View source for Beheading of St. John the Forerunner

[[Image:Beheading of the Forerunner.jpg|frame|right|The Beheading of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John]]
The '''Beheading of St. John the Forerunner''' is the commemoration of the martyrdom of [[John the Forerunner]].  It is a strict fast day because of the grief of Christians at the violent death of the saint. It is commemorated by the Church on [[August 29]].

Although the Forerunner was beheaded in the Spring, around the time of the Passover, this feast was fixed for August, when a church was dedicated in its honor.

The accounts about the martyrdom  of [[John the Baptist]] are provided my Ss. [[Apostle Matthew|Matthew]] (Mt.14:1-12) and [[Apostle Mark|Mark]] (Mark 6:14-29).  It was in the 32nd year after the [[Nativity|Birth of Christ]].

==Hymns==
[[Troparion]] ([[Tone]] 2)
:The memory of the righteous is celebrated with hymns of praise,
:But the Lord¹s testimony is sufficient for you, O Forerunner.
:You were shown in truth to be the most honorable of the prophets,
:For you were deemed worthy to baptize in the streams of the Jordan Him whom they foretold.
:Therefore, having suffered for the truth with joy,
:You proclaimed to those in hell God who appeared in the flesh,
:Who takes away the sin of the world, and grants us great mercy.

[[Kontakion]] (Tone 5)
:The glorious beheading of the Forerunner,
:Became an act of divine dispensation,
:For he preached to those in hell the coming of the Savior.
:Let Herodias lament, for she entreated lawless murder,
:Loving not the law of God, nor eternal life,
:But that which is false and temporal.

==External links==
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=102419 The Beheading of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John] - [[OCA]] website.
*[http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/saints.asp?contentid=182 Beheading of the Venerable Head of the Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John] - [[GOARCH]] website.

[[Category:Feasts]]