Sunday Readings

Apostolic Reading – Acts 19:1-8

Gospel – John 1:29-34

Hymns: See our Church’s website for Audio Recordings: holycrossmelkite.org/hymns

Troparion of the Resurrection (Tone 7)

You destroyed Death by Your cross. You opened paradise to the thief. You changed the weeping of the myrrhbearers, and commanded Your apostles to proclaim that You, O Christ God, have risen, granting to the world great mercy.

Troparion of the Theophany (Tone 1)

At your Baptism in the Jordan, O Lord, the worship of the Trinity was revealed: for the Father’s voice bore witness to you by calling You his Beloved Son, and the spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the truth of these words. O Christ God who have appeared to us, and enlightened the world, glory to You.

Troparion of St. John, the Forerunner (Tone 2)

The memory of the just is mentioned with praise. As for you, O forerunner, the Lord’s witness is enough: indeed, you were greater that the prophets since you were found worthy to baptize in the waters the One they could but announce. You have fought for the sake of truth and proclaimed to those in Hades that God who appeared in the flesh has taken away the sins of the world and bestowed his great mercy upon us.

Kondakion of the Theophany (Tone 3)

Today You have appeared, O Lord, to the universe and Your light, O Christ our God, has been impressed upon us who sing to You with full knowledge: You came and appeared, O Inaccessible Light.

Prokimenon

The just shall rejoice in the Lord and place his hope in him.

All those with an upright heart shall be praised.

Stichon

O God hear my voice when I pray to you; save my life from the dreadful enemy.

Reading from the Acts of the Apostles (19:1-8)

In those days it came to pass, while Apollos was in Corinth, that Paul crossed the upper districts and went to Ephesus. He found some of the disciples and asked them, “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you became believers?” But they answered him, “We have not ever heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said to them, “How then were you baptized?” They replied, “With John’s baptism.” Then Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus Christ.” Hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in tongues and to speak for God. They were about twelve men in all. Then for three months he went into the synagogue, speaking confidently, arguing with them and convincing them about God’s kingdom.

Alleluia

The just shall bloom like the palm tree; he shall grow like a cedar of Lebanon.

Stichon

Those who are planted in the Lord’s house shall flourish in the courts of our God.

The Holy Gospel According to St. John the Evangelist (1:29-34)

John the Baptist’s Testimony to Christ

At that time John saw Jesus coming to him, and he said, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one of whom I said, ‘After me there comes one who has been set above me, because he was before me.’ And I did not know him. But that he may be known to Israel, for this reason have I come baptizing with water.” And John bore witness, saying. “I beheld the Spirit descending as a dove from heaven, and it hovered over him. And I did not know him. But the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘The man upon whom you will see the Spirit descending and hovering, he it is who baptizes with the Holy Spirit”.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”