| Name | Saint John the Baptist |
|---|
| Birth date | c. 5 BC |
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| Death date | 30-36 AD (aged 34-40) |
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| Feast day | June 24 (Nativity), August 29 (Beheading), January 7 (Synaxis, Eastern Orthodox), Thout 2 (Coptic Orthodox Church) |
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| Venerated in | Bahá'í Faith, Islam, Assyrian Church of the East, Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Catholic Churches, Oriental Orthodox Churches, Anglicanism, Lutheranism, Mandeanism, Aglipayan Church |
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| Birth place | Herodian Judea |
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| Death place | Machaerus, Perea, Iudæa |
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| Titles | Prophet, Preacher, Forerunner, Martyr |
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| Canonized date | Pre-Congregation |
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| Attributes | Camel-skin robe, cross, lamb, scroll with words "''Ecce Agnus Dei''", platter with own head, pouring water from hands or scallop shell |
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| Patronage | patron saint of Jordan, Puerto Rico, Knights Hospitaller of Jerusalem, French Canada, Newfoundland, Cesena, Florence, Genoa, Monza, Porto, San Juan, Turin, Xewkija, and many other places |
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| Major shrine | Church of St John the Baptist, Jerusalem |
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| Prayer attrib | }} |
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John the Baptist (Hebrew: יוחנן המטביל, ''Yoḥanan ha-mmaṭbil'', ''Yahya ibn Zakariya'', Aramaic: ܝܘܚܢܢ ''Yoḥanan'', Greek: Ὁ Ἅγιος/Τίμιος Ἐνδοξος Προφήτης, Πρόδρομος καὶ Βαπτιστής Ἰωάννης ''Ho Hágios/Tímios Endoxos, Profḗtēs, Pródromos, kaì Baptistḗs Ioánnes'') (c. 6 BC – c. AD 30-36) was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels and the Qur'an. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River. Some scholars maintain that he was influenced by the Essenes, who were semi-ascetic, expected an apocalypse, and practiced rituals corresponding strongly with baptism, although there is no direct evidence to substantiate this. John is regarded as a prophet in Christianity, Islam, the Bahá'í Faith, and Mandaeism.
Most biblical scholars agree that John baptized Jesus at "Bethany
beyond the Jordan," by wading into the water with Jesus from the eastern bank. John the Baptist is also mentioned by Jewish historian Josephus, in Aramaic Matthew, in Pseudo-Clementine, and in the Qur'an. Accounts of John in the New Testament appear compatible with the account in Josephus. There are no other historical accounts of John the Baptist from around the period of his lifetime.
John anticipated a messianic figure who would be greater than himself, and, in the New Testament, Jesus is the one whose coming John foretold. Christians commonly refer to John as the precursor or forerunner of Jesus, since John announces Jesus's coming. John is also identified with the prophet Elijah. Some of Jesus's early followers had previously been followers of John. Some scholars have further speculated that Jesus was himself a disciple of John for some period of time, but this view is disputed.
Christians believe that John the Baptist had a specific role ordained by God as forerunner or precursor of Jesus, who was the foretold
Messiah. The New Testament Gospels speak of this role. In Luke 1:17 the role of John is referred to as being "to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." In Luke 1:76 as "...thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways" and in Luke 1:77 as being "To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins."
There are several passages within the Old Testament which are interpreted by Christians as being prophetic of John the Baptist in this role. These include a passage in the Book of Malachi 3:1 that refers to a prophet who would ''prepare the way of the Lord'':
and also at the end of the next chapter in Malachi 4:5-6 where it says,
The Jews of Jesus's day expected Elijah to come before the Messiah; indeed, some modern Jews continue to await Elijah's coming as well, as in the Cup of Elijah the Prophet in the Passover Seder. This is why the disciples ask Jesus in Matthew 17:10, 'Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?.' The disciples are then told by Jesus that Elijah came in the person of John the Baptist,
These passages are applied to John in the Synoptic Gospels. The Gospel of John indicates that John the Baptist denied this,
All four canonical
Gospels record John the Baptist's ministry, as does the non-canonical
Gospel of the Hebrews. They depict him as proclaiming Christ's arrival. In the
Synoptic Gospels (
Mark,
Matthew, and
Luke), Jesus is baptized by John.
The
Gospel of Luke includes an account of John's infancy, introducing him as the son of
Zechariah, an old man, and his wife
Elizabeth, who was barren. According to this account, the birth of John was foretold by the angel
Gabriel to Zachariah, while Zachariah was performing his functions as a priest in the temple of Jerusalem. Since Zachariah is described as a priest of the course of
Abijah and his wife, Elizabeth, as one of the
daughters of Aaron, this would make John a descendant of
Aaron on both his father's and mother's side.
There is no mention of a family relationship between John and Jesus in the other Gospels, and the scholar Raymond E. Brown has described it as "of dubious historicity". Géza Vermes has called it "artificial and undoubtedly Luke's creation". Conversely, John Calvin, Albert Barnes Adam Clarke, John Gill, and John Wesley amongst many other have affirmed this as divine truth and found no problem with its historicity. On the basis of the account in Luke, the Catholic calendar placed the feast of John the Baptist on June 24, six months before Christmas.
Zachariah had lost his speech at the behest and prophecy of the angel Gabriel, and it was restored on the occasion of Zachariah naming John.
The many similarities between the accounts of the birth of John and that of Samuel in the Old Testament have led scholars to suggest that the Gospel of Luke story of the birth of John and of the annunciation and birth of Jesus are modeled on that of Samuel.
All four canonical gospels relate John's preaching and baptism in the
River Jordan. Most notably he is the one who recognizes
Jesus as the
Messiah and baptizes him. The baptism marks the beginning of
Jesus's ministry. The Gospels of
Mark,
Matthew and (most clearly)
Luke relate that Jesus came from
Galilee to John in
Judea and was baptized by him, whereupon the Spirit descended upon Jesus and a voice from Heaven told him he was
God's Son. The
Gospel of John does not record John's baptizing Jesus, but John introduces Jesus to his
disciples as the "
Lamb of God" (John 1:29-36).
Considered by Christians to be without sin, Jesus nevertheless received John's baptism, which was for the repentance of sins (Mark 1:4). This is addressed in the Gospel of Matthew's account, which portrays John's refusal to baptize Jesus, saying, "I need to be baptized by you." Jesus persuades John to baptize him nonetheless (Matthew 3:13-15).
The Gospel of John reports that Jesus's disciples were baptizing and that a debate broke out between some of the disciples of John and another Jew about purification. In this debate John argued that Jesus "must become greater," while he (John) "must become less". The Gospel of John then points out that Jesus's disciples were baptizing more people than John (John 4:2). Later, the Gospel relates that Jesus regarded John as "a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light" (John 5:35).
The Book of Acts portrays the disciples of John as eventually merging into the followers of Jesus (Acts 18:24-19:6), a development not reported by the Gospels except for the early case of Andrew, Simon Peter's brother (John 1:35-42).
However, some scholars such as Harold W. Attridge contend that John's status as a "self-conscious and deliberate forerunner of Jesus" is likely to be an invention by early Christians, arguing that "for the early church it would have been something of an embarrassment to say that Jesus, who was in their minds superior to John the Baptist, had been baptized by him."
In the Gospel accounts of John's death,
Herod has John imprisoned for denouncing his incestuous marriage, and later executes John by beheading. John condemned Herod for marrying
Herodias (who was not only his brother Philip's former wife but also Herod's ''niece'') in violation of Old Testament Law. Later Herodias's daughter
Salome (who was both Herod's grand-niece and stepdaughter) dances before Herod, who offers her a favour in return. Herodias tells her to ask for the head of John the Baptist, which is delivered to her on a plate (Mark 6:14-29). The first-century Jewish historian Josephus gives a slightly different account in his ''Antiquities of the Jews''. Josephus writes that Herod had John arrested because John had so many followers that Herod feared they might begin a rebellion. Herod later had him executed (''Ant.'' 18.116-118). It is possible that both accounts are true. Josephus writes about John's death in a section detailing some of Herod's political dealings. Herod regarded John as a threat, he spoke against Herod and had many followers, so Herod wanted to get rid of him. The Gospels recall the teaching of John, that he called for Israel to purify herself through baptism (Matthew 3:1-12). So the Gospels' description of John's death focuses on the final reason Herod had for arresting John, which was religious. So it may have been that Herod wanted John arrested because he was a political threat, and John's condemnations of Herod's marriage was "the final straw". See James D.G. Dunn, ''Jesus Remembered'' pp377–379.
An account of John the Baptist is found in all extant manuscripts of the ''
Jewish Antiquities'' (book 18, chapter 5, 2) by
Flavius Josephus (37–100):
As with other passages in Josephus relating to Christian themes concern remains over whether the passage was part of Josephus's original text or instead a later addition - it can be dated back no further than the early 3rd century when it is quoted by Origen in ''Contra Celsum''. According to this passage, the execution of John was blamed for a defeat Herod suffered c. AD 36. Divergences between the passage's presentation and the Biblical accounts of John include baptism for those whose souls have already been "purified beforehand by righteousness" is for purification of the body, not general repentance of sin (Mark 1:4
The burial-place of John the Baptist was at
Sebaste in
Samaria, and mention is made of his
relics being honored there around the middle of the 4th century. The historians
Rufinus and
Theodoretus record that the
shrine was
desecrated under
Julian the Apostate around 362, the bones being partly burned. A portion of the rescued relics were carried to
Jerusalem, then to
Alexandria, where on May 27, 395, they were laid in the
basilica that was newly dedicated to the Forerunner on the former site of the
temple of Serapis. The tomb at Sebaste continued, nevertheless, to be visited by pious
pilgrims, and
St. Jerome bears witness to miracles being worked there.
What became of the head of John the Baptist is difficult to determine. Nicephorus and Symeon Metaphrastes say that Herodias had it buried in the fortress of Machaerus (in accordance with Josephus). Other writers say that it was interred in Herod's palace at Jerusalem; there it was found during the reign of Constantine I, and thence secretly taken to Emesa, in Phoenicia, where it was concealed, the place remaining unknown for years, until it was manifested by revelation in 453. However, the decapitation cloth of St. John is kept at the Aachen Cathedral. The Coptic Christian Orthodox Church also claim to hold the relics of St. John the Baptist. These are to be found in a monastery in Lower Egypt between Cairo and Alexandria. It is possible, with permission from the monks, to see the original tomb where the remains were found. An obscure and surprising claim relates to the town of Halifax in West Yorkshire, United Kingdom, where the Baptist's head appears on the official coat-of-arms. A legend first recorded in the late 16th century and reported in William Camden's ''Britannia'' accounts for the town's place-name, as 'halig' (holy) and 'fax' (face), by stating that the first religious settlers of the district brought the 'face' of John the Baptist with them.
Several different locations claim to possess the severed head of John the Baptist. Among them: Umayyad Mosque in Damascus; San Silvestro in Capite in Rome; and the Residenz Museum in Munich, Germany (official residence of the Wittelsbach rulers of Bavaria from 1385 to 1918). Further heads, no longer available, were once held by the Knights Templar at Amiens Cathedral in France (brought home by Wallon de Sarton from the Fourth Crusade in Constantinople), at Antioch in Turkey (fate uncertain), and the parish church at Tenterden in Kent, where it was preserved up until the Reformation.
The saint's right hand, with which he baptised Jesus, is claimed to be in: the Serbian Orthodox Cetinje monastery in Montenegro; Topkapi Palace in Istanbul; and also in the Romanian skete of the Forerunner on Mount Athos. The saint's left hand is allegedly preserved in the Armenian Apostolic Church of St. John at Chinsurah, West Bengal, where each year on "Chinsurah Day" in January it blesses the Armenians of Calcutta. A crypt and relics said to be John's and mentioned in 11th and 16th century manuscripts, were discovered in 1969 during restoration of the Church of St. Macarius at the Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great in Scetes, Egypt; Additional relics are claimed to reside in Gandzasar Monastery's ''Cathedral of St. John the Baptist'', in Nagorno Karabakh;
thumb|Cristofano Allori's ''John the Baptist in the desert''
Among the early Judaistic Christian groups the
Ebionites held that John, along with Jesus and
James the Just - all of whom they revered - were vegetarians.
Epiphanius of Salamis records that this group had amended their
Gospel of Matthew, known today as the
Gospel of the Ebionites, to change where John eats "locusts" to read "honey cakes" or "
manna".
====Eastern Orthodox Church====
The Eastern Orthodox faithful 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, following his death, John descended into Hades and there once more preached that Jesus the Messiah was coming, so he was the Forerunner of Christ in death as he had been in life. According to Sacred Tradition, John the Baptist appears at the time of death to those who have not heard the Gospel of Christ, and preaches the Good News to them, that all may have the opportunity to be saved. Orthodox churches will often have an icon of St. John the Baptist in a place of honor on the iconostasis, and he is frequently mentioned during the Divine Services. Every Tuesday throughout the year is dedicated to his memory.
The Eastern Orthodox Church remembers Saint John the Forerunner on six separate feast days, listed here in order in which they occur during the church year (which begins on September 1):
September 23 — Conception of St. John the Forerunner
January 7 — The Synaxis of St. John the Forerunner. This is his main feast day, immediately after Theophany on January 6 (January 7 also commemorates the transfer of the relic of the right hand of John the Baptist from Antioch to Constantinople in 956)
February 24 — First and Second Finding of the Head of St. John the Forerunner
May 25 — Third Finding of the Head of St. John the Forerunner
June 24 — Nativity of St. John the Forerunner
August 29 — The Beheading of St. John the Forerunner
In addition to the above, September 5 is the commemoration of Zechariah and Elisabeth, St. John's parents. The Russian Orthodox Church observes October 12 as the Transfer of the Right Hand of the Forerunner from Malta to Gatchina (1799).
thumb|200px|Tomb of St. John the Baptist at a [[Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria|Coptic monastery in
Lower Egypt. The bones of St. John the Baptist were said to have been found here.]]
The Roman Catholic Church commemorates St. John the Baptist on two feast days:
June 24 – Nativity of St. John the Baptist
August 29 – Beheading of St. John the Baptist
Some Catholics have held to a belief that John the Baptist never sinned. In her ''Treatise of Prayer'', Saint Catherine of Siena includes a brief altercation with the Devil regarding her fight due to Satan attempting to lure her with vanity and flattery. Speaking in the first person, Saint Catherine of Siena responds to the Devil with the following words:
Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich mentioned in her mystical visions that Saint John the Baptist was pure, innocent and spotless from the womb of Saint Elizabeth and has never uttered a single lie in his earthy life.
According to Emmerich's alleged visions received from Jesus Christ, Saint John the Baptist was the following:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that modern revelation confirms the biblical account of John and also makes known additional events in his ministry. According to this belief, John was "ordained by the angel of God" when he was 8 days old "to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews" and to prepare a people for the Lord. Mormons also believe that "he was baptized while yet in his childhood."
The LDS Church teaches that John the Baptist appeared on the banks of the Susquehanna River near Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania as a resurrected being to Joseph Smith, Jr. and Oliver Cowdery on May 15, 1829, and ordained them to the Aaronic Priesthood. According to LDS doctrine, John's ministry has operated in three dispensations: he was the last of the prophets under the law of Moses; he was the first of the New Testament prophets; and he was sent to confer the Aaronic Priesthood in our day, the dispensation of the fulness of times. Mormons believe John's ministry was foretold by two prophets whose teachings are included in the Book of Mormon: Lehi and his son Nephi).
The
Unification Church teaches that
God intended that John help Jesus during his public ministry in Judea. In particular, John should have done everything in his power to persuade the Jewish people that Jesus was the Messiah. He was to become Jesus's greatest disciple. John's failure to do so was the chief obstacle to the fulfillment of Jesus's mission.
| Honorific prefix | Prophet |
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| Name | ''Yahya''Prophet, Seer, Messenger, Forerunner of Jesus |
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| Birth date | 6-2 B.C. |
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| Parents | Zachariah and Elizabeth |
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| Relatives | Cousin of Jesus, Nephew of Mary |
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| Other names | New Testament: John the Baptist |
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| Birth place | Jerusalem |
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| Resting place | Umayyad Mosque, Damascus |
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| Known for | Being a gift from God to his father Zachariah, Prophesying with the scripture, Attaining wisdom in youth |
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| Title | }} |
|---|
John is also honored as a
prophet in
Islam as ''Yaḥyā ibn Zakarīyā'' (), translated literally as "John, son of Zechariah". He is believed by
Muslims to have been a witness to the
word of God, and a
prophet who would herald the coming of
Jesus. His father
Zechariah was also an Islamic prophet.
Islamic tradition maintains that John was one of the prophets that
Muhammad met on the night of the
Mi'raj, his ascension through the
Seven Heavens. It is said that he met John and Jesus in the second
heaven, where Muhammad greeted his two 'brothers' before ascending with
archangel Gabriel to the third
heaven. John's story was also told to the
Abyssinian king during the Muslim refugees'
Migration to Abyssinia. According to the
Qur'an, John was one on whom God sent peace on the day that he was born and the day that he died.
An early twentieth century European source says that John's name in
Arabic, ''Yahya'', was supposedly present in
Arabia before the
Qur'an was revealed.. This claim, from an early 1900s European Orientalist source is challenged by Islamic writers who cite and discuss with academics and modern day linguists like Professor Robert Hoberman
and Dr. Geoffery Khan of the
University of Cambridge "This study has shown conclusively that the names Yahya and John (Yuhanan or Yuhanna) are two entirely different names derived from two different roots." and from an exegetical standpoint "The verse at 19:7 which reads lam naj`al lahu min qablu samiyya may be interpreted in two ways: 1. Samiyy, means shabihan or mithlan, i.e., someone like him. The verse is interpreted to mean that the birth of Yahya was unlike the birth of others, as he was born to an aged father and a barren mother. 2. The name Yahya is unique, and no one prior to the birth of Yahya was ever given such a name by God, a point conveniently overlooked by the missionaries." The
exegetes frequently connected the name with the meaning of "to quicken" or "to make alive" in reference to John's mother's barrenness, which was cured by
God, as well as John's preaching, which, as
Muslims believe, "made alive" the faith of
Israel. The
Qur'an accords the significance of John's name to the fact that it was a new name for mankind, in that no one previously had been named "John". Other
scholars hold that John's name, which they state connects with the meaning of "He shall live", referred to his legacy, in that his memory will remain in the mind of the faithful for the generations to come.
In the
Qur'an,
God frequently mentions Zechariah's continuous praying for the birth of son. Zechariah's wife, mentioned in the
New Testament as
Elizabeth, was barren and therefore the birth of a child seemed impossible. As a gift from God, Zechariah was given a son by the name of "John", a name specially chosen for this child alone. In accordance with Zechariah's prayer, God made John and Jesus, who according to
exegesis was born six months later, renew the message of God, which had been corrupted and lost by the
Israelites. As the Qur'an says:
}}
John was exhorted to hold fast to the
Scripture and was given wisdom by God while still a child. He was pure and devout, and walked well in the presence of God. He was dutiful towards his parents and he was not arrogant or rebellious. John's reading and understanding of the scriptures, when only a child, surpassed even that of the greatest scholars of the time.
Muslim exegesis narrates that
Jesus sent John out with twelve disciples, who preached the message before Jesus called his own disciples. The
Qur'an says of John:
John was a classical prophet, who was exalted high by God, for his bold denouncing of all things sinful. Furthermore, the Qur'an speaks of John's gentle pity and love for all creatures and his humble attitude towards life, for which he was granted the Purity of Life:
John is also honored highly in Sufism as well as Islamic mysticism, primarily because of the Qur'an's description of John's chastity and kindness. Sufis have frequently applied commentaries on John's passages on the Qur'an, primarily concerning God-given gift of "Wisdom" which he acquired in youth as well as his parallels with Jesus. Although several phrases used to describe John and Jesus are virtually identical in the Qur'an, the manner in which they are expressed is different.
There are numerous quotations in the writings of
Bahá'u'lláh, Founder of the
Bahá'í Faith mentioning John the Baptist. He is regarded by Bahá'ís as a
lesser Prophet. Bahá'u'lláh claimed that his Forerunner, the
Báb, was the spiritual return of John the Baptist. In his letter to Pope
Pius IX, Bahá'u'lláh wrote:
"O followers of the Son! We have once again sent John unto you, and He, verily, hath cried out in the wilderness of the Bayán: O peoples of the world! Cleanse your eyes! The Day whereon ye can behold the Promised One and attain unto Him hath drawn nigh! O followers of the Gospel! Prepare the way! The Day of the advent of the Glorious Lord is at hand! Make ready to enter the Kingdom. Thus hath it been ordained by God, He Who causeth the dawn to break."
However, Bahá'ís consider the Báb to be a greater Prophet (Manifestation of God) and thus possessed of a far greater station than John the Baptist.
In
Gnosticism, John the Baptist was a "personification" of the
Old Testament prophet
Elijah. Elijah did not know the True God (as opposed to the Abrahamic God), and thus had to be
reincarnated in Gnostic
theology. As predicted by the Old Testament prophet
Malachi, Elijah must "come first" to herald the coming of Jesus Christ. Modern
anthroposophy concurs with the idea that the Baptist was a reincarnation of Elijah, (cf. Mark 9:11-13, Matthew 11:13-14, Luke 7:27), although the
Gospel of John explicitly denies this (John 1:21).
John the Baptist plays a large part in some
Mandaean writings, especially those dating from the Islamic period. They view John as the only true
Messiah.
The
beheading of St. John the Baptist is a standard theme in Christian art, in which John's head is often depicted on a platter, which represents the request of Herod's stepdaughter,
Salome. He is also depicted as an ascetic wearing camel hair, with a staff and scroll inscribed ''
Ecce Agnus Dei'', or bearing a book or dish with a lamb on it. In
Orthodox icons, he often has angel's wings, since Mark 1:2 describes him as a messenger.
The ''Baptism of Christ'' was one of the earliest scenes from the ''
Life of Christ'' to be frequently depicted in
Early Christian art, and John's tall thin, even gaunt, and bearded figure is already established by the 5th century. Only he and Jesus are consistently shown with long hair from Early Christian times, when the apostles generally have trim classical cuts; in fact John is more consistently depicted in this way than Jesus. In
Byzantine art the composition of the ''
Deesis'' came to be included in every
Eastern Orthodox church, as remains the case to this day. Here John and the
Theotokos (Mary) flank a
Christ Pantocrator and intercede for humanity; in many ways this is the equivalent of Western
Crucifixions on
roods and elsewhere, where
John the Evangelist takes the place of John the Baptist (except in the idiosyncratic ''
Isenheim Altarpiece''). John the Baptist is very often shown on altarpieces designed for churches dedicated to him, or where the donor patron was named for him or there was some other connection of patronage - John was the patron saint of
Florence, among many other cities, which means he features among the supporting saints in many important works.
A number of narrative scenes from his life were often shown on the predella of altarpieces dedicated to John, and other settings, notably the large series in grisaille fresco in the Chiostro del Scalzo, which was Andrea del Sarto's largest work, and the frescoed ''Life'' by Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, both in Florence. There is another important fresco cycle by Filippo Lippi in Prato Cathedral. These include the typical scenes: the ''Annunciation to Zechariah'', John's birth, his naming by his father, the ''Visitation'', John's departure for the desert, his preaching in the desert, the ''Baptism of Christ'', John before Herod, the dance of Salome, and his beheading.
His birth, which unlike the Nativity of Jesus allowed a relatively wealthy domestic interior to be shown, became increasingly popular as a subject in the late Middle Ages, with depictions by Jan van Eyck (?) in the Turin-Milan Hours and Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel being among the best known. His execution, a Church feast-day, was often shown, and by the 15th century scenes such as the dance of Salome became popular, sometimes, as in an engraving by Israhel van Meckenem, the interest of the artist is clearly in showing the life of Herod's court, given contemporary dress, as much as the martyrdom of the saint. Salome bearing John's head on a platter equally became a subject for the Northern Renaissance taste for images of glamorous but dangerous women (Delilah, Judith and others), and was often painted by Lucas Cranach the Elder and engraved by the Little Masters. These images remained popular into the Baroque, with Carlo Dolci painting at least three versions. John preaching, in a landscape setting, was a popular subject in Dutch art from Pieter Brueghel the Elder and his successors.
As a child (of varying age), he is sometimes shown from the 15th century in family scenes from the life of Christ such as the ''Presentation of Christ'', the ''Marriage of the Virgin'' and the ''Holy Kinship''. Leonardo da Vinci's versions of the ''Virgin of the Rocks'' were influential in establishing a Renaissance fashion for variations on the Madonna and Child that included John, probably intended to depict the cousin's reunion in Egypt, when after Jesus's Flight to Egypt John was believed to have been carried to join him by an angel. Raphael in particular painted many compositions of the subject, such as the Alba Madonna, La belle jardinière, Aldobrandini Madonna, Madonna della seggiola, Madonna dell'Impannata, which were among his best known works. John was also often shown by himself as an older child or adolescent, usually already wearing his distinctive dress and carrying a long thin wooden cross - another theme influenced by Leonardo, whose equivocal composition, reintroducing the camel-skin dress, was developed by Raphael Titian and Guido Reni among many others. Often he is accompanied by a lamb, especially in the many Early Netherlandish paintings which needed this attribute as he wore normal clothes. Caravaggio painted an especially large number of works including John, from at least five largely nude youths attributed to him, to three late works on his death - the great ''Execution'' in Malta, and two sombre Salomes with his head, one in Madrid, and one in London.
Amiens cathedral, which holds one of the alleged heads of the Baptist, has a biographical sequence in polychrome relief, dating from the 16th century. This stresses the execution and the disposal of the saint's remains.
The death of John remained a popular subject throughout the Baroque period.
A remarkable Pre-Raphaelite portrayal is Christ in the House of His Parents by John Everett Millais. Here the Baptist is shown as a child, wearing a loin covering of animal skins, hurrying to bring a bowl of water to soothe the injured hand of Jesus. Artistic interest enjoyed a considerable revival at the end of the 19th century with Symbolist painters such as Gustave Moreau and Puvis de Chavannes (National Gallery, London). Oscar Wilde's play ''Salome'' was illustrated by Aubrey Beardsley, giving rise to some of his most memorable images.
The
Italian Renaissance poet
Lucrezia Tornabuoni chose John the Baptist as one of biblical figures on which she wrote poetry.
John the Baptist has appeared in a number of screen adaptations of the life of Jesus. Actors who have played John include
Robert Ryan in ''
King of Kings'' (1961), Mario Socrate in ''
The Gospel According to St. Matthew'' (1964),
Charlton Heston in ''
The Greatest Story Ever Told'' (1965),
David Haskell in ''
Godspell'' (1973),
Michael York in ''
Jesus of Nazareth'' (1977), and
Andre Gregory in ''
The Last Temptation of Christ'' (1988).
Saint John the Baptist is the patron saint of
Jordan, his beheading is said to have taken place in
Machaerus in central Jordan.
Saint John the Baptist is the patron saint of Puerto Rico, and its capital city San Juan bears his name. In 1521, the island was given its formal name "San Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico", following the usual custom of christening the town with both its formal name and the name which Christopher Columbus had originally given the island, honouring John the Baptist. The indistinct use of "San Juan Bautista" and "Puerto Rico" for calling both the city and the island led to a reversal in practical use by most inhabitants due largely to a map-making error. Therefore by 1746 the name for the city (Puerto Rico) had become that of the entire island, while the name for the island (San Juan Bautista) had become the name for the city. The official motto for the island of Puerto Rico also references the saint, ''Joannes Est Nomen Eius'' (translated, "John is his name").
He is also a patron saint of French Canada, and Newfoundland. The Canadian cities of St. John's, Newfoundland (1497) and Saint John, New Brunswick (1604) were both named in his honor. In the UK Saint John the Baptist is the patron saint of Penzance, Cornwall. His feast day is June 24, celebrated in Quebec as the ''Fête Nationale du Québec'', and in Newfoundland as Discovery Day.
Also on the night from June 23 to 24, Saint John is celebrated as the patron saint of Porto, the second largest city in Portugal. An article from June 2004 in The Guardian, remarked that "Porto's Festa de São João is one of Europe's liveliest street festivals, yet it is relatively unknown outside the country".
He is also patron of the Knights Hospitaller of Jerusalem, Malta, Florence, and Genoa, Italy.
John is patron saint of Xewkija-Gozo, Malta, which remember him with a great feast on the Sunday nearest to June 24.
The Baptistines are the name given to a number of religious orders dedicated to the memory of John the Baptist. Saint John is also the patron saint of Lian, Batangas, Calamba City, Laguna, San Juan, Metro Manila (Philippines) and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston which comprises the entire state of South Carolina. St. John the Baptist is (along with St. John the Evangelist) claimed as a Patron Saint by the fraternal society of Free and Accepted Masons (better known as the Freemasons).
In many Mediterranean countries the
summer solstice is dedicated to St. John. The associated ritual is very similar to
midsummer celebrations in the Anglo-Saxon tradition.
St. John the Baptist Primary School, Southampton,
Armenian Apostolic Monastery of Gandzasar, Nagorno Karabakh
Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, a 4th century Armenian monastery in the Taron province of historic Armenia that contained the relics of Saint John the Baptist (which were moved there from Caeserea)
Maronite Catholic Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, Beit Mery, Lebanon
Romanian Skete Prodromos (the name is the Greek for "The Forerunner") on Mount Athos, holding relics believed to be of John the Baptist
St John's College of The University of Oxford, Oxford, England
Puerto Rico was originally named San Juan Bautista; San Juan (then called Puerto Rico) is now its capital city.
St. John's, Newfoundland, was founded on his feast day June 24, 1497.
Exactly 34 years later San Juan del Río, Querétaro, Mexico was founded on June 24, 1531.
Saint John, New Brunswick was named after the Saint John River which was named by Samuel de Champlain
Fête nationale du Québec — also known as la St- Jean-Baptiste — is the provincial holiday of Quebec, celebrated on June 24 of every year
Prince Edward Island, a Canadian province, was originally called ''Île de St-Jean'' or St. John's Island.
St. John's University located in Queens, New York; St. John's is the second largest Roman Catholic university in the United States.
Mission San Juan Bautista, one of the original 18th century missions in northern California.
The City of San Juan in Metro Manila, the Philippines. Also known by its formal name ''Sn Juan del Monte'', the ''Pinaglabanan'' church is dedicated to this saint.
The City of Calamba in Laguna, the Philippines. Established in 1859. It was burned by the Japanese during World War II. It was reconstructed by Fr. Eliseo Dimaculangan. It was the christening site of Jose Rizal. The original baptismal font has been preserved and refurvished.
12th century cathedral in Kamień Pomorski (Poland) with a famous 17th century organ
St. John Ambulance and the Venerable Order of St. John.
Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta (commonly referred to as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta)
The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University and Saint John's Abbey in Collegeville, MN.
St. John's wort is named after St. John because it is traditionally harvested on his feast day, June 24.
The city of Sveti Ivan Zelina and the village of Sveti Ivan Žabno in Croatia were named after John the Baptist. Both have churches dedicated to him.
Two different Churches of St. John the Baptist in Ein Karem, traditional place of his birth
Basilica of St. John Lateran
St. John the Baptist of Coventry
St. John the Baptist of Burford, a large parish church reflecting the wealth generated by the town's wool trade, and substantially completed in the 15th century.
The parish church adjoining Stokesay Castle, one of the very few constructed under the Commonwealth.
St. John the Baptist in St. John's, Newfoundland (Basilica-cathedral)
St. John the Baptist in St. John's, Newfoundland (Anglican Cathedral)
San Giovanni Battista of Cesena (cathedral)
San Giovanni Battista of Rimini (cathedral)
San Giovanni Battista Turin (cathedral)
Saint-Jean-Baptiste d'Audresselles
St. John's Cathedral of Valletta
Greek Orthodox Church of St John the Baptist Located on Ha-Notsrim street in the Christian Quarter, Old Jerusalem
Church of St. John the Baptist, Mudgee, New South Wales, Australia
St. John's (Episcopal) Church, Elizabeth, New Jersey, where the youngest signer of the United States Constitution is buried, Jonathan Dayton, and the 1769 wedding site of the parents of Elizabeth Ann Seton (first American Roman Catholic saint)
Chapel of St. John the Baptist (Capela de São João Baptista), 18th century, at the time an expensive chapel in Europe. It is in the Igreja de São Roque (Lisbon)
Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Warsaw, Poland. Coronation and Burial Site of Stanislaw August Poniatowski, last King of Poland.
Monastery of St John The Baptist Bigorski, Macedonia. Built in 1020, destroyed by the Turks in the 16th century and then rebuilt in 1743. Famous for its iconostasis.
Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Charleston, South Carolina
Baptism of Jesus
Biblical narratives and the Qur'an
Chronology of Jesus
Cultural and historical background of Jesus
Ebionites
Elijah
Johannite
Legends and the Qur'an
Matthew 3:1 "This verse introduces the character of John the Baptist."
Messengers from John the Baptist
Prophets of Islam
Stories of The Prophets
Brooks Hansen (2009) ''John the Baptizer: A Novel''. New York: W. W. Norton. ISBN 978-0-393-06947-1
Murphy, Catherine M. (2003) ''John the Baptist: Prophet of Purity for a New Age''. Collegeville: Liturgical Press. ISBN 0-8146-5933-0
Taylor, Joan E. (1997) ''The Immerser: John the Baptist within Second Temple Judaism''. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. ISBN 0-8028-4236-4
W. Barnes Tatum (1994) ''John the Baptist and Jesus: A Report of the Jesus Seminar.'', Sonoma, California: Polebridge Press, 1994, ISBN 0-944344-42-9
Webb, Robert L. (1991) ''John the Baptizer and Prophet: a Socio-Historical Study''. Wipf and Stock Publishers. ISBN 978-1-59752-986-0 (first published Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1991)
Josephus wrote that "...Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism; for that the washing would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the remission of some sins, but for the purification of the body; supposing still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness." (Josephus, AJ, 18.5.2)
J.C.L Gibson, ''John the Baptist in Muslim writings'', in ''MW'', xlv (1955), 334-345
Appraisals for Yahya: 6:85, 19:7, 19:12, 19:13, 19:14, 19:15
Yahya's prophecy: 3:39, 6:85, 19:12
''Catholic Encyclopedia'': St. John the Baptist
''Jewish Encyclopedia:'' John the Baptist
Prophet Yahya (John) in the light of Islamic tradition.
Prophet John (Yahya)
Category:0s BC births
Category:1st-century Christian saints
Category:1st-century Romans
Category:30s deaths
Category:Apocalypticists
Category:Baptism
Category:Founders of religions
Category:Judaism-related controversies
Category:New Testament people
Category:People celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendar
Category:People executed by decapitation
Category:Prophets in Christianity
Category:Prophets of Islam
Category:Roman-era Jews
Category:Saints from the Holy Land
Category:Mandaeism
ar:يوحنا المعمدان
an:Sant Chuan Baptista
arc:ܝܘܚܢܢ ܡܥܡܕܢܐ
az:Vəftizçi Yəhya
bn:ইয়াহিয়া
be:Іаан Прадцеча
bg:Йоан Кръстител
br:Yann ar Badezour
ca:Joan Baptista
cs:Jan Křtitel
cy:Ioan Fedyddiwr
da:Johannes Døberen
de:Johannes der Täufer
dv:ޔަޙްޔާގެފާނު
et:Ristija Johannes
el:Ιωάννης ο Βαπτιστής
es:Juan el Bautista
eo:Johano la Baptisto
eu:Joan Bataiatzailea
fa:یحیی
fo:Jóhannes Doyparin
fr:Jean le Baptiste
fy:Jehannes de Doper
ga:Eoin Baiste
gl:Xoán o Bautista
ko:세례자 요한
hy:Հովհաննես Մկրտիչ
hsb:Jan Křćenik
hr:Sveti Ivan Krstitelj
bpy:সাও জোয়াও বাটিস্টা
id:Yohanes Pembaptis
os:Иоанн Аргъауæг
it:Giovanni Battista
he:יוחנן המטביל
ka:იოანე ნათლისმცემელი
kk:Жақия
sw:Yohane Mbatizaji
kv:Тöвся Иван лун
lbe:ЯхӀя идавс
la:Ioannes Baptista
lv:Jānis Kristītājs
lt:Jonas Krikštytojas
li:Johannes de Duiper
ln:Yoane Mobatisi
hu:Keresztelő János
mk:Свети Јован Крстител
ml:യഹ്യ
arz:يوحنا المعمدان
ms:John Pembaptis
nl:Johannes de Doper
ja:洗礼者ヨハネ
no:Johannes Døperen
nn:Døyparen Johannes
oc:Joan Batista
pl:Jan Chrzciciel
pt:João Batista
ro:Ioan Botezătorul
ru:Иоанн Креститель
sc:Giuanne Battista
sq:Gjon Pagëzori
simple:John the Baptist
sk:Ján Krstiteľ
sl:Sveti Janez Krstnik
so:Nabi Yaxye C.S.
sr:Јован Крститељ
sh:Ivan Krstitelj
fi:Johannes Kastaja
sv:Johannes Döparen
tl:San Juan Bautista
ta:திருமுழுக்கு யோவான்
th:ยอห์นผู้ให้รับบัพติศมา
tr:Yahya (peygamber)
uk:Іван Хреститель
ur:یحییٰ علیہ السلام
vec:San Zuane Batista
vi:Gioan Baotixita
zh:聖若翰洗者
![Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglican Church [1], Ashfield, New South Wales. Illustrates Jesus' description of himself](http://web.archive.org./web/20120618023655/http://cdn9.wn.com/pd/13/db/1c7b7d0de3659987fd6d0179449f_medium.jpg "Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglican Church [1], Ashfield, New South Wales. Illustrates Jesus' description of himself")
