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Service Book of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic Apostolic Church
tr. Hapgood, 1906
The Epiphany
the Eve of the Epiphany the same strict fast is observed, and the same services are celebrated as on the Eve of Christ’s Nativity (Christmas). That is to say: The Imperial Hours are read, and the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is celebrated (if the Eve doth not fall upon Saturday or Sunday), preceded by Vespers; while in the evening the service consisteth of Grand Compline joined to Matins. The differences between these services and those of Christmas lie in the festival hymns and the consecration of the water.
At this Feast there are two Blessings of the Waters: the first, on the Eve, in Church; the second, after the Divine Liturgy, on the day of the Feast, under the open sky, of rivers, lakes, pools and wells. In ancient times the former was intended for the Catechumens who were prepared to receive baptism, and were then baptized. The second was instituted later, in imitation of the custom among the Christians of Jerusalem, who were wont to go forth to the Jordan to celebrate the festival, and to pray: also in memory of the consecration of the waters of the Jordan at the time our Lord Jesus Christ was baptized therein. This Blessing of the Waters is often called “ The Jordan Festival” for that reason.
The Imperial Hours, to precede the Epiphany.
First Hour. Psalms v., xxiii., xxvii.; Isaiah xxxv. 1-10. The Epistle. Acts xiii. 25-33. The Gospel. Matt. iii. 1-12.
Third Hour. Psalms xxix., xlii., li.; Isaiah i. 16-20. The Epistle. Acts xix. 1-8. The Gospel. Mark i. 1-8.
Sixth Hour. Psalms lxxiv., lxxvii., xci.; Isaiah xii. 3-6. The Epistle. Rom. vi. 3-11. The Gospel. Mark i. 9-15.
Ninth Hour. Psalms xciii., cxiv., lxxxvi.; Isaiah xlix. 8-15. The Epistle. Titus ii. 11-14, iii. 4-7. The Gospel. Matt. iii. 13-17.
Then the Typical Psalms.
Vespers and the Liturgy, on January 5th.
The Stanzas (Stikiri) for: Lord, I have cried: In Tone II. The Forerunner, beholding our Illuminator who illumineth every man, coming to be baptized, rejoiceth in his soul; and he trembleth, and with his hand doth he point Him out to the people, saying: Lo, this is he who redeemeth Israel, setting us free from corruption. O Christ our God, the Sinless One, glory to thee! (Twice.)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. ℟
Thou didst bow thy head unto the Forerunner, and thereby didst crush the heads of the serpents. And having entered into the streams, thou didst illumine all things, that they might glorify thee, O Saviour, even the Illuminator of our souls.
The Entrance is made with the book of the Gospels.
The Gradual (Prokimen) for the Day.
The Parables (Paremii). Genesis i. 1-13; Exodus xiv. 15-18, 21-25, 27-29, XV. 22-27, xvi. 1; Joshua iii. 7, 8, 15-17; 2 Kings ii. 6-14, v. 9-14; Isaiah i. 16-20; Genesis xxxii. 1-10; Exodus ii. 5-10; Judges vi. 36-40; I Kings xviii. 30-39; 2 Kings ii. 19-22; Isaiah xlix. 8-15.
The Little Litany. Again, yet again, . .
Exclamation. For holy art thou, O our God, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The Gradual (Prokimen), in the Third Tone. The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear?
Verse (Stikh): The Lord is the strength of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?
The Epistle. 1 Cor. ix. 19-27, x. 1-4.
The Gospel. Luke iii. 1-18.
After the Prayer before the Tribune the Blessing of the Water taketh place.
Grand Compline and Matins.
Compline is celebrated in its usual order, the Hymn for the Day and the Collect-Hymn being substituted for the ordinary ones.
After: Glory be to God on high: the procession from the Sanctuary for the Litiya taketh place. (See the All-Night Vigil Office, page 11.)
The Stanza for the Litiya, in Tone VIII. To-day is creation illumined, to-day do all things both heavenly and earthly rejoice. Angels and men are intermingled; for whithersoever the King cometh, there also cometh orderliness. Let us make haste then unto Jordan, and we shall all behold John, as he baptizeth the head not made with hands and sinless. Wherefore, singing the song of the Apostles, let us cry with one accord: The grace of God, which is saving unto all men, hath manifested itself, illumining the faithful and bestowing upon the same great mercy.
The Hymn (Tropar) at the Blessing of the Loaves: The Hymn of the Feast. When in Jordan thou wast baptized, O Lord, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest. For the voice of the Father bare witness unto thee, calling thee his beloved Son, and the Spirit, in the form of a Dove, confirmed the steadfastness of that word: O Christ our God, who didst manifest thyself, and dost enlighten the world, glory to thee.
The Exaltation (Velitchdnie). We magnify thee, O life-giving Christ, for our sakes now baptized of John in the waters of the Jordan.
The Gradual (Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone. The sea saw that and fled: Jordan was driven back.
Verse (Stikh): What aileth thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest, and Jordan that thou wast driven back?
The Gospel. Matt. i. 9-11.
The Canon
In Tone II. (St. Cosmas of Maium.)
Canticle I.
Theme-Song (Irmos). The Lord mighty in battle hath laid bare the depths of the sea, and hath led forth his people on dry ground, after having overwhelmed therein their adversaries: For he hath glorified himself.
Hymns (Tropari). The Lord, the King of the ages, reneweth corrupt Adam by the waters of Jordan, and crusheth the heads of the dragons which lurked therein: For he hath glorified himself.
The Lord having become incarnate of a Virgin and clothed the immaterial fire of the Godhead in material flesh, is encompassed by the River Jordan: For he hath glorified himself.
The Lord, who, through his own cleansing in Jordan, washeth away the vileness of men, to whom he was graciously pleased to conform himself, remaining still as he was before, giveth light unto those who are in darkness: For he hath glorified himself.
Canticle III.
Theme-Song (Irmos). The Lord, who giveth strength unto our Kings and exalteth the horn of his Anointed, is born of a Virgin, and cometh unto Baptism. Unto him will we faithful cry aloud: There is none holy like unto our God.
Hymns (Tropari). Rejoice thou to-day, O Church of Christ, which aforetime wast sterile and barren of children; for through water and the Spirit have sons been born unto thee, who with faith do cry aloud: There is none holy like unto our God.
With a loud voice crieth the Forerunner in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way for Christ, and make straight the paths for our God, crying aloud with faith: There is none holy like unto our God.
Canticle IV.
Theme-Song (Irmos). I have heard, O Lord, thy voice which thou didst call the voice of one crying in the wilderness, which, when thou didst thunder over many waters, bearing witness to thy Son, being filled with the Spirit which had revealed itself, did cry aloud: Thou art Christ, the Wisdom and the Power of God.
Hymns (Tropari). Hath any one — crieth the Messenger — beheld the Sun, which is by nature radiant, cleansed? Shall I then wash clean with the waters thee who art the Brightness of Glory, the Express Image of the Father who is from everlasting? And shall I, who am but grass, touch the fire of thy divinity? For thou art Christ, the Wisdom and the Power of God.
Moses, when he drew near to thee, manifested the God-inspired awe wherewith he was seized. When he understood that it was thou speaking from the bush, he straightway turned aside his face. How then shall I gaze openly upon thee, and how shall I lay my hand upon thee? For thou art Christ, the Wisdom and the Power of God.
In that I have a rational soul, and am honoured with the gift of speech, I stand in fear of things without a soul; for if I baptize thee, the mountain which smoked with fire, the sea which was parted in twain, and that Jordan which rolleth back its waves shall be my accusers: For thou art Christ, the Wisdom and the Power of God.
Canticle V.
Theme-Song (Irmos). Jesus, the Chieftain of Life, cometh to abolish the condemnation of Adam the first-created; and though, in that he is God, he hath no need of cleansing, yet for the fallen is he cleansed in Jordan, where, having slain enmity, he bestoweth the peace which passeth understanding.
Hymns. When a multitude innumerable of people had gathered together to be baptized of John, he stood in their midst and cried aloud unto those who were present: Who hath warned you, ye disobedient, to flee from the wrath to come? Bring ye worthy fruits unto Christ; for now revealing himself he bestoweth peace.
The Husbandman and Creator, standing in the midst as one of the throng, searcheth hearts; and having taken in his hand the winnowing fan, with exceeding wisdom doth he purge the threshing-floor of the universe, burning up the chaff, but granting unto the fruitful grain life eternal.
Canticle VI.
Theme-Song (Irmos). The Voice of the Word, the Candlestick of the Light, the Morning Star, the Forerunner of the Sun, crieth aloud in the wilderness unto all men: Repent ye, and be ye cleansed in preparation. For lo! Christ cometh, who redeemeth the world from corruption.
Hymns. Christ, whose latchet —when the Word had taken our form upon Him — it is impossible to unloose, as the Forerunner teacheth, in that he was born without corruption of God the Father, is without defilement made flesh of a Virgin: For he redeemeth the earth-born from their guile.
With extirpating fire doth Christ baptize the froward and those who acknowledge him not as God. But with the Spirit, by means of water, doth he graciously renew those who confess his divinity, freeing them from their sins.
Canticle VII.
Theme-Song (Irmos). A rushing mighty wind bearing dew, and the descent of the Angel of God preserved unscathed the Children who held converse together in the fiery furnace. When, therefore, they were bedewed amid the flames, with gratitude did they sing aloud: Blessed be thou, O exceeding glorious God of our fathers and our God!
Hymns. With trembling and amazement, as over heaven itself, did the Angelic Host stand over Jordan, gazing down upon such condescension of God; beholding how he who ruleth the firmament of the waters on high, the God of our fathers, bearing bodily form, stood in the water.
The marvel of the baptism divine was foreshadowed of old by the cloud and the sea, wherein as they journeyed onward the ancient people were baptized into the Tables of the Law. The sea was the symbol of the water, and the cloud of the Spirit; being made perfect in which, let us cry: Blessed be thou, O Lord God forever!
Let all us faithful, speaking perpetually of God in whom we have received sanctification, in company with the Angels glorify the Father, Son and Holy Spirit: for it is a Trinity in Persons, but one in Essence, one God; to whom, also, let us sing: Blessed be thou, O Lord God forever!
Canticle VIII.
Theme-Song (Irmos). The Babylonian furnace, dew-dropping, foreshadowed the image of the wondrous mystery that Jordan was to receive into its waters the Fire Immaterial, and contain the Creator when he should be baptized in the flesh; whom also all men do bless and exalt unto all the ages.
Hymns. Put away all fear, said the Redeemer to the Forerunner; obey me, come unto me, as unto the Gracious One, for that am I in my Essence. Submit thyself to my command, and baptize me, who have condescended to come down hither; whom also all men do bless and exalt unto all the ages.
The Baptist, when he heard the words of the Lord, stretched forth his hand with trembling; but when he had touched the crown of his Creator’s head, he cried unto him who was receiving baptism: Sanctify thou me, for thou art my God; whom also all men do bless and exalt unto all the ages.
In Jordan was the Trinity made manifest; for the Most Divine Person of the Father Himself proclaimed: He that is baptized, the same is my beloved Son. And the Spirit descended upon him that was like unto Himself. For which cause men shall bless Him and exalt Him forever.
Canticle IX.
Before the Ninth Theme-Song: More honourable than the Cherubim: is not sung, but instead thereof the Refrain of the Feast:
Magnify, O my soul, her who is more honourable than the hosts on high, even the most pure Virgin Birth-giver of God.
Theme-Song (Irmos). No tongue hath power worthily to praise thee, and even the supra-mundane mind is perplexed how to hymn thee, O Birth-giver of God. But inasmuch as thou art gracious, accept thou our faith; and our God-inspired love thou knowest. For thou art the Intercessor of Christians. We magnify thee.
And the remaining six Refrains are sung once with each Hymn.
Refrain 2. Magnify, O my soul, him who desireth baptism of the Forerunner.
Refrain 3. Magnify, O my soul, him who is come unto the Jordan to be baptized.
Hymn. Come thou in spirit, O David, unto those who are being illumined by the Spirit, and sing, saying: Draw near now unto God and be ye illumined by faith. That poor man, Adam, cried in his fall, and the Lord heard him as he came, and in the waters of Jordan did he renew that corrupted one.
Refrain 4. Magnify, O my soul, him to whom the voice of the Father bare witness.
Refrain 5. Magnify, O my soul, One of the Trinity who hath bowed his neck and accepted baptism.
Hymn. Wash you, make you clean, saith Isaiah; put away the evil of your doings before the Lord. Ye who thirst, come ye unto the Living Water; for Christ sprinkleth with water which giveth new life those who make supplication unto him in faith, and baptizeth them with the Spirit unto the life which waxeth not old.
Refrain 6. O Prophet, come thou unto me; stretch forth thy hand, and baptize me quickly.
Refrain 7. O Prophet, lay aside now all other things, and baptize me who desire it; for I am come to fulfil all righteousness.
Hymn. May the grace and seal (of the Spirit) preserve us, O faithful! For as the Hebrews of old were delivered from destruction when their door-posts were smeared with blood, even so also shall this divine bath of regeneration be made a deliverance for us, and even so also shall we behold the light of the Trinity which knoweth no setting.
At the Liturgy.
Antiphon I., Tone I.
Verse 1: When Israel came out of Egypt, and the house of Jacob from among the strange people:
Refrain. Through the prayers of the Birth-giver of God, O Saviour, save us.
Verse 2: Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion: ℟
Verse 3: The sea saw it and fled: Jordan was driven back: ℟
Verse 4: Why hast thou fled, O sea: and why art thou driven back, O Jordan? ℟
Antiphon II., Tone II.
Verse 1: I am well pleased that the Lord hath heard the voice of my prayer.
Refrain. O Son of God, who wast baptized in Jordan, save us who sing unto thee, Alleluia.
Verse 2: That he hath inclined his ear unto me: therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. ℟
Verse 3: The snares of death compassed me round about, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me. I shall find trouble and heaviness, and I will call upon the Name of the Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul: ℟
Verse 4: Gracious is the Lord, and righteous: yea, our God is merciful: ℟
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O Only-begotten Son and Word of God! . . . (See page 170.)
Antiphon III., Tone I.
Verse 1: O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious: his mercy endureth forever.
Refrain: The Hymn for the Day (Tropar). When in Jordan thou wast baptized, O Lord, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest. For the voice of the Father bare witness unto thee, calling thee his beloved Son, and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the steadfastness of that word. O Christ our God, who didst manifest thyself, and dost enlighten the world, glory to thee.
Verse 2: Let Israel now confess that he is gracious, and that his mercy endureth forever: ℟
Verse 3: Let the house of Aaron now confess that he is gracious, and that his mercy endureth forever: ℟
Verse 4: Yea, let them that fear the Lord now confess that his mercy endureth forever: ℟
The Introit. Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. We have blessed you from the house of the Lord: God is the Lord, and hath revealed himself unto us.
The Collect-Hymn (Kondak). To-day hast thou revealed thyself unto the universe, and thy Light, O Lord, hath showed a sign unto us, who with understanding sing unto thee: Thou art come, and hast revealed thyself, O Light Unapproachable.
In place of: O Holy God: As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
The Gradual (Prokimen), in the Fourth Tone. Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. God is the Lord, and hath revealed himself unto us.
Verse (Stikh): Confess unto the Lord that he is gracious, that his mercy endureth forever.
The Epistle. Titus ii. 11-14, iii. 4-7.
Alleluia. (Tone IV.) Offer thanks unto the Lord, ye sons of God.
Verse: The voice of the Lord upon the waters.
The Gospel. Matt. iii. 13-17.
The Communion Hymn (Pritchasten). The saving grace of God hath manifested itself unto all men.
For the Benediction, see page 197, Epiphany (end of Great Blessing of Waters).