The first apostles and universal teachers, pray to the Lord of all to grant peace to the universe and great mercy to our souls.
The First Altars (of) the Apostles and Teachers of the Universe! Pray, Lord of all, to grant peace to the universe and great mercy to our souls.
Kontakion
Slavic text
Russian translation
Firm and God-proclaimed preachers, the top of Thy Apostles, O Lord, Thou hast received into the enjoyment of Thy good things and peace; You have accepted illness and death more than any fruitfulness, the only one who knows the heart.
The most zealous preachers and filled with the gift of Divine prophecy, Your supreme Apostles, You, Lord, accepted into the heavenly villages of Your bliss, for eternal peace and pleasure. For You imputed all earthly suffering and their death to them above all merit, as the One who leads all the thoughts of the heart.
On the day of the Beheading of the Forerunner
(August 29)
Troparion
Slavic text
Russian translation
The memory of the righteous is with praise, but the testimony of the Lord, the Forerunner, is sufficient for you; For you have truly shown yourself to be a most honest Prophet, as even in the streams of baptism you were worthy of the Preached One. Moreover, having suffered for the truth, rejoicing, you preached the gospel to those in hell of God revealed in the flesh, taking away the sin of the world and giving us great mercy.
The memory of every righteous person is honored with praise; but You, the Forerunner of Christ, have been awarded all praise, witnessed by the Lord Himself; for You have shown yourself to be truly a glorious Prophet and have been deemed worthy to baptize in the streams (of the Jordan) the One who was foretold by the Prophets. In the same way, having joyfully suffered for the truth, You descended to preach to those in hell about God who appeared in the flesh, who took upon himself the sins of the world and gives us great mercies!
Kontakion
Slavic text
Russian translation
The forerunner's glorious beheading, a certain Divine sight; Yes, and to those in hell the coming of the Savior is preached, so that Herodia weeps, having asked for lawless murder: “Thou shalt not love the law of God, nor the living age, but a feigned, temporary one.”
The beheading of the Forerunner took place at some discretion of God: may he preach to those in hell the coming of the Savior to earth, and may Herodia, who asked for lawless murder, weep, for she did not love the law of God, not the true life of the next century, but temporary and fleeting life.
Greatness
We magnify You, John the Baptist of the Savior, and honor all your honorable heads.