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                      The First Joyful Mystery - The Annunciation

                  CHAPTER 2

                The Conception of Saint John the Baptist

                                       Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a narration of the things that have
been accomplished
                                          among us, according as they have delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses
                                     and ministers of the word: It seemed good to me also, having diligently attained to all things
                                     from the beginning, to write to thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, that thou mayest know
the verity of those words in which thou hast been instructed.

                                     There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zachary, of the course
                                     of Abia.1 And his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth. And they were
                                      both just before God, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame
                                    And they had no son, for that Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.

                                        And it came to pass, when he executed the priestly function in the order of his course before God,
                               according to the custom of the priestly office, it was his lot to offer incense, going into the
                                       Temple of the Lord. And all the multitude of the people was praying without, at the hour of incense.

                            And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of
         incense. And Zachary seeing him, was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

                                But the angel said to him: "Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth
                                      shall bear thee a son. And thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and
       many shall rejoice in his nativity. For he shall be great before the

                                Of the course of Abia: that is, of the rank of Abia, which word in the Greek is commonly
                                  put for the employment of one day: but here for the functions of a whole week. For, by the
                                 appointment of David, 1 Par.24, the descendants from Aaron were divided into twenty-four
                                 families, of which the eighth was Abia, from whom descended this Zachary, who at this time
was in the week of his priestly functions.