Jan 07
St. John, the Baptist and Forerunner of Christ, is considered the last in the line of Old Testament Prophets, and the forerunner of a new Christian era. He is depicted with unkempt hair, wearing a robe with a camel hair lining. Many times he is shown holding a scroll with the words he spoke, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.” (Matt. 3:2)
This icon was donated to Holy Transfiguration Antiochian Orthodox Church in Boise, ID for their iconostasis.
The Orthodox Church remembers Saint John the Forerunner on six separate feast days, listed here in order of the church year which begins on September 1:
- September 23 – Conception of St. John the Forerunner
- October 12 – The Russian Orthodox Church observes the Transfer of the Right Hand of the Forerunner from Malta to Gatchina (1799).
- January 7 – The Commemoration of St. John the Forerunner (main feast day, immediately after Epiphany on January 6)
- February 24 – First and Second Finding of the Head of St. John the Forerunner
- May 25 – Third Finding of the Head of St. John the Forerunner
- June 24 – Birth of St. John the Forerunner
- August 29 – The Beheading of St. John the Forerunner
Also, St. John’s parents Zechariah and Elisabeth, are commemorated on September 5.
http://orthodoxwiki.org/John_the_Forerunner
July 13th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Hello, I was wondering where you got the information about Johns birthday. So I can check it against the information I have for him. In the synaxarium I read it has his birthday listed as the 7th of July.
July 13th, 2010 at 4:23 pm
Never mind I see the link to it now. Thank you.