St John The Baptist

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In ecclesiastical terms, John The Baptist holds a unique place in Christian celebrations. Along with the Virgin Mary (Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ) St John is one of only two Saints whose birthday is celebrated as a feast day.

In fact, St John has a number of feast days during the year in most Christian churches (see below). But John The Baptist, as he is known in the Christian church, is also a recognised prophet within Islam, the Baha’i faith and Mandaeanism.

As with many of the early Christians (in fact, something typical of the whole era), little is known about John other than what is written in the scriptures, such as the Gospels, the Qur’an and the Baha’i writings.

He is believed to have been born two to six years before Christ, and to have died around the age of 30. Whereas the Gospels usually refer to him in adulthood, St Luke provides an account of his infancy and family. It is on the basis of St Luke’s account that the date of St John’s birth, celebrated on 24th June, six months before Jesus Christ, was determined within Roman Catholicism.

St John obtained the name "The Baptist" as he was empowered to perform the ceremony (due to his religious family background) and because he, famously, was the person who baptised Jesus Christ.

It is known that his public ministry was brought to a sudden halt, probably some six months to a year after the baptism of Jesus. The circumstances of his death, however, remain a mystery as it is understood he was imprisoned and subsequently beheaded – but on whose orders and for what purpose continues to be a subject for academic debate.

Scattered relics

Where John is interred, and whether his head and body are buried in the same place, is also a matter for scholarly debate - and religious belief. Muslim tradition states that the head of John the Baptist is buried in the Umayyad Mosque. Many years later the Knights Templar are said to have had possession of the relic.

There are some Christians who believe that the head of John the Baptist is interred in Rome. There are also those who believe it is buried in England. The following is an extract from a website entry:

"The Parish Church of Halifax, England dedicated to St John The Baptist
Legend has it that the church was built on the site where the head of John the Baptist was buried."

St John's right hand, with which he baptised Jesus Christ, is claimed by some to be in the possession of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Cetinje Monastery.

It is said John the Baptist's arm and piece of his skull can be found at the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Turkey.

Other relics of John the Baptist are said to be in the possession of the Coptic Orthodox Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great, in Scetes, Egypt.

Many visitors to Rome, whatever their religion, will probably recognise one building from so many images that they have seen on television – Rome’s only Cathedral - The Basilica of St John Lateran (in Italian, Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano), the official ecclesiastical seat of the Pope.

The Interfaith Saint

The Mandaean belief is that John the Baptist, called Yahya in the Sidra d-Yahia (Book of John), was the last and greatest of the prophets. While Mandaeans agree that he baptised Jesus Christ (Yeshu), they reject the concept of Jesus as either a saviour or prophet. Mandaeans view John as the only true Messiah.

There are numerous quotations in the writings of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith mentioning John the Baptist. John is regarded by Bahá'ís as one of the lesser prophets and Bahá'u'lláh indicated that his predecessor, the Báb, was the spiritual return of John the Baptist. Bahá'ís consider the Báb to be a much greater prophet than John the Baptist.

Within Islam, according to the Qur’an, John was given wisdom by God while still a child. He was pure and devout, and walked in the Presence of God. He was cousin to Jesus. He was dutiful and, along with all of the Prophets, will resurrect one day. John is called a righteous, honourable and chaste person, as well as a Prophet of the Righteous and it is said that he came to confirm the Word of God.

Many other religious beliefs and/or sects of communities within them have views, thoughts and opinions on St John which are reflected in many ways within their own celebrations of their faith.

The Feasts of St John

It is within Christianity, however, that John The Baptist is primarily celebrated. Such is his influence that commemorations of his life take many forms:

The Roman Catholic Church remembers St John the Baptist on two feast days:
24th June - The Birth of St John
29th August - The Decollation (Beheading) of St John

The Eastern Orthodox Church remembers St John as St John the Forerunner (of Jesus Christ) on six separate feast days:
7th January - The Commemoration of St John the Forerunner
24th February - First and Second Finding of the Head of St John the Forerunner
25th May - Third Finding of the Head of St John the Forerunner
24th June - Birth of St John the Forerunner
29th August - The Beheading of St John the Forerunner
23rd September - Conception of St John the Forerunner

St John's parents are also commemorated on the day the Eastern Church celebrates his conception:
23rd September - Zechariah and Elisabeth, parents of St John, the Lord's Precursor

The Anglican and protestant churches in the West and elsewhere tend only to celebrate St John on 24th June each year.

If you're looking for a way to commemorate this event, you might be interested in this article: Commemorations with Cross Stitch

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