The Sermon on the Nativity of John the
Baptist
Standing
on the border of two testaments, he seems to see nothing more except for the
sins of humanity, in which the entire world was sinking, and the Lamb of God,
who will free the world from these sins. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has
come near”, – proclaimed he. His commanding appeal was not futile. People
striving to cleanse themselves from sin and to be baptized in Jordan, were
flocking to him from every corner of Judea…read full article
Iconographic
Analysis: The Nativity of St. John the Baptist
John the Forerunner is the last prophet of the Old
Testament, who revealed Jesus Christ to his chosen people. His other name “the
Baptist” highlights his mission to baptize Jesus Christ. The range of sources
includes the facts about his life: the four canonical Gospels, the book “Acts
of the Apostles”, the works of Josephus, and different early Christian
apocrypha…read full article
The right hand of Saint John the
Baptist
Historians Theodoret and Rufinus mention that the tomb of St. John
the Baptist was desecrated in 362, during the Emperor Julian the Apostate
reign, and a part of St. John relics burned. What remained intact from Saint’
body was taken to Jerusalem, then to Alexandria, and on May 27, 395 was placed
in the church that bears saint John’ name…read full article
The
Untold Story of the Uncovering of the Head of St. John the Baptist
Holy Scripture tells us that after St. John the
Baptist was beheaded, the impious Herodias forbade the prophet’s head to be
buried together with his body. Instead, she desecrated the honorable head and
buried it near her palace. The saint’s disciples had secretly taken their
teacher’s body and buried it. The wife of King Herod’s steward knew where
Herodias had buried St. John’s head, and she decided to rebury it on the Mount
of Olives, on one of Herod’s estates…read full article
Akathist
to Saint John, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord
O Baptist of Christ, Holy Forerunner, last of the prophets,
CONVERSATION