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In the Divine Liturgy, we say: our holy fathers the patriarchs, the prophets, the apostles, the preachers, the evangelists, the martyrs, the confessors, and all the spirits of the righteous who were consummated in the faith. If this is the correct order, why in Tasbeha, do we go from the heavenly hosts to patriarchs to prophets to Joachim and Anna, Joseph the presbyter, Job, Nicodemus, the priests, then  back to John the Baptist and the heavenly hosts again, then the apostles after that?

The Midnight Psalmody is full of chants and melodies of praise to God. The hymn ~ Tenoueh `ncok ~ "We follow You ..." leads us to the Commemoration of the Saints. The lyricist of the Psalmody groups these prayers beginning with St. Mary, the archangels, and all the heavenly hosts. From there, we ask for the prayers of the patriarchs, prophets, and righteous men of the Old Testament. St. John the Baptist is the prophet of the New Testament and the link between the Old and New Testaments, who fits in this continuum along with the One hundred and Forty Four Thousand (believed to be the martyred children of Bethlehem). The celibate Evangelist is St. John the beloved. Following him, are the rest of the apostles, St. Stephen the first martyr, St. Mark the Evangelist to Egypt, and the many martyrs. From there, the righteous are commemorated and the prayers of St. Antony the father of monasticism and the many who established monasticism are requested. St. Athanasius and others who defended the faith are then mentioned, followed by the writers of the three Divine Liturgies. The contributors of the Ecumenical Councils, the righteous, the monastics, the wise virgins, and the saints of the day follow and conclude with the Psalmist David, who taught us how to praise God befittingly and offering Him this Psalmody. The last request for prayers is from our current patriarch, the presiding diocesan bishop, and any other attending bishops.