Chapter V

Shame be on your heads abiding,
Disobedient people now,
Who to death, and vile deriding,
Caused the Word of God to bow!
Shame! for death, nor powers infernal,
Nor the dark of hades' gloom,
Could retain the King Eternal
In the bondage of the tomb.

{Deute kai mimêsômetha en tê parousê heortê.}

Another rendering from the Greek of Bishop Nektarios. The original is on page 68 of his collection, where it is entitled, {Hymnos eis tên baptisin tou kyriou hêmôn Iêsou Christou}. The hymn is obviously based on the troparian and contakion for the Feast of the Theophany, or Epiphany (January 6), and the contakion for the Feast of St. John Baptist (January 7). The latter contakion reads thus:--

"At Thy bodily presence Jordan was driven back in fear; John shook with trembling as he fulfilled his prophetic ministry; the host of angels were amazed at seeing the Baptized in the flesh, and all that were in the dark shades [of hades] received light, and praised Thee Who hast appeared, and hast lightened everything." (Menaeon, Venice edition, page 81.)