St John the Baptist

St John the Baptist (between 8 and 4 bc-about ad 27), according to all four Gospels the precursor of Jesus Christ, born in Judaea, the son of the priest Zacharias and Elizabeth, cousin of Mary, the mother of Jesus. John was a Nazarite from birth and prepared for his mission by years of self-discipline in the desert. At about the age of 30 he went into the country around the River Jordan preaching penance to prepare for the imminent coming of the Messiah. He baptized penitents with water as a symbol of the baptism of the Holy Spirit that was to come. With the baptism of Jesus, his office as precursor was accomplished, and his ministry came to a close soon afterwards. John angered Herod Antipas, the Judaean ruler, by denouncing him for marrying Herodias, the wife of his half-brother Herod, and was imprisoned (see Luke 3:1-20). At the request of Salome, daughter of Herodias and Herod, John was beheaded (see Matthew 14:3-11).

In art, John the Baptist is represented as wearing a garment made of hair and often carries a staff and a scroll with the words “Ecce Agnus Dei”, or “Behold the Lamb of God”, a reference to John 1:29. The feast of his birth is celebrated (in the West) on June 24; the feast of his death, on August 29.