John the Baptist

John the Baptist (Greek Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστής, Ioannēs ho baptistēs or Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτίζων, Ioannēs ho baptizōn>; known as prophet Yahya in the Koran), or simply the Baptist or Saint John, was a Jewish traveling preacher contemporary of Jesus of Nazareth, born at the end of the century I a. C. He is revered as an important religious figure in Christianity, Islam and the Baha'i faith, He is considered a prophet by all these confessions and several branches of Christianity have proclaimed him a saint. He is considered a very important character in Mandeism, but not its founder.

John used baptism as a central sacrament of his messianic movement. Most scholars agree that John baptized Jesus. Some scholars believe that Jesus was a disciple of John, and several gospels recount that some of Jesus' followers had previously been disciples of John. John the Baptist was also mentioned by the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus. Some scholars maintain that John was influenced by the Essenes, a sect with some ascetic characteristics that expected an apocalypse and practiced rituals closely related to baptism, although there is no evidence to support this hypothesis.

According to the New Testament, John anticipated a messianic figure greater than himself, and the one who came was Jesus. Christians speak of John as if he were the forerunner of Jesus, for having announced his coming. John also has elements in common with the prophet Elijah.

Narrations in the Bible

Birth of Saint John the Baptist (Artemisia Gentileschi), painting of 1635.

John the Baptist is mentioned in all four canonical gospels and in the non-canonical gospel of the Nazarenes. The Synoptic Gospels (of Mark, Matthew, and Luke) describe the baptism of Jesus. In the Gospel of John there is a tacit mention of the fact (John 1:32-34).

In the Gospel of Mark

The Gospel of Mark presents John as the fulfillment of a prophecy from Isaiah (which, in reality, is a compilation of phrases from Second Isaiah, from the Book of Malachi and from the Book of Exodus). This prophecy spoke of a messenger going ahead and a voice crying out in the wilderness. It says that Juan wore a cloak made of camel hair and that he ate grasshoppers and wild honey. John proclaimed the baptism of the repentant for the forgiveness of sins. According to Mark, John said that another would come after him who would not baptize with water, but with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus came to John and was baptized by him in the Jordan River. According to Marcos, the event occurred as follows:

In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came out of the water, he saw that the heavens were opened, and that the Holy Spirit descended upon him as a dove; and a voice from heaven said, "You are my beloved son, my priest."

Mark 1:9-11

Later, the death of Juan is narrated. The tetrarch Herod Antipas, hearing stories of Jesus, thinks that John the Baptist has risen from the dead. Later, Mark explains that John condemned Herod Antipas for marrying Herodias, the ex-wife of his brother (whom he calls Philip). Herodias called for her execution, but Herod Antipas amused himself by listening to his stories and was reluctant to do so because he feared him, since he was a "upright and holy" man.

The story goes on to say that Herodias's daughter danced before Antipas, which pleased her so much that she offered her choice of anything as a prize. The daughter asked her mother, who told her to ask for the head of John the Baptist. Although reluctant, Antipas ordered John's beheading, and his head was given to the girl on a plate. John's disciples took the body and buried it in a tomb (Mark 6:17-29).

Head of St John the Baptist. José de Ribera. 1644. Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando. Madrid.

This passage presents several problems. The Gospel of Mark erroneously identifies Herod Antipas as a "king", when he was a Tetrarch, and calls Herodias' ex-husband Philip when it is known his name was Herod Boetus (also known as Herod the Younger). In addition, other texts speak of "Herod's daughter, Herodias". Many scholars believe that the latter is correct and that it was corrected in later versions of the text in Mark and the gospels of Matthew and Luke. Flavius Josephus says that Herodias had a daughter named Salome.

Scholars have speculated about the origin of this story. It shows signs of having been composed in Aramaic, which was a language Marcos apparently did not speak, so he may have derived it from some Palestinian source. Opinions vary as to the amount of historical material it contains. Many scholars have considered that the The story of John's arrest, execution, and burial may have been constructed to link it to the fate of Jesus.

In the Gospel of Matthew

The account in the Gospel of Matthew contains the prophecy of Isaiah, and the information in the Book of Malachi and the Book of Exodus is mentioned by Jesus himself later. John's description is taken directly from the Gospel of Mark: "a cloak made of camel's hair, a leather belt around his waist, and he fed on grasshoppers and wild honey», together with the announcement that the one who would come later would baptize with the Holy Spirit «and fire» (Matthew 3:1-12). Unlike Mark, Matthew depicts John as critical of the Pharisees and Sadducees and is portrayed as preaching that "the kingdom of heaven is at hand" and a "coming judgment." Matthew abbreviates the story of John's beheading and adds two elements: that Herod Antipas wanted John dead and that Jesus was informed of this fact by his disciples.

Matthew focuses not on Herod Antipas, but on John as the forerunner of Jesus. Although Mark speaks of Herod Antipas killing John reluctantly and at Herodias' insistence, Matthew says that Herod Antipas wanted John dead.

In his gospel, Jesus says:

"Verily I say unto you, Among those who are born of a woman is not risen another greater than John the Baptist; but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than him."

Matthew 11:11

In the Gospel of Luke and in the Acts of the Apostles

John and Jesus of children in a picture of Murillo. According to Lucas, his mothers were relatives.

The Gospel of Luke narrates the miraculous conception of Elizabeth, who was barren (Luke 1:7-9), wife of Zacharias, both elderly and childless. This gospel may define Elizabeth as barren because she has already gone through the menopause.

According to Luke's account, the angel Gabriel announced the birth of John to Zacharias while he was serving as a priest in the Temple in Jerusalem. Zacharias is described as a priest from the house of Abijah and Elizabeth is described as a descendant of Aaron (Luke 1:5). This implies that both spouses were descendants of Aaron. Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans celebrate the nativity of John the Baptist on June 24, six months before Christmas.

At the time of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the priestly class of Abijah. His wife, called Isabel, was a descendant of Aaron. Both were righteous in the eyes of God and all the commandments and precepts of the Lord were irreproachable.

But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both old. One day when his class was on duty and Zacharias performed the priestly function in front of God, he touched him in luck, according to the liturgical custom, to enter the Sanctuary of the Lord to burn the incense.

The whole assembly of the people remained outside, in prayer, while the incense was offered. Then the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. When he saw him, Zechariah was puzzled and scared. But the angel said to him, Fear not, Zechariah; your supplication has been heard. Isabel, your wife, will give you a son you'll call John. He will be for you a cause of joy and joy, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He will not drink wine or alcohol; he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the bosom of his mother, and will cause many Israelites to return to the Lord, his God. He will precede the Lord with the spirit and power of Elijah, to reconcile the fathers with their children and to draw the rebels to the wisdom of the righteous, thus preparing the Lord a well-willed People." But Zacharias said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? Because I am an old man and my wife is old." The angel answered, "I am Gabriel, who is before God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to proclaim this good news to you. You will remain silent, unable to speak until the day these things happen, for not believing in my words, that they will be fulfilled in due time."

Luke 1:5-20

Luke says that Mary, mother of Jesus, and Elizabeth were related. However, no family relationship between John and Jesus is mentioned in the other gospels and Raymond Edward Brown defines it as of "doubtful historicity". Geza Vermes has said that it is "undoubtedly an artificial creation of Luke". with the story of Samuel's birth in the Old Testament suggest that Luke could have taken the story of the annunciation of Jesus and that of John from the story of Samuel.

According to Luke, John began to preach and baptize in the desert:

[...] the fifteenth year of the empire of the emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate ruled Judea, when Herod was the tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip the tetrarch of Iturea and Traconítide, and Lisanias the tetrarch of Abilene, in time of the high priests Annas and Caiaphas

Luke 3:1-3

Tiberius succeeded Augustus on August 19, 767 (AD 14) of the founding of Rome. Lucas was able to count the years following the Syrian calendar that begins the year on October 1, or the Roman calendar that begins in March, so it is not known if he took into account the first year of the succession. Thus, the approximate date of the beginning of the activity of the Baptist would be around the year 28 of the common era.

Luke's is the only gospel where John explicitly teaches charity, baptizes tax collectors, and gives advice to soldiers. The text briefly mentions that John was arrested and subsequently beheaded by Herod, but omits the story of the stepdaughter's request.

In the book of the Acts of the Apostles, which was probably written by Luke, it is said that some disciples of John became disciples of Jesus (Acts 18:24 and Acts 19:6), something not mentioned in the gospels with the exception of Andrew, brother of Peter ( John 1:35-42).

In the Gospel of John

John the Evangelist describes John the Baptist as "a man sent by God" who "was not the light" but who "came as a witness to bear witness to the light, so that through him all might believe" (John 1:6-8). John the Baptist clearly denied being the Christ, Elijah or "the prophet", and instead he defined himself as "the voice that cries in the desert".

After a literal analysis, it is evident that John is the "witness and confessor par excellence", especially when compared to figures such as Nicodemus.

The baptism of Jesus is implied, but not narrated. It is narrated that "the spirit was seen coming down from heaven like a dove and resting on him." John the Baptist explicitly announces that Jesus is the only one who "baptizes in the Holy Spirit," that he is the "Son of God" and "the Lamb of God."

The Gospel of John reports that Jesus' disciples were baptized and that there was a debate between some of John's disciples and other Jews about purification (John 3:22-36). In this debate John the Baptist argued that Jesus "must increase" in importance while he should "decrease" (John 3:30) in relevance.

This gospel says that Jesus' disciples later baptized more people than John's disciples. Later, the gospel says that Jesus saw John as "a burning and shining lamp," and that "they were destined to rejoice for a while in that light" (John 5:35).

Comparative analysis

Book of Isaiah

Although for the Gospel of Mark the arrival of John the Baptist implies the fulfillment of a prophecy of Isaiah, the words quoted are a set of phrases from Second Isaiah, from the Book of Malachi and the Book of Exodus. The words quoted are as follows:

Look, forward.

to my messenger
to prepare your way
A voice cries in the desert
Prepare the way of the Lord

Straighten your paths

Matthew and Lucas omit the first part of the quote.

The Baptism of Jesus

John baptizing Christ in the Jordan, by Francis of Goya, 1780.

The gospels differ on the details of baptism. In those of Mark and Luke, Jesus sees heaven open and hears a voice addressing him personally saying "You are my beloved son, my favorite." They do not clarify if the others saw and heard this.

In Matthew, the voice from heaven does not address Jesus personally, saying: "This is my beloved son, my favorite" (Matthew 3:17). In the Gospel of John, John the Baptist sees a dove descend and bears witness to this as proof of Jesus' messianic status.

John's knowledge about Jesus

John's conception of Jesus varies depending on the gospel. In Mark's, John preaches the coming of a leader, but gives no sign that Jesus is that leader. In Matthew's, however, John immediately recognizes Jesus and questions whether he is qualified to baptize him. In both Matthew and Luke, John asks, "Are you the one who is coming or should we wait for someone else?" In Luke's, John is related to Jesus and both births were prophesied by the angel Gabriel. According to John the Evangelist, John the Baptist beheld the Holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove and explicitly preached that Jesus is the Son of God.

John and Elijah

The gospels vary in their descriptions of John's relationship with Elijah. Matthew and Mark describe John's clothing as reminiscent of Elijah's description in 2 Kings 1:8, who also wore furry clothing and a leather belt. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus explicitly teaches that John is the "Elijah who was to come" (Matthew 11:14 and Matthew 17:11-13); many Christian theologians have said that this means that John is the successor of Elijah. In the Gospel of John, John the Baptist explicitly denies being Elijah. In Luke's annunciation account, an angel appears to John's father Zacharias, telling him that his son "he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God" and that he will have "the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:16-17).

Possible link to the Essenes

St. John the Baptistby Francisco Pacheco, 1608. Museo del Prado.

John the Baptist defined himself as a «voice crying out in the desert» and asked to «rectify the ways of the Lord» (John 1:23), with which expressly fulfilled a prophecy of Isaiah (Matthew 3:1-4, Luke 3:4-6, Isaiah). Mark 1:1-4 ties this into the fulfillment of another prophecy, from Malachi 3:1.

This same general mission, to fulfill both prophecies together, seen as one, was defined in general by the Essenes for themselves, according to the Rule of the Community (1QS VIII 13-14; 4Q259 III 3-6), found among the Dead Sea Scrolls and dated between 100 and 75 BCE. C. Also the Essene baptismal liturgy (4Q14) could have served as an inspiration to John.

Furthermore, in the Gospel of John, John the Baptist is introduced as saying:

John answered:
- Man can't get anything if he doesn't get it from heaven. You are witnesses that I said: I am not the Messiah, but have sent me before him. Whoever takes the bride is the boyfriend. The boyfriend's friend who's listening is happy to hear the boyfriend's voice. That's why my joy is perfect. He must grow and I will diminish.

John 3:27-31

Who comes from above is above all. Who comes from the earth is land and speaks of earthly things. Who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, and no one accepts his testimony. Whoever accepts his testimony certifies that God is truthful. The envoy of God speaks of divine things, for God gives him the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and puts everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever does not believe the Son will not see life, for the wrath of God remains upon him.

John 3:31-36

The difference between the general ministry of the Essenes and that of John is that the former emphasized the study of the Law and, in general, the Holy Scriptures, and John preached and baptized for the conversion of the people. According to the gospels, he also baptized Jesus of Nazareth in the Jordan River (Luke 3:21-22, Mark 1:9-11) and recognized him as the Messiah (John 1:25-34, Matthew 3:13-17).

[...] it seems that John the Baptist and perhaps also Jesus and his family were close to this community. In any case, in Qumrán manuscripts there are multiple points of contact with the Christian message. It cannot be ruled out that John the Baptist lived a while in this community and received in it, in part, his religious formation

Benedict XVI

According to Flavius Josephus

There is information about John the Baptist in Jewish Antiquities (book XVIII, chapter 5, 2) by Flavius Josephus (37-100). This comes to confirm that John was beheaded by order of Herod Antipas, indicating that this took place in the Maqueronte fortress.

At present, some of the Jews think that the destruction of Herod's army came from God, and that it was very just, as a punishment for what he did against John, which was called the Baptist: for Herod killed a good man and commanded the wrath of the Jews, there was justice on both sides, and piety on God, and so went to baptism; that the washing [with water] would be acceptable to him, if the soul was to be purified, Now, when others came to stumble around him, because they were gratiously pleased to hear his words, Herod, who was frightened by the great influence he had on the people to put him on his side and start a rebellion (because they were willing to do anything he advised them) thought it was best to take him to death, to avoid any harm he could cause, and to bring him difficulties, and to save a man who could do too late and to do it. As a result, he was sent as a prisoner, far from Herod's suspicious temperament, to Maqueror, the castle mentioned above, and there he was sentenced to death. Now the Jews were of the view that this army was sent as a punishment to Herod, and that it is a sign of God's disgrace toward him.

The first known reference to this passage can be found in the III century, when it was quoted by Origen in the work Against Celsum. According to this passage, John's execution was blamed for a defeat Herod suffered around AD 36. C. There are divergences between this passage and the Biblical narratives. According to this passage, the baptism of John for those souls that have already been "purified previously by righteousness" is for the purification of the body, and not for the forgiveness of sins, as stated in Mark 1:4. Biblical scholar John Dominic Crossan differentiates John and Jesus in Josephus' narrative: "John had a monopoly, but Jesus had a franchise." “When he was baptized,” Crossan writes, “he went alone with John; to stop the move you only needed to stop Juan (so his move ended with his death). However, Jesus invited everyone to go and see how he and his companions accepted the kingdom of God, to enter and live in it. In the case of Jesus, the communal praxis was not only his, but could survive without him, unlike John's movement."

Relics

The Nabi Yahya Mosque, in Sebastia, near Nablus; photography from 1920.

Traditionally it has been said that Saint John the Baptist is buried in the Nabi Yahya Mosque, in Sebastia (Palestine), and it was mentioned that his relics were venerated there in the IV. Rufinus of Aquileia and Theodoret of Cyrus wrote that the sanctuary was desecrated under Julian the Apostate, around 362, and that his bones were partially burned. Part of the rescued relics were taken to Jerusalem and, later, to Alexandria, where on May 27, 395 they were placed in a new basilica built on a temple of Serapis. Sebastia's tomb continued to be visited by pilgrims and Saint Jerome mentioned that miracles took place there.

Chapel of John the Baptist in the mosque of the Omeyas of Damascus.

The fate of the head of Saint John the Baptist is difficult to determine. Nicephorus Callistus and Simon Metaphraste say that Herodias buried her in the fortress of Macheron (the fortress where, according to Josephus, he had been executed). Other authors say that she was buried in the Palace of Herod in Jerusalem, where she was found in the reign of Constantine I and secretly taken to Emesa, where she hid. Its hiding place was unknown for years, until it was discovered in 453. However, John's beheading cloth is kept in Aachen Cathedral. The Orthodox Church says that they are the ones who possess the relics of Saint John the Baptist in a monastery in Lower Egypt, between Cairo and Alexandria. It is possible, with the permission of the monks, to see the tomb where his remains are supposedly.

• Several places claim or have claimed to possess the cut head of John the Baptist. The official place of the Catholic Church is the chapel of St John the Baptist (Nabi Yahya (Arabic) of the Damascus Mosque; The place was visited by Pope John Paul II in 2001, who "was pausing for a minute to meditate silently before the tomb of St John the Baptist." However, before it was believed that the Catholic Church was there, it was also placed in the church of St. Silvestro in Capite of Rome; in the Cathedral of Amiens (where, allegedly, it had been carried by the Templars); and somewhere undetermined from the Turkish city of Antioch. Other traditions assume that he was in the Residence of Munich, Germany (which was the official residence of the rulers of the house of Wittelsbach of Bavaria from 1385 to 1918); or even in the parish church of Tenterden, Kent, where he remained until the Protestant Reformation.

• There are traditions that the right hand of the saint, with which he baptized Jesus is found in the Orthodox monastery of Cetiña, in Montenegro; in the Topkapi Palace of Istanbul; and in the Romanian skete of the Presursor on Mount Athos. There are traditions that the left hand of the saint is found in the Armenian Apostolic Church of St John in Hugli-Chuchura, West Bengal, where annually, in the "Day Chuchura", in January, blesses the faithful of Calcutta. There are manuscripts of the centuryXI and of the XVI discovered in 1969 that they say that a crypt of the monastery of Saint Macario the Great in Scetes, Egypt, keeps relics of St John the Baptist. It is also said that there are his relics in the cathedral of the monastery of St.John the Baptist, in Gandzasar, Nagorno Karabakh where according to tradition his head was brought from Damascus and that translated means "the treasure of the mountain" The sanctuary has been and continues to be a reference to Eastern Christian culture despite multiple attempts to destroy Muslim conquests.

There is another tradition in the city of Halifax, in West Yorkshire, UK, which has the head of John on its coat of arms. A legend appearing in William Camden's Britannia, dating from the 16th century, says that the The name of the city (halig, sacred, and fax, face) refers to the fact that the first religious who settled in the area brought with them the head of John the Baptist.

In 2010, some bones were discovered in the ruins of the monastery church of St. John the Forerunner on the Bulgarian island of St. Ivan in the Black Sea. Two years later, after DNA analysis and radiocarbon dating, the bones were proven to belong to a Near Eastern man who lived in the 2nd century I a. C., so they could have belonged to John the Baptist. Currently, the remains are in a reliquary in the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius, in Sozopol.

His figure in religions

Christianity

The parish church of Saint John the Baptist. Masatepe, Nicaragua.

Christians believe that John had a specific role entrusted by God to be the forerunner of Jesus, who was the announced messiah. The canonical gospels mention this role. In Luke 1:17 John's role is to "reconcile parents with children, and rebellious with the wisdom of the upright" to prepare "for the Lord a people well disposed." In Luke Luke 1:76 it is said that he would walk "before the Lord, preparing the way for him". In Luke 1:77 it is said that John was to announce "to his people salvation through the forgiveness of sins".

There are several Old Testament passages that are considered prophecies about John the Baptist by Christians. Among these is Malachi 3:1, which says:

Look, I send my messenger to prepare the way in front of me. Suddenly the Lord who seek will enter the sanctuary; the messenger of the covenant who so much desire, look into it - says the Lord Almighty

And also Malachi 3:23-24, which says:

And I will send them to the prophet Elijah before the day of the Lord, great and terrible: he will reconcile fathers with children, children with fathers, and so I will not come to destroy the earth.

The Jews of Jesus' day expected Elijah to come before the Messiah. In fact, some modern Jews still look forward to the coming of Elijah, as well as the Cup of Elijah at the Passover Seder. That is why in Matthew 17:10-13 it says:

The disciples asked him:

- Why do the lawyers say Elias first has to come?
Jesus answered:
- Elijah has to come to reestablish the order of all things. But I assure you that Elijah already came, they did not recognize him and mistreated him. Likewise the Son of Man will suffer in their hands.

Then they understood the disciples who referred to John the Baptist

These passages apply to John the Baptist in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:2, Mark 1:3 and Luke 1:16-17) but it is the Gospel of Matthew that which identifies John the Baptist as the spiritual successor of Elijah (Matthew 11:14 and Matthew 17:13) since the Gospels of Mark and Luke do not say so. The Gospel of John says that John the Baptist denied that he was Elijah (John 1:19-23):

This is the testimony of John, when the Jews [le] sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him who he was. He confessed and did not deny; he confessed that he was not the Messiah.

They asked him:
- So you're Elijah?
He answered:
- I'm not.
- Are you the prophet?
He answered:
- No.
They told him:
- Who are you? We have to bring an answer to those who sent us; what do you say about you?
He answered:

"I am the voice that cries out in the wilderness: They straighten the way of the Lord, as the prophet Elijah says.

The first Judeo-Christians

In early Christian Judaism (Gnostic, according to Epiphanius of Salamis in his Panarion, part 30) the Ebionites held that John, Jesus and James (all revered) were vegetarians. Epiphanius of Salamis wrote that the Ebionites had modified the Gospel of Matthew (creating what is known as the Evangelio de los Ebionitas) to change the word "grasshoppers& #3. 4; by "honey cakes" or "mana".

Catholic Church

The Catholic Church commemorates Saint John the Baptist on two days: his nativity on June 24 and his beheading on August 29.

Some Catholics hold that John the Baptist was sinless, although this has never been a part of the doctrine, as is the immaculateness of Mary. In hers Treatise on Prayer hers, Saint Catherine of Siena includes a brief episode about the fight against the devil, who tried to attract her with vanity and flattery. Speaking in the first person, Saint Catherine of Siena responds to the devil with the following words:

... for your humiliation, and you answered the devil with these words: "Misserable of me! John the Baptist never sinned and was sanctified in the womb of his mother. And I have committed so many sins [...]"

Catherine of Siena. Treaty on Prayer. 1370.

Eastern Orthodox Church

The faithful of the Eastern Orthodox Church believe that John was the last of the Old Testament prophets, thus serving as a bridge between that period of revelation and the New Covenant. They also teach that, after his death, John descended into Hades and there he preached again that the Messiah Jesus was to come, thus he was the forerunner of Christ in death as he had been in life. Orthodox temples often have a figure of Saint John the Baptist in pride of place on the iconostasis, and he is frequently mentioned at divine services. Every Tuesday of the year is dedicated to his memory.

The Eastern Orthodox Church commemorates Saint John the Forerunner on six different feast days, listed here in the order in which they occur during the Eastern Orthodox Church year (beginning September 1):

• September 23: Conception of St John the Precursor.
• January 7: The Synaxis of St John the Precursor. This is the main holiday, which goes just after the theophany of January 6th (January 7th also commemorates the transfer of the relic from the right hand of John the Baptist from Antioch to Constantinople in 956).
• February 24: First and second meeting of the head of Saint John the Precursor.
• May 25: Third meeting of the head of Saint John the Precursor.
• June 24: Nativity of St John the Precursor.
• August 29: The Decapitation of Saint John the Precursor.

In addition, the Orthodox Church and the Lutheran Church commemorate Zacharias, the father of John, on September 5, while the Catholic Church does so on September 23. Isabel, mother of Juan, is commemorated on September 5 in the Orthodox and Anglican Church, and on November 5 in the Catholic and Lutheran Church. The Russian Orthodox Church commemorates on October 12 the transfer of the right hand of the Forerunner from Malta to Gatchina (1799).

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that its modern revelation confirms the biblical account of John and also brings new elements to his preaching. According to this belief, when John was eight years old "the angel of the Lord commanded him" that he & # 34; he overthrew the kingdom of the Jews & # 34; and to prepare the people for the Lord. Mormons also believe that “he was baptized while he was still a child.” Joseph Smith said, “Let's go back to New Testament times where many praised the Lord and his apostles. We will start with John the Baptist. When Herod issued his edict to destroy little children, John was about six months older than Jesus, and was the target of this hellish decree, and Zacharias told his mother that he would take him to the mountains, where he was raised on grasshoppers. and wild honey. When his father refused to reveal his hiding place, and being the high priest officiating in the temple that year, he was executed by order of Herod, between the entrance and the altar, as Jesus said.";

The Mormon Church teaches that John the Baptist appeared on the bank of the Susquehanna River, near Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, as a resurrected to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on May 15, 1829, and commanded them the aronic ministry. According to Mormon doctrine, John's ministry had worked on three points: he was the last of the prophets under the rule of Moses; he was the first of the New Testament prophets; and he was sent to confirm the aronic ministry in our days. Mormons believe that John's ministry was prophesied to two prophets whose teachings are included in the Book of Mormon: Lehi and his son Nephi.

Islamic

John is also revered as a prophet in Islam, where he is called Yaḥyā ibn Zakarīyā (يحيى بن زكريا), meaning "John, son of Zachariah". Muslims believe that he revealed the word of God and that he was a prophet who announced the coming of Jesus. His father, Zacharias, is also considered a prophet in Islam, and Islamic tradition holds that John was one of the prophets Muhammad knew. on the night of Mi'raj in his ascension to the Seven Heavens. It is said that he met John and Jesus in the second heaven, where, after greeting him, he ascended with an archangel to the third heaven. The story of John is also told during the migration of Muslim refugees to Abyssinia.According to the Qur'an, God gave peace to John the day he was born and the day he died.

Mandeism

The Mandaeans consider John the Baptist their main prophet, and he has an important role in some of their writings, including the Ginza Rba and the Draša D-Iahia (The Mandaean Book of John). The Mandaeans consider John the only true messiah and are against Jesus. The Mandean scriptures say: "If the carpenter [Jesus] was united to God, who is united to the one who is united to the carpenter?"

Baha'iism

Bahaism (or Baha'i faith) considers John a prophet of God who, like other prophets, was sent to promote knowledge of God, to foster unity among the peoples of the world, and to show people the right way of life. There are many quotes in the writings of Bahá'u'lláh, founder of the Bahá'í faith, in which he mentions John the Baptist. In his letter to Pope Pius IX, Bahá'u'lláh wrote:

Oh, son's followers! We have sent John again among you, and He certainly cries out in the desert of Bayan: O people of the world! Clear your eyes! The day you will be able to contemplate the Promised One and approach Him is near the night! Oh, followers of the Gospel! The Day of Advent of Lord Glorious is at hand! Prepare to enter the Kingdom. Thus has been ordained by God, who begins the dawn.

Baha'is consider John a minor prophet. Bahá'u'lláh said that his own forerunner, the Báb, was a spiritual return of John the Baptist. Bahá'u'lláh referred to the Báb as "My Forerunner," which is the nickname Christians give to John the Baptist. However, Bahaism believes that the Báb was a prophet greater (Manifestation of God) and, therefore, that he was endowed with a higher status than that of John the Baptist.

Patron saint: Places where he is venerated

Europe

In Scotland, he is the patron saint of Perth, which is often known as St. John's Toun of Perth. The town's medieval church is dedicated to Saint John and the local football team is called St Johnstone F.C.

He is also the patron saint of Porto, Portugal, where on the night of Saint John (June 23-24) one of the best-known urban festivals in Europe takes place, the Festa de São João.

Saint John the Baptist is also patron saint of the Polish city of Wroclaw, whose most important church, the cathedral, bears his name.

He is also patron saint of the Italian cities of Florence and Genoa. Likewise, he is patron saint of Malta and of the town of Xewkija, on the Maltese island of Gozo.

He is the holder of many orders and brotherhoods, such as the Knights Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem.

Spain: Provinces, Cities and Municipalities

In Spain, this is the patron of the Municipal Police of Madrid and the Royal Guard of the Monarchy. Likewise, within the Spanish San Juan festivities, the bonfires of San Juan can be highlighted, very popular in Alicante with its Alicante Bonfires and in La Coruña.

In addition, several provinces of Spain venerate it, such as:

• The Ecclesiastical Province of Merida-Badajoz, in addition to the city/capital of Badajoz (Extremadura) and Albacete (Castilla - La Mancha)

Municipalities in the Peninsula

• Salobrena, Granada.
• Chiclana de la Frontera, province of Cadiz.
• San Juan del Puerto and Alosno, province of Huelva
• Tres Cantos, Madrid province

Municipalities in the Canary Islands

• Puntallana, with his Church of San Juan Bautista, in La Isla de La Palma.
• Telde and Arucas, in La Isla de Gran Canaria.
• Los de San Juan de la Rambla, Arafo and Arico in La Isla de Tenerife.

America

Hispanic America

Puerto Rico, called Borinquén by the natives, was baptized 'San Juan Bautista' by Christopher Columbus on November 19, 1493 when the Admiral was sailing to the island of Hispaniola on his second voyage to America. In the century XVI, Juan Ponce de León founded the city of Puerto Rico on the island of San Juan Bautista. The city ended up giving its name to the island, and the capital was renamed San Juan de Puerto Rico. On the shield of Puerto Rico is the Latin phrase "Joannes Est Nomen Eius" (John is his name), which appears in Luke 6:13 , which refers to the name of the island: San Juan Bautista Island. For this reason, Saint John the Baptist is the patron saint of Puerto Rico, in the United States.

In Mexico, he is patron saint of the diocese of the cathedral of Tuxtepec, in the state of Oaxaca, and in Villahermosa, in the state of Tabasco, since it was previously known as San Juan Bautista.

San Juan de Tibás in San José, Costa Rica, has Saint John the Baptist as its patron saint, who is celebrated with traditional shifts and cimarronas.

He is also patron saint of the city of Florencio Varela, in which a parish is erected in his name, and his homonymous party, in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

He is patron saint of the Diocese of Chitré and the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista in Chitré, Province of Herrera, Panama.

In Colombia, he is patron saint of the Diocese of Pasto and the city of Pasto, in the Department of Nariño, southern Colombia. The High Altar has a Baroque-style image of the Holy Prophet, due to keeping the styles of sacred art, typical of the colony and the presence of Spanish domination in the American territory.

North America

He is also the patron saint of the Province of Quebec and the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as the Canadian cities of Saint John of Newfoundland (Saint John of Newfoundland) (1497) and Saint John of New Brunswick (1604).

He is also patron of the Diocese of Charleston, which encompasses all of South Carolina, in the United States.

Asian

Saint John the Baptist is the patron saint of the country Jordan.

Due to the Spanish Catholic tradition, he is the patron saint of several cities in the Philippines, such as Calamba (La Laguna), Calumpit (Bulacán), Balayán (Batangas), Lian (Batangas) and San Juan (Greater Manila). Many Filipino parties celebrate this holiday with massive baths. The Quiapo de Manila church is dedicated to Saint John.

Cinema

In the history of film and television, there are more than a hundred titles —films, miniseries, TV series— that include John the Baptist as a character. Among them are: