The Church commemorates him on 7 January, the day following the Feast of Theophany. This celebration honours his direct role in the Baptism of Christ in the River Jordan, where he placed his hand upon the head of the Saviour and witnessed the revelation of the Holy Trinity.

Miraculous Birth

Saint John was born to the priest Zachariah and his wife Elizabeth, who were righteous but advanced in age and had no children. According to the Gospel of Luke, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Zachariah in the Temple in Jerusalem and announced that Elizabeth would bear a son who would prepare the people for the coming of the Lord.

Zachariah was struck silent until the child was born because he doubted the angel’s message. When the child was circumcised on the eighth day, those present wished to name him after his father. Elizabeth declared that his name should be John, and Zachariah confirmed this by writing the same name on a tablet. At that moment his speech returned, and he praised God for the fulfilment of His promises.

The name John comes from the Hebrew Johanan, meaning “God is gracious.”

Life in the Wilderness

From a young age John was filled with the Holy Spirit. He grew strong in spirit and lived a life of prayer, fasting, and simplicity in the wilderness.

There he prepared himself for the mission that God had entrusted to him. His life was one of strict discipline and repentance, reflecting his deep concern for the spiritual condition of the people of Israel.

Preaching Repentance

When John was about thirty years old, he began to preach along the banks of the River Jordan. His message was simple and powerful:

"Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand."

Many people came to hear him and were baptised by him in the waters of the Jordan as a sign of repentance and renewal.

Because of his role in preparing the way for Christ, the Church calls him the Forerunner, the one who announces the coming of the Messiah. In the hymns of the Church he is described as the “morning star” who appears before the rising sun, announcing the dawn of salvation.

The Baptism of Christ

The greatest moment of Saint John’s ministry occurred when Jesus Christ came to the Jordan to be baptised.

Recognising the holiness of the Lord, John hesitated, saying that he himself needed to be baptised by Christ. Yet the Saviour insisted, saying that it was necessary to fulfil all righteousness.

When John baptised Christ, the heavens were opened, the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove, and the voice of the Father was heard proclaiming:

"This is My beloved Son."

In this moment John became the witness of the Theophany, the revelation of the Holy Trinity.

Martyrdom

Saint John continued to preach repentance and truth, even when it brought him into conflict with powerful rulers.

He openly rebuked King Herod for his unlawful marriage to Herodias. Because of this boldness he was arrested and imprisoned.

At the request of Salome, the daughter of Herodias, Herod ordered that John be beheaded. Thus the great prophet and Forerunner sealed his witness with martyrdom.

The Church commemorates this event on 29 August, the Feast of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist.

Relics and Veneration

After his martyrdom, the body of Saint John was buried in Sebaste, in Samaria.

According to tradition, the Evangelist Luke later brought the saint’s right hand—the very hand that baptised Christ—to Antioch. Over the centuries this sacred relic was transferred several times, eventually being taken to Constantinople, where it was greatly venerated.

Fragments of his relics later travelled to different parts of the Christian world and became treasured objects of devotion.

Legacy

Saint John the Baptist holds a unique place in the life of the Church. Christ Himself said of him:

"Among those born of women there has not arisen a greater than John the Baptist."

He is honoured as the last of the prophets, the first witness of the New Covenant, and the one who prepared the world for the coming of Christ.

His life calls all believers to repentance, humility, and faithfulness to the truth, reminding us to prepare our hearts for the presence of God.

Through the prayers of Saint John the Forerunner and Baptist, may we also learn to walk in the path of repentance and bear faithful witness to Christ.