Beheading of the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John (Day of Remembrance of Orthodox Soldiers)

There are many solemn dates in Orthodoxy, some of which are given special attention. September 11 marks the Beheading of the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John. It is celebrated by both Orthodox and Catholics. The celebration is timed to coincide with the martyrdom of the predecessor of Jesus Christ - John. The saint who predicted the coming of the Messiah was executed by beheading on the orders of Herod Antipas, king of Galilee. The Christian prophet is venerated both on September 11 on the Beheading and on July 7 on Ivan Kupala. On this day the birth of John the Baptist is celebrated. The saint, as can be seen from the name of the holiday, is called not only by name. The epithet “prophet” is used in relation to John as a person who notified the people of Israel and Palestine about the appearance of Jesus, and began preaching before Christ in accordance with the predictions of the Old Testament. The saint was first called the “Forerunner” by the Gnostic Heraklion, who lived in the 2nd century AD, and after him by Clement of Alexandria. John truly prepared the way for the teaching of Christ. He began to be called “Baptist” after he personally washed the Son of God in the Jordan River. The ritual of immersion in its waters is considered a symbolic cleansing of a person from sins. John baptized various people in the Jordan, among them was Jesus Christ. The Prophet led an ascetic and solitary life in the desert, eating wild honey and carob fruits. Therefore, it is customary to fast on the Beheading, in order, among other things, to free oneself from the slavery of pleasure. According to legend, Herod cut off the prophet’s head because he condemned the king’s cohabitation with his brother’s wife. The woman's name was Herodias. She, like the king, was angry with John and came up with an insidious plan for revenge. Her daughter Salome, dancing at the feast in front of the guests, at the instigation of her mother, asked for the head of the prophet on a platter as a reward. Before her speech began, Herod swore that he would fulfill any request. Despite the fear of provoking popular anger and the indignation of the inhabitants of Galilee, who revered the saint, the king still gives the order to cut off the head. Herodias was forced to prick John's tongue with needles because... according to legend, even after death, angry words of reproach came from his lips. The saint's head was buried by an embittered woman in an unclean place. Divine powers took revenge on the king and Herodias. In winter, Salome fell into an ice hole in the Sikoris River, blocks of ice from which cut the dancer’s throat. The body of the deceased could not be found, but the head was delivered to Herod and the girl’s mother. The king and his mistress ended their lives in exile and imprisonment after the defeat of the Galilean troops in the battle with the Arab king Arethas. On the Beheading of the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John, believers observe a strict fast - they do not eat fish, meat and dairy products, like the saint who lived as an ascetic in the desert. Orthodox and Catholics spend the entire day in prayer and solitude, remembering the good deeds of the Baptist Jesus Christ.