The beheading of the head is the murder of John the Baptist. A terrible crime, an innocent death. Why do Christians celebrate this day?
After all, a holiday is a celebration, and what kind of celebration, it would seem, is here? A man, and even what a man: the greatest, according to the Savior, of all the prophets (Matt. 11; 11; Lk. 7; 28) - they cut off his head ...
The Gospels of Matthew (Matthew 14:1-12) and Mark (Mark 6:14-29) tell about his martyrdom.
Surely the episode of the martyrdom of John the Baptist, described in the Gospel, is known to many.
The king had a legitimate wife, the daughter of the Arabian king Aretha. Herod left her and cohabited with Herodias, his brother's wife. The prophet John repeatedly denounced him, but the king did not dare to harm him, since he revered John the Baptist as a prophet and was afraid of the people's wrath.
On the day of his birth, Herod arranged a rich feast. There were many guests. The tables were bursting with gourmet dishes and expensive wines, the actors and dancers delighted those who came. Salome, the daughter of Herodias, danced in front of the guests at the celebration. She so pleased Herod with this that he swore before the guests to give her whatever she asked. Salome went to her mother for advice.
“Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist,” the girl said when she returned to the guests.
Herod was saddened: he was afraid of the wrath of God for the murder of the prophet, but he could not break a careless oath.
St. John the Baptist was beheaded and given to Salome.
Beheading (beheading) of John the Baptist (Caravaggio. 1608)
The evil Herodias pierced the prophet's tongue with a pin and buried her head in an unclean place. But Joanna, the wife of the royal steward Chuza, secretly took the holy head, put it in a vessel and buried it on the Mount of Olives, in one of Herod's estates. The body of St. John the Baptist was taken by his disciples and buried.
It is believed that after his death, John was the Forerunner of the Lord, because before His descent, the soul of the prophet appeared in hell and informed the souls of the forefathers who were there that the Savior was soon to come.
He endured his test to the end, did not waver, and remained faithful to God.
The life of Herod and Herodias was not happy and calm. Both of them feared that John might rise from the dead. Herodias even ordered to bury the head of the prophet separately from the body - just in case. How much Herod was afraid of this is evidenced by the fact that when Jesus Christ began to preach, the king was horrified and, probably, remembering the murder committed on his orders, said: “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead, and therefore miracles are performed by him.
The judgment of God took place over Herod, Herodias and Salome during their earthly life. Salome, crossing the Sikoris River in winter, fell through the ice. The ice squeezed her so that she hung her body in the water, and her head was above the ice. Just as she once danced with her feet on the ground, now she, as if dancing, made helpless movements in the icy water. So she hung until the sharp ice cut her neck. Her corpse was not found, and the head was brought to Herod and Herodias, just as the head of St. John the Baptist had once been brought to them. The Arabian king Areth, in vengeance for the dishonor of his daughter, moved an army against Herod. Having suffered a defeat, Herod was subjected to the wrath of the Roman emperor Caius Caligula and was exiled together with Herodias to prison in Gaul, and then to Spain. There they were swallowed up by the open earth.
Outwardly, the death of John the Baptist is the triumph of vice over righteousness: behold, he is dead, and his enemies are alive and triumphant ... But this triumph is illusory, because the “victors” do not feel their death alive. In fact, the death of the last Old Testament prophet was a triumph of God's truth, which does not neglect either the poor or the noble, "does not cave in under the changing world", does not know "double standards" and does not servility to "common sense", which persistently encourages us to reckon with power and wealth.
Orthodox Christians spend the Day of the Beheading of the Head of the Forerunner of Christ John in strict fasting, even fish and dairy products are excluded from the diet. Strict fasting was established as an expression of grief over the violent death of the great prophet. A time of concentration for all believers.
On this day, it is not customary to have fun, arrange festivities and feasts, because people with sadness and sadness remember all those who suffered for the truth.
John the Baptist - Angel of the Lord
John the Baptist is called the Angel of the Lord and is often depicted on icons with wings. The Savior himself said about the Baptist that he was not only a prophet, but also a greater prophet - the Angel of the Lord: “ For he is the one of whom it is written: Behold, I am sending My angel before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.» (Matthew 11:10). The Holy Forerunner is truly the first Angel in the flesh. By his life, of all mortal people, he came closest to the angelic life and became like a heavenly angel.
How did Saint John become like an angel? Saint Nicholas of Serbia (Velimirovich) notes, firstly, by his obedience to God; secondly, by its freedom from the world; and thirdly, by his carelessness about his bodily life.
Angels are completely obedient to God. And Saint John was completely obedient to God from his very infancy. He surrendered himself completely to God and relied on God for everything.
In addition, John was like the angels of heaven and his freedom from the world and people. The world for him was dust, which either turns green or blackens, but always remains dust. People for him were a scattered herd, losing sight of their shepherd. John, as an angel of God, did not in the least cleave to the world and did not have the slightest fear of the world. He does not distinguish people either by clothing, or by nobility, or by power, or by learning, or by wealth, or by age - he distinguishes them only by the properties of their soul. His eyes do not see bodily people, but naked human souls, which for other eyes are hidden under the mask of the body. Only the angels of God have such freedom from the world and people.
In addition, John became like angels and carelessness about his bodily life. Angels do not care about what they eat, what to drink and what to wear. Serving God, they know that God will feed them, water them, and clothe them. John ate locusts (the tops of some desert plants) and wild honey, his spirit was not disturbed by the cares of this world. And it is not said that he ever complained of hunger or thirst. It was not locusts and wild honey that nourished him, but the power of God given to the faithful and obedient servant of God through locusts and wild honey. And John did not care about housing and clothing. His dwelling was the desert, but he wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his loins. Saint John was free from all bodily care. All his concerns were about his soul, and the will of God was the only law and ruler of his soul. In this he became like the angels of heaven.
That's why they call him Angel.
John the Baptist - Forerunner and in Hell
The Holy Forerunner received the testimony of the Lord that he was the greatest of those born of women, also because he became the first New Testament martyr among all the holy martyrs.
But why did the all-good God allow the great atrocity to be committed 2000 years ago, and why did the Lord Jesus Christ not resurrect Saint John the Baptist? Because the Forerunner had to become the Forerunner in hell, the kingdom of death, where the souls of all people departed from Adam before the Savior came to this world, in order to proclaim to the righteous who died with the hope of redemption that the coming of the Savior is near, Who will crush the gates of hell with the Cross.
About the holiday
Day of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist is among those days church calendar, which stand out as festive, albeit mournful. On this day, a fast is established to worthily honor the memory of the great faster and hermit. At the same time, this one-day fast has the goal of reminding us of the detrimental consequences of the passion of intemperance.
Regarding the feast of the Beheading of the head of the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John, there are a lot of superstitions that have nothing to do with the essence of the revered event. For example, that on this day you can’t put anything round on the table (no dishes, no plates), you can’t eat round-shaped food (that is, potatoes, onions, apples, watermelons), use chopping and cutting objects. Of course, these superstitions spread (and sometimes still spread) among people of little church and have no basis in the traditions of the Church regarding the feast day of the Beheading of John the Baptist.
Troparion, tone 2
The memory of the righteous with praises, but the testimony of the Lord is sufficient for you, Forerunner: you showed me truly and the most honest prophets, as if you were honored with the Preaching in jets of baptism. There, having suffered for the truth, rejoicing, you proclaimed the gospel to those who are in hell of God, manifesting the flesh, taking away the sin of the world and giving you great mercy.
Kontakion, tone 5
The forerunner of the glorious beheading, watching was some kind of Divine, and even those who are in hell preach the coming of the Savior; Yes, and sobs Herodia, having asked for an unlawful murder: not the law of God, nor love the living age, but feigned, temporary.
magnificence
We magnify thee, John the Baptist of the Savior, and honor all your honorable heads of beheading.
Prayer to Saint John the Baptist
To the Baptist of Christ, preacher of repentance, do not despise me who repents, but copulating with the heavenly ones, praying to the Lord for me, unworthy, dejected, weak and sad, fallen into many misfortunes, burdened by the stormy thoughts of my mind: for I am a den of evil deeds, by no means having an end to the sinful custom, for my mind is nailed by an earthly thing: what I do, I do not know. And to whom shall I resort, that my soul may be saved? only to you, Saint John, give the name of grace, as before the Lord, according to the Theotokos, it is more for you to be born of all, for you were honored to touch the top of the King of Christ, who takes away the sins of the world, the Lamb of God. Pray him for my sinful soul, but from now on, at the first ten hours, I will bear the burden of good and accept bribes with the latter. To her, the Baptist of Christ, an honest Forerunner, an extreme Prophet, the first in the grace of a martyr, mentor of fasting and hermits, a teacher of purity and a close friend of Christ, I pray, I resort to you: do not reject me from your intercession, but reclaim me fallen down by many sins; renew my soul with repentance, as if with a second baptism, better than both, thou art the chief: with baptism wash away the ancestral sin, with repentance cleanse every bad deed; cleanse me with the sins of the defiled and compel me to enter, even if it enters badly, into the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen.
This celebration is considered great and is celebrated annually on September 11 (August 29 - old style). The holiday is dedicated to the memory of the martyrdom of the Monk John the Baptist (Forerunner), whose head was cut off by order of King Herod.
This momentous event, which took place in AD 32, is told in the Gospel Epistles of Matthew and Mark. On this day, Orthodox believers must observe fasting, expressing grief over the violent death of the most honest prophet of the Christian world.
Church ceremonies of the holiday
On the eve of the celebration, an all-night vigil takes place. Stichera for this event was written by famous hymnographers: John the monk and Herman. During the Great Vespers, three paraemias are sung, which contain a true prophecy about St. John the Baptist.
Icon of the Beheading of John the Baptist
In the morning, the clergy read the Gospel of Matthew. The first canon of the celebration was written by John of Damascus, and the second by Andrew of Crete. At the great liturgy, the texts of the Gospel and the Apostles are read, which are dedicated to the event of beheading.
- In the troparion of the triumph, the memory of the righteous is honored with praise. The Forerunner is the most glorious prophet, whom the Lord has prepared to baptize the Preaching One. It is sung that the saint, accepting martyrdom, rejoiced in divine understanding.
- In the second verse of the feast, it is said that the devil's disciple danced at the bloody feast and took the head of the Baptist as a reward. Further, the deceitful actions of the tetrarch Herod, who vowed to take the life of the holy prophet, are criticized. Thus, the Church never ceases to praise the one who suffered for his faith and humiliate the names of those who kill for pleasure.
- During the kontakion, the parishioners hear that the beheading took place according to the great plan of the Lord, so that the Baptist would announce the coming of the Savior. Herodias, who asked for execution, weeps, because she asked for a deceitful life in defiance of love for God.
About other great non-twelfth holidays:
Celebration traditions
The life of John the Baptist is extremely revered by the Orthodox world, and the date of beheading is celebrated in a special way. On this day, it is not recommended to have fun, gamble and arrange a rich feast. Believers must refrain from lavish meals and observe a strict fast.
In the Russian Orthodox Church, the feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist is considered great, but is not considered the Twelfth (referring to the being of the Savior and the Mother of God). Since the Forerunner led an ascetic life in the desert, he ate modestly, the day of September 11 is Lenten. It is forbidden to consume not only meat and dairy products, but even fish.
The Church urges the laity not to be accomplices in Herod's gluttony, but to keep up appearances in eating. An example of an ascetic life was given to us by John the Baptist, who lived in the wilderness.
John the Baptist - Forerunner of Jesus Christ
Believers pray to the Lord for forgiveness, enlightenment of all sinners and help to mankind. In numerous Russian churches On September 11, festive services are held. From early morning until evening, parishioners honor the memory of the great prophet, who was martyred for the glory of the Lord.
Priests serve prayers for the sufferers suffering from terrible ailments. On this day, it is also customary to pay tribute to all the soldiers who died for their fatherland. Taking an example from John the Baptist, a Christian must preach love for the Most High and place hope in the Creator Himself.
On a note! Fasting, which takes place on the feast of the Beheading of the Baptist, was established during the time of the first Christians. Its antiquity is confirmed by the charter of the monastery built in honor of Savva the Sanctified. The text says that fasting was bequeathed by the early Church Fathers.
History of the celebration
Power over Palestine was divided among four Roman henchmen after the death of Herod the Great. Herod Antipas began to rule Galilee, with the permission of Emperor Augustus. John the Baptist denounced the king (the tetrarch) of adultery: the protege abandoned his lawful wife and cohabited with his brother's wife, who was called Herodias. Unable to bear the denunciation, Herod imprisoned the Baptist.
John the Baptist denounced King Herod of adultery
Some suggest that the ruler did this not out of malice, but to save John from the acts of the vengeful Herodias.
- The very beheading of the head of the Forerunner took place at a feast held in honor of Herod's birthday. The celebration was attended by noble local nobles, wise elders and commanders.
- Salome, the daughter of Herodias, attracted great attention to herself, who danced magnificently in front of the guests and won over Herod Antipas, who swore an oath to fulfill her every wish.
- Herodias, who devilishly desired revenge, persuaded her daughter to ask the ruler for the head of John the Baptist. Herod was extremely embarrassed by this proposal, since he was very afraid of the wrath of Heaven and the anger of the people who loved the prophet.
- The ruler kept the oath he gave before the distinguished guests and ordered accordingly. There is a legend that after being cut off, the head did not stop exposing the adultery of Herod Antipas. Solomiya, succumbing to rage, pierced the tongue of the holy prophet with a needle and buried her head in an unholy place.
- The further fate of Herod and Herodias was covered with grief. They feared the resurrection of the Baptist and mistook the preaching Christ for him.
- The Arabian king, whose daughter Herod rejected, sent his troops against the latter and declared war. The ruler of Galilee was defeated, which angered the emperor Caligula, who sent the wicked lovers into captivity in Spain.
Temples in honor of John the Baptist:
The disciples of John the Baptist buried the body of the prophet in a city called Sebastia. The holy head was found, placed in a vessel and buried on the Mount of Olives.
- It was first discovered by a certain ascetic who was digging a place for a temple. He kept the head in his own house, but before his death, fearing desecration of the shrine, he buried it in its original place.
- In the middle of the 5th century, the prophet personally indicated its location in a vision. After that, the head was transferred to Constantinople. In honor of this event, the Church established the celebration of the first and second acquisition - March 8.
- During the period of iconoclasm, the head of the Forerunner was taken to the Abkhazian city of Komany - a place famous for the exile and death of John Chrysostom - and hid in the ground. After icon veneration was restored, the prophet appeared in a vision to Patriarch Ignatius and indicated the location of the honest head. The third acquisition of the shrine is celebrated by the Church on June 7th.
Icon depicting an event
John the Baptist sincerely believed in the Lord, preached about the Kingdom of Heaven, prepared the people for the descent of the Messiah. The prophet baptized Jesus himself and called on the majority to recognize him as the Son of God.
The holy face is an inseparable part of the whole celebration. The image demonstrates the line beyond which human hatred is able to step over.
The meaning of celebration
The date of the beheading is the day that tells about the parting of St. John from this world, where he suffered a lot from hatred and anger. Martyrdom could not destroy the truth, always sounding from the lips of the Forerunner. The life that is given for the sake of sacrifice is valued by the Church.
John, who had lived in the wilderness for a long time, connected with his ministry of the Most High and stopped noticing his own needs. The task of the prophet is to announce the imminent appearance of the Savior, and there is no more valuable action for him.
John the Baptist extremely loves the Son of God and is ready to forget his own ego, he is able to give everything for His protection. The forerunner wants all the glory to go to the Lord, and he himself is completely forgotten. The Baptist became the greatest prophet, because in the fight against fears he relied only on the Power of the Father and did not lose full confidence.
On the day of the Beheading of the honest head of John the Baptist, the Church calls to pray for those who died in great suffering. Spiritual heroes bowed so that others would rise.
On a note! Particles of the relics of the saint are located in the Cathedral of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which was built in the north-eastern part of Moscow in 1772. The author of the church project was the famous architect V. Bazhenov.
On September 11, the Orthodox world remembers the event of the beheading of the honest head of John the Baptist. The Church sings of the martyrdom of the prophet who gave his life for the sake of the Son of God and the Christian commandments. Following the example of the saint, it is necessary to fight against manifestations of dishonor in one's environment.
Bitter Feast: The Beheading of John the Baptist
Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord - John.
The rector of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan of Vyshgorod and Chernobyl Bishop Pavel spoke about the celebration.
The beheading of John the Baptist: history
John the Baptist was born a little earlier than Christ the Savior. The Mother of God received the good news: the Archangel Gabriel revealed to Her that Her aunt Elizabeth was six months pregnant. Although, according to human reflections, it was believed that she could no longer have children due to her advanced age. But “the statutes of nature are overcome”, the Lord does what is necessary for you and me and His holy glorification. The prophet John was born. And he was removed to the desert with his mother Elizabeth, who soon died, and his father, Zechariah, was killed.
“We can’t even understand with our meager thoughts who raised him. But we know only God. We know that the desert was both his cover, and his father and mother. He ate locusts (locusts) and honey from wild bees. The sky was his cover, the earth was his bed. He never murmured. He was filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit,” said Metropolitan Pavel.
And now the time has come for the preaching of Christ. As it is said about him, that he came to prepare the way for the Savior, and especially the way of salvation for us. Because the Kingdom of Heaven, which is within us, has come near. But before Christ had to suffer, the Holy Forerunner had to suffer. And proclaim to those in hell that the time has come for the coming of the Messiah. The one whom the Jewish people were waiting for, he has already waited for. Whoever did not know Christ, He has already come and will be revealed even in the depths of hell and will be taken out from there after a while, all who desire salvation in the Quiet Haven of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Saint John the Baptist suffered martyrdom in the year 32 after the Nativity of Christ. At that time, Herod was the ruler of Galilee, and although he had a legitimate wife, the daughter of the Arabian king, he left her and lived with the wife of his brother Philip, Herodias.
John the Baptist was locked up in prison for denouncing the wicked. Herod had a holiday - a birthday - and many guests gathered. And the daughter of Herodias, Salome, pleased the entire drunken audience by performing a dance.
“How good it is to please drunks. There is a proverb “If you want to be loved, get everyone drunk and you will see love for you. If you want to love everyone, get drunk yourself and you will love everyone. So it is here: the audience applauded Salome, admired the one who would commit a terrible atrocity. And then Herod promised to give Salome for a beautifully performed dance everything she wanted, even half the kingdom. She went into the room of her mother Herodias and asked her advice. Instead of taking some temporary blessings, they chose eternal torment and suffering. This is what malice, envy and hatred for a person, your brother, friend and just the image of God is! She poured out all her anger for the righteous thought, the words of John, that she was a sinner and should not be the wife of Herod, since she was the wife of his brother Philip. She asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter,” Vladyka Pavel recalled.
Herod, who heard and talked a lot with John, received instructions, blessings - he became sad, he was afraid of the wrath of God, because he considered John a prophet. But he decided not to change his oath and oath. He sends executioners and they cut off the head of John the Baptist and bring it on a platter.
According to legend, then the Forerunner did not stop, everyone was horrified when he said to Herodias that she should not have Herod's husband, because it is illegal. Herodias, taking a needle, pierced her tongue and face, and buried the head of John in the garden in a waste place.
Finding the head of John the Baptist
The disciples took the body and buried it, and the wife of the royal steward Chuza secretly took the head and, putting it in a vessel, buried it on the Mount of Olives. “And the Lord subsequently revealed the first, second, third finding of the head of John the Baptist for our comfort, instruction and admonition - as we should not do,” added the rector of the Lavra.
The feast of the first and second miraculous acquisitions is celebrated by the Russian Orthodox Church on February 24 (March 9) - in non-leap years, and in leap years - February 24 (March 8). In addition, on May 25 (June 7) the third attainment of the head is celebrated. The first acquisition took place in the 4th century, the second in the 5th century, and the third in the 9th century.
The first acquisition of the head took place when a pious nobleman was building a church on this site and found a vessel. The fact that this is a shrine, he understood from the many miracles and healings that took place. But, fearing desecration by the Gentiles, he again hid the vessel in the same place where he found it.
The second acquisition of the head occurred many years later, when the church built by the pious nobleman fell into disrepair, and John the Baptist appeared in a vision to two monks who came to worship in Jerusalem and indicated the location of his head. Taking the shrine and putting it in a sack, they gave this burden to the potter, to whom John the Baptist also appeared and ordered him to keep the shrine for himself. For a long time, the shrine, being in the family of a potter, was passed down from generation to generation. Then the priest took possession of the shrine, who professed the heresy of Arianism and, using the miraculous power of the shrine, turned many people into heresy. When the deception was revealed, he fled, and buried the shrine in a cave. Soon monks settled in this cave and a monastery arose, and in 452 John the Forerunner in a vision showed the archimandrite of the monastery the place where his head was hidden. The shrine was transferred to Constantinople.
The third acquisition of the head of the holy Prophet was in the year 850. During the unrest in Constantinople, the head was moved to Emessa, then to Comani, where it was hidden during the iconoclastic persecution. And during the prayer at night, Patriarch Ignatius was shown the place where the honest chapter was kept. Later, the shrine was transferred to Constantinople, and part of the holy dome is located on Mount Athos.
The beheading of John the Baptist: how the story ended
But let's get back to our story. The feasts are over, the righteous suffered for the unrighteous, and the righteous wrath of God is being committed. The Arabian king, in revenge for the dishonor of his daughter - the lawful wife of Herod - puts forward troops against Herod and inflicts a crushing defeat on him. The Roman emperor, in anger, delivers a verdict and sends Herod into captivity in Galia, who takes his wife Herodias and daughter Salome with him. And they settle in a town near the river, where a fun life continues. And the Lord shows a miracle. Salome crossed a frozen, ice-covered river and fell through the ice, and the second ice floe cut off her head, and her legs in death throes "danced" in cold water, as once at a feast during her dance. On a plate and brought its head to the parents. Oh, wondrous miracle, the Lord is not mocked, the earth opens up - and Herod and Herodias are swallowed up in the underworld of the earth. Thus ended a short, but at the same time scary tale about Herod and Herodias,” the metropolitan said.
The Beheading of John the Baptist: Sermon
“I want to remind you, brothers and sisters: it often happens that we, being in a bad mood, take oaths about the performance of sinful deeds. And when we come to our senses, we become ashamed that what we said must be done. It is better to refuse crafty promises given even in a state of intoxication or in some other state. You will then be more justified by God because you took a sinful oath, encroaching on the life of another person, without having any right to do so.
And remember that with what measure you measure, it will be measured to you.
If you wish evil to your neighbor, you will receive twice as much. If you raise your hand with a sword, you will die from the sword,” Vladyka Pavel emphasized.
The beheading of John the Baptist: what not to do on this day
The same questions are often asked, but is it possible to cut watermelon, onions and more? “You can cut everything, you can take a round one in your hands, but don’t just take a sword against another person, don’t take deceit and craftiness on your tongue to condemn others. Everything can be done except sin. Do deeds of mercy, show love and receive love," the rector of the Lavra urged.
John the Baptist: what helps
This prophet is often addressed to relieve physical pain, especially headaches, since his head suffered torment and became a shrine that can heal the body and calm the soul. Even the image of John, which is served on the holy faces in the form of the head of a suffering person, symbolizes an appeal with a request to relieve a headache; find your own repentance, understand your thoughts and sort them out; in the old days he was revered for his invaluable help in preserving the human race and economic affairs (crops, fertility, apiary).
John the Baptist: Prayer
To the Baptist of Christ, the preacher of repentance, do not despise me who repents, but copulated with your heavenly ones, praying to the Master for me, unworthy, dejected, weak and sad, fallen into many misfortunes, troubled by the stormy thoughts of my mind. I am a den of evil deeds, by no means having an end to sinful custom, nailed for my mind is an earthly thing. What I will do, I do not know, and to whom I will resort, that my soul may be saved, only to you, Saint John, give the name of grace, as before the Lord, according to the Theotokos, it is greater for you to be born of all: you were honored to touch the top of the King Christ, who takes away the sins of the world, the Lamb of God. Pray him for my sinful soul, but from now on, at the first ten hours, I will bear the burden of good and accept bribes with the latter. To her, the Baptist of Christ, an honest Forerunner, an extreme prophet, the first in the grace of a martyr, mentor of fasting and hermits, a teacher of purity and a close friend of Christ, I pray, I resort to you, do not reject me from your intercession, but raise me up, fallen by many sins, renew my soul with repentance, as if with a second baptism, you are better than both, you washed away sin with baptism, but preach repentance for the cleansing of someone’s bad deeds; cleanse me, defiled by sin, and compel me to enter, otherwise nothing badly enters into the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen.
Prayer to John the Baptist for deliverance from a headache
How we honor your honest beheading, Holy John, with what tears we cry, what songs we sing, the mind does not comprehend and the tongue is exhausted! Herod the lawless cut off your all-holy head, Forerunner of the Lord John, on earth; God the Almighty crowned you with immortality in heaven and gave you His Kingdom. You are great before God and you can ask much from Him. Therefore, falling down, we pray to you, the Baptist of Christ: hear those who suffer from headaches, ease and soothe their illness and quench their sorrow, freeing them from pain and healing them, may they glorify God about you forever and ever. Amen.
Many people associate the icon “The Beheading of John the Baptist” with fear and sadness, because it clearly depicts a cruel event. The icon shows an example of what actions a sinful person is capable of.
On the day of the celebration of the Beheading of John the Baptist, believing Christians recall the events of bygone days. The icon is an integral part of the celebration, showing in detail what human hatred is capable of. The icon "The Beheading of John the Baptist" depicts the cruel execution of the Baptist.
History of the icon
For the Orthodox people, John the Baptist is in second place in importance and love after Jesus Christ himself. John believed in the Lord, went around the world preaching about the Kingdom of Heaven, preparing people for the coming of the Mission. He also baptized Jesus Christ and called many people to faith and love for the Lord.
At that time King Herod ruled Galilee. He lived with Herodias in an unmarried marriage. John the Baptist could not forgive him for this and close his eyes to everything. He accused the king of a crime. Herod could not kill the Baptist, fearing publicity and the wrath of God. He imprisoned the prophet. But in Queen Herodias hatred for John lurked.
The fateful day fell on a feast that took place in the palace. At a noble reception, the daughter of the queen and stepdaughter of Herod Samolei danced. The king was captivated by her beauty and promised her to fulfill any desire. Raised by a cruel mother, Samolea asked for John's head. The king was very upset by such a request, but did as she wished.
Where is the miraculous image
It is difficult to say exactly where today you can find the first icon with this plot. But numerous icons "The Beheading of John the Baptist" are stored in many cities of our country. This is a popular icon among the Christian people, although it carries a terrible story.
Description of the icon
The most ancient icons that have survived to this day were painted in the early era of the formation of Byzantium. Basically, the icons depict John bowing before a warrior who raises a sword over his head.
Another popular plot depicts a severed head and a decapitated body, from which blood flows.
What helps the miraculous image
Before this icon, people pray for the preservation of life and health, for the expulsion of demons and evil spirits from the soul, for the healing of the spirit and body, as well as for strengthening faith and giving strength and will.
Prayers grant salvation from defilers and slander of ill-wishers and enemies.
Days of celebration
September 11 is the official day of celebrating not only the memory of the icon, but also the memory of one of the saddest gospel events, when the head of John the Baptist was cut off. Many Orthodox people consider this day not a holiday, but mourning, but the church celebrates this day in Orthodox calendar as a celebration that shows that a person is capable of sinful deeds. On this day, a strict fast is observed and services are held in the temples of God.
Prayer before the icon
“O Baptist of the Son of God Jesus Christ! I bow to you in prayer! Please, don't ignore me, a sinner! Pray before the Lord for me, so that He forgives my earthly sins. Take away from me, O Saint John, troubles, sorrow and worldly anger. Only you can help me and cleanse my sinful soul! Only you were honored to baptize Jesus Christ! I bow before you, I turn to you in prayers. Forgive me for my evil and unclean deeds! Pray the Lord for me, for I will stand before His Throne when my hour comes. Amen".
The icon of the great prophet is full of pain, but only looking at the terrible plot, we understand that the world is full of evil, from which only genuine faith and prayers to the saints will save. Do not tempt fate, be true to the word given before the Lord. We wish you peace of mind. take care of yourself and don't forget to press the buttons and
14.09.2017 05:06
In the Orthodox world there is special icon which is popular in all countries. Her name is "Quick Acolyte", ...
“There is no fate more majestic and more tragic,” wrote the Metropolitan Sourozhsky Anthony in his sermon on the Beheading of John the Baptist. On September 11, Orthodox Christians remember the New Testament event - the violent death of the great prophet, who predicted the coming of the Messiah and baptized the Lord Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan River.
Events of the Beheading of John the Baptist
The beheading of the head of the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John is the full name of the holiday. On September 11 (August 29, old style), the Russian Orthodox Church commemorates the New Testament events described in the 14th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew and the 6th chapter of the Gospel of Mark.
Saint John the Baptist, who predicted the coming of the Messiah and baptized Jesus Christ in the Jordan River, was imprisoned by order of King Herod Antipas. Herod at that time ruled in Galilee, and the great prophet denounced the sins and atrocities of him and his entourage. The tetrarch (that is, one of the four Roman rulers of Judea) was afraid to execute the saint: the people loved him, and Herod was afraid of the people's wrath. But the wife of his brother Herodias, with whom he cohabited, persuaded her daughter Salome to deceive the king into killing the prisoner. At the feast, Salome danced for Herod. He liked the dance so much that he vowed to fulfill her every desire. Salome asked for John's head on a platter. Herod fulfilled the request. So the prophet was martyred.
Why was John the Baptist imprisoned?
John the Baptist denounced the tetrarch (that is, one of the four Roman rulers of Judea) of Galilee Herod Antipas for many atrocities. Herod cohabited with the wife of his brother Philip, Herodias, which grossly violated Jewish custom. The prophet was not afraid of the cruel king and spoke about his sins before the people. Herod put him in prison, but did not want to execute him: he was afraid of human unrest: the Jews loved and revered the righteous man.
When is the Beheading of John the Baptist celebrated?
The Russian Orthodox Church remembers the beheading of John the Baptist on September 11 (August 29, old style).
What can you eat on the feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist
This day is a strict fast. Fasting people do not eat meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. Food can only be seasoned with vegetable oil. Gastronomic restrictions on this holiday are an expression of our grief over the death of the great John the Baptist.
Head of John the Baptist - the history of the shrine
Many years after the execution of John the Baptist, the land in which the vessel with his holy head rested became the property of the pious nobleman Innocent. The vessel was discovered during the construction of the church. This was the first miraculous finding of the head of John the Baptist.
Miracles began to happen from the shrine. Innocent reverently kept the head of the prophet, and shortly before his death he buried it again in the same place - so that it would not be desecrated by the Gentiles.
According to legend, during the reign of Emperor Constantine, Saint John the Baptist appeared to two monks - pilgrims who came to Jerusalem. They dug up a vessel with its holy head and decided to appropriate the great shrine for themselves. They put it in a bag and went home. On the way they met a potter who was entrusted with carrying the precious burden. The forerunner appeared again - to the potter. According to the word of the prophet, this pious man left the monks together with the head of the prophet. The sealed vessel was passed down in his family from generation to generation.
As the legend says, then the shrine fell into the hands of a heretic - the priest Eustathius. He was a follower of the heresy of Arianism. Using the miraculous power emanating from the head, he seduced many people into heresy. But the secret became clear - blasphemy was revealed. Eustathius buried the shrine in a cave next to Emessa, wanting to return later and pick it up.
The heretic failed to regain the head of the prophet: a monastery was founded in the cave. In 452, John the Baptist appeared to the archimandrite of the monastery Markellus. The saint pointed out where his head rests. This was the second miraculous finding of the head of John the Baptist. She was transferred to Emessa, and then to the capital of Byzantium - Constantinople.
In 850, the head of the prophet was again transferred to Emessa, and then, during the raid of the Saracens, to Komany. When iconoclastic persecution began in Komany, the shrine was hidden. When icon veneration was restored, Patriarch Ignatius, during prayer, received knowledge of the place where the honest chapter is kept. The shrine was found - it was the third miraculous finding of the head of John the Baptist. The head was transferred to the court church. Now part of it is stored on the holy Mount Athos.
The Church commemorates the first and second miraculous finding of the head of John the Baptist on March 9, according to the new style (February 24, according to the old style). The Feast of the Third Finding of the Head of St. John the Baptist - June 7, New Style (May 25, Old Style).
Prayers of the Beheading of John the Baptist
Troparion Forerunner
The memory of the righteous with praises, but the testimony of the Lord is sufficient for you, Forerunner: you showed me truly and the most honest prophets, as if you were worthy to be baptized in jets of the Preaching. Having suffered for the truth, rejoicing, you proclaimed the gospel to those who are in hell of God, who was flesh, who takes away the sin of the world and gives us great mercy.
Kontakion Forerunner
The forerunner of the glorious beheading, watching was some kind of Divine, and even those who are in hell preach the coming of the Savior; let Herodia sob, having asked for an unlawful murder: not the law of God, nor love the living age, but feigned, temporary.
Magnificence of the Forerunner
We magnify thee, John the Baptist of the Savior, and honor all your honorable heads of beheading.
The Meaning of the Feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist
Archpriest Igor FOMIN, rector of the Church of the Holy Right-Believing Prince Alexander Nevsky at MGIMO, answers:
“On September 11, we celebrate the memory of a man who was a prophet, forerunner, baptizer of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Day of the Beheading of John the Baptist is the day the saint parted from this world, on which he suffered from human anger and cruelty. What does this holiday teach us? It would seem that evil has conquered good: the righteous is killed, his executioners are alive. Yes, martyrdom was the result of his life and deed, but it did not erase the goodness and truth that he brought to people. In the same way, those of us who died for faith and truth did not live in vain. A life given in the name of truth can be the greatest sacrifice. It is not in vain, with its help a person preaches his ideals.
Icon of the Beheading of John the Baptist
The icons of the Beheading of John the Baptist of the early Byzantine era have come down to us. This is a miniature from the Alexandrian Chronicle and a fresco from the Church of St. John the Baptist in Cavusin, Cappadocia.
In the Middle Byzantine period, such an icon-painting plot became widespread: the prophet bowed, and the warrior raised his sword over him; The action takes place against the backdrop of the desert. Also, the head of St. John was depicted separated from the body. At the same time, blood poured from the neck of the prophet, and his executioner stood over him and sheathed his sword.
On ancient Russian icons, the head of the prophet John the Baptist was painted in a bowl against the background of a temple. Monks, clergymen and Emperor Constantine were painted on both sides of it.
Often Russian icon painters depicted the saint bowed, with his hands tied in front; while the warrior raised his sword over him. Such a plot can be seen, for example, on frescoes in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Anthony Monastery in Veliky Novgorod (1125), in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Mirozhsky Monastery in Pskov (about 1140), in the Church of the Annunciation on Myachina in Veliky Novgorod (1189) .
Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh. Sermon for the Day of the Beheading of John the Baptist
There is no fate more majestic and more tragic - The Beheading of John the Baptist
We are accustomed in our life that for every need, for every occasion, we turn to God for His help. And for our every call, for every cry of anguish, suffering, fear, we expect the Lord to intercede for us, protect, comfort; and we know that He does this all the time, and that He showed His ultimate concern for us by becoming a man and dying for us and for us.
But sometimes it happens in the life of our world that God turns to man for help. And this happens all the time, but often barely noticeable or goes completely unnoticed. God constantly turns to each of us, asking, praying, persuading us to be in this world, which He loved so much that He laid down our lives for it, to be His living presence, to be His living care, sighted, good-acting, attentive. He tells us that whatever we do good for any person, we do for Him; thus He calls us to be here, as it were, in His place. And sometimes He calls some people to a more personal service to Him. IN Old Testament we read about prophets; The prophet Amos says that a prophet is a person with whom God shares His thoughts. But not only with thoughts, but also with His deeds. Remember the prophet Isaiah, who in a vision saw the Lord looking around and saying: Whom shall I send? - and the prophet stood up and said: Me, Lord ...
But among the prophets, among the people who served God with an undivided heart, with all the great strength of the soul, there is one whose memory we commemorate today and whom God called the greatest among those who were born on earth. This is John the Baptist. And indeed, when you think about his fate, it seems that there is no fate more majestic and more tragic.
His whole fate was in not being, as it were, so that in the consciousness and in the vision of people, the Only One Who exists - the Lord, would rise.
Remember the first thing that is said about him in the Gospel of Mark: "He is a voice crying in the wilderness." He is only a voice, he has become so unified, so indistinguishable from his ministry, that he has become only God's voice, only an evangelist; like him as a person, a person of flesh and blood, a person who can yearn and suffer, and pray, and seek, and ultimately stand before the coming death - as if this person does not exist. He and his calling are one and the same; he is the voice of the Lord, resounding, thundering in the wilderness of men; that desert where souls are empty, because there were people around John, and the desert remained unchanged from this.
And then the Lord Himself says about him in the Gospel that he is a friend of the Bridegroom. A friend who loves the bride and groom so deeply, so deeply that he is able, forgetting himself, to serve their love, and to serve in order to never be superfluous, never to be there even when he is not needed. He is a friend who is able to protect the love of the bride and groom and stay out, the keeper of the secrets of this love. Here, too, is the great mystery of a man who is able, as it were, not to become in order for something greater than him to be. And then the Baptist himself says about himself in relation to the Lord: "I need to decrease, come to naught, so that He would increase." It is necessary that they forget about me, that they only remember Him, it is necessary that my disciples turn away from me and leave, like Andrew and John on the banks of the Jordan River, in order to follow Him only with an undivided heart: I live only for so that I don't exist!
And the last - the terrible image of John, when he was already in prison, when the circle of coming death was already narrowing around him, when he had no way out, when this colossally great soul wavered. Death came upon him, life ended, where he had nothing of his own, in the past there was only the feat of renunciation of himself, and ahead was darkness. And at that moment, when his spirit wavered in him, he sent his disciples to ask Christ: Are you the one whom we expected? If that, then it cost in young years die alive. If He is the One, it was worth decreasing from year to year so that John would be forgotten and only the image of the Coming One would increase in the eyes of people. If He is the One, then it was worth it now to die the last death, because everything for which John lived was fulfilled and accomplished. But suddenly He is not the One? Then everything is lost: both youth and the greatest strength of mature years, everything is ruined, everything is meaningless; and even worse, it happened because God seemed to have ‘deceived’. The God who called John in the wilderness, the God who took him away from the people, the God who inspired him to the feat of self-dying. Has God deceived, and life has passed, and there is no return?
And so, having sent the disciples to Christ with the question: “Are you the one?” John does not receive a direct, comforting answer. Christ does not answer him: “Yes, I am the One, go in peace!” He only gives the prophet the answer of another prophet that the blind see, that the lame walk, that the dead are raised, that the poor preach the gospel. He gives the answer from Isaiah, but does not add His own words, - nothing but one formidable warning: “Blessed is he who is not offended by Me. Go tell John." And this answer reached John in his dying expectation: believe to the end, believe without requiring any evidence, or evidence, or signs. Believe, because you heard inside, in the depths of your soul, the voice of the Lord, commanding you to do the work of the prophet. Prophets in their sometimes greatest feat can somehow lean on the Lord. God supports John only by commanding him to be the Forerunner and for the sake of this to show the utmost faith, confidence in invisible things. And that's why it takes our breath away when we think about him, and that's why every time we think about a feat to which there is no limit, we remember John. That is why, of those who were born among people by natural birth and ascended miraculously by grace, he is the greatest of all.
Today we are celebrating the day of beheading... We are celebrating... We are used to understanding the word “celebrate” as joy, but it also means “to remain idle”, and you can remain idle, because joy will overwhelm your soul and there is no longer any business to do, and maybe it happens because the hands dropped from grief or from horror. And this is today's holiday: what will you take up in the face of what we have heard today in the Gospel?
And on this day, when our hands fall before the horror and majesty of this fate, the Church calls us to pray for those who, also in horror and trembling and bewilderment, and sometimes in despair, died on the battlefield, died in dungeons, died a lonely death. After you venerate the cross, let us pray for all those who laid down their lives on the battlefield, so that others may live, bow to the ground, so that another may arise. Let us remember those who from millennium to millennium, and not only in our time, perished terrible death, because they knew how to love, or because others didn’t know how to love, let’s remember everyone, because the Lord’s love embraces everyone, and for everyone, praying, the great John, who went through the whole tragedy of sacrifice to the end of dying and death without a single word consolation, but only by the powerful command of God: "Believe to the end, and be faithful to the end!"
Particle of the relics of John the Baptist
Before a particle of the relics of John the Baptist, you can pray in the church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God in Vinogradovo. This is the North-Eastern District of Moscow, the Trinity Deanery.
The stone temple was built in 1772-1777 at the expense of Alexander Glebov, the owner of the estate in Vinogradov, according to the project of the famous architect Vasily Bazhenov. During the years of Soviet power, the temple was not closed, but in 1930 the church house was confiscated from the community.
Temple of the Beheading of John the Baptist in Kolomenskoye (Dyakovo village)
The temple is located in Moscow at the address: Andropov Avenue, house 39, building 7.
The church was erected in the village of Dyakovo in the middle of the 16th century. In some of its features, it anticipated St. Basil's Cathedral. Some researchers associate the laying of the temple with the wedding of Ivan the Terrible to the kingdom in 1547; others suggest that it was founded as a prayer temple for Ivan the Terrible for his son, Tsarevich Ivan, who was born in 1554.
The temple was heavily altered in the 19th century, but all the alterations were removed during the restoration in the 60s of the 20th century. In 1962, fragments of the original painting were cleared on the domed vault of the central pillar - an image of a circle with spirals of red bricks. Interestingly, scientists have not yet disclosed the meaning of this painting.
Folk Traditions of the Feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist
Among the people, the feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist was also called the Poletovshchik, Poletok, Ivan the Proletok, the Turnip Feast, the Golovosek, Ivan the Autumn Torzhok, Ivan the Lenten, Ivan the Post, and so on.
The traditions of the celebration were strongly influenced by ancient pagan beliefs and everyday superstitions. Many Christian symbols in the popular mind were distorted and acquired a grotesque meaning. For example, on the Feast of the Beheading, it was forbidden to eat round fruits and vegetables, because... they look like the head of a prophet. Apples, potatoes, watermelons, onions, turnips were banned. They tried to hide sharp objects away: they reminded the common people of a sword with which a warrior cut off the head of a saint. Therefore, vegetables were not cut, but bread was broken by hand. In some regions, fruits and drinks of red color, the color of the blood of the Baptist, were removed from the table.
But there were folk traditions, more related to the weather and the calendar cycle than to paganism. The day of the Beheading of John the Baptist was considered the beginning of autumn: “A man meets autumn from Ivan Post, a woman begins her Indian summer.”
This holiday is the beginning of the "Turnip Days". They fasted strictly, did not dance and did not sing songs, because "Herod's daughter, dancing and singing, begged to cut off the head of John the Baptist." It was customary to invite the poor and wanderers to the festive table.
