John the Forerunner

[futureKC123]

+JMJ
I was wondering how John the Forerunner fits into Byzantine Spirituality and what kind of devotions, prayers and other practices are given to him.

Also I know this isn’t the prayer request forum but please pray for me as I am having a bad case of spiritual dryness.

 

[Alexander_Roman]

Troparion: The memory of the just is celebrated with hymns of praise, but the Lord’s testimony is enough for thee, O Forerunner, for thou wast shown to be more wonderful than the Prophets since thou wast granted to baptize in the running waters Him Whom thou didst proclaim. Then having endured great suffering for the Truth, thou didst rejoice to bring, even to those in hell, the good tidings that God Who had appeared in the flesh takes away the sin of the world and grants us the great mercy.

Kontakion: O Prophet of God and Forerunner of Grace, having obtained thy head from the earth as a most sacred rose, we are always receiving healings; for still as of old in the world thou preachest repentance.

Here are the weekly Office prayers in honour of St John the Baptist that are used on Tuesdays especially.

The Forerunner is to the East what St Joseph is to the West. His Conception and Nativity are celebrated with feastdays and he is usually portrayed over the Royal Doors of the Iconostasis on the Deisis standing on the left side of the enthroned Christ (with the Most Holy Theotokos on His right).

There are seven feastdays of the Forerunner throughout the year and he is commemorated liturgically every Tuesday as the chief of the Prophets who foretold the coming of the Saviour.

There are formal Canons and prayers in his honour and two Akathists, including one in honour of the Forerunner’s Honourable Head, which was lost and found three times. The “Book of Akathists” has one akathist to St John the Baptist.

He is often portrayed iconography with wings given his angelic life.

Here is a short invocation that can be prayed on rosaries:

Holy Great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray unto God for me a sinner (or “us”). This prayer is sung during Great Compline as well.

A good thing to do during periods of spiritual dryness is to do a lot of spiritual reading and pray short “arrow” ejaculatory prayers.

The Prayer of Jesus can be said frequently, also using rosary beads for this purpose. Remember that prayer made during periods of spiritual dryness means that much more to your spiritual development … and to God.

Here is a form of the Jesus Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, by the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother and of Thy Holy Forerunner and Baptizer John, have mercy and save me a sinner. Amen.

So you are lucky to be in such a position - make use of it to your full advantage!

Happy Easter.

Alex

 

[hazcompat]

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Luke 1:68 – 79
The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

peace

 

[Vico]

+JMJ
I was wondering how John the Forerunner fits into Byzantine Spirituality and what kind of devotions, prayers and other practices are given to him.

Also I know this isn’t the prayer request forum but please pray for me as I am having a bad case of spiritual dryness.

The liturgical year begins in September on the 1st. The 12 Feasts, Pascha, Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul (and Six Feasts of Saint John the Forerunner, The greatest Prophet):

1. The Nativity of the Theotokos (8 September)
2. Exaltation of the Cross (September 14)
   *** Conception of St. John the Forerunner (September 23)
3. The Entrance into the Temple of the Theotokos. (November 21)
   4. Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ/Christmas (December 25)
   5. Theophany (January 6)
   *** The Synaxis of St. John the Forerunner (January 7)
4. The presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ in the temple (February 2)
   *** First and Second Finding of the Head of St. John the Forerunner (February 24)
5. Flowery Sunday (Sunday before Pascha)
6. Annunciation (March 25)
   Paschaltide (Pascha, 9-10):
   PASCHA
7. Ascension Thursday (40 days after Pascha)
8. Pentecost (50 days after Pascha) - Mid May to Mid June
   *** Third Finding of the Head of St. John the Forerunner (May 25)
   *** Nativity of St. John the Forerunner (June 24)
   ~~~Feast of Apostles Peter and Paul (June 29)
9. Transfiguration (August 6)
   12. Dormition (August 15)
   *** The Beheading of St. John the Forerunner (August 29)

The fasts are before those in blue.

 

[5Loaves]

he is usually portrayed over the Royal Doors of the Iconostasis on the Deisis standing on the left side of the enthroned Christ (with the Most Holy Theotokos on His right).
Alex

I’ve always seen John the Forerunner to the south/right of the Pantocrator, and the Theotokos to the north/left of Him.

 

[rowlands]

I’ve always seen John the Forerunner to the south/right of the Pantocrator, and the Theotokos to the north/left of Him.

It depends whether you are describing as though looking at Christ (The Theotokos to his left, St John the Forerunner to his right) or from the view point of Christ enthroned with the Theotokos to His right and St John the Forerunner to His left.

 

[twf]

While the statement that St John occupies in the East the role that St Joseph occupies in the West has some truth to it, we must remember that while St Joseph is dearly beloved, St John also plays a very key role in the liturgical life of the West…consider:

1. His name was in the Roman Eucharistic canon long before St Joseph’s was
2. His nativity is only one of three celebrated (along with Our Lord’s and Our Lady’s) and is, like St Joseph’s primary feast, a solemnity (OF) or first class feast (EF)
3. He is, with St Joseph and Sts Peter and Paul, one of the only saints honored with more than one feast on the Roman calendar (we also remember his beheading)
4. He is honored every morning in the Liturgy of the Hours at Lauds
5. He factors very prominently at every liturgy during Advent in particular

That being said, St Joseph certainly has eclipsed St John in Latin popular devotion.

 

[PennyinCanada]

I love that when he died and descended to the dead, his mission continued as he announced that Christ was in the world and salvation was close at hand, to those waiting for their release from the netherworld. What an awesome moment! What an awesome ministry!

The thought of that JOY brings tears to my eyes. Indeed, the captives were set free by Christ’s victory on the cross. It’s one of those moments that I hope to see for myself, by God’s grace, Who is outside of time. The grace I wish us all!

Christ descended to the dead
Conquering death by death
and to those in the grave
He granted life!

 

[5Loaves]

It depends whether you are describing as though looking at Christ (The Theotokos to his left, St John the Forerunner to his right) or from the view point of Christ enthroned with the Theotokos to His right and St John the Forerunner to His left.

That’s why I said (liturgical) south and (liturgical) north which don’t change.