Poem: "The Birth of John the Baptist" by Ava

Then the woman got up and left

and came to another town,

into a house which was

the wife of Zachary.

There the good women lived,

the purest mothers,

until God willed

that Elizabeth should give birth.

When she bore the child,

many people rejoiced at the birth.

Truly relatives and friends

gathered together there

and named him Zachary.

That name was changed very quickly;

his mother said to ask

that they name him John.

Then an argument arose about the name

among those who had come there.

They said: “That name is unusual;

in this clan no one is called that.”

Then Zachary made a sign

since he was well aware of it.

The man did not hesitate

but took a tablet in his hand.

He wrote the name of the child:

His name is John.

When the child was circumcised,

as was the custom in those times,

at that very hour,

his tongue was loosed.

Then Zachary spoke

– he was filled with the Holy Spirit –

and what he prophesied was

the psalm Benedictus.

At matins is sung that song of praise.

Now let us say: To God be thanks.