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Texts for the Feast of the Theophany

Troparion of the Feast:

When in the Jordan Thou wast baptised, 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.

From the Stichera of Vespers:

The Forerunner, beholding our Illuminator who illumineth every man, coming to be baptised, 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! The streams of the Jordan received Thee who art the fountain, and the Comforter descended in the form of a Dove. He who bowed the heavens, bowed His head, and the clay cried aloud to Him that formed him: 'Why dost Thou command of me what lies beyond my power? For I have need to be baptised of Thee'. O sinless Christ our God, glory to Thee.

From the Matins Canon:

The Lord, who through His own cleansing in the 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. (From Canticle 1) Hath anyone, 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. (From Canticle 3) 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. (From Canticle 4). 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 baptise Me, who have come down hither; whom also all men do bless and exalt unto all the ages. (From Canticle 8) The Baptist, when he heard the words of the Lord, stretched forth his hand with trembling; but when he had touched the crown of the 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! (From Canticle 8) 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 Holy Trinity which knoweth no setting. (From Canticle 9)

Hymn from the Blessing of the Waters, in Tone 3:

Unto the voice of him crying in the wilderness 'Prepare ye the way of the Lord' Thou didst come forth, O Lord, having taken on the form of a servant, and asking baptism, though Thou knewest not sin. The waters beheld Thee and were affrighted. The Baptist became all trembling, and cried aloud, saying: How shall the candlestick illumine the light? How shall a slave lay hands upon his Lord? Sanctify Thou me and these waters, O Saviour, who takest away the sins of the world.

From the Priest's Prayer at the Blessing of the Waters:

Great art Thou, O Lord, and marvellous are Thy works, and speech sufficeth not to sing the praises of Thy wonders. For Thou, by Thy will, from nothingness hast brought all things into being; by Thy majesty Thou dost uphold all creation, and by Thy providence Thou dost direct the world. When Thou hadst framed the universe out of four elements, Thou didst crown the circle of the year with four seasons. All the reason-endowed powers tremble before Thee. The sun singeth Thy praises, and the moon glorifieth Thee; the stars, also, stand before Thy presence. The light obeyeth Thee. The deeps shudder with awe before Thee; the water-springs do Thy bidding. Thou hast spread out the heavens like a curtain. Thou hast established the earth upon the waters. With sand hast Thou walled in the sea. Thou hast shed abroad the air for breathing. The Angelic powers serve Thee. The Archangelic hosts adore Thee. The many-eyed Cherubim and the six-winged Seraphim, as they stand round about and do fly, veil their faces with awe before Thine unapproachable glory. For Thou, the God which cannot be circumscribed, who art from everlasting and ineffable, didst come down upon earth, taking on the form of a servant and being made in the likeness of men. For Thou couldst not endure, O Master, because of Thy tender hearted mercy, to behold the children of men tormented by the devil; but Thou didst come, and didst save us. We confess Thy grace; we proclaim Thy mercy; we conceal not Thy gracious deeds. Thou hast set at liberty the generations of our race; by Thy birth Thou hast sanctified a Virgin's womb. All creation singeth praises unto Thee, who didst reveal Thyself; for Thou, our God, didst manifest Thyself upon earth, and didst dwell among men. Thou didst hallow, also, the streams of Jordan, in that Thou didst send down from heaven Thy Holy Spirit, and didst crush the heads of the serpents which lurked there. Wherefore do Thou, O King who lovest mankind, come down now also through the descent of Thy Holy Spirit, and sanctify this water.
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