Wednesday June 27 Youth Trip to Fenway Park (Meet at Cathedral at 5:30 pm) Sunday July 1 NaVonal Clergy-Laity: Hierarchical Liturgy

ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL OF NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY BULLETIN 24 June 2018 The Nativity of the Honorable and Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John Tὸ Γενέθλιον τοῦ Tιμίου καὶ Ἐνδόξου Προφήτου, Προδρόμου καὶ Βαπτιστοῦ Ἰωάννου The Forerunner Tone 3 Tοῦ Προδρόμου Ἦχος γʹ Cathedral: 514 Parker Street, Boston, MA Office/Mailing Address: 162 Goddard Avenue, Brookline, MA 02445 Phone: (617) 731-6633 Fax: (617) 730-2978 Fr. Demetri s cell: (617) 955 0126 www.bostoncathedral.org Upcoming Events Wednesday June 27 Youth Trip to Fenway Park (Meet at Cathedral at 5:30 pm) Sunday July 1 NaVonal Clergy-Laity: Hierarchical Liturgy Monday July 2-5 NaVonal Clergy-Laity (MarrioY Copley-Boston, MA) Wednesday August 1 Paraklesis (6:30 pm at Chapel) Thursday August 2 Paraklesis (6:30 pm at Chapel) Friday August 3 Paraklesis (6:30 pm at Chapel) Sunday August 5 TransfiguraVon: Great Vespers (7:00 pm at Lowell) Monday August 6 TransfiguraVon: Orthros & Lit. (8:45/9:45 am at Chapel) Tuesday August 7 Paraklesis (6:30 pm at Chapel) Wednesday August 8 Paraklesis (6:30 pm at Chapel)

ΚΑΘΕΔΡΙΚΟΣ ΝΑΟΣ ΝΕΑΣ ΑΓΓΛΙΑΣ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΣΜΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΘΕΟΤΟΚΟΥ ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL OF NEW ENGLAND Rev. Fr. Demetrios E. Tonias, Ph.D., Cathedral Dean κδ Ἰουνίου,βιη Tοῦ Προδρόμου The Forerunner 24 June 2018 Ἀπολυτίκια Ἦχος γ Εὐφραινέσθω τὰ οὐράνια, ἀγαλλιάσθω τὰ ἐπίγεια, ὅτι ἐποίησε κράτος, ἐν βραχίονι αὐτοῦ, ὁ Κύριος ἐπάτησε τῷ θανάτῳ τὸν θάνατον πρωτότοκος τῶν νεκρῶν ἐγένετο ἐκ κοιλίας ᾅδου ἐρρύσατο ἡμᾶς, καὶ παρέσχε τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος. Ἦχος δ Σήμερον τῆς σωτηρίας ἡμῶν τὸ κεφάλαιον, καὶ τοῦ ἀπ αἰῶνος μυστηρίου ἡ φανέρωσις ὁ Υἷός του Θεοῦ, υἱὸς τῆς Παρθένου γίνεται, καὶ Γαβριὴλ τὴν χάριν εὐαγγελίζεται. Διὸ καὶ ἡμεῖς σὺν αὐτῷ, τῇ Θεοτόκῳ βοήσωμεν Χαῖρε Κεχαριτωμένη, ὁ Κύριος μετά σοῦ. Ἦχος δ. Ταχὺ προκατάλαβε. Προφῆτα καὶ Πρόδρομε, τῆς παρουσίας Χριστοῦ, ἀξίως εὐφημῆσαί σε οὐκ εὐποροῦμεν ἡμεῖς, οἱ πόθῳ τιμῶντές σε στείρωσις γὰρ τεκούσης, καὶ πατρὸς ἀφωνία, λέλυνται τῇ ἐνδόξῳ, καὶ σεπτῇ σου γεννήσει, καὶ σάρκωσις Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, κόσμῳ κηρύττεται. Κοντάκιον Ἦχος βʹ Προστασία τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀκαταίσχυντε, μεσιτεία, πρὸς τὸν Ποιητὴν ἀμετάθετε, μὴ παρίδῃς, ἁμαρτωλῶν δεήσεων φωνάς, ἀλλὰ πρόφθασον, ὡς ἀγαθή, εἰς τὴν βοήθειαν ἡμῶν, Dismissal Hymns Mode 3 Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad; * for He has made a dominion, with His mighty arm, * the Lord has trampled upon death by death. * The first-born from the dead has He become. * From the depths of Hades has He delivered us, * and granted to the world His great mercy. Mode 4 Today mark s the crow ning of our salvation and the revelation of the mystery before all ages. For the Son of God becomes the son of the Virgin, and Gabriel proclaims the grace. Wherefore, we also cry out with him, "Hail, O full of grace, the Lord is with you. Mode 4. Come quickly. O Prophet and Forerunner of the appearance of Christ, with longing we honor you, although we can t worthily extol you. Your exalted and glorious birth, ended the barrenness of your mother and the muteness of your father; and unto the world it announced the Incarnation of the Son of God. Kontakion Mode 2 A protection of Christians unshamable, Intercessor to our Holy Maker, unwavering, reject not, the prayerful cries of those who are in sin. Instead, come to us, for you are good; your loving help bring unto Continued on next page

τῶν πιστῶς κραυγαζόντων σοι Τάχυνον εἰς πρεσβείαν, καὶ σπεῦσον εἰς ἱκεσίαν, ἡ προστατεύουσα ἀεί, Θεοτόκε, τῶν τιμώντων σε. us, who are crying in faith to you: Hasten to intercede and speed now to supplicate, as a protection for all time, Theotokos for those who honor you. Ἀπόστολος Ῥωμ. ιγ 11-14, ιδ 1-4 Romans 13:11-14, 14:1-4 Epistle Ἀδελφοί, νῦν ἐγγύτερον ἡμῶν ἡ σωτηρία ἢ ὅτε ἐπιστεύσαμεν. Ἡ νὺξ προέκοψεν, ἡ δὲ ἡμέρα ἤγγικεν. Ἀποθώμεθα οὖν τὰ ἔργα τοῦ σκότους καὶ ἐνδυσώμεθα τὰ ὅπλα τοῦ φωτός. Ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν, μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ, ἀλλ' ἐνδύσασθε τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς πρόνοιαν μὴ ποιεῖσθε εἰς ἐπιθυμίας. Τὸν δὲ ἀσθενοῦντα τῇ πίστει προσλαμβάνεσθε, μὴ εἰς διακρίσεις διαλογισμῶν. Ὃς μὲν πιστεύει φαγεῖν πάντα, ὁ δὲ ἀσθενῶν λάχανα ἐσθίει. Ὁ ἐσθίων τὸν μὴ ἐσθίοντα μὴ ἐξουθενείτω, καὶ ὁ μὴ ἐσθίων τὸν ἐσθίοντα μὴ κρινέτω ὁ Θεὸς γὰρ αὐτὸν προσελάβετο. Σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ κρίνων ἀλλότριον οἰκέτην; τῷ ἰδίῳ Κυρίῳ στήκει ἢ πίπτει, σταθήσεται δέ δυνατὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς στῆσαι αὐτόν. Εὐαγγέλιον Λουκ. α 1-25, 57-68, 76, 80 Luke 1:1-25, 57-68, 76, 80 Gospel Ἐπειδήπερ πολλοὶ ἐπεχείρησαν ἀνατάξασθαι διήγησιν περὶ τῶν πεπληροφορημένων ἐν ἡμῖν πραγμάτωνκαθὼς παρέδοσαν ἡμῖν οἱ ἀπ' ἀρχῆς αὐτόπται καὶ ὑπηρέται γενόμενοι τοῦ λόγου, ἔδοξε κἀμοί, παρηκολουθηκότι ἄνωθεν πᾶσιν ἀκριβῶς, καθεξῆς σοι γράψαι, κράτιστε Θεόφιλε, ἵνα ἐπιγνῷς περὶ ὧν κατηχήθης λόγων τὴν ἀσφάλειαν. Ἐγένετο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Ηρῴδου τοῦ βασιλέως τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἱερεύς τις ὀνόματι Ζαχαρίας ἐξ ἐφημερίας 'Αβιά, καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῶν θυγατέρων 'Ααρών, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῆς Ἐλισάβετ. Brethren, salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for God is able to make him stand. Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us, just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilos, that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed. In the days of Herod, king of Judea, Continued on next page

ἦσαν δὲ δίκαιοι ἀμφότεροι ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, πορευόμενοι ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐντολαῖς καὶ δικαιώμασι τοῦ Κυρίου ἄμεμπτοι. καὶ οὐκ ἦν αὐτοῖς τέκνον, καθότι ἡ Ἐλισάβετ ἦν στεῖρα, καὶ ἀμφότεροι προβεβηκότες ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτῶν ἦσαν. Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ ἱερατεύειν αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ τάξει τῆς ἐφημερίας αὐτοῦ ἔναντι τοῦ Θεοῦ, κατὰ τὸ ἔθος τῆς ἱερατείας ἔλαχε τοῦ θυμιᾶσαι εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ πᾶν τὸ πλῆθος ἦν τοῦ λαοῦ προσευχόμενον ἔξω τῇ ὥρᾳ τοῦ θυμιάματος. ὤφθη δὲ αὐτῷ ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἑστὼς ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου τοῦ θυμιάματος. καὶ ἐταράχθη Ζαχαρίας ἰδών, καὶ φόβος ἐπέπεσεν ἐπ' αὐτόν. εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ἄγγελος μὴ φοβοῦ, Ζαχαρία διότι εἰσηκούσθη ἡ δέησίς σου, καὶ ἡ γυνή σου Ἐλισάβετ γεννήσει υἱόν σοι, καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰωάννην καὶ ἔσται χαρά σοι καὶ ἀγαλλίασις, καὶ πολλοὶ ἐπὶ τῇ γεννήσει αὐτοῦ χαρήσονται. ἔσται γὰρ μέγας ἐνώπιον τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ οἶνον καὶ σίκερα οὐ μὴ πίῃ καὶ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου πλησθήσεται ἔτι ἐκ κοιλίας μητρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ἐπιστρέψει ἐπὶ Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν αὐτῶν καὶ αὐτὸς προελεύσεται ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ἐν πνεύματι καὶ δυνάμει Ἠλιού, ἐπιστρέψαι καρδίας πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα καὶ ἀπειθεῖς ἐν φρονήσει δικαίων, ἑτοιμάσαι Κυρίῳ λαὸν κατεσκευασμένον. καὶ εἶπε Ζαχαρίας πρὸς τὸν ἄγγελον κατὰ τί γνώσομαι τοῦτο; ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι πρεσβύτης καὶ ἡ γυνή μου προβεβηκυῖα ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτῆς. καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ ἄγγελος εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἐγώ εἰμι Γαβριὴλ ὁ παρεστηκὼς ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀπεστάλην λαλῆσαι πρός σε καὶ εὐαγγελίσασθαί σοι ταῦτα. καὶ ἰδοὺ ἔσῃ σιωπῶν καὶ μὴ δυνάμενος λαλῆσαι ἄχρι ἧς ἡμέρας γένηται ταῦτα, ἀνθ' ὧν οὐκ ἐπίστευσας τοῖς λόγοις μου, οἵτινες πληρωθήσονται εἰς τὸν καιρὸν αὐτῶν. καὶ there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth; for he will be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared." And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years." And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak Continued on next page

ἦν ὁ λαὸς προσδοκῶν τὸν Ζαχαρίαν, καὶ ἐθαύμαζον ἐν τῷ χρονίζειν αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ ναῷ. ἐξελθὼν δὲ οὐκ ἠδύνατο λαλῆσαι αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἐπέγνωσαν ὅτι ὀπτασίαν ἑώρακεν ἐν τῷ ναῷ καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν διανεύων αὐτοῖς, καὶ διέμενε κωφός. καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἐπλήσθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι τῆς λειτουργίας αὐτοῦ, ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ. Μετὰ δὲ ταύτας τὰς ἡμέρας συνέλαβεν Ἐλισάβετ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ περιέκρυβεν ἑαυτὴν μῆνας πέντε, λέγουσα ὅτι οὕτω μοι πεποίηκεν ὁ Κύριος ἐν ἡμέραις αἷς ἐπεῖδεν ἀφελεῖν τὸ ὄνειδός μου ἐν ἀνθρώποις. Τῇ δὲ Ἐλισάβετ ἐπλήσθη ὁ χρόνος τοῦ τεκεῖν αὐτήν, καὶ ἐγέννησεν υἱόν. καὶ ἤκουσαν οἱ περίοικοι καὶ οἱ συγγενεῖς αὐτῆς ὅτι ἐμεγάλυνε Κύριος τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ μετ' αὐτῆς, καὶ συνέχαιρον αὐτῇ. Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῇ ὀγδόῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἦλθον περιτεμεῖν τὸ παιδίον, καὶ ἐκάλουν αὐτὸ ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ Ζαχαρίαν. καὶ ἀποκριθεῖσα ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ εἶπεν οὐχί, ἀλλὰ κληθήσεται Ἰωάννης. καὶ εἶπον πρὸς αὐτὴν ὅτι οὐδείς ἐστιν ἐν τῇ συγγενείᾳ σου ὃς καλεῖται τῷ ὀνόματι τούτῳ ἐνένευον δὲ τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ τὸ τί ἂν θέλοι καλεῖσθαι αὐτόν. καὶ αἰτήσας πινακίδιον ἔγραψε λέγων Ἰωάννης ἐστὶ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐθαύμασαν πάντες. ἀνεῴχθη δὲ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ παραχρῆμα καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλάλει εὐλογῶν τὸν Θεόν. καὶ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ πάντας φόβος τοὺς περιοικοῦντας αὐτούς, καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ὀρεινῇ τῆς Ἰουδαίας διελαλεῖτο πάντα τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα, καὶ ἔθεντο πάντες οἱ ἀκούσαντες ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῶν λέγοντες τί ἄρα τὸ παιδίον τοῦτο ἔσται; καὶ χεὶρ Κυρίου ἦν μετ' αὐτοῦ. Καὶ Ζαχαρίας ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ἐπλήσθη Πνεύματος Ἁγίου καὶ προεφήτευσε λέγων Εὐλογητὸς Κύριος, ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, ὅτι ἐπεσκέψατο καὶ ἐποίησε λύτρωσιν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ, Καὶ σύ, παιδίον, προφήτης ὑψίστου κληθήσῃ προπορεύσῃ γὰρ πρὸ to you, and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time." And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and they wondered at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he made signs to them and remained dumb. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she hid herself, saying, "Thus the Lord has done to me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men." Now the time came for Elizabeth to be delivered, and she gave birth to a son. And her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they would have named him Zacharias after his father, but his mother said, "Not so; he shall be called John." And they said to her, "None of your kindred is called by this name." And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he would have him called. And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they all marveled. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea; and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be?" For the hand of the Lord was Continued on next page

προσώπου Κυρίου ἑτοιμάσαι ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ, τοῦ δοῦναι γνῶσιν σωτηρίας τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ, ἐν ἀφέσει ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν διὰ σπλάγχνα ἐλέους Θεοῦ ἡμῶν, ἐν οἷς ἐπεσκέψατο ἡμᾶς ἀνατολὴ ἐξ ὕψους ἐπιφᾶναι τοῖς ἐν σκότει καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου καθημένοις, τοῦ κατευθῦναι τοὺς πόδας ἡμῶν εἰς ὁδὸν εἰρήνης. Τὸ δὲ παιδίον ηὔξανε καὶ ἐκραταιοῦτο πνεύματι, καὶ ἦν ἐν ταῖς ἐρήμοις ἕως ἡμέρας ἀναδείξεως αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸν Ἰσραήλ. with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways." And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel. Nativity of the Holy Forerunner and Baptist, John 24 June The Nativity of the Holy Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, John: The Gospel (Luke. 1: 5) relates that the righteous parents of Saint John the Baptist, the Priest Zachariah and Elizabeth (September 5), lived in the ancient city of Hebron. They reached old age without having children, since Elizabeth was barren. Once, Saint Zachariah was serving in the Temple at Jerusalem and saw the Archangel Gabriel, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. He predicted that Saint Zachariah would father a son, who would announce the Savior, the Messiah, awaited by the Old Testament Church. Zachariah was troubled, and fear fell upon him. He had doubts that in old age it was possible to have a son, and he asked for a sign. It was given to him, and it was also a chastisement for his unbelief. Zachariah was struck speechless until the time of the fulfillment of the archangel s words. Saint Elizabeth came to be with child, and fearing derision at being pregnant so late in life, she kept it secret for five months. Then her relative, the Virgin Mary, came to share with her Her own joy. Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, was the first to greet the Virgin Mary as the Mother of God. Saint John leaped in his mother s womb at the visit of the Most Holy Virgin Mary and the Son of God incarnate within Her. Soon Saint Elizabeth gave birth to a son, and all the relatives and acquaintances rejoiced together with her. On the eighth day, in accordance with the Law of Moses, he was circumcised and was called John. Everyone was amazed, since no one in the family had this name. When they asked Saint Zachariah about this, he motioned for a tablet and wrote on it: His name is John. Immediately his tongue was loosed, and Saint Zachariah glorified God. He also prophesied about the Coming into the world of the Messiah, and of his own son John, the Forerunner of the Lord (Luke. 1: 68-79). After the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ and the worship of the shepherds and the Magi, wicked king Herod gave orders to kill all male infants. Hearing about this, Saint Elizabeth fled into the wilderness and hid in a cave. Saint Continued on next page

Zachariah was at Jerusalem and was doing his priestly service in the Temple. Herod sent soldiers to him to find out the abode of the infant John and his mother. Zachariah answered that their whereabouts were unknown to him, and he was killed right there in the Temple. Righteous Elizabeth continued to live in the wilderness with her son and she died there. The child John, protected by an angel, dwelt in the wilderness until the time when he came preaching repentance, and was accounted worthy to baptize the Lord. Γενέσιον τοῦ Προδρόμου καὶ Βαπτιστοῦ Ἰωάννου Τὰ γεγονότα τῆς γεννήσεως τοῦ Τιμίου Προδρόμου ἀναφέρει ὁ Εὐαγγελιστὴς Λουκᾶς στὸ α κεφά αιο τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου του. Γράφει, λοιπόν, ὅτι στὶς ἡμέρες τοῦ βασιλέως Ἡρώδη ἐζοῦσε στὴν Ἰουδαία κάποιος ἱερέας ποὺ λεγόταν Ζαχαρίας. Εἶχε σύζυγό του τὴν Ἐ ισάβετ, ἡ ὁποία ἦταν ἀπόγονος τοῦ Προφήτου Ἀαρών. Ἦσαν καὶ οἱ δύο ἄνθρωποι τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἐζοῦσαν μὲ δικαιοσύνη, φόβο Θεοῦ, εὐ άβεια, σωφροσύνη, καὶ ἐτηροῦσαν τὶς θεῖες ἐντολές. Γιὰ πο ὰ χρόνια ἱκέτευαν τὸν Κύριο νὰ τοὺς εὐ ογήσει μὲ τὴ χαρὰ τῆς τεκνογονίας, ἀ ὰ δὲν εἶχαν ἀποκτήσει, παρὰ τὴ θερμὴ προσευχή τους, παιδί. Ὁ Ζαχαρίας καὶ ἡ στείρα σύζυγός του Ἐ ισάβετ εἶχαν φθάσει σὲ βαθὺ γήρας καὶ δὲν εἶχαν πλέον ἐ πίδα νὰ τεκνοποιήσουν. Ἐνῶ ὁ ἱερέας Ζαχαρίας εὑρισκόταν μία ἡμέρα στὸ ναὸ καὶ ἐθυμίαζε στὸ ἱερὸ Βῆμα, ἐφανερώθηκε σ αὐτὸν Ἄγγελος Κυρίου, γιὰ νὰ προμηνύσει τὴ γέννηση τοῦ ἐπιγείου καὶ ἔνσαρκου ἄγγελου, τοῦ Βαπτιστοῦ Ἰωάννου. Β έποντάς τον ὁ Ζαχαρίας ἐταράχθηκε καὶ ἐφοβήθηκε τόσο πολὺ ὥστε ἔμεινε ἐκστατικός. Ἀκούγοντας ἔκπληκτος ὁ Ζαχαρίας τὸ μήνυμα τοῦ Ἀγγέ ου, κατεπλάγη καὶ τὸν ἐρώτησε γεμάτος ἀπορία: «Πῶς εἶναι δυνατὸν νὰ γίνει αὐτό; Καὶ μὲ ποιὸ τρόπο θὰ τὸ γνωρίσω καὶ θὰ τὸ 24 Ιουνίου πιστέψω, ὅταν εἶμαι γέροντας στὴν ἡ ικία καὶ ἡ γυναίκα μου ὑπέργηρη καὶ στείρα;». Τότε ὁ Ἄγγελος τοῦ εἶπε: «Ἐγὼ εἶμαι ὁ Γαβριή, ποὺ παρουσιάζομαι ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ μὲ ἀπέστειλε ὁ Θεὸς νὰ σοῦ φέρω αὐτὴ τὴ χαρμόσυνη ἀγγελία. Καὶ ἰδού, ἐπειδὴ δὲν ἐπίστεψες στὰ λόγια μου, θὰ μείνεις ἄ αλος μέχρι τὴν ἡμέρα ποὺ θὰ ἐκπληρωθοῦν ὅσα σοῦ προανήγγειλα, δηλαδὴ μέχρι νὰ γεννηθεῖ ὁ Ἰωάννης». Πράγματι ἀπὸ ἐκείνη τὴν ἡμέρα ὁ Ζαχαρίας ἔμεινε βουβὸς καὶ ἄ αλος, ἕως ὅτου ἡ Ἐ ισάβετ ἔτεκε τὸν Πρόδρομο. Τὴν ὄγδοη ἡμέρα οἱ συγγενεῖς ἦ θαν γιὰ νὰ ἐκτελέσουν τὴν περιτομὴ τοῦ παιδιοῦ καὶ ἤθελαν νὰ τὸ ὀνομάσουν μὲ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατέρα του, Ζαχαρία. Ἀ ὰ ἡ Ἐ ισάβετ τοὺς εἶπε ὅτι θὰ ὀνομαστεῖ Ἰωάννης. Στὴν ἀπορία τους, πῶς θὰ λάβει τὸ ὄνομα αὐτό, ἐπειδὴ κανένας ἀπὸ τοὺς συγγενεῖς δὲν εἶχε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτό, ὁ Ζαχαρίας ἐζήτησε μία μικρὴ πλάκα ἐπὶ τῆς ὁποίας ἔγραψε τὰ ἀκό ουθα: «Ἰωάννης εἶναι τὸ ὄνομά του». Καὶ ἐξεπλάγησαν ὅ οι. Ὁ Ζαχαρίας δὲ ἄνοιξε ἀμέσως τὸ στόμα του καὶ εὐ ογοῦσε τὸν Θεὸ μέσα ἀπὸ τὴν καρδιά του. Ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης καθημερινὰ ἀναδεικνυόταν ὡς ἔμψυχο ὄργανο τῆς Χάριτος τοῦ Θεοῦ, πλήρης τῶν χαρισμάτων τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος, στή η κάθε ἀρετῆς καὶ εὐσέβειας.

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