Juan el Bautista [nota 1] ( c. siglo I a. C. – c. 30 d. C. ) fue un predicador judío activo en la zona del río Jordán a principios del siglo I d. C. [19] [20] También se le conoce como San Juan el Precursor en la ortodoxia oriental y la ortodoxia oriental , Juan el Inmersor en algunas tradiciones cristianas bautistas , [21] y Profeta Yahya en el Islam . A veces se le conoce alternativamente como Juan el Bautista . [22] [23] [24]
Juan es mencionado por el historiador judío romano Josefo [25] y es reverenciado como una figura religiosa importante [26] en el cristianismo, el islam, la fe bahá'í , [27] la fe drusa y el mandeísmo , este último en el que se le considera el profeta final y más vital. Es considerado un profeta de Dios por todas las religiones antes mencionadas, y es honrado como un santo en muchas denominaciones cristianas . Según el Nuevo Testamento , Juan anticipó una figura mesiánica mayor que él; [28] en los Evangelios , se le retrata como el precursor o precursor de Jesús . [29] Según el Evangelio de Mateo , el propio Jesús identifica a Juan como "Elías que ha de venir", [30] lo que es una referencia directa al Libro de Malaquías (Malaquías 4:5), [31] como lo confirmó el ángel que anunció el nacimiento de Juan a su padre, Zacarías . [32] Según el Evangelio de Lucas , Juan y Jesús eran parientes. [33] [34]
Algunos eruditos sostienen que Juan pertenecía a los esenios , una secta judía semiascética que esperaba un mesías y practicaba el bautismo ritual . [35] [36] Juan usó el bautismo como el símbolo o sacramento central [37] de su movimiento pre-mesiánico. La mayoría de los eruditos bíblicos están de acuerdo en que Juan bautizó a Jesús , [38] [39] y varios relatos del Nuevo Testamento informan que algunos de los primeros seguidores de Jesús habían sido previamente seguidores de Juan. [40] Según el Nuevo Testamento, Juan fue sentenciado a muerte y posteriormente decapitado por Herodes Antipas alrededor del año 30 d. C. después de que Juan lo reprendiera por divorciarse de su esposa Fasaelis y luego casarse ilegalmente con Herodías , la esposa de su hermano Herodes Felipe I. Josefo también menciona a Juan en las Antigüedades de los judíos y afirma que fue ejecutado por orden de Herodes Antipas en la fortaleza de Maqueronte . [41]
Los seguidores de Juan existieron hasta bien entrado el siglo II d. C., y algunos lo proclamaron como el Mesías esperado por los judíos . [42] En los tiempos modernos, los seguidores de Juan el Bautista son los mandeos , un antiguo grupo etnoreligioso que cree que él es su mayor y último profeta. [43] [44] En el martirologio romano , aparte de Jesús y la Virgen María, Juan es el único santo cuyo nacimiento y muerte se conmemoran. [45]
Juan el Bautista es mencionado en los cuatro evangelios canónicos y en el Evangelio de los Nazarenos, que no es canónico . Los evangelios sinópticos ( Marcos , Mateo y Lucas ) describen a Juan bautizando a Jesús; en el Evangelio de Juan muchos infieren que esto se menciona en Juan 1:32. [46] [47]
El Evangelio de Marcos presenta a Juan como el cumplimiento de una profecía del Libro de Isaías (de hecho, una combinación de textos de Isaías, Malaquías y Éxodo ) [48] sobre un mensajero que sería enviado por delante, y una voz que clamaría en el desierto. Se describe a Juan vistiendo ropas de pelo de camello, y viviendo de langostas y miel silvestre . Juan proclama el bautismo de arrepentimiento para el perdón de los pecados, y dice que otro vendrá después de él que no bautizará con agua, sino con el Espíritu Santo.
Jesús se presenta ante Juan y es bautizado por él en el río Jordán. El relato describe cómo, al salir del agua, Jesús ve que se abren los cielos y que el Espíritu Santo desciende sobre él «como una paloma» y oye una voz que viene del cielo y le dice: «Tú eres mi Hijo amado, en ti me complazco». [49]
Más adelante en el evangelio se narra la muerte de Juan. Se introduce con un incidente en el que el tetrarca Herodes Antipas , al oír historias sobre Jesús, imagina que se trata de Juan el Bautista resucitado de entre los muertos. Luego explica que Juan había reprendido a Herodes por casarse con Herodías , la ex esposa de su hermano (nombrado aquí como Felipe). Herodías exige su ejecución, pero Herodes, a quien "le gustaba escuchar" a Juan, se muestra reacio a hacerlo porque le teme, sabiendo que es un "hombre justo y santo".
El relato describe luego cómo la hija anónima de Herodías baila ante Herodes, quien está complacido y le ofrece a cambio cualquier cosa que ella pida. Cuando la niña le pregunta a su madre qué debe pedir, esta le dice que exija la cabeza de Juan el Bautista. A regañadientes, Herodes ordena la decapitación de Juan, y su cabeza es entregada a ella, a petición de ella, en una bandeja. Los discípulos de Juan se llevan el cuerpo y lo entierran en una tumba. [50]
El Evangelio se refiere a Antipas como "rey" [51] y el ex marido de Herodías es nombrado como Felipe, pero se sabe que se llamaba Herodes . [52] Aunque la redacción implica claramente que la niña era hija de Herodías, muchos textos la describen como "la hija de Herodes, Herodías". Dado que estos textos son tempranos y significativos y la lectura es " difícil ", muchos eruditos ven esta como la versión original, alterada en versiones posteriores y en Mateo y Lucas. [52] [53] [54] Josefo dice que Herodías tenía una hija llamada Salomé. [55]
Los eruditos han especulado sobre el origen de la historia. Dado que muestra signos de haber sido compuesta en arameo, lengua que Marcos aparentemente no hablaba, es probable que la haya obtenido de una fuente palestina. [56] Hay una variedad de opiniones sobre la cantidad de material histórico real que contiene, especialmente dados los supuestos errores factuales. [57] Muchos eruditos han visto la historia de Juan arrestado, ejecutado y enterrado en una tumba como un presagio consciente del destino de Jesús. [58]
El relato del Evangelio de Mateo comienza con la misma cita modificada de Isaías, [59] trasladando el material de Malaquías y Éxodo a una parte posterior del texto, donde es citado por Jesús. [60] La descripción de Juan posiblemente se haya tomado directamente de Marcos ("vestido de pelo de camello con un cinturón de cuero alrededor de su cintura, y su comida era langostas y miel silvestre"), junto con la proclamación de que vendría uno que bautizaría con el Espíritu Santo "y fuego". [61] El libro de Mateo presenta a continuación a Jesús viniendo a Juan para ser bautizado, pero Juan se opone porque no es digno, ya que Jesús es quien trae el bautismo en el Espíritu. [62]
A diferencia de Marcos, Mateo describe a Juan como crítico de los fariseos y saduceos y predicador de que "el reino de los cielos está cerca" y de un "juicio venidero".
Mateo abrevia el relato de la decapitación de Juan y añade dos elementos: que Herodes Antipas quiere que Juan muera y que los discípulos de Jesús le informan de la muerte. [63] El enfoque de Mateo es desviar la atención de Herodes hacia Juan como prototipo de Jesús. Mientras que Marcos muestra que Herodes mata a Juan a regañadientes y por insistencia de Herodías, Mateo lo describe como alguien que quiere que Juan muera. [64]
El Evangelio de Lucas añade un relato de la infancia de Juan, presentándolo como el hijo milagroso de Zacarías , un anciano sacerdote, y su esposa Isabel , que había pasado la menopausia y por lo tanto no podía tener hijos. [65] [66] [67] Según este relato, el nacimiento de Juan fue predicho por el ángel Gabriel a Zacarías mientras desempeñaba sus funciones como sacerdote en el templo de Jerusalén. Dado que se le describe como un sacerdote del orden de Abías e Isabel como una de las hijas de Aarón , [68] esto haría que Juan fuera descendiente de Aarón tanto por parte de su padre como de su madre. [69] Sobre la base de este relato, los calendarios litúrgicos católico, anglicano y luterano colocaron la fiesta de la Natividad de Juan Bautista el 24 de junio, seis meses antes de Navidad. [70]
En Lucas 1:36 se describe a Isabel como una «pariente» de María, la madre de Jesús. [71] No se menciona ninguna relación familiar entre Juan y Jesús en los otros Evangelios, y Raymond E. Brown la ha descrito como «de dudosa historicidad ». [72] Géza Vermes la ha llamado «artificial e indudablemente creación de Lucas». [73] Las muchas similitudes entre la historia del nacimiento de Juan en el Evangelio de Lucas y el relato del nacimiento de Samuel en el Antiguo Testamento sugieren que el relato de Lucas sobre la anunciación y el nacimiento de Jesús se basa en el de Samuel. [74]
Un ejemplo exclusivo del Evangelio de Lucas es que Juan Bautista enseña explícitamente la caridad, bautiza a los recaudadores de impuestos y aconseja a los soldados.
El texto menciona brevemente que Juan es encarcelado y luego decapitado por Herodes, pero el Evangelio de Lucas carece de la historia de una hijastra que baila para Herodes y solicita la cabeza de Juan.
El libro de los Hechos retrata a algunos discípulos de Juan convirtiéndose en seguidores de Jesús, [75] un desarrollo no reportado por los evangelios excepto en el caso temprano de Andrés , el hermano de Simón Pedro. [76]
El cuarto evangelio describe a Juan Bautista como «un hombre enviado por Dios» que «no era la luz», sino que «vino como testigo, para dar testimonio de la luz, para que todos creyeran por él». [77] Juan confirma que no es el Cristo ni Elías ni «el profeta» cuando le preguntan los sacerdotes judíos y los fariseos; en cambio, se describe a sí mismo como la «voz de uno que clama en el desierto». [78]
Tras el análisis literario, queda claro que Juan es el «testigo y confesor por excelencia », sobre todo si se le compara con figuras como Nicodemo . [79]
El bautismo de Jesús está implícito, pero no representado. A diferencia de los otros evangelios, es el propio Juan quien da testimonio de haber visto "al Espíritu descender del cielo como una paloma y posarse sobre él". Juan anuncia explícitamente que Jesús es el que "bautiza con el Espíritu Santo" e incluso Juan profesa "creer que él es el Hijo de Dios" y "el Cordero de Dios".
El Evangelio de Juan relata que los discípulos de Jesús estaban bautizando y que estalló un debate entre algunos de los discípulos de Juan y otro judío acerca de la purificación. [80] En este debate, Juan argumentó que Jesús "debía hacerse más grande", mientras que él (Juan) "debía hacerse más pequeño". [81] [82]
El Evangelio de Juan señala luego que los discípulos de Jesús bautizaban a más personas que Juan. [83] Más adelante, el Evangelio relata que Jesús consideraba a Juan como «una lámpara que arde y brilla, y tú quisiste alegrarte un poco a su luz». [84]
Los cuatro Evangelios comienzan el ministerio de Jesús en asociación con la aparición de Juan el Bautista. [85] Simon J. Joseph ha argumentado que el Evangelio degrada al Juan histórico al representarlo sólo como un precursor profético de Jesús, mientras que su ministerio en realidad complementó el de Jesús. [86]
Aunque el Evangelio de Marcos implica que la llegada de Juan Bautista es el cumplimiento de una profecía del Libro de Isaías , las palabras citadas ("Yo enviaré mi mensajero delante de ti, que preparará tu camino; voz de uno que clama en el desierto: 'Preparad el camino del Señor, enderezad sus sendas'") son en realidad una combinación de textos de Isaías , Malaquías y el Libro del Éxodo . (Mateo y Lucas omiten la primera parte de la referencia.) [48]
Los evangelios difieren en cuanto a los detalles del bautismo. En Marcos y Lucas, Jesús mismo ve los cielos abiertos y oye una voz que se dirige a él personalmente y le dice: "Tú eres mi hijo amado; me traes gran alegría". No aclaran si otros vieron y oyeron estas cosas. Aunque se registran otros incidentes en los que la "voz vino del cielo" y, para beneficio de las multitudes, se escuchó de manera audible, Juan dijo en su testimonio que vio al espíritu descender "del cielo" (Juan 12:28-30, Juan 1:32).
En Mateo, la voz del cielo no se dirige personalmente a Jesús, sino que dice: "Este es mi Hijo amado, en quien tengo complacencia".
En el Evangelio de Juan, el mismo Juan Bautista ve al espíritu descender como una paloma, testificando la experiencia como evidencia del estado de Jesús.
El conocimiento que Juan tiene de Jesús varía según los evangelios. En el Evangelio de Marcos, Juan predica acerca de un líder que vendrá, pero no muestra señales de reconocer que Jesús es ese líder. En Mateo, sin embargo, Juan reconoce inmediatamente a Jesús y cuestiona su propia valía para bautizarlo. Tanto en Mateo como en Lucas, Juan envía más tarde a los discípulos a interrogar a Jesús sobre su estatus, preguntando: "¿Eres tú el que ha de venir, o esperaremos a otro?". En Lucas, Juan es un pariente de Jesús cuyo nacimiento fue predicho por Gabriel. En el Evangelio de Juan, el propio Juan Bautista ve al espíritu descender como una paloma y predica explícitamente que Jesús es el Hijo de Dios.
Los evangelios varían en su descripción de la relación de Juan con Elías . Mateo y Marcos describen la vestimenta de Juan de una manera que recuerda la descripción de Elías en 2 Reyes 1:8 , que también vestía una túnica de pelo y un cinturón de cuero. En Mateo, Jesús enseña explícitamente que Juan es "Elías que había de venir" (Mateo 11:14; véase también Mateo 17:11-13); muchos teólogos cristianos han interpretado esto como que Juan era el sucesor de Elías. En el Evangelio de Juan, Juan el Bautista niega explícitamente ser Elías. En el relato de la anunciación en Lucas, un ángel se le aparece a Zacarías, el padre de Juan, y le dice que Juan "convertirá a muchos de los hijos de Israel al Señor su Dios", y que saldrá "con el espíritu y el poder de Elías". [87]
La siguiente tabla de comparación se basa principalmente en la traducción al inglés del Nuevo Testamento de la Nueva Versión Internacional (NVI). [88] El relato de Flavio Josefo en Antigüedades de los judíos fue traducido por William Whiston. [89]
Se encuentra un relato de Juan el Bautista en todos los manuscritos existentes de las Antigüedades de los judíos (libro 18, capítulo 5, 2) de Flavio Josefo (37–100): [90]
EspañolAhora bien, algunos de los judíos pensaban que la destrucción del ejército de Herodes [Antipas] venía de Dios, y que muy justamente, como castigo por lo que hizo contra Juan, que era llamado el Bautista: porque Herodes lo mató, que era un hombre bueno, y ordenó a los judíos ejercitar la virtud, tanto en cuanto a la justicia hacia los demás, como a la piedad hacia Dios, y así acudir al bautismo; porque el lavamiento [con agua] le sería aceptable, si lo usaban, no para quitar [o remitir] algunos pecados [solamente], sino para la purificación del cuerpo; suponiendo todavía que el alma estuviera completamente purificada de antemano por la justicia. 91 Herodes, que se había reunido con él en masa, se sintió muy conmovido por sus palabras y temió que la gran influencia que Juan ejercía sobre el pueblo le indujera a rebelarse (porque parecían dispuestos a hacer cualquier cosa que él les aconsejara), pensó que lo mejor sería matarlo para evitar cualquier daño que pudiera causar y no meterse en problemas, pues perdonaría a un hombre que podría hacerle arrepentirse cuando fuera demasiado tarde. Por lo tanto, Herodes, por su temperamento suspicaz, lo envió como prisionero a Maqueronte , el castillo que mencioné antes, y allí lo ejecutaron. Los judíos opinaban que la destrucción de este ejército era un castigo para Herodes y una señal del desagrado de Dios hacia él.
Según este pasaje, la ejecución de Juan fue la causa de la derrota que sufrió Herodes. Algunos han afirmado que este pasaje indica que Juan murió cerca del momento de la destrucción del ejército de Herodes en el año 36 d. C. Sin embargo, en un pasaje diferente, Josefo afirma que el fin del matrimonio de Herodes con la hija de Aretas (después del cual Juan fue asesinado) fue solo el comienzo de las hostilidades entre Herodes y Aretas, que luego se intensificaron hasta convertirse en una batalla. [92]
El erudito bíblico John Dominic Crossan diferencia entre el relato de Josefo sobre Juan y el de Jesús, diciendo: "Juan tenía el monopolio, pero Jesús tenía la franquicia". Para ser bautizado, escribe Crossan, una persona sólo tenía que acudir a Juan; para detener el movimiento sólo era necesario detener a Juan (por lo tanto, su movimiento terminó con su muerte). Jesús invitó a todos a venir y ver cómo él y sus compañeros ya habían aceptado el gobierno de Dios, habían entrado en él y lo estaban viviendo. Semejante praxis comunitaria no era sólo para él, sino que podía sobrevivir sin él, a diferencia del movimiento de Juan. [93]
Mateo 14:12 registra que “vinieron sus discípulos, tomaron el cuerpo de Juan y lo enterraron”. [94] El teólogo Joseph Benson se refiere a la creencia de que lograron hacerlo porque “parece que el cuerpo había sido arrojado por encima de los muros de la prisión, sin sepultura, probablemente por orden de Herodías”. [95]
Es difícil determinar qué sucedió con la cabeza de Juan el Bautista. Los historiadores antiguos Josefo , Nicéforo [96] y Simeón Metafrastes supusieron que Herodías la hizo enterrar en la fortaleza de Maqueronte .
Una tradición ortodoxa oriental sostiene que, después de enterrar la cabeza, los seguidores de Juan la descubrieron y la llevaron al Monte de los Olivos , donde fue enterrada y descubierta dos veces, acontecimientos estos últimos que dieron lugar a la fiesta ortodoxa del Primer y Segundo Hallazgo de la Cabeza de San Juan Bautista . Otros escritores dicen que fue enterrada en el palacio de Herodes en Jerusalén; allí fue encontrada durante el reinado de Constantino , y de allí llevada en secreto a Emesa (la actual Homs, en Siria) , donde estuvo oculta, permaneciendo el lugar desconocido durante años, hasta que se manifestó por revelación en 452, [97] un acontecimiento celebrado en la Iglesia Ortodoxa como el Tercer Hallazgo .
Una tradición apócrifa afirma que, tras la muerte de Juan, un ángel le ordenó a su madre Isabel que lo enterrara donde yacía su padre. El ángel la condujo entonces al templo en el que Herodes I mató al padre de Juan, momento en el que se oyó una voz, se oyó un terremoto, se oyó un trueno y el altar del templo se abrió, revelando el cuerpo de Zacarías. Isabel enterró entonces el cuerpo de Juan bajo ese altar. [98]
Dos iglesias católicas y una mezquita afirman tener la cabeza de San Juan Bautista: la Mezquita de los Omeyas , en Damasco ( Siria ); la iglesia de San Silvestro in Capite , en Roma ; y la Catedral de Amiens , en Francia (el rey francés la habría hecho traer de Tierra Santa después de la Cuarta Cruzada ). Una cuarta afirmación la hace el Museo Residenz de Múnich, Alemania, que conserva un relicario que contiene lo que los gobernantes Wittelsbach de Baviera creían que era la cabeza de San Juan. [99]
Según el árabe cristiano Ibn Butlan , la iglesia de Casiano en Antioquía conservó el brazo derecho de Juan el Bautista hasta que fue contrabandeado a Calcedonia y más tarde a Constantinopla. [100] Un monasterio cristiano ortodoxo en Cetinje , Montenegro , y la catedral católica de Siena , en Italia , afirman tener el brazo y la mano derecha de Juan el Bautista, con los que bautizó a Jesús. [101] [102] Según el relato católico, en 1464 el papa Pío II donó lo que se identificó como el brazo y la mano derecha de Juan el Bautista a la catedral de Siena. [103] La carta de donación identifica la reliquia como "el brazo del bendito Juan el Bautista. Y este es el mismo brazo que bautizó al Señor". La reliquia se exhibe en el altar mayor de la catedral de Siena anualmente en junio.
El Palacio de Topkapi , en Estambul, afirma tener el dedo índice de la mano derecha de Juan. [102]
La mano derecha de Juan Bautista supuestamente se conserva en la Iglesia Apostólica Armenia de San Juan en Chinsurah, Bengala Occidental , en la India, donde cada año en el "Día de Chinsurah", en enero, bendice a los cristianos armenios de Calcuta .
Se dice que el sudario decapitador de San Juan, el paño que cubrió su cabeza después de su ejecución, se conserva en la Catedral de Aquisgrán , en Alemania. [104]
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According to Armenian tradition, the remains of John the Baptist would in some point have been transferred by Gregory the Illuminator to the Saint Karapet Armenian Monastery.[105][106]
In 2010, bones were discovered in the ruins of a Bulgarian church in the St. John the Forerunner Monastery (4th–17th centuries) on the Black Sea island of Sveti Ivan (Saint John) and two years later, after DNA and radio carbon testing proved the bones belonged to a Middle Eastern man who lived in the 1st century AD, scientists said that the remains could conceivably have belonged to John the Baptist.[107][108] The remains, found in a reliquarium, are presently kept in the Sts. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral in Sozopol.[107][109]
The Coptic Orthodox Church also have claimed to hold the relics of Saint John the Baptist. 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.[110]
Additional relics are claimed to reside in Gandzasar Monastery's Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, in Nagorno-Karabakh.[citation needed]
The bone of one of John the Baptist's left fingers is said to be at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri. It is held in a Gothic-style monstrance made of gilded silver that dates back to 14th century Lower Saxony.[111][112]
Another obscure claim relates to the town of Halifax in West Yorkshire, United Kingdom, where, as patron saint of the town, John the Baptist's head appears on the official coat-of-arms.[113] One legend (among others) bases the etymology of the town's place-name on "halig" (holy) and "fax" (hair), claiming that a relic of the head, or face, of John the Baptist once existed in the town.[114]
The Gospels describe John the Baptist as having 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."[115] In Luke 1:76 as "thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways"[116] and in Luke 1:77 as being "To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins."[117]
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 that refers to a prophet who would "prepare the way of the Lord":
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
— Malachi 3:1[118]
Also at the end of the next chapter in Malachi 4:5–6 it says,
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
The Jews of Jesus' day expected Elijah to come before the Messiah; indeed, some present day 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?"[119] The disciples are then told by Jesus that Elijah came in the person of John the Baptist,
Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.
— Matthew 17:11–13 (see also 11:14: "...if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who was to come.")
These passages are applied to John in the Synoptic Gospels.[120][121][122] But where Matthew specifically identifies John the Baptist as Elijah's spiritual successor,[123] the gospels of Mark and Luke are silent on the matter. The Gospel of John states that John the Baptist denied that he was Elijah.
Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not deny, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ." They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No."
— John 1:19–21
Many scholars believe there was contact between the early church in the Apostolic Age and what is called the "Qumran-Essene community".[124] The Dead Sea Scrolls were found at Qumran, which the majority of historians and archaeologists identify as an Essene settlement.[125] John the Baptist is thought to have been either an Essene or "associated" with the community at Khirbet Qumran. According to the Book of Acts, Paul met some "disciples of John" in Ephesus.[126]
The Catholic Church commemorates Saint John the Baptist on two feast days:
According to Frederick Holweck, at the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to his mother Elizabeth, as recounted in Luke 1:39–57, John, sensing the presence of his Jesus, upon the arrival of Mary, leaped in the womb of his mother; he was then cleansed from original sin and filled with the grace of God.[127] In her Treatise of Prayer, Saint Catherine of Siena includes a brief altercation with the Devil regarding her fight due to the Devil attempting to lure her with vanity and flattery. Speaking in the first person, Catherine responds to the Devil with the following words:
[...] humiliation of yourself, and you answered the Devil with these words: "Wretch that I am! John the Baptist never sinned and was sanctified in his mother's womb. And I have committed so many sins [...]"
— Catherine of Siena, A Treatise of Prayer, 1370.[128][129]
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The Eastern Catholic Churches and Eastern Orthodox faith 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. Eastern Catholic and Orthodox churches will often have an icon of Saint 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 1 September):
In addition to the above, 5 September is the commemoration of Zacharias and Elizabeth, Saint John's parents.
The Russian Orthodox Church observes 12 October as the Transfer of the Right Hand of the Forerunner from Malta to Gatchina (1799).
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 eight days old "to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews" and to prepare a people for the Lord. Latter-day Saints also believe that "he was baptized while yet in his childhood."[138]
Joseph Smith said: "Let us come into New Testament times – so many are ever praising the Lord and His apostles. We will commence with John the Baptist. When Herod's edict went forth to destroy the young children, John was about six months older than Jesus, and came under this hellish edict, and Zecharias caused his mother to take him into the mountains, where he was raised on locusts and wild honey. When his father refused to disclose his hiding place, and being the officiating high priest at the Temple that year, was slain by Herod's order, between the porch and the altar, as Jesus said."[139][140]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 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 and Oliver Cowdery on 15 May 1829, and ordained them to the Aaronic priesthood.[141][142] According to the Church's dispensational view of religious history, 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 restore the Aaronic priesthood in our day (the dispensation of the fulness of times). Latter-day Saints believe John's ministry was foretold by two prophets whose teachings are included in the Book of Mormon: Lehi[143] and his son Nephi.[144][145]
The Unification Church teaches that God intended John to 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' main disciple and John's disciples were to become Jesus' disciples. Unfortunately, John did not follow Jesus and continued his own way of baptizing people. Moreover, John also denied that he was Elijah when queried by several Jewish leaders,[146] contradicting Jesus who stated John is Elijah who was to come.[147] Many Jews therefore could not accept Jesus as the Messiah because John denied being Elijah, as the prophet's appearance was a prerequisite for the Messiah's arrival as stated in Malachi 4:5.[148] According to the Unification Church, "John the Baptist was in the position of representing Elijah's physical body, making himself identical with Elijah from the standpoint of their mission."
According to Matthew 11:11, Jesus stated "there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist."[149] However, in referring to John's blocking the way of the Jews' understanding of him as the Messiah, Jesus said "yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." John's failure to follow Jesus became the chief obstacle to the fulfillment of Jesus' mission.[150][151][152]
Among the early Judeo-Christian Gnostics the Ebionites held that John, along with Jesus and James the Just – all of whom they revered – were vegetarians.[153][154][155][156][157][158] 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".[159][160]
John the Baptist, or Yuhana Maṣbana (Classical Mandaic: ࡉࡅࡄࡀࡍࡀ ࡌࡀࡑࡁࡀࡍࡀ, lit. 'John the Baptizer' Iuhana Maṣbana)[16] is considered the greatest prophet of the Mandaeans. Mandaeans also refer to him as Yuhana bar Zakria (John, son of Zechariah).[161] He plays a large part in their religious texts such as the Ginza Rabba and the Mandaean Book of John.[162] Mandaeans believe that they descend directly from John's original disciples[163] but they do not believe that their religion began with John, tracing their beliefs back to their first prophet Adam.[44]: 3 According to Mandaeism, John was a great teacher, a Nasoraean and renewer of the faith.[43]: 24 [164][165] John is a messenger of Light (nhura) and Truth (kushta) who possessed the power of healing and full Gnosis (manda).[166]: 48 Mandaean texts make it abundantly clear that early Mandaeans were extremely loyal to John and viewed him as a prophetic reformer of the ancient Mandaean/Israelite tradition.[167]: 108 Scholars such as Mark Lidzbarski, Rudolf Macúch, Ethel S. Drower, Jorunn J. Buckley, and Şinasi Gündüz believe that the Mandaeans likely have a historical connection with John's original disciples.[168][169][170][171][172][43][173][174] Mandaeans believe that John was married, with his wife named Anhar, and had children.[175][176]
Enišbai (Elizabeth) is mentioned as the mother of John the Baptist in chapters 18, 21, and 32 of the Mandaean Book of John.[177][161]
John the Baptist is known as Yaḥyā ibn Zakariyā (Arabic: يحيى بن زكريا)[178] in Islam and is honoured as a prophet. 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.[179] His father Zechariah was also an Islamic prophet. Islamic tradition maintains that John met Muhammad on the night of the Mi'raj, along with Jesus in the second heaven.[180] John's story was also told to the Abyssinian king during the Muslim refugees' Migration to Abyssinia.[181] According to the Quran, John was one on whom God sent peace on the day that he was born and the day that he died.[182]
The Quran claims that John the Baptist was the first to receive this name (Quran 19:7-10) but since the name Yoḥanan occurs many times before John the Baptist,[183] this verse is referring either to Islamic scholar consensus that "Yaḥyā" is not the same name as "Yoḥanan"[184] or to the Biblical account of the miraculous naming of John, which accounted that he was almost named "Zacharias" (Greek: Ζαχαρίας)[185] after his father's name, as no one in the lineage of his father Zacharias (also known as Zechariah) had been named "John" ("Yohanan"/"Yoannes") before him.[186]
In the Quran, God frequently mentions Zechariah's continuous praying for the birth of a son. Zechariah's wife, mentioned in the New Testament as Elizabeth, was barren and therefore the birth of a child seemed impossible.[187] As a gift from God, Zechariah (or Zakariya) was given a son by the name of "Yaḥya" or "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,[188] renew the message of God, which had been corrupted and lost by the Israelites. As the Quran says:
˹The angels announced,˺ "O Zachariah! Indeed, We give you the good news of ˹the birth of˺ a son, whose name will be John—a name We have not given to anyone before."
He wondered, "My Lord! How can I have a son when my wife is barren, and I have become extremely old?"
An angel replied, "So will it be! Your Lord says, 'It is easy for Me, just as I created you before, when you were nothing!'"
Zachariah said, "My Lord! Grant me a sign." He responded, "Your sign is that you will not ˹be able to˺ speak to people for three nights, despite being healthy."— Surah Maryam 19:7-10
John was exhorted to hold fast to the Scripture and was given wisdom by God while still a child.[189] 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.[187] Muslim exegesis narrates that Jesus sent John out with twelve disciples,[190] who preached the message before Jesus called his own disciples.[188] The Quran says:
˹It was later said,˺ "O John! Hold firmly to the Scriptures." And We granted him wisdom while ˹he was still˺ a child,
— Surah Maryam 19:12
John was a classical prophet,[191] who was exalted high by God for his bold denouncing of all things sinful. Furthermore, the Quran speaks of John's gentle piety and love and his humble attitude towards life, for which he was granted the Purity of Life:
as well as purity and compassion from Us. And he was God-fearing,
and kind to his parents. He was neither arrogant nor disobedient.
Peace be upon him the day he was born, and the day of his death, and the day he will be raised back to life!— Surah Maryam 19:13-15
John is also honored highly in Sufism as well as Islamic mysticism, primarily because of the Quran's description of John's chastity and kindness.[192] Sufis have frequently applied commentaries on the passages on John in the Quran, primarily concerning the 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 Quran, the manner in which they are expressed is different.[193]
Druze tradition honors several "mentors" and "prophets", and John the Baptist is honored as a prophet.[194] Druze venerate John the Baptist and he is considered a central figure in Druzism.[195] Druze, like some Christians, believe that Elijah (al-Khidr) came back as John the Baptist,[195][196] since they believe in reincarnation and the transmigration of the soul.[197]
The Baháʼí Faith considers John to have been a prophet of God who like all other prophets was sent to instill the knowledge of God, promote unity among the people of the world, and to show people the correct way to live.[198] There are numerous quotations in the writings of Bahá'u'lláh, founder of the Baháʼí Faith, mentioning John the Baptist. He is regarded by Baháʼís as a lesser Prophet.[27] 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.[199]
John is believed to have had the specific role of foretelling and preparing the way for Jesus. In condemning those who had 'turned aside' from him, Bahá'u'lláh compared them to the followers of John the Baptist, who, he said, "protested against Him Who was the Spirit (Jesus) saying: 'The dispensation of John hath not yet ended; wherefore hast thou come?'" Bahá'u'lláh believed that the Báb played the same role as John in preparing the people for his own coming. As such, Bahá'u'lláh refers to the Báb as 'My Forerunner', the Forerunner being a title that Christians reserve for John the Baptist.[200] However, Baháʼís consider the Báb to be a greater Prophet (Manifestation of God) and thus possessed of a far greater station than John the Baptist.[citation needed]
Scholars studying John the Baptist's relationship with Jesus of Nazareth have commented on the differences in their respective approaches.
James F. McGrath writes "In the first half of the 20th century, the Mandaeans received significant attention from New Testament scholars who thought that their high view of John the Baptist might mean they were the descendants of his disciples. Many historians think that Jesus of Nazareth was a disciple of John the Baptist before breaking away to form his own movement, and I am inclined to agree."[201]
L. Michael White says John the Baptist should be thought of "...primarily as one who was calling for a return to an intensely Jewish piety [...] to follow the way of the Lord [...] to make oneself pure... to be right with God [...] And it seems to be that he calls for baptism as a sign of rededication or repurification of life in a typically Jewish way before God."[202]
John Dominic Crossan sees John the Baptist as an apocalyptic eschatologist, whose message was that "God, very soon, imminently, any moment, is going to descend to eradicate the evil of this world in a sort of an apocalyptic consummation..."[202] When Jesus says John is the greatest person ever born on earth, but the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than John, it means Jesus is changing his vision of God and the Kingdom of God from what he has taken from John. For Crossan, Jesus is an ethical eschatologist that sees "...the demand that God is making on us, not us on God so much as God on us, to do something about the evil in the world."[202]
Michael H. Crosby, O.F.M.Cap. states there was "no biblical evidence indicating that John the Baptist ever became a disciple of Jesus." He believes that John's concept of what a messiah should be was in contrast to how Jesus presented himself, and kept him from becoming a disciple of Jesus. Crosby states, "an unbiased reading leaves us with the figure of John the Baptist as a reformist Jew who also may have wanted desperately to become a believer but was unable to become convinced of Jesus' messiahship..."[203] Crosby considers John's effectiveness as a "precursor" in encouraging others to follow Jesus as very minimal, since the scriptures record only two of his own followers having become Jesus' disciples.
Professor Candida Moss noted that John and Jesus become "de facto competitors in the ancient religious marketplace." Even after baptizing Jesus, John did not follow Jesus but maintained a separate ministry. After John's death, Jesus' followers had to differentiate him from the executed prophet, "countering the prevalent idea that Jesus was actually John raised from the dead." Moss also references the incident in Matthew 16 where disciples indicated some people believed Jesus was John the Baptist.[204]
Pastor Robert L. Deffinbaugh views John's sending two of his disciples to ask Jesus if he were the Messiah or whether another should be sought as the Baptist's issuing a public challenge since the message was presented to Jesus while he was with a gathered crowd. Deffinbaugh suggests that John might have been looking for inauguration of the kingdom of God in a more dramatic way than what Jesus was presenting, as John had previously warned that the "Messiah would come with fire." Jesus answered by indicating his miracle works and teachings which themselves gave evidence of his identity: "The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor".[205][206]
Harold W. Attridge agrees with Crossan that John was an apocalyptic preacher. Attridge says most contemporary scholars would see the idea of John as the "forerunner" of Jesus as a construct developed by the early church to help explain the relationship between the two. "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, and thereby proclaimed some sort of subordination to him, some sort of disciple relationship to him..."[202]
Barbara Thiering questions the dating of the Dead Sea Scrolls and suggests that the Teacher of Righteousness (leader of the Essenes) preached coming fiery judgment, said "the axe is laid to the roots of the tree", called people "vipers", practiced baptism and lived in the wilderness of Judea. Due to these reasons, she believes there is a strong possibility that the Teacher of Righteousness was John the Baptist.[207]
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The earliest depictions of St John are found in the Baptism of Christ,[19] 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.[citation needed]
In Byzantine and later Eastern Orthodox art, John the Baptist and the Holy Virgin Mary often flank Jesus on either side. 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 the "God-bearer") flank a Christ Pantocrator and intercede for humanity.
In Orthodox icons, he often has angel's wings, since Mark 1:2[208] describes him as a messenger.[19][209]
After the earliest images showing the Baptism of the Lord follow ones with St John shown as an ascetic wearing camel hair, with a staff and scroll inscribed (in Western art) "Ecce Agnus Dei", or bearing a book or dish with a lamb on it.[19]
The Baptist is very often shown on altarpieces designed for churches dedicated to him, where the donor was named for him or where there was some other patronage connection. John the Baptist is the patron saint of Florence and has often been depicted in the art of that city,[210] and also frequently appears in baptistries, which are very often dedicated to him.[211] Major works depicting St John the Baptist can be found in the Florence Baptistery, including the mosaics on the vault, the bronze doors by Andrea Pisano, and the great silver altar[212] now in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo.
A number of narrative scenes from his life were often shown on the predella of altarpieces dedicated to John, and other settings, notably in the frescoes by Giotto for the Peruzzi Chapel[213] in the church of Santa Croce, the large series in grisaille fresco in the Chiostro dello Scalzo, which was Andrea del Sarto's largest work, and the frescoed Life by Domenico Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, all in Florence. There is another important fresco cycle by Filippo Lippi in Prato Cathedral. These include the typical scenes:[214] 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 Herod's stepdaughter, Salome; his beheading; and the daughter of Herodias Salome carrying his head on a platter.[215][216]
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,[211] 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.[217] The execution was usually by a swordsman, with John kneeling in prayer, Salome often standing by with an empty platter, and Herod and Herodias at table in a cut-through view of a building in the background.
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Salome bearing John's head on a platter equally became a subject for the Power of Women group: a Northern Renaissance fashion for images of glamorous but dangerous women (Delilah, Judith and others).[218] It was often painted by Lucas Cranach the Elder and engraved by the Little Masters. When the head is brought to the table by Salome, Herod may be shown as startled, if not disgusted, but Herodias is usually not. 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.[219] The isolated motif of the severed head, often on its platter, was a frequent image, often in sculpture, from the late Middle Ages onwards,[220] known as Ioannes in disco (Latin for "John on a plate").
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 Holy Family,[221] the Presentation of Christ, the Marriage of the Virgin and the Holy Kinship. In the Baptism of Christ his presence was obligatory.[222] Leonardo da Vinci's two versions of the Virgin of the Rocks were influential in establishing a Renaissance fashion for variations on the Madonna and Child which included John. Raphael in particular painted many compositions of the subject, such as the Alba Madonna, La belle jardinière, the Garvagh Madonna, the Madonna della seggiola, and the Madonna dell'Impannata, which are among his best-known works.
John was also often shown by himself as an adolescent or adult, usually already wearing his distinctive dress and carrying a long thin wooden cross[209] – another theme influenced by Leonardo, whose equivocal composition, with 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, or a red robe over a not very clearly indicated camel skin.[209] Caravaggio painted an especially large number of works depicting 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.
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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 includes the execution and the disposal of the saint's remains, which according to legend were burnt in the reign of Julian the Apostate (4th century) to prevent pilgrimages.[220]
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 into Joseph's carpenter shop with a bowl of water to join Mary, Joseph, and Mary's mother Anne in soothing 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).[223] 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 the biblical figures on which she wrote poetry.[224]
He is also referenced in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot in stanza 12.
John the Baptist has appeared in a number of screen adaptations of the life of Jesus. Actors who have played John include James D. Ainsley in From the Manger to the Cross (1912), Nigel De Brulier in Salome (1923), Alan Badel in Salome (1953), Robert Ryan in King of Kings (1961),[232] Mario Socrate in The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964),[233] Charlton Heston in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965),[234] David Haskell in Godspell (1973),[235] Michael York in Jesus of Nazareth (1977), Eli Cohen in Jesus (1979),[236] Andre Gregory in The Last Temptation of Christ (1988),[237] Christopher Routh in Mary, Mother of Jesus (1999), David O'Hara in Jesus (1999), Scott Handy in The Gospel of John (2003), Aidan McArdle in Judas (2004), Daniel Percival in Son of God (2014), Abhin Galeya in Killing Jesus (2015), and David Amito in "The Chosen" (2019-2022).[238]
Snapaka Yohannan (John the Baptist), a 1963 Indian Malayalam-language film depicts life of St. John the Baptist and his death at the hands of Salome, Herod Antipas and Herodias.[239][240]
Christian festivals associated with Saint John the Baptist and Forerunner are celebrated at various days by different denominations and are dedicated to his conception, birth, and death, as well as in correlation to the baptism of Jesus. The Eastern Church has feast days for the finding of his head (first, second, and third finding), as well as for his parents, Elizabeth and Zechariah. In the Russian Orthodox Church there is a feast day of the Transfer of the Right Hand of the Forerunner from Malta to Gatchina.[note 2]
The Feast of Saint John closely coincides with the June solstice, also referred to as Midsummer in the Northern Hemisphere. The Christian holy day is fixed at 24 June; but in most countries festivities are mostly held the night before, on Saint John's Eve. "In England, 'Saint John's Tide' is combined with a midsummer celebration. Instead of the date of the summer solstice, they chose June 24. This may be because of the Baptist's own words, 'He must increase, but I must decrease' (John 3:30). John was, of course, referring to Jesus. John's day comes at the time when the sun is beginning to decrease..."[241]
Saint John the Baptist's beheading is said to have taken place in Machaerus, in central Jordan.[242][243][244]
In Spain, Saint John was venerated during the feast of the Alhansara in Granada, and also in Gaztelugatxe[245]
In the United Kingdom, Saint John is the patron of Penzance, Cornwall. In Scotland, he is the patron saint of Perth, which used to be known as St. John's Toun of Perth. The main church in the city is still the medieval Kirk of St. John the Baptist and the city's professional football club is called St Johnstone F.C.
Also, on the night of 23 June on to the 24th, 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".[246]
As patron saint of the original Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John, he is the patron of the Knights Hospitaller of Jerusalem, Malta, Florence, Cesena, Turin and Genoa, Italy; as well as of Malta as a whole and of Xewkija and Gozo in Malta, which remember him with a great feast on the Sunday nearest to 24 June.[citation needed]
Saint John the Baptist is the patron saint of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and its capital city, San Juan. In 1521, the island was given its formal name, "San Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico", following the custom of christening a town with its formal name and the name which Christopher Columbus had originally given the island. The names "San Juan Bautista" and "Puerto Rico" were eventually used in reference to both city and island, leading to a reversal in terminology by most inhabitants largely due to a cartographic error. By 1746, the city's name ("Puerto Rico") had become that of the entire island, while the name for the island ("San Juan Bautista") had become that of the city. The official motto of Puerto Rico also references the saint: Joannes Est Nomen Eius.[247][248]
He is also a patron saint of French Canada and Newfoundland. The Canadian cities of St. John's, Newfoundland (1497), Saint John, New Brunswick (1604), and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec (1665), were all named in his honor. His feast day of 24 June is celebrated officially in Quebec as the Fête Nationale du Québec and was previously celebrated in Newfoundland as Discovery Day.[249]
He is also patron of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston, which covers the whole of South Carolina in the United States.[250]
Calamba, Laguna, Calumpit, Bulacan, Balayan, and Lian in Batangas, Sipocot, and San Fernando in Camarines Sur, Daet, Camarines Norte, San Juan, Metro Manila, Tabuelan, Cebu, Jimenez, Misamis Occidental, Badiangan, Banate, Dingle, Igbaras, and Sara in Iloilo and the oldest in Taytay Rizal are among several places in the Philippines that venerate John as the town or city patron. A common practise of many Filipino fiestas in his honour is bathing and the dousing of people in memory of John's iconic act. The custom is similar in form to Songkran and Holi, and serves as a playful respite from the intense tropical heat. While famed for the Black Nazarene it enshrines, Quiapo Church in Manila is actually dedicated to Saint John.[citation needed]
A number of religious orders who include or have included in their name a mention of John the Baptist have been called Baptistines.
John the Baptist is the name-giving patron of the Knights Hospitaller, or also called Knights of Saint John.[251]
Along with John the Evangelist, John the Baptist is claimed as a patron saint by the fraternal society of Freemasons.[252]
Herod beheaded John at Machaerus in 31 or 32 AD.
Herod beheaded John at Machaerus in 31 or 32 AD.
The Saint Karapet Monastery is one of the oldest Armenian monasteries in Moush Valley, dating back to the 4th century when Gregory the Illuminator, founder of the Armenian Apostolic Church, is believed to have buried the relics of Saint John the Baptist (Karapet) here.
...ըստ ավանդության, Գրիգոր Լուսավորիչը ամփոփել է ս. Կարապետի և Աթանագինե եպիսկոպոսի նշխարները։
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Holweck, Frederick. "Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 23 December 2018They included Jesus, John the Baptist, Moses, and Mohammed—all teachers of monotheism
transmigration of the soul is a Druze tenet, and Druze believe that El Khidr and John the Baptist are one and the same. (Gibbs, 2008) The mythology of Khizr is thought to go back even further than the time of John the Baptist or Elija
transmigration of the soul is a Druze tenet, and Druze believe that El Khidr and John the Baptist are one and the same. (Gibbs, 2008) The mythology of Khizr is thought to go back even further than the time of John the Baptist or Elija
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