Today marks the anniversary of the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist. Join Autom as we celebrate the life of the Forerunner. The feast day of St. John the Baptist is one of the oldest feast days, if not the oldest celebrated in the Christian world.
John the Baptist was born around June 24th unto Zachariah and his wife Elizabeth. Elizabeth, the cousin of the Virgin Mary, had been sterile for the majority of her life. That was until her husband Zachariah was greeted by the Angel Gabriel who brought news of her pregnancy. Six months into her pregnancy, Elizabeth received a visit from her cousin Mary, the Blessed Mother, who also brought joyful news of her own child. The Gospel of Luke states that the unborn child of Elizabeth 'jumped for joy' in her womb when she received the news her cousin were with child.
John spent the majority of his life preaching and foretold the coming of the Messiah. He is seen as the last prophet before Jesus took His place as the Messiah. John received instruction to baptize Jesus in the river Jordan, and he did. Although much of John's ministry was taken over by Jesus, he remained faithful and continued to spread the word of Christ throughout the nations.
Herod Antipas had imprisoned John the Baptist for John's verbal disapproval of Herod unlawfully divorcing his own wife so that he may steal his brother's wife, Herodias. On His birthday, Herod was so pleased with the dancing of new wife's daughter, Salome, that through his drunkenness he offered her anything in his kingdom. After consulting with her mother, she asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Appalled by the request, Herod eventually agreed with the request of his new step-daughter and had John the Baptist executed in prison. He was beheaded and his head was served to Salome on a platter as she requested. In some Orthodox cultures, pious people do not eat with knives, use flat plates, or eat round shaped foods on August 29th.
John's body was buried by his disciples at Sebaste, but his head was thrown into a pile of dung. A servant of Herod removed the head and buried it on the Mount of Olives. In the fourth century a monk found his head while building a monastic cell, but immediately replaced the head where it remained for many years.
The second finding occurred when two monks on a pilgrimage received a vision for St. John the Baptist disclosing the location of his head. The head exchanged hands for many years before being buried again, and finally found for a third time. It is rumored that the head of St. John the Baptist was in possession of the Knights Templar during the 14th Century, but many Christians believe the head of John is enshrined in San Silvestro in Capite in Rome.
John the Baptist was born around June 24th unto Zachariah and his wife Elizabeth. Elizabeth, the cousin of the Virgin Mary, had been sterile for the majority of her life. That was until her husband Zachariah was greeted by the Angel Gabriel who brought news of her pregnancy. Six months into her pregnancy, Elizabeth received a visit from her cousin Mary, the Blessed Mother, who also brought joyful news of her own child. The Gospel of Luke states that the unborn child of Elizabeth 'jumped for joy' in her womb when she received the news her cousin were with child.John spent the majority of his life preaching and foretold the coming of the Messiah. He is seen as the last prophet before Jesus took His place as the Messiah. John received instruction to baptize Jesus in the river Jordan, and he did. Although much of John's ministry was taken over by Jesus, he remained faithful and continued to spread the word of Christ throughout the nations.
Herod Antipas had imprisoned John the Baptist for John's verbal disapproval of Herod unlawfully divorcing his own wife so that he may steal his brother's wife, Herodias. On His birthday, Herod was so pleased with the dancing of new wife's daughter, Salome, that through his drunkenness he offered her anything in his kingdom. After consulting with her mother, she asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Appalled by the request, Herod eventually agreed with the request of his new step-daughter and had John the Baptist executed in prison. He was beheaded and his head was served to Salome on a platter as she requested. In some Orthodox cultures, pious people do not eat with knives, use flat plates, or eat round shaped foods on August 29th.
John's body was buried by his disciples at Sebaste, but his head was thrown into a pile of dung. A servant of Herod removed the head and buried it on the Mount of Olives. In the fourth century a monk found his head while building a monastic cell, but immediately replaced the head where it remained for many years.
The second finding occurred when two monks on a pilgrimage received a vision for St. John the Baptist disclosing the location of his head. The head exchanged hands for many years before being buried again, and finally found for a third time. It is rumored that the head of St. John the Baptist was in possession of the Knights Templar during the 14th Century, but many Christians believe the head of John is enshrined in San Silvestro in Capite in Rome.
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