Day of Beheading of the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John (11/09)

The Feast of the Beheading of the Prophet, the Forerunner and the Baptist of the Lord John commemorates the event described by the evangelists Matthew (Matthew 14:1-12) and Mark (Mk. 6:14-29).

Saint John the Baptist was imprisoned by Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, because he openly denounced Herod for leaving his rightful wife, the daughter of the Arabian king Aretha, he lawlessly cohabited with Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip.

On his birthday, Herod held a feast for nobles, elders and captains of thousands. Herodias' daughter Salome danced in front of the guests and pleased Herod. In gratitude to the maiden, he vowed to give whatever she asked, even up to half of his kingdom. The dancer, on the advice of her evil mother Herodias, asked to be given the head of John the Baptist immediately on a platter.

Herod was saddened. He feared the wrath of God for killing the prophet, whom he himself had previously obeyed. He was also afraid of the people who loved the holy Forerunner. But because of the guests and the careless oath, he ordered the head of St. John to be cut off and Salomia to be given. According to legend, the mouth of the dead head of the preacher of repentance was opened again and said: "Herod, you should not have a wife, Philip your brother". Salome took the dish with the head of St. John and took it to her mother.

The frantic Herodias stabbed the prophet's tongue with a needle and buried his holy head in an unclean place. But the pious Joanna, the wife of the housekeeper Herod Chuza, buried the holy head of John the Baptist in a clay vessel on the Mount of Olives, where Herod had his own plot of land (the discovery of an honest head is celebrated on March 9, new style).

The holy body of John the Baptist was taken that same night by his disciples and buried in the Samarian city of Sebastia, where the atrocity took place. After the murder of St. John the Baptist, Herod continued to rule for some time.

God's judgment was accomplished over Herod, Herodias and Salome during their earthly life. Salomiya, crossing the Sikoris River in winter, fell through the ice. The ice squeezed her so that she hung body in water, and her head was above the ice. Just as she once danced with her feet on the ground, now she, like a dancer, made helpless movements in the icy water. So she hung until the sharp ice cut her neck. Her corpse was not found, and her head was brought to Herod with Herodias, just as the head of St. John the Baptist was once brought to them. The Arabian king Arefa, in vengeance for the dishonor of his daughter, moved an army against Herod. Having been defeated, Herod was subjected to the wrath of the Roman Emperor Caius Caligula (37-41) and was exiled to Gaul and then Spain along with Herodias. There they were swallowed up by the unraveled earth.

His disciples began to celebrate the day of the martyrdom of John the Baptist.

In 362, by order of Emperor Julian the Apostate, the pagans opened the grave of John the Baptist and burned his remains, however, the Christians managed to acquire part of these remains and transport them to Alexandria, where they are kept to this day as the greatest shrine.

In memory of the beheading of St. John the Baptist, the Church established a holiday and strict fasting as an expression of the grief of Christians about the violent death of the great Prophet.

On this day, a commemoration of deceased soldiers is also held.

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