt after giving birth to Emmanuel.* Therefore, O immortal God, who appeared in the flesh as true Man,* have mercy on us!
Aposticha
Tone 1
You are worthy of many praises, O divinely wise Elizabeth,* who are called righteous by the world of God,* you who walked in the commandments of the Lord* and are moved by the mercy of God.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints!
Walking in the commandments of the Lord, O most glorious Elizabeth,* you have unfeigned love for God and unfeigned love for your neighbour.* And, lo! the fruit of your faith was made reality.* Therefore, holding festival, we call you blessed.
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; who greatly delights in His commandments!
An all-glorious fruit of the womb was given by the most compassionate God to you,* a woman barren and past childbearing:* the preacher of repentance.* Therefore, calling you blessed, we magnify the almighty mercy of God.
Tone 2, Glory… Now…
As a pure priest you entered into the holy of holies* and, clad in sacred vesture, blamelessly ministered to God,* observing the law like Aaron and leading the tribes of Israel like Moses,* in the pure signalling of the little bells.* Therefore, you were slain.* But your righteous blood has become for us a saving healing,* and like fragrant myrrh it opens deaf ears to the way of everlasting life.* O thrice blessed Zachariah, father of John the Baptist and husband of Elizabeth:* pray earnestly in behalf of our souls.
Troparia
Tone 2
As we celebrate the memory of Your prophet, Zachariah,* O Lord, we beseech You through him: “Save our souls!”
Glory… Now…
O Mother of God, the mysteries which surround you are exceedingly glorious* and beyond the power of understanding.* For you retained the seal of purity,* and your virginity remained inviolate;* yet you are acknowledged, without doubt,* to be the Mother who gave birth to the true God.* We beg you, therefore, to entreat Him to save our souls.
AT DIVINE LITURGY ON SATURDAY MORNING
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 2: As we celebrate the memory of Your prophet, Zachariah,* O Lord, we beseech You through him: “Save our souls!”
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion, Tone 2: Today the prophet Zachariah, priest of the Most High* and father of the Forerunner* has prepared a banquet on behalf of the faithful* and mixed the drink of holiness!* Therefore we praise him as a seer of the mysteries of the grace of God!
Now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 4: As the full moon brightly reflects the light of the sun,* you reflected the glory of the Messiah, the Light of wisdom!* With Zachariah you walked in all the Lord’s commandments,* Elizabeth, beloved by God.* So as we bless you with fitting songs,* we give praise to the Lord,* the bountiful Light Who enlightens all!
Prokeimenon, Tone 7
The just man shall be glad in the Lord and shall hope in Him. (Psalm 63:11)
verse: Hear, O God, my voice when I make my petition to You. (Psalm 63:2)
Epistle
1 Corinthians 4:17-5:5
Alleluia, Tone 5
verse: Moses and Aaron are among His priests and Samuel among those who call upon His name. (Psalm 96:11)
verse: Light is risen for the just and joy for the righteous of heart. (Psalm 96:11)
Gospel
Matthew 24:1-13
Communion Hymn
The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear. (Psalm 111:6)