January 20 / January 7

1.  Synaxis of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John

Because John’s main role in his life was played out on the day of the Theophany, the Church has from earliest times dedicated the day following Theophany to his memory. An incident with the hand of the Forerunner is also linked to this feast. The Evangelist Luke desired to remove the body of John from Sebaste, where the great prophet was beheaded by Herod, to Antioch, his place of birth. He succeeded, though, in acquiring and translating only one hand, which was preserved in Antioch until the tenth century. After this, it was transferred to Constantinople, whence it disappeared during the time of the Turks.

Feasts of St. John are celebrated several times throughout the year, but this day, January 7, has the most Svečara.*) Among the Gospel personalities who surround the Savior, John the Baptist occupies a totally unique place by the manner of his entry into the world, and by the manner of his life in this world; by his role in baptizing people for repentance; by his baptizing the Messiah; and, finally, by his tragic departure from this life. He was of such moral purity that, in truth, he could be called an angel—as Holy Scripture calls him—rather than a mortal man. St. John especially differs from all other prophets in that he had that privilege of being able, with his hand, to show the world Him about Whom he prophesied.

It is said that every year on the feast of the saint, the bishop brought the hand of St. John before the people. Sometimes the hand appeared open and other times the hand appeared clenched. In the first case, it signified a fruitful and bountiful year, and in the second case, it meant a year of un- fruitfulness and famine.

2.    The Holy Martyr Athanasius of Attalia and Smyrna (1700)

This martyr of Christ was a man simple and poor, but rich in faith and wise through the Spirit of God. Once, Athanasius unintentionally entered into a debate about the Faith with a certain Turk. The Turk was educated and adroit with words, but Athanasius endeavored with all his strength to emphasize and establish the truth of the Christian Faith and its superiority over Islam. After that they parted. The next day Athanasius was summoned before the judge. This Turk stood there as his accuser. When the judge called upon Athanasius to deny the Faith of Christ, as he had supposedly done before his companion the previous day, and to embrace Is- lam, Athanasius cried out: “I would rather die a thousand deaths than renounce the Faith of Christ.” For this, he was condemned to death and beheaded in the year 1700, in Smyrna. His body was buried in the Church of St. Parasceva in the same city.

• Brannock (Brynach) of Braunton, England (6th c.).
• Cedd, bishop of Lastingham (664).
• New Hieromartyrs Paphnutius (Kostin), hieromonk of Optina Monastery (1938) and Nicholas (Parfenov), bishop of Atkarsk (1939).

HYMN OF PRAISE

Saint John the Forerunner and Baptist

Thirty years of fasting and silence—
Not even the mountain beasts can endure this!
The lion alleviates his hunger with the music of roaring,
And the tree rustles when the wind approaches.
But you neither rustle, roar nor moan.
Neither your lament nor your song echoes through the wilderness!
Tell me, are you a man? What is your name?
Will you ever want to speak with someone?
“The voice, the voice, the voice: I am the voice—
But He is the Word of God.
To the children of Israel I was sent to cry out:
Repent, O people; behold, He comes.
Bring forth good fruit, each according to your strength.
Behold, behold, He comes—oh, wonder of wonders!
In the midst of the water, fire from heaven is concealed!
Behold, the Lamb of God walks among the wolves.
Wolves, cleanse your lupine temper in the water!”
Thirty years of silence and fasting:
What remains of your body, save your voice?
Your withered body is but a shadow of your voice,
Which proclaims the news:
Behold, God is come to us!
Your withered body was a reed, which Herod broke.
But the voice goes on and on, with no one to silence it.
Whose voice is that, at which even the centuries tremble?
A hungry lion! No, no—a man of faith.

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