Saint John the Baptist
The Baptism of Christ, by Piero della Francesca, 1449
Forerunner, Precursor, Baptist
Born	c. Piero della Francesca (c 1412 &ndash October 12, 1492) was an Italian artist of the Early Renaissance. 6–2 BCE
Died	c. 30 CE
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Catholic Churches, Oriental Orthodox Churches, Anglicanism, Islam, Mandeanism
Major shrine	Church of St. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See Oriental Orthodoxy is the communion of Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three Ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Mandaeism or Mandaeanism ( Mandaic: Mandaiuta, مندائية Mandā'iyya) is a Monotheistic Religion with a strongly A shrine, from the Latin scrinium (‘box’ also used as a desk like the French bureau) was originally a container usually made of precious materials used John the Baptist, Jerusalem
Feast	June 24 (Nativity), August 29 (Beheading), January 7 (Synaxis, Eastern Orthodox), Thout 2 ( Coptic Orthodox Church)
Attributes	Cross, lamb, his own head
Patronage	patron saint of French Canada, Puerto Rico, Knights Hospitaller of Jerusalem, Florence, Genoa, Jordan and many other places
Saints Portal

Icon depicting the Baptism of Jesus by John in the Jordan River. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the The Calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a Liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more Saints Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental Thout, also known as Tout, ( Coptic:) is the first month of the Coptic calendar. History of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria Apostolic foundation Egypt is identified in the Bible as the place of refuge that the Christianity has used symbols from its very beginnings Each Saint has a story and a reason why he or she led an exemplary life The patron saint of a particular group of people is a Saint who would protect and 'love' the group and its members French Canada is a term to distinguish the French-speaking population of Canada from English Canada. Puerto Rico (ˌpwertoˈriko officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" {{lang-en|"Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"}} The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St Florence ( Italian: Firenze Florentia and Fiorenza) is the Capital City of the Italian region of Tuscany Genoa ( Genova, ˈdʒɛːnova in Italian; Zena in Genoese and Ligurian; Genua in Latin and archaically in English Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. In the Synoptic gospels, Jesus is baptised by John the Baptist. This article is about the Jordan River and its valley in western Asia

Saint John the Baptist (lat. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Sanctus Ioannes Baptista)^[1], died c. 30, was a Jewish preacher and ascetic. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Ascetic redirects here You might also be looking for Acetic acid. He drew large crowds on the banks of the River Jordan, demanding from them repentance and baptism in view of the imminent coming of the Kingdom of God. This article is about the Jordan River and its valley in western Asia In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted ^[2]Jesus was one of those whom he baptized. In the Synoptic gospels, Jesus is baptised by John the Baptist. He was killed by Herod Antipas, whom he had denounced for his marriage. Herod Antipas (short for Antipatros (before 20 BC &ndash after AD 39) was a first century AD ruler of Galilee and Perea, who bore the title ^[2] The historian Josephus writes that Herod had John killed for fear that John might raise a rebellion. Josephus (AD 37 – c 100 also known as Yosef Ben Matityahu (Joseph son of Matthias and after he became a Roman citizen, as Titus Flavius Josephus ^[3] Jesus' own ministry followed John's, and some of Jesus' early followers had been followers of John. In Christianity, the disciples were the students of Jesus during his ministry. ^[4] John, like Jesus, preached at a time of political, social, and religious conflict (see Cultural and historical background of Jesus), and he prophesied that fire was coming to destroy the wicked. Scholars examine the cultural and historical background of Jesus in order to better understand Jesus his ministry and the origins of Christianity

Christians commonly refer to John as the Precursor or Forerunner of Jesus Christ,^[5] since in the gospels, John announces Jesus' coming. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament He is also identified with Elijah,^[4] and as related to Jesus (Luke 1:36). Elijah or Elias ( was a Prophet in Israel in the 9th century BC In view of Luke 1:41, Early Church tradition describes John as endowed with prenatal grace, so the feast day of his birth (24 June) is celebrated more solemnly than that marking his death (29 August). Early Christianity is commonly defined as the Christianity of the three centuries between the Crucifixion of Jesus ( c Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) ^[2]

Muslims, following the Quran, also regard John as a prophet^[6]. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran In Religion, a prophet (or prophetess) is a person who has encountered the Supernatural or the divine and serves as an intermediary

Mandaeans, a tiny Gnostic religion, consider John a divine prophet but reject Jesus as a false prophet. Mandaeism or Mandaeanism ( Mandaic: Mandaiuta, مندائية Mandā'iyya) is a Monotheistic Religion with a strongly Gnosticism (γνώσις gnōsis, Knowledge) refers to a diverse Syncretistic Religious movement consisting of various Belief systems In Religion, the term false prophet is a label given to a person who is viewed as illegitimately claiming Charismatic authority within a Religious group

Furthermore, Baha'i, also regard John as a prophet. The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind In Religion, a prophet (or prophetess) is a person who has encountered the Supernatural or the divine and serves as an intermediary

John followed the example of previous Hebrew prophets, living austerely, challenging sinful rulers, calling for repentance, and promising God's justice. Repentance is a change of thought and action to correct a wrong and gain Forgiveness from the one wronged The early Christian church used baptism, combined with imposition of hands, as a rite conferring membership in the church. The laying on of hands is a religious practice found throughout the world in varying forms Baptism is a nearly universal practice among Christians today.

Herod's stepdaughter, to whom the name Salome was later attributed, is said in Matthew 14:8 and Mark 6:25 to have asked him for John's head on a platter, and the presentation of his severed head often appears in art. Another theme of Christian art is his beheading,^[1] which is mentioned not only in these two gospels, but also in Luke 9:9. This article is about the biblical event and the liturgical commemoration of it He is also depicted as an ascetic wearing camel hair and with a staff and scroll inscribed "Ecce Agnus Dei" (Latin, "Behold the Lamb of God" - John 1:29) or bearing a book or dish with a lamb on it. ^[2] In Orthodox icons, he often has angel's wings, since Mark 1:2 applies to him a prophecy about an ἄγγελος (angelos), a word that can mean a messenger, but also an angel. ^[2]

In the New Testament

The excavated remains of the baptism site in Bethany beyond the Jordan, in modern-day Jordan. This entry incorporates text from the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia with some modernisation Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern

All four Gospels record John the Baptist's ministry. They depict him as proclaiming Christ's arrival. In the Synoptics (Mark, Matthew, and Luke), Jesus is baptized. In Matthew and John, the Baptist recognizes Jesus as the one he had foretold.

Birth and infancy

Main article: Zechariah (priest)

The Gospel of Luke includes an account of John's infancy, introducing him as the son of St. Zechariah (Hebrew prophet -->In the Bible, Zechariah The Gospel of Luke (Gk Κατά Λουκάν Ευαγγέλιον) is a synoptic Gospel, and is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels of the Zachary/Zachariah and St. Zechariah (Hebrew prophet -->In the Bible, Zechariah Elizabeth, who previously "had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years". Saint Elizabeth, also spelled Elisabeth or Elisheva ( Hebrew אֱלִישֶׁבַע / אֱלִישָׁבַע "My God ^[7] His birth, name, and office were foretold by the angel Gabriel to Zachariah, while Zachariah was performing his functions as a priest in the temple of Jerusalem. Gabriel ( Latin: Gabrielus; Greek:, Gabriēl; Arabic: جبريل Jibrīl or جبرائيل According to Luke, Zachariah was a priest of the course of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was of the daughters of Aaron^[8]; consequently John automatically held the priesthood of Aaron. Abijah or Abiah is a Unisex name in the Hebrew Bible, meaning "My father is Jah (short form of Jehovah) The description Daughter of Aaron is given to several women in the New Testament, among them Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist. This article is about Aaron the Levite in the Hebrew Bible, the Qu'ran, and other sources

Luke states that John was born about six months before Jesus. Zachariah had lost his speech at the behest and prophecy of the angel Gabriel,^[9] and it was restored on the occasion of Zachariah naming John. ^[10] On the basis of Luke's account, the Catholic calendar placed the feast of John the Baptist on June 24, six months before Christmas. ^[11] According to Luke, Jesus and John the Baptist were related, their mothers being cousins Luke 1:36; there is no mention of this in the other Gospels, and the scholar Raymond E. Brown has described the relationship as 'of dubious historicity'^[12]; Geza Vermes has called it 'artificial and undoubtedly Luke's creation'^[13]. Raymond Edward Brown ( May 22, 1928 - August 8, 1998) was an American Roman Catholic Priest and Biblical Géza Vermes ThD D Litt (ˈɡeːz̻ɒ ˈvɛr̪mɛʃ born 22 June 1924) is a Hungarian scholar and writer on religious history particularly

Ministry

Icon of John the Baptist by Theophan the Greek, c. An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. Theophanes the Greek (sometimes "Feofan Grek" from the Феофан Грек Greek: Θεοφάνης c 1400.

All four canonical gospels relate John's ministry, his preaching and baptism in the River Jordan. This article is about the Jordan River and its valley in western Asia

Most notably, according to the Bible, he is the one who recognized Jesus as the Messiah, and on Jesus' request, baptised him. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) This article is about the concept of a Messiah in religion notably in the Christian Islamic and Jewish traditions The baptism marked the beginning of Jesus' ministry.

The Gospels of Mark, Matthew and (less clearly) Luke relate that Jesus came from Galilee to John and was baptized by him, whereupon the Spirit descended upon him and a voice from Heaven told him he was God's Son. Content Authorship The gospel itself is anonymous but as early as Papias in the early 2nd century a text was attributed to Mark, a cousin The Gospel of Matthew (Gk Κατά Ματθαίον Ευαγγέλιον is one of the four Canonical gospels in the New Testament and is a Synoptic gospel The Gospel of Luke (Gk Κατά Λουκάν Ευαγγέλιον) is a synoptic Gospel, and is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels of the Their lives (e. g, births) are believed to have been similar, although in Christianity, John is thought of as last prophet and Jesus as the Messiah.

The problem that Jesus, considered by Christians to be without sin, received John's baptism, which was for the forgiveness of sins, is addressed in the Gospel of Matthew's account, which has John refusing to baptize Jesus, saying, "I need to be baptized by you," until Jesus convinces him to baptize him nonetheless (Matthew 3:13-15). The Gospel of Matthew (Gk Κατά Ματθαίον Ευαγγέλιον is one of the four Canonical gospels in the New Testament and is a Synoptic gospel

The Gospel of John does not describe John baptizing Jesus but has John introducing Jesus to his disciples as the "Lamb of God" (John 1:29-34). The Gospel of John (literally According to John; Greek, Κατὰ Ἰωάννην Kata Iōannēn) is the fourth Gospel in the canon

The Gospel of John reports that Jesus' disciples were baptizing and that a debate broke out between some of the disciples of John and another Jew about purification with John explaining that Jesus "must become greater" while he, John, "must become less" (John 3:22-36). Gospel of John then points out that Jesus' disciples were baptizing more people than John (John 4:2).

Later, the Gospel relates Jesus regarding John as "a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light". (John 5:35).

The book of Acts portrays the disciples of John as eventually merging into the followers of Jesus (Acts 18:24-19:6), a development not reported by the Gospels except for the early case of Andrew, Simon Peter's brother (John 1:35-42). Andrew is the English form of a Given name common in many countries

On various occasions the Gospels relate John denying any claim to be the Messiah and clearly acknowledging his inferiority to Jesus. However, scholars such as Harold W. Attridge contend that John's status as a "self-conscious and deliberate forerunner of Jesus" is likely to be an invention by early Christians, arguing that "for the early church it would have been something of an embarrassment to say that Jesus, who was in their minds superior to John the Baptist, had been baptized by him. Harold W Attridge (born November 1946 has been the Dean of the Yale Divinity School since 2002 "^[14]

Imprisonment and beheading

Main article: Beheading of John the Baptist

The Beheading of St John, 1608, Valletta Co-Cathedral, Malta

According to the canonical Gospels, John the Baptist's public ministry was brought to a close when he was imprisoned on orders of Herod Antipas, probably about seven months after he had baptized Jesus. This article is about the biblical event and the liturgical commemoration of it Herod Antipas (short for Antipatros (before 20 BC &ndash after AD 39) was a first century AD ruler of Galilee and Perea, who bore the title The synoptic Gospels state that Herod reacted to John's condemnation of Herod's marriage to Herodias, the wife of Herod's brother Philip (Luke 3:19; Matthew 14:3-5}. Herodias (c 15 BC-after 39 AD was a Jewish princess of the Herodian Dynasty. Herod Philip I (ca 27 BC - 33 AD was the son of Herod the Great and Mariamne II, the daughter of Simon Boethus the High Priest (Mark 617 Josephus locates John's imprisonment in the fortress of Machaerus on the southern extremity of Peraea, nine miles (14 km) east of the Dead Sea (Josephus, Jewish Antiquities XVIII:5:1–2). Josephus (AD 37 – c 100 also known as Yosef Ben Matityahu (Joseph son of Matthias and after he became a Roman citizen, as Titus Flavius Josephus Machaerus (ِقلة المشناقى Qalatu l-Mishnāqá, Hebrew Mechwar) is a fortified hilltop palace located in Jordan fifteen miles (24 km

Matthew relates that the imprisoned John sent messengers to Jesus to ask him whether he was the Messiah. Jesus indirectly answered in the affirmative and described John in terms of a return of the prophet Elijah (Matthew 11:2-15).

Regarding John's death, Josephus states that Herod had John killed to preempt a possible uprising. Matthew links John's death as well with Herodias, as he related that her daughter Salome so much delighted Antipas with a dance that he vowed to grant her any wish to which, after being prompted by her mother (Herodias), she demanded the head of John the Baptist. SALOME (pronounced in English using the French sah-loh-may is the Open Source Integration Platform for Numerical Simulation (Matthew 14:6-8)

The Gospels date John's death before the crucifixion of Jesus. Josephus places John's death no later than 36 CE. Some scholars believe that Herod Antipas did not marry his brother's wife until his brother Philip died in 34 CE, placing these events after the date in the Gospel account.

Neither Josephus nor the Gospels state where John was buried, though the Gospels state that John's disciples took his body and placed it in a tomb and then told Jesus all that had occurred (Matthew 14:3-12). For the New York prison see The Tombs. A Tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead.

In the time of Julian the Apostate, however, his tomb was shown at Samaria, where the inhabitants opened it and burned part of his bones. The rest of the alleged remains were saved by some Christians, who carried them to an abbot of Jerusalem named Philip. ^[15]

Prophecies

Christians believe that John the Baptist had a specific role ordained by God which was to be the forerunner or precursor to the Messiah, whom they believe to be Jesus. This article is about the concept of a Messiah in religion notably in the Christian Islamic and Jewish traditions Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) "to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Luke 1:17 and also Luke 1:76 ". . . thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; 1:77 "To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins. "

There are several passages within the Old Testament which are interpreted by Christians as being prophetic of John the Baptist in this role. In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. Prophecy, generally describes the disclosing of Information that is not known to the Prophet by any ordinary means These include a passage in the Book of Malachi that refers to a prophet who would prepare the way of the Lord:

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. Malachi (or Malachias מַלְאָכִי Malʾaḫi Mál'akhî is a book of the Bible Old Testament and Jewish Tanakh, written by the prophet - Malachi 3:1

Though the interpretation of this passage as referring to a forerunner of the Messiah was uncommon amongst Jews prior to the 2nd century BC, it became significantly more common under Hellenic, and later Christian, influences.

Christians interpreted Isaiah 40:3-5 as referring prophetically to John, based on John's own statement as written in John 1:22-23::He said, 'I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, "Make straight the way of the Lord" ', as the prophet Isaiah said.

Josephus

An account of John the Baptist is found in all extant manuscripts of the Jewish Antiquities (book 18, chapter 5, 2) by Flavius Josephus (37-100)^[16]:

Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod's army came from God, and that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John, that was called the Baptist: for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another, and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism; for that the washing [with water] would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the putting away [or the remission] of some sins [only], but for the purification of the body; supposing still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness. Josephus (AD 37 – c 100 also known as Yosef Ben Matityahu (Joseph son of Matthias and after he became a Roman citizen, as Titus Flavius Josephus Now when [many] others came in crowds about him, for they were very greatly moved [or pleased] by hearing his words, Herod, who feared lest the great influence John had over the people might put it into his power and inclination to raise a rebellion, (for they seemed ready to do any thing he should advise,) thought it best, by putting him to death, to prevent any mischief he might cause, and not bring himself into difficulties, by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it would be too late. Accordingly he was sent a prisoner, out of Herod's suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I before mentioned, and was there put to death. Now the Jews had an opinion that the destruction of this army was sent as a punishment upon Herod, and a mark of God's displeasure to him. ^[3]

Jesus-mythicist Frank Zindler argues that the passage is an interpolation by a Sabian but his opinion is beyond the pale of mainstream scholarship. The Sabians ( صابئين, צבאים) were a religious group ^[17] The passage dates to at least the early third century as it is quoted by Origen in Contra Celsum. Origen ( Greek: Ōrigénēs, or Origen Adamantius, ca 185–ca Contra Celsus, or (in correct classical Latin Contra Celsum, is the title of a major work by the Church Father Origen of Alexandria, refuting the anti-Christian It was also quoted by Eusebius of Caesarea in the fourth century.

According to this passage, the execution of John was blamed for a defeat Herod suffered in around 36. Divergences between the passage's presentation and the Biblical accounts of John include the following:

• Baptism for those whose souls have already been "purified beforehand by righteousness" is for purification of the body, not general repentance of sin (Mark 1:4).

Biblical scholar John Dominic Crossan differentiates between Josephus' account of John and Jesus: "John had a monopoly, but Jesus had a franchise. John Dominic Crossan (b Nenagh Co Tipperary, Ireland, 1934 is an Irish-American religious scholar known for co-founding the controversial Jesus Seminar " To get baptized, Crossan writes, you went only to John. Stopping the movement meant only stopping John. His movement ended with his death. Jesus invited all to come and see how he and his companions had already accepted the Government of God, entered it and were living it. Such a communal praxis was not just for himself, but could survive without him, unlike John's movement. ^[18]

Eastern Orthodox Church

Eastern Orthodox icon John the Baptist - the Angel of the Desert (Stroganov School, 1620s) Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow. An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. Stroganov School ( Строгановская школа in Russian) is a conventional name for the last major Russian Icon -painting school The State Tretyakov Gallery (Государственная Третьяковская Галерея ГТГ in Moscow, Russia, is the foremost depository Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of

Icon depicting Elizabeth leaving the infant John in the desert (John the Baptist "in the Desert" Monastery near Jerusalem, Israel). Saint Elizabeth, also spelled Elisabeth or Elisheva ( Hebrew אֱלִישֶׁבַע / אֱלִישָׁבַע "My God Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics.

The Eastern Orthodox believe that John was the last of the Old Testament prophets, thus serving as a bridge between that period of revelation and the New Covenant. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. In Religion, a prophet (or prophetess) is a person who has encountered the Supernatural or the divine and serves as an intermediary Revelation is the act of revealing or disclosing (see etymology or in the theological perception making something obvious and clearly understood through active or passive communication The term New Covenant (; Greek:, diathēkē kainē is used in the Bible (both in the Hebrew Bible and the Greek New Testament) to refer They also teach that, following his death, John descended into Hades and there once more preached that Jesus the Messiah was coming, so he was the Forerunner of Christ in death as he had been in life. Hades (from Greek, Hadēs, originally, Haidēs or, Aidēs, probably from Indo-European *n̥-wid- 'unseen' refers both to the ancient According to Sacred Tradition, John the Baptist appears at the time of death to those who have not heard the Gospel of Christ, and preaches the Good News to them, that all may have the opportunity to be saved. Sacred Tradition or Holy Tradition is a technical theological term used in some Christian traditions primarily in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament

Orthodox churches will often have an icon of St. An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. John the Baptist in a place of honor on the iconostasis, and he is frequently mentioned during the Divine Services. In Eastern Christianity an iconostasis (the plural is iconostases) also called the Templon, is a wall of Icons and religious paintings Canonical hours are divisions of time developed by the Christian Church, serving as increments between the prescribed Prayers of the daily round Every Tuesday throughout the year is dedicated to his memory.

The Eastern Orthodox Church remembers Saint John the Forerunner on six separate feast days, listed here in order in which they occur during the church year (which begins on September 1):

• September 23 - Conception of St. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world The liturgical year, also known as the Christian year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches which determines when Events 1122 - Concordat of Worms. 1459 - Battle of Blore Heath, the first major battle of the English John the Forerunner^[19]
• January 7 - The Synaxis of St. Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental For the Moth Genus, see Synaxis (moth. (at this point April 2008 this redirects to a nonexistant article John the Forerunner. This is his main feast day, immediately after Theophany on January 6 (January 7 also commemorates the transfer of the relic of the right hand of John the Baptist from Antioch to Constantinople in 956)
• February 24 - First and Second Finding of the Head of St. Epiphany ( Greek for "to manifest" or "to show" is a Christian Feast day which celebrates the "shining forth" or revelation of Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Antioch on the Orontes (Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Δάφνῃ Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου or Ἀντιόχεια ἡ Μεγάλη Antiochia ad Orontem also Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the John the Forerunner
• May 25 - Third Finding of the Head of St. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. John the Forerunner
• June 24 - Nativity of St. John the Forerunner
• August 29 - The Beheading of St. John the Forerunner

In addition to the above, September 5 is the commemoration of Zechariah and Elisabeth, St. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place The Nativity of St John the Baptist (or Birth of John the Baptist, or Nativity of the Forerunner) is a Christian Feast day celebrating Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) This article is about the biblical event and the liturgical commemoration of it Events 1590 - Alexander Farnese 's army forces Henry IV of France to raise the siege of Paris. Zechariah (Hebrew prophet -->In the Bible, Zechariah Saint Elizabeth, also spelled Elisabeth or Elisheva ( Hebrew אֱלִישֶׁבַע / אֱלִישָׁבַע "My God John's parents.

The Russian Orthodox Church observes October 12 as the Transfer of the Right Hand of the Forerunner from Malta to Gatchina (1799). See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon. Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands Gatchina (Га́тчина is a city in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located 45 km south of St

Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church commemorates St. John the Baptist on three separate feast days:

• June 24 The Nativity of St. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place John the Baptist
• August 29 The Beheading of St. John the Baptist
• September 23 Conception of St John the Baptist

Wood Sculpture of John The Baptist’s Head by Master Santiago Martinez Delgado, permanent Collection at the Museo Nacional in Bogotá, Colombia. Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) This article is about the biblical event and the liturgical commemoration of it Events 1122 - Concordat of Worms. 1459 - Battle of Blore Heath, the first major battle of the English Santiago Martínez Delgado (1906 - 1954 was a Colombian painter sculptor Art historian and writer Colombian National Museum (Museo Nacional de Colombia located in Bogotá downtown is the biggest Museum in Colombia. Bogotá —officially named Bogotá DC (DC for " Distrito Capital " which means "Capital District" formerly called Santa Fe de Bogotá Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America.

As a patron saint

Saint John the Baptist is the patron saint of Puerto Rico, and its capital city San Juan bears his name. The patron saint of a particular group of people is a Saint who would protect and 'love' the group and its members Puerto Rico (ˌpwertoˈriko officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" {{lang-en|"Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"}} San Juan (saŋ hwaŋ (from the Spanish San Juan Bautista, " Saint John the Baptist " is the Capital and largest municipality in In 1521, the island was given its formal name "San Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico", following the usual custom of christening the town with both its formal name and the name which Christopher Columbus had originally given the island, honouring John the Baptist. Christopher Columbus (1451 &ndash May 20 1506 was an Italian Navigator, colonizer The indistinct use of "San Juan Bautista" and "Puerto Rico" for calling both the city and the island led to a reversal in practical use by most inhabitants due largely to a map-making error. Therefore by 1746 the name for the city (Puerto Rico) had become that of the entire island, while the name for the island (San Juan Bautista) had become the name for the city. The official motto for the island of Puerto Rico also references the saint, Joannes Est Nomen Eius (translated, "John is his name"). Here is a list of state Mottos for the states of the United States of America.

He is also a patron saint of French Canada, and Newfoundland. French Canada is a term to distinguish the French-speaking population of Canada from English Canada. Newfoundland and Labrador (ˈnuːfɨn(dlənd ən(d ˈlæbrəˌdɔr (Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador is a province of Canada, the tenth and latest to join the Confederation The Canadian cities of St. John's, Newfoundland (1497) and Saint John, New Brunswick (1604) were both named in his honor. St John's (ˌseɪntˈdʒanz French Saint-Jean) is the provincial capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and located on the eastern tip Saint John is the largest city in the Province of New Brunswick, and the oldest incorporated city in Canada. In the UK Saint John the Baptist is the patron saint of Penzance, Cornwall. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Penzance (Pensans also Penzans, IPA: /pɛnˈzæns/ is a town Civil parish, and Port in the Penwith district of Cornwall Cornwall ( Kernow ˈkɛɹnɔʊ is the most southwesterly county of England, on the Peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar His feast day is June 24, celebrated in Quebec as the Fête nationale du Québec (la Fête St-Jean-Baptiste), and in Newfoundland as Discovery Day. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk Discovery Day is the name of several holidays commemorating the discovery of land gold and other significant national discoveries

Also on the night from 23rd to 24th June, Saint John is celebrated as the patron saint of Porto, the second largest city in Portugal. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. An article from June 2004 in The Guardian, remarked that "Porto's Festa de São João is one of Europe's liveliest street festivals, yet it is relatively unknown outside the country"^[20]. The Guardian (until 1959 The Manchester Guardian) is a British Newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. Every year on the 24th June the city of Porto, in the north of Portugal, becomes lively and seemingly crazy

He is also patron of the Knights Hospitaller of Jerusalem, Florence, and Genoa, Italy. The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St Florence ( Italian: Firenze Florentia and Fiorenza) is the Capital City of the Italian region of Tuscany Genoa ( Genova, ˈdʒɛːnova in Italian; Zena in Genoese and Ligurian; Genua in Latin and archaically in English

Saint John the Baptist is also the patron saint of Jordan, his beheading is believed to have taken place in Machaerus in central Jordan. Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern Machaerus (ِقلة المشناقى Qalatu l-Mishnāqá, Hebrew Mechwar) is a fortified hilltop palace located in Jordan fifteen miles (24 km

The Baptistines are the name given to a number of religious orders dedicated to the memory of John the Baptist. Baptistines were the name given to a number of Roman Catholic Religious orders dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion usually

Saint John is also the patron saint of Lian, Batangas, San Juan, Metro Manila (Philippines) and the entire state of South Carolina. Lian is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. For the capital city of Puerto Rico see San Juan Puerto Rico. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America.

St. John the Baptist is (along with St. John the Evangelist) claimed as a Patron Saint by the fraternal society of Free and Accepted Masons (better known as the Freemasons). ^[21]

Relics

A head said to be John's, enshrined in Rome

St John's Shrine inside the Umayyad Mosque, Damascus

According to ancient tradition, the burial-place of John the Baptist was at Sebaste in Samaria, and mention is made of his relics being honored there around the middle of the fourth century. The Grand Mosque of Damascus, also known as the Ummayad Mosque' ( Arabic: جامع بني أمية الكبير transl Damascus ( دمشق,, also commonly known as الشام ash-Shām) is the capital and largest city of Syria. Samaria, or the Shomron ( שֹׁמְרוֹן, Standard Šoməron Tiberian Šōmərôn A relic is an object or a personal item of religious significance carefully preserved with an air of Veneration as a tangible memorial The historians Rufinus and Theodoretus record that the shrine was desecrated under Julian the Apostate around 362, the bones being partly burned. Tyrannius Rufinus or Rufinus of Aquileia ( Rufinus Aquileiensis) (between 340 and 345 &ndash 410 was a Monk, historian, and theologian Theodoret (c 393 &ndash c 457 was an influential author theologian and Christian Bishop of Cyrrhus Syria (423-457 A shrine, from the Latin scrinium (‘box’ also used as a desk like the French bureau) was originally a container usually made of precious materials used Desecration is the act of depriving something of its sacred character -- or the disrespectful or contemptuous treatment of that which is held to be sacred by a group or individual Flavius Claudius Julianus, known also as Julian or Julian the Apostate (331 or 332 to 26 June 363) was Roman Emperor (Caesar A portion of the rescued relics were carried to Jerusalem, then to Alexandria, where on 27 May 395, they were laid in the basilica that was newly-dedicated to the Forerunner on the former site of the temple of Serapis. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Alexandria ( Egyptian Arabic: اسكندريه Eskendereyya; Standard Arabic: ar الإسكندرية Al-Iskandariyya; Ἀλεξάνδρεια Events 927 - Simeon the Great, Tsar of Bulgaria, dies 1120 - Richard III of Capua is anointed Events By Place Roman Empire After the death of emperor Theodosius I, the Empire is re-divided into an eastern and a western half The Latin word basilica (derived from Greek, Basiliké Stoà, Royal Stoa) was originally used to describe a Roman Serapis (Latin spelling or Sarapis in Greek was a syncretic Hellenistic - Egyptian god in Antiquity. The tomb at Sebaste continued, nevertheless, to be visited by pious pilgrims, and St. Jerome bears witness to miracles being worked there. A pilgrim is one who undertakes a Pilgrimage, literally 'far afield' Jerome (c 347 – September 30, 420) ( Latin: Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus; Εὐσέβιος Σωφρόνιος Ἱερώνυμος

What became of the head of John the Baptist is difficult to determine. Nicephorus^[22] and Symeon Metaphrastes say that Herodias had it buried in the fortress of Machaerus (in accordance with Josephus). Nicephorus Callistus Xanthopoulos, of Constantinople, the last of the Greek ecclesiastical historians flourished around 1320. Saint Symeon Metaphrastes was the most renowned of the Byzantine Hagiographers He is identified with the Logothete of that name Machaerus (ِقلة المشناقى Qalatu l-Mishnāqá, Hebrew Mechwar) is a fortified hilltop palace located in Jordan fifteen miles (24 km Other writers say that it was interred in Herod's palace at Jerusalem; there it was found during the reign of Constantine I, and thence secretly taken to Emesa, in Phoenicia, where it was concealed, the place remaining unknown for years, until it was manifested by revelation in 453. Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus (27 February ca. 272 &ndash 22 May 337 commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or Saint Constantine For military actions near the city see Battle of Homs. Homs ( حمص,, anciently called Emesa (ἡ Ἔμεσα or "La Chamelle" Phoenicia ( Phoenician: Phoenician nunsvg|12px|נ]]Phoenician nun Revelation is the act of revealing or disclosing (see etymology or in the theological perception making something obvious and clearly understood through active or passive communication

The Coptic Christian Orthodox Church also claim to hold the relics of St. John the Baptist. These are to be found in a monastery in Lower Egypt between Cairo and Alexandria. It is possible, with permission from the monks, to see the original tomb where the remains were found.

Tomb of St. John the Baptist at a Coptic monastery in Lower Egypt. This article concerns the buildings occupied by monastics. For the life inside monasteries and its historical roots see Monasticism. Lower Egypt is the northern-most section of Egypt. It refers to the fertile Nile Delta region which stretches from the area between El-Aiyat and Zawyet The bones of St. John the Baptist were said to have been found here.

‎

Over the centuries, there have been many discrepancies in the various legends and claimed relics throughout the Christian world. A legend ( Latin, legenda, "things to be read" is a Narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to Several different locations claim to possess the severed head of John the Baptist. Among the various claimants are:^[23]

• The Knights Templar. The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici commonly known as the Knights Templar or the Order In medieval times it was rumored that they had possession of the saint's severed head, and multiple records from their Inquisition in the early 1300s make reference to some form of head being worshiped by the Knights. The term Inquisition can refer to any one of several institutions charged with trying and convicting heretics within the Roman Catholic Church and ^[24]
• San Silvestro in Capite in Rome
• Amiens Cathedral, France, brought home by Wallon de Sarton from the Fourth Crusade in Constantinople. San Silvestro in Capite is a Basilica church in Rome, in Piazza San Silvestro The Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens (French Cathédrale Notre-Dame d'Amiens) or simply Amiens Cathedral, is the tallest complete Cathedral in The Fourth Crusade (1202&ndash1204 was originally designed to conquer Muslim Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS
• Turkish Antioch
• The Umayyad Mosque in Damascus^[23]

Istanbul claims to possess the saint's arm and a piece of his skull in the Topkapi Palace, as does the Coptic Orthodox Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great in Scetes, Egypt,^[25] while John's right hand, with which he baptised Jesus, is said to be in the possession of the Serbian Orthodox Cetinje monastery in Montenegro, and also at the Romanian skete of the Forerunner on Mount Athos. Antioch on the Orontes (Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Δάφνῃ Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου or Ἀντιόχεια ἡ Μεγάλη Antiochia ad Orontem also The Grand Mosque of Damascus, also known as the Ummayad Mosque' ( Arabic: جامع بني أمية الكبير transl Istanbul (historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see the other Names of Istanbul) is the largest city of Turkey The Topkapı Palace (Topkapı Sarayı or in Ottoman: طوبكابي بالاذيis a palace in Istanbul, Turkey, which was the official and History of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria Apostolic foundation Egypt is identified in the Bible as the place of refuge that the The Monastery of Saint Macarius is a Coptic Orthodox monastery located in the Nitrian Desert, about 92 km north west of Cairo, and off the highway Wadi El Natrun (" Natron Valley" is located in Beheira Governorate, Egypt. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The Serbian Orthodox Church ( Serbian: Српска Православна Црква / Srpska Pravoslavna Crkva; СПЦ / SPC) or the The Cetinje Monastery ( Serbian Cyrillic: Цетињски манастир also known as the New Cetinje Monastery) is the most famous Serb Orthodox Montenegro ( British English) Montenegrin / Serbian: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE LANGUAGES WITHOUT CONSENSUS ON THE TALK PAGE! Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania A skete is a community of Christian Hermits following a monastic rule allowing them to Worship in comparative Solitude, while also The Romanian Skete Prodromos (Schitul românesc Prodromu is a Romanian Cenobitic Skete belonging to the Great Lavra Monastery located in the Mount Athos (Όρος Άθως is a mountain on the Peninsula of the same name in Macedonia, of northern Greece, called in Greek Άγιον

Mandaean view

John the Baptist plays a large part in some Mandaean writings, especially those dating from the Islamic period. Mandaeism or Mandaeanism ( Mandaic: Mandaiuta, مندائية Mandā'iyya) is a Monotheistic Religion with a strongly ^[26]

Mandaeans highly revere him and may possibly have some remote connection with his original disciples. ^[2]

They believe 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 baptized Jesus (Yeshu), they reject the latter as either a saviour or prophet. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) They view John as the only true Messiah. This article is about the concept of a Messiah in religion notably in the Christian Islamic and Jewish traditions

According to the text of the Ginza Rba, John died at the hand of an angel. Ginza Rba ("The Great Treasure" in Mandaic) or Siddra Rba, "The Great Book" ( Arabic كنزا ربا) is one of many holy An angel is a Spiritual Supernatural being found in many Religions Although the nature of angels and the tasks given to them vary from tradition to tradition The angel appeared as a three-year-old child, coming to John for baptism. John knew the angel for what it was, and that once he touched its hand, he would die immediately. John performed the baptism anyway, and died in the process. Afterward, the angel covered John's body with mud.

Islamic view

Main article: Yahya ibn Zakariyya

John the Baptist is known as Yahya in Arabic and in the Qur'an. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran The Qur'an, in the sura Maryam, identifies John is the son of Zachariah and maternal cousin of Jesus. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran Sura Maryam ( سورة مريم, Sūratu Maryam, " Mary " is the 19th Sura (English Chapter of the Qur'an and Zakariya ( Arabic: زكريا ( circa 100 BC - 20 AD the New Testament priest '''Zechariah''' or Zacharias is one of the prophets Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) It relates an account similar to that of the Gospel of Luke, including the barrenness of Zachariah's unnamed wife and his doubts, though Zachariah is not described as actually mute but only that the sign of the coming of John was that he would not speak for three nights. John, whose tidings are foretold by the angels, is exhorted to hold fast to the Scripture and was given wisdom by God while still child. (Surah 19:7-12). He is described as "pure", "devout", "dutiful towards his parents" and as "not arrogant or rebellious" (Surah 19:7-15) and is called "a Prophet of the Righteous" coming "to confirm a word from Allah". (Surah 3:39)

Bahá'í view

There are numerous quotations in the writings of Bahá'u'lláh, Founder of the Bahá'í Faith mentioning John the Baptist. Bahá'u'lláh ( ba-haa-ol-laa "Glory of God" ( November 12, 1817 – May 29, 1892) born Mírzá Ḥusayn-`Alí Nuri The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind He is regarded by Bahá'ís as a lesser Prophet. The Manifestation of God is a concept in the Bahá'í Faith that refers to what are commonly called Prophets The Manifestations of God are a series of personages <sup>[27]</sup> Bahá'u'lláh claimed that His Forerunner, the Báb, was the spiritual return of John the Baptist. Siyyid `Alí Muḥammad ( ( October 20, 1819 – July 9, 1850) was the founder of Bábism, and one of three central figures of the In His letter to Pope Pius IX, Bahá'u'lláh wrote:

"O followers of the Son! We have once again sent John unto you, and He, verily, hath cried out in the wilderness of the Bayán: O peoples of the world! Cleanse your eyes! The Day whereon ye can behold the Promised One and attain unto Him hath drawn nigh! O followers of the Gospel! Prepare the way! The Day of the advent of the Glorious Lord is at hand! Make ready to enter the Kingdom. Blessed Pope Pius IX (May 13 1792 &ndash February 7 1878 born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was Pope from June 16 1846 until 1878 The Persian Bayán ( is one of the principal scriptural writings of the Báb. Thus hath it been ordained by God, He Who causeth the dawn to break. "^[28]

However, Bahá'ís consider the Báb to be a greater Prophet (Manifestation of God) and thus possessed of a far greater station than John the Baptist. Siyyid `Alí Muḥammad ( ( October 20, 1819 – July 9, 1850) was the founder of Bábism, and one of three central figures of the The Manifestation of God is a concept in the Bahá'í Faith that refers to what are commonly called Prophets The Manifestations of God are a series of personages

Gnostic and anthroposophic views

In Gnosticism, John the Baptist was a "personification" of the Old Testament prophet Elijah. Gnosticism (γνώσις gnōsis, Knowledge) refers to a diverse Syncretistic Religious movement consisting of various Belief systems In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. Elijah or Elias ( was a Prophet in Israel in the 9th century BC As an Old Testament prophet, Elijah did not know the True God (the God of the New Testament), and thus had to be reincarnated in Gnostic theology. Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective As predicted by the Old Testament prophet Malachi, Elijah must "come first" to herald the coming of Jesus Christ. Malachi or Mal'achi ( was a Prophet in the Bible, the Christian Old Testament and Jewish Tanakh.

Modern anthroposophy, initiated by Rudolf Steiner, concurs with the idea that the Baptist was a reincarnation of Elijah, in line with the Synoptic Gospels (e. Anthroposophy is a spiritual philosophy based on the teachings of Rudolf Steiner (25 February 1861 – 30 March 1925 which postulates the existence of an objective intellectually Rudolf Steiner ( 25 February 1861 – 30 March 1925) was an Austrian philosopher literary scholar educator artist playwright The synoptic gospels are the first three Gospels of the New Testament in the Christian Bible. g. Mark 9:11-13,Matthew 11:13-14,Luke 7:27), although the Gospel of John explicitly denies this (John 1:21). The Gospel of John (literally According to John; Greek, Κατὰ Ἰωάννην Kata Iōannēn) is the fourth Gospel in the canon Furthermore, after his beheading at Machaerus his soul is said to have become the inspiring group genius of Christ's disciples. Machaerus (ِقلة المشناقى Qalatu l-Mishnāqá, Hebrew Mechwar) is a fortified hilltop palace located in Jordan fifteen miles (24 km According to Steiner, the painter Raphael and the poet Novalis were more recent incarnations of John the Baptist. Raphael Sanzio, usually known by his first name alone (in Italian Raffaello) (April 6 or March 28 1483 – April 6 1520 was an Italian painter and Novalis (noˈvaːlɪs was the Pseudonym of Georg Philipp Friedrich Freiherr von Hardenberg ( May 2, 1772 - March 25, 1801 ^[29]

Unification church

The Unification Church teaches that God intended that John help Jesus during his public ministry in Israel. The Unification Church is a New religious movement founded by Korean religious leader Sun Myung Moon. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. In particular, John should have done everything in his power to persuade the Jewish people that Jesus was the Messiah. He was to become Jesus' greatest disciple. John's failure to do so was the chief obstacle to the fulfillment of Jesus' mission. Divine Principle Chapter 4, Section 2

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

According to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, latter-day revelation confirms the biblical account and also makes known additional events in the ministry of John the Baptist. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known According to this tradition, revelation reveals that John was "ordained by an angel," when he was 8 days of age, to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews and to prepare a people for the Lord. They also claim that he was baptized while yet in his childhood ^[30] (Doctrine and Covenants 84:27-28). The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes abbreviated and cited as D&C) is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes that John the Baptist appeared on the banks of the Susquehanna River near Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania (present-day Oakton), as a resurrected being, to Joseph Smith, Jr. and Oliver Cowdery on 15 May 1829, and ordained them to the Aaronic priesthood. Please see the talk page for this article and the "See also" list before adding content or adding a hyphen to Latter Day Saint The Susquehanna River (originally "Sasquesahanough" per the 1612 John Smith map is a River located in the northeastern United States. Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. Oliver Hervy Pliny Cowdery ( 3 October 1806 – 3 March 1850) was the primary participant with Joseph Smith Jr Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the For the game see 1829 (board game. Year 1829 ( MDCCCXXIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display The Aaronic priesthood (also called the Levitical priesthood) is the lesser of the two (or sometimes three orders of priesthood recognized in Mormonism ^[31]; ^[32]. According to this tradition, John the Baptist's ministry has operated in three dispensations: the last of the prophets under the law of Moses, the first of the New Testament prophets, and the bringer of the Aaronic priesthood to the dispensation of the fulness of times. The Aaronic priesthood (also called the Levitical priesthood) is the lesser of the two (or sometimes three orders of priesthood recognized in Mormonism In Christianity, the dispensation (or administration of the fulness of times is thought to be a world order or administration in which the heavens and the earth are under the They also believe John's ministry was foretold by two prophets in the Book of Mormon: Lehi[2] and his son, Nephi (1 Nephi 11:27; 2 Nephi 31:4-18). The Book of Mormon is a Sacred text of the churches in the Latter Day Saint movement. According to the Book of Mormon, Lehi was a prophet who lived in Jerusalem during the reign of king Zedekiah (approximately 600 BC) Nephi (ˈniːfaɪ is one of the main people described in the Book of Mormon.

Commemoration

St. John's, Newfoundland and The Basilica of St. John the Baptist

• Maronite Catholic Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, Beit Mery, Lebanon
• Romanian Skete Prodromos (the name is the Greek for "The Forerunner") on Mount Athos, holding relics believed to be of John the Baptist
• St John's College of The University of Oxford, Oxford, England
• Puerto Rico was originally named San Juan Bautista; San Juan (then called Puerto Rico) is now its capital city. Maronites ( الموارنة,, Syriac: ܡܪܘܢܝܐ, Latin: Ecclesia Maronitarum) are members of one of the Syriac Overlooking the capital of Lebanon, Beirut, the town of Beit Mery has been a summer mountain resort since the times of the Romans. Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية The Romanian Skete Prodromos (Schitul românesc Prodromu is a Romanian Cenobitic Skete belonging to the Great Lavra Monastery located in the Mount Athos (Όρος Άθως is a mountain on the Peninsula of the same name in Macedonia, of northern Greece, called in Greek Άγιον __FORCETOC__ St John's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Puerto Rico (ˌpwertoˈriko officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" {{lang-en|"Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"}} San Juan is Spanish for Saint John. It can also be the short version of San Juan Bautista ( John the Baptist)
• St. John's, Newfoundland, was founded on his feast day June 24, 1497. St John's (ˌseɪntˈdʒanz French Saint-Jean) is the provincial capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and located on the eastern tip Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place
• Exactly 34 years later San Juan del Río, Querétaro, Mexico was founded on June 24, 1531. San Juan del Río is a city (2005 census pop 120984 and administrative seat of the surrounding municipality ( municipio) (pop Querétaro (former formal name Querétaro Arteaga) is a state in central Mexico. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place
• Saint John, New Brunswick was named after the Saint John River which was named by Samuel de Champlain
• St. John's University located in Queens, New York; St. Saint John is the largest city in the Province of New Brunswick, and the oldest incorporated city in Canada. The Saint John River (French Fleuve Saint-Jean) is a river approximately 418 mi (673 km long located in the Canadian province of New Brunswick and the Samuel de Champlain (c 1575 - 25 December 1635) "The Father of New France " was a French navigator geographer cartographer John's is the second largest Roman Catholic university in the United States.
• Saint John's University located in Collegeville, MN; a Roman Catholic-Benedictine liberal arts university. Benedictine refers to the Spirituality and Consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in The term liberal arts refers to a particular type of educational Curriculum broadly defined as a Classical education. A university is an institution of Higher education and Research, which grants Academic degrees in a variety of subjects
• Fête nationale du Québec - also known as la St- Jean-Baptiste - is the provincial holiday of Quebec, celebrated on June 24 of every year. Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place
• Prince Edward Island, a Canadian province, was originally called Île de St-Jean or St. Prince Edward Island (ˌprɪns ˌɛdwɚd ˈaɪlɨnd ( PEI or P Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page John's Island.
• St. John's wort is named after St. St John's wort (pronounced) used alone refers to the species Hypericum perforatum, also known as Tipton's Weed or Klamath weed, but with qualifiers is John because it is traditionally harvested on his feast day, June 24. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place
• 12th century cathedral in Kamien Pomorski (Poland) with a famous 17th century organ
• St. Kamień Pomorski (Cammin or Kammin; Kamién is a Town in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship of northwestern Poland. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland The organ (from Greek όργανον – organon "organ instrument tool" is a Keyboard instrument of one or more divisions each John's Regional College in Dandenong Melbourne (Australia)
• St. John the Baptist Parish in the southern portion of the American state of Louisiana. Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. St John the Baptist Parish (Paroisse de Saint-Jean-Baptiste is a parish located in the U The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America In Louisiana, a civil parish is equivalent to a county elsewhere in North America. A civil parish in the United Kingdom is a unit of local government. A county is a Land area of Regional Government within a larger State.
• St. John's Avenue in Staten Island, New York, overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, Brooklyn, the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, New York Harbour, and Manhattan
• St. John Ambulance and the Venerable Order of St. John. Staten Island (ˌstætənˈaɪlənd is a borough of New York City situated primarily on the island of the same name New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is a double-decked Suspension bridge that connects the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn in New St John Ambulance, branded as St John in some territories is a common name used by a number of affiliated organizations in different countries dedicated to the teaching and The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem or Order of St John is a British -based royal order of Chivalry, and is
• Mission San Juan Bautista, one of the original 18th century missions in northern California. Other missions bearing the name San Juan Bautista include the Misión San Juan Bautista Malibat (Misión Liguí in Baja California Sur and the California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean.

Famous churches

The Catholic church in Ein Kerem on the site where John the Baptist is said to have been born. Ein Kerem (عين كارم עין כרם lit Spring of the Vineyard) also commonly known as Ein Karem, is a neighborhood in southwest Jerusalem

• Two different Churches of St. John the Baptist in Ein Karem, traditional place of his birth
• Basilica of St. John Lateran
• St. Ein Kerem (عين كارم עין כרם lit Spring of the Vineyard) also commonly known as Ein Karem, is a neighborhood in southwest Jerusalem The Basilica of St John Lateran ( Italian: Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano) is the Cathedral of the church of Rome and the official John the Baptist of Coventry
• St. John the Baptist at St. John's, Newfoundland (Basilica-cathedral)
• San Giovanni Battista di Rimini (cathedral)
• San Giovanni Battista di Torino (cathedral)
• Saint-Jean-Baptiste d'Audresselles
• St. Coventry ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in the County of West Midlands in England. St John's (ˌseɪntˈdʒanz French Saint-Jean) is the provincial capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and located on the eastern tip Newfoundland and Labrador (ˈnuːfɨn(dlənd ən(d ˈlæbrəˌdɔr (Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador is a province of Canada, the tenth and latest to join the Confederation Rimini is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and capital city of the Province of Rimini. Audresselles is a commune south of Cape Gris Nez in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. John's Cathedral of Valletta
• Saint-John-Baptiste Located on Christian Quarter Road, Old City , Jerusalem
• Church of St. Valletta ( Belt Valletta or Città Umilissima) is the capital city of Malta. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the John the Baptist, Mudgee, New South Wales, Australia
• St. John's (Episcopal) Church, Elizabeth, New Jersey, where the youngest signer of the United States Constitution is buried, Jonathan Dayton, and the 1769 wedding site of the parents of Elizabeth Ann Seton (first American Roman Catholic saint)
• Chapel of St. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, in the United States. Saint Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton ( August 28, 1774 &ndash January 4, 1821) was the first native-born Citizen of the United States John the Baptist (Capela de São João Baptista), 18th century, at the time reputedly the most expensive chapel in Europe is in the Igreja de São Roque (Lisbon)

See also

• Johannite
• Baptism of Jesus
• Prophets of Islam
• Ebionites
• Beheading of John the Baptist
• John the Baptist as patron saint of the eremitic Roman Catholic order of Carthusians. The Igreja de São Roque (Church of Saint Roch) in Lisbon was the earliest Jesuit church in the Portuguese world and one of the first Jesuit churches The Johannites are a sect of Gnostics who reject Jesus Christ, and instead posit that the true savior of the world (sent to fulfill Old Testament Prophecy In the Synoptic gospels, Jesus is baptised by John the Baptist. Muslims regard as Prophets of Islam ( Arabic: نبي) those non-divine humans chosen by Allah as Prophets The Ebionites ( Greek: grc Ἐβιωναῖοι Ebionaioi from Hebrew; he '''אביונים''' he-Latn ''Ebyonim'' "the Poor Ones" were an This article is about the biblical event and the liturgical commemoration of it The patron saint of a particular group of people is a Saint who would protect and 'love' the group and its members A hermit (from the Greek ἔρημος erēmos, signifying " Desert " "uninhabited" hence "desert-dweller" adjective "eremitic" The Carthusian Order, also called the Order of St Bruno, is a Roman Catholic religious order of enclosed monastics.

Notes

References

• Catherine M. Murphy, John the Baptist: Prophet of Purity for a New Age. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2003. ISBN 0-8146-5933-0

References to John in ancient literature

• Josephus wrote that ". Josephus (AD 37 – c 100 also known as Yosef Ben Matityahu (Joseph son of Matthias and after he became a Roman citizen, as Titus Flavius Josephus . . Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism. " (Josephus, AJ, 18. 5. 2)

References to John (Yahya) in the Qur'an

• Appraisals for Yahya: 6:85, 19:7, 19:12, 19:13, 19:14, 19:15
• Yahya's prophecy: 3:39, 6:85, 19:12

External links

• Catholic Encyclopedia: St. John the Baptist

• John the Baptist at Catholic Encyclopedia
• John the Baptist in the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica
• "John the Baptist" from the Jewish Encyclopedia
• Prophet Yahya (John) in the light of Islamic tradition. The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to today as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language Encyclopedia published by The Encyclopedia The Encyclopædia Britannica is a general English-language encyclopaedia published by Encyclopædia Britannica Inc The Jewish Encyclopedia was an Encyclopedia originally published between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls.
• Relics of John the Baptist