The Beheading of St. John the Baptist

The Beheading of St. John the Baptist

 

The life of St. John the Forerunner, from its first days was entirely dedicated to the One Who would come after him. St. John suffered the loss of his mother soon after childbirth while his father's life ended at the hands of King Herod's servants in the temple.

Following the Baptism of the Lord, St. John the Baptist was locked up in prison by Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch (ruler of one fourth of the Holy Land) and governor of Galilee. Why? Because John the Baptist openly denounced Herod for having left his lawful wife, the daughter of the Arabian king Aretas, and then instead cohabiting with Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip (Luke 3:19-20) At Herod's birthday celebration, Salome, Herodias's daughter, enchanted Herod with her dancing. He swore to give her half his kingdom or whatever she asked for. Prompted by her mother Salome asked for the head of the Baptist. Herod could not refuse as he made his pledge before all his guests. Although it saddened him greatly he had Saint John the Baptist beheaded in prison. (Matthew 14:6-12)

According to Tradition, the mouth of the dead preacher of repentance once more opened and proclaimed: "Herod, you should not have the wife of your brother Philip." Salome took the platter with the head of St. John and gave it to her mother. The frenzied Herodias repeatedly stabbed the tongue of the prophet with a needle and buried his holy head in an unclean place. But the pious Joanna, wife of Herod's steward Chuza, buried the head of John the Baptist in an earthen vessel on the Mount of Olives, where Herod had a parcel of land. The holy body of John the Baptist was taken that night by his disciples and buried at Sebastia, there where the wicked deed had been done.

The Beheading of St. John the Baptist, a Feast day established by the Church, is also a strict fast day because of the grief of Christians at the violent death of the saint. In remembrance of the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist it has been a pious custom amongst our faithful on this day to not eat food from a flat plate, use a knife, or eat food that is round in shape.