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| Icon of the Nativity of the Forerunner, St. John the Baptist |
The Canticle of Zechariah
The "Benedictus"
(Luke 1:67-80)
Then Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:
for he has visited and brought redemption to his people.
He has raised up
a horn for our salvation
within the house of David his servant,
even as he promised through the mouth
of his holy prophets from of old:
salvation from our enemies and from the
hand of all who hate us,
to show mercy to
our fathers
and to be mindful of his holy covenant
and of the oath
he swore to Abraham our father,
and to grant us that,
rescued from the hand of enemies,
without fear we might worship him
in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called prophet
of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give his people knowledge of
salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God
by which the daybreak from on high*
will visit us
to shine on those who sit in darkness
and death’s shadow,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
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