Eulogies for the 3rd Finding of the Honest Head of the Holy Forerunner

The authorship of the essay “Laudatory on the 3rd Finding of the Honest Head of the Holy Forerunner” is attributed to St. Theodore the Studite, which is undoubtedly due to a copyist's mistake, since the 3rd discovery of the head of the prophet. John the Baptist took place in 850, 24 years after the death of the saint. In this work, the celebration of the Nativity of the Prophet John the Baptist is likened to the rising of the sun, and the Beheading of his head is likened to sunset, and the finding of the head is likened to the mysterious “rebirth of eternal life” and the new appearance of the light of truth. The role of the Forerunner is emphasized as a prophet, filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb, a herald of Christ in the desert and worthy to baptize the Lord Himself. The author uses vivid metaphors and biblical allusions, detailing each part of the chapter—from the “god-braided strands” to the “silver neck”—celebrating them as the embodiment of purity, wisdom, and spiritual strength. A special place is occupied by the denunciation of Herod and Herodias, whose “lawlessness” and “villainy” are contrasted with the eternal glory of St. John the Baptist. The author emphasizes the futility of their attempts to cover up the crime, as the chapter of John continues to “speak and cry silently,” denouncing sin and calling for legality. This denunciation turns into a moral teaching for the “kings of the earth” and “every person” about the need to observe the law, especially in marriage, and a warning against “fornication, drinking and revelry.” Today, lovers of Christ, convenes us, bringing the third proclamation to the memory of the Forerunner. After all, if by some chance a treasure is found, all people joyfully come running, trying to see what they want, then what sweet triumph will not be awarded to the most honorable head of the Baptist, more precious than any gold and expensive stones, recently revealed by the favor of God, who arranges everything for the salvation of our race. Therefore, let us rejoice and be glad in Him, for receiving spiritual gifts is a subject of rejoicing for those who love God; let us sing in gratitude: this is another triumph, another doxology. For [the holiday of] Christmas is in some way similar to the sunrise, which revealed to the world the intelligible star rising from the mother’s womb by the miracle worker; and the Beheading - at sunset, which represents how the same theophanized luminary, having completed the entire intelligible day, found itself underground and there foreshadowed the light of the coming of Christ to those in hell. The current [holiday] also hints at something more mysterious, the revival of eternal life: for it shone and seemed to come to life again with the appearance of its most sacred head. Oh, a miracle: the earth did not suffer to retain this hidden treasure for a long time to our detriment, but at some special time it produced its fruit, like some newly blossomed and ripe offspring. So the sky saw her and rejoiced; the human race looked and praised her. The demons, sensing it, fell down; she appeared brighter than the sun with the light of truth, brighter than the moon with the radiance of piety, more diverse than the stars with many miracles. For what and how many streams of healings she immediately released, more transparent and abundant than any source; The grace of the Spirit immediately released, more fragrant and stronger than all the lilies of the field, and the whole universe mentally smelled this fragrance and rejoiced. Each one drew and carried away from what he was looking for, and so desired, and what he strove for: for grace is abundant, and one partakes of it to the extent that the intention of the believer exceeds. The head of their entourage, that is, sinners, says David, is the work of their lips (Ps. 139:10), and this head was revealed to us for deliverance from labor, healing of ailments, casting out demons, giving of every Divine gift. For this is the head of one who leaped for joy in the barren womb because of the Word incarnate in the virgin’s womb [Col. 450] God (Luke 1:41), as David said about it: man and heart will go out deeply, and God will be exalted (Ps. 63:8). This is the head of the one who was still filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb, about whom the great Zechariah speaks: And you, a child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways (Luke 1:76). This is the head of one who lived in the desert from his very cradle until his appearance to Israel, about whom the prophet Isaiah speaks: The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert the paths of our God (Is. 40:3). The head of the one who preached baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3), about whom the Holy Scripture says: Behold, I send My angel, and he will prepare the way before Me (Mal. 3:1). And why talk a lot? This is the head of the one who was worthy to touch the head of God, to whom the Lord says: leave it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). And how could any mortal praise her, the all-blessed one, at her true worth? And what earthly language would sufficiently sing of the completely wondrous and shining incorruption? But, divine and honest head, seat of the most dispassionate and purest feelings, thinking censer of the fragrance of the Spirit, precious treasury of enriching miracles of grace, I praise your God-braided strands, more valuable than Sufir gold 1, more splendid than wedding necklaces. The razor of vice, the deception of sin, did not touch them, as before Samson through the lustful Delilah (Judges 16:19). I magnify your sacred and superior Aaronic wedding, from which healing dew shed more than the dew of Aermon, descending on Mount Zion (Ps. 132:3) in the souls of believers; I honor your bright eyes, the shining lamps of the Spirit, as purer than the eyes of a turtledove, and more precious than the highly valued emerald stones; I praise your godlike ears that hear heavenly voices. I will appropriately apply to you the allegorical sayings of Scripture: Your cheeks are beautiful, like turtle doves (Song. 1:9; 4:3), according to the Song of Songs: Your neck is like a pillar of an elephant, your eyes are like the lake in Eusebon, in the gates of many daughters, your nose is like a pillar of Lebanon (Song. 7:4). I sing praises to the fence of your milky-white teeth, from behind which the word of divine preaching came forth to the ends of the universe. Finally, I praise your silver-like neck, which was cut by the villainous sword and from which instead of blood flowed a source of miracles. What do you say, Herod? For I must speak to you: have you received what you sought? Do you enjoy what you desire? Not at all. Here again is the witness of the truth, the accusatory sword of the Spirit, the generous tongue of piety - he is alive and not dead, in freedom and not in chains, louder than Abel’s blood cries out to you (cf. Gen. 4:10): you must not have the wife of your brother Philip (Mark 6:17). He exposes your abomination to shame 2, wanting to keep you from lawless cohabitation, to save you from the wrath that threatens the criminal: did you like it? Not at all. Have you come to your senses? No way. You have not given up pleasure, you have sacrificed your entire soul to the demoniac. As a reward for the fun, he brought it out on a platter [Col. 452] the most divine head, pouring out rivers of blood (Matthew 14:11). Alas for inhumanity, shame for the most debauched feast! And it is happening now, and the fornicator, if he does not cut off the head of the Baptist, then makes the members of Christ the members of the harlot (cf. 1 Cor. 6:15). After all, is anything else besides this, according to the meaning of the apostolic [words], produced by drinking and revelry? Tell me, you too, criminal Herodias: did your daring actions benefit you? Did you hide the Baptist underground? Therefore, there is no one else who will object to you or contradict you? But your hope is vain, your action is powerless, your idea is empty. It’s the other way around: as much as you thought to hide your villainy, it became the subject of rumor; As much as you thought to hide, your crime is told from generation to generation. And you and your husband suffered a bitter death, rotten and stinking in the coffin, the two of them swarming with many worms - and the head that you cut off rises above the ground. She is accompanied by monks, surrounded by hosts of priests, monastic gatherings pray, and multitudes of laity are honored; she gathers a crowded crowd, a divinely called celebration, bringing together, so to speak, the very angelic army and singing a song of praise with us, for they are dear to the all-honorable holiday of the same name and having an equal title. She pours out the ointment of grace better than spikenard, better than saffron and cinnamon, better than all fragrant anointings, she speaks and cries silently, always announcing your crime. This is the end of lawlessness and with such reproofs. Know this, kings of the earth, satraps and rulers, those who rule and are governed, and every person in this life, so that, acting according to the law, both in everything and in marriage, you do not suffer the same thing, being convicted along with criminals. But since we have, as far as possible, crowned the golden chapter with the most precious flowers of praise, let us also turn to the other members, so that, while praising the Forerunner in part, we do not seem to be bringing insufficient praise. So, what is more radiant and luminous than those hands that were worthy to be laid on Christ at Baptism? After all, if Divine fire is present, then understand that when you touched God’s head, the hands of the Forerunner, as if in combination with fire, became fiery, without changing their own nature. His inter-rama is in the glitter of gold (Ps. 67:14), as it is sung, on the one who carries the cross of Christ on his shoulders. His belly is an ivory vessel on a sapphire stone (Song. 5:14) - at the expelling pleasure that is around the navel of the womb. His loins, which contained sanctifying chastity, belong to the one who has received the gift of virginity. The roundness of his hips is like a necklace (Song. 7:1) - that of a dispassionate man girded with a sword. His legs are marble pillars, placed on golden sockets (Song. 5:15), that is, on virtues; God-walking feet belong to the one who prepares the paths of the Lord (cf. Matt. 3:3). Each member of this most sacred and impassive body is a weapon of truth, a chosen and sanctified vessel. It matured in purity and became perfect in eternal prayer. And I should not miss what is outside - I am talking about clothes and a belt. But the forefather Jacob [Col. 454] made a multi-colored tunic for his beloved son Joseph (Gen. 37:3), and the great evangelist Matthew describes this husband’s [clothes] as monochrome and unadorned. For, according to him, he wore clothes made of camel's hair and a leather belt around his loins (Matthew 3:4), showing in this also symbols of the mortification of sin, although in that case the multicoloredness must be understood in a different sense. And will my mind and tongue be able to be satisfied with the praise of you in each of my members, O greatest adornment of humanity? But since I am straitened and poor in both respects, forgive me as the most loving of mankind and strengthen me in every possible way, your least servant, together with your spiritual father and the flock devoted to you; preserve unharmed all the singers of your divine greatness in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and power with the All-Holy Father and the Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Sufir or Ophir gold, considered the best in ancient times. – Ed. The translation comes from reading μύσος instead of the phonetically identical μίσος (hatred). – Per. Translation of the Word for the Third Finding of the Venerable Head of St. John the Baptist was made by D. E. Afinogenov. – Ed. You might be interested in: