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[[image:Johnforerunner.jpg|right|thumb|St John the Forerunner, the cousin of Christ and last of the prophets.]]The glorious [[Prophet]] and Forerunner '''John the Baptist''' is also refered referred to as '''John the Forerunner ''' because he was the forerunner of [[Christ]]. Isaiah 40:3-5 He was an [[ascetic]] and great prophet, who [[baptism|baptized]] Christ and became one of the most revered [[saint]]s in the [[Orthodox Church]]. John is commonly read as a prophecy cousin of JohnChrist through his mother [[Elizabeth]] who was the daughter of Zoia. His father, Zoia is the sister of Christ's [[ZachariasAnna|grandmother]], . He was a priest of later beheaded by Herod in the first century to satisfy the course request of Abia (1 Chr. 24:10)Herod's stepdaughter, Salome, and his motherwife Herodias. Because he baptized Christ, he is the [[Elizabethpatron saint]], was of [[godparent]]s. He is sometimes called the Daughters ''Angel of Aaron (Luke 1:5). John held the priesthood Desert''; because of Aaronthis title, giving him the authority to perform baptisms of Godhe is sometimes depicted with wings.

His birth took place six months before that [[Book of Jesus, and according to the Gospel account was expected by prophecy (Matt. 3:3; Isa. Isaiah|Isaiah]] 40:3; Mal. 3:1) and foretold by an angel-5 is commonly read as a prophecy of John. His father, [[Zacharias lost his power of speech because ]], was a [[priest]] of his unbelief over the birth course of Abia ([[I Paraleipomenon|1 Chr.]] 24:10), and his sonmother, Elizabeth, and had it restored on was of the occasion daughters of John's circumcision Aaron ([[Gospel of Luke |Luke]] 1:645). John held the priesthood of [[Aaron]], giving him the authority to perform baptisms of God.

John His birth took place six months before that of Jesus, and according to the [[Gospel]] account was a Nazarite from his birth expected by prophecy (Luke 1[[Gospel of Matthew|Matt.]] 3:153; NumIsa. 640:3; [[Book of Malachi|Mal.]] 3:1-12)and foretold by an [[angel]]. He spent Zacharias lost his power of speech because of his early years in unbelief over the mountainous tract birth of Judea lying between Jerusalem his son, and had it restored on the Dead Sea occasion of John's circumcision (Matt. 3:Luke 1-12). He led a simple life, wearing rope (gamla) fiber clothing and eating "locusts and wild honey" (Matt. 3:464).

As an adult John started to preach in public, and people was a [[Nazarite]] from "every quarter" were attracted to his messagebirth (Luke 1:15; [[Numbers|Num. The essence of ]] 6:1-12). He spent his preaching was early years in the necessity mountainous tract of repentance Judea lying between Jerusalem and turning away from selfish pursuits. He denounced the Sadducees and Pharisees as a "generation of vipers," and warned them not to assume their heritage gave them special privilege Dead Sea (Luke Matt. 3:81-12). He warned tax collectors led a simple life, wearing rope (gamla) fiber clothing and soldiers against extortion eating "locusts and plunderwild honey" (Matt. His doctrine and manner of life stirred interest, bringing people from all parts to see him on the banks of the Jordan River. There he baptized thousands unto repentance (see AEnon3:4).

The fame of As an adult John reached the ears of Jesus started to preach in Nazareth (Matt. 3:5)public, and he came people from Galilee to Jordan to be baptized by John, on the special ground that it became him to "fulfill all righteousnessevery quarter" (3:15)were attracted to his message. John's special office ceased with the baptism The essence of Jesus, who must now "increase" as the King come to his kingdom. He continued, however, for a while to bear testimony to preaching was the Messiahship necessity of Jesusrepentance and turning away from selfish pursuits. He pointed him out to his disciples, saying, denounced the Sadducees and Pharisees as a "Behold the Lamb generation of God.vipers," His public ministry was suddenly (after about six months probably) brought and warned them not to a close by his being cast into prison by Herod, whom he had reproved for the sin of having taken to himself the wife of his brother Philip assume their heritage gave them special privilege (Luke 3:198). He was shut up in the castle warned tax collectors and soldiers against extortion and plunder. His doctrine and manner of Machaeruslife stirred interest, a fortress bringing people from all parts to see him on the southern extremity of Peraea, 9 miles east banks of the Dead Sea, and here Jordan River. There he was beheaded at the instigation of Herodias; later tradition also implicates Salomé. His disciples, having consigned the headless body to the grave, went and told Jesus all that had occurred (Matt. 14:3-12). John's death occurred apparently just before the third Passover of Jesus' ministrybaptized thousands unto repentance.

The fame of John reached the ears of Jesus himself testified regarding in [[Nazareth]] (Matt. 3:5), and he came from [[Galilee]] to Jordan to be baptized by John , on the special ground that he was a it became him to "burning and a shining lightfulfill all righteousness" (John 5Matt. 3:3515). John was 's special office ceased with the last baptism of Jesus, who must now "increase" as the Old Testament prophetsKing come to his kingdom. He continued, thus serving as however, for a bridge figure between that period while to bear testimony to the Messiahship of revelation and Jesus. They also embrace He pointed him out to his [[disciple]]s, saying, "Behold the Lamb of God." His public ministry was suddenly (after about six months probably) brought to a close by his being cast into prison by Herod, whom he had reproved for the sin of having taken to himself the wife of his brother Philip (Luke 3:19). He was shut up in the castle of Machaerus, a fortress on the southern extremity of Peraea, 9 miles east of the Dead Sea, and here he was beheaded at the instigation of Herodias; later tradition thatalso implicates Salomé. His disciples, following his deathhaving consigned the headless body to the grave, John descended into Hell went and there once more preached told Jesus all that had occurred (Matt. 14:3-12). John's death occurred apparently just before the third [[Passover]] of Jesus the Messiah was coming' ministry.

The Orthodox Church remembers Saint Jesus himself testified regarding John that he was a "burning and a shining light" ([[Gospel of John|John]] 5:35). John was the Forerunner on six separate feast dayslast of the Old Testament prophets, listed here in order thus serving as a bridge figure between that period of revelation and Jesus. They also embrace a tradition that, following his death, John descended into [[Hell]] and there once more preached that Jesus the church year which begins on September 1:[[Messiah]] was coming.

*September 23 - Conception == Feast days ==[[Image:Nativity of StJohn the Baptist. JPG|right|thumb|Nativity of St John the Baptist]]The Orthodox Church remembers Saint John the Forerunneron six separate [[feast day]]s, listed here in order of the [[church calendar|church year]] which begins on [[September 1]]:

*[[September 23]] - Conception of St. John the Forerunner*[[October 12]] - The [[Russian Orthodox Church]] observes the [[Translation (relics)|Transfer]] of the Right Hand of the Forerunner from Malta to Gatchina (1799).*[[January 7 ]] - [[Synaxis of the Baptist|The Commemoration of St. John the Forerunner ]] (main feast day, immediately after [[Epiphany ]] on January 6)*[[February 24 ]] - First and Second Finding of the Head of St. John the Forerunner*[[May 25]] - [[Third Finding of the Head of St. John the Forerunner]]*[[June 24]] - Birth of St. John the Forerunner*[[August 29]] - The [[Beheading of St. John the Forerunner]]

*May 25 - Third Finding of the Head of Also, St. John the Forerunner's parents Zechariah and Elisabeth, are commemorated on [[September 5]].

*June 24 - Birth ==Relics==[[File:Finding the head of John the Baptist (Menologion of Basil II).jpg|right|thumb|Miniature of the Finding of the head of St. John the Baptist (''Menologion of Basil II, 10th c.'').]] The First Uncovering of the Head of St. John the ForerunnerBaptist took place in the fourth century at the time when Saint [[Constantine the Great]] and his mother, St. [[Helen]], began restoring the holy places of Jerusalem.

The Second Finding of the Precious Head of St. John the Baptist of took place on on February 18, 452, at Emesa.  After the Seventh Ecumenical Council (787), which reestablished the veneration of icons, the head of St. John the Baptist was returned to the Byzantine capital in around the year 850. The Church commemorates this event on May 25/June 7 as the Third Finding of the Precious Head of St. John the Baptist.  His [[relics]] are kept in several places including:* St. Demetrios Church, Neo Phaleron, Piraeus*August 29 Benaki Museum, Athens* Sacred Relics Room, Topkapi Museum, Constantinople (entire right arm and cranium)* Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria* Cetinje Monastery, Montenegro (right palm) ==See also==* [[Third Finding of the Head of St. John the Forerunner]]  ==External links==* [http://www.tenthousandfilms.com/ The Baptism of Christ - Uncovering Bethany beyond the Jordan - 47 min Documentary; includes interviews with various Eastern Orthodox representatives, incl. Greek Orthodox Bishop Vindictus of Jordan]* [http://www.comeandseeicons.com/j/saintsj.htm#phi05 Several Beautiful Icons of St. John the Baptist and Forerunner, mostly by Living American Iconographers]* [http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=102952 Translation of the relic of the Right Hand of John the Baptist] - [[OCA]] Website.* Priest Maxim Massalitin. [http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/52051.htm The Beheading Untold Story of the Head of St. John the ForerunnerBaptist]. Pravoslavie.ru (Translation by OrthoChristian.com). 07/03/2012. [[Category:Biblical Saints]][[Category:Saints]][[Category:1st-century saints]] [[el:Ιωάννης ο βαπτιστής]][[fr:Jean Baptiste]][[mk:Свети Јован Крстител]][[ro:Ioan Botezătorul]]