Commemorated September 11 (New Calendar) August 29 (Old Calendar) — the Beheading
The Church also keeps his Conception, his Nativity, his Synaxis after Theophany, the Findings of his head, and the translation of his right hand. Those days have their own hymns.
The Latin Church keeps his Passion on August 29. It also keeps his Nativity on June 24.
Saint John, called Forerunner and Baptist, was the son of the priest Zachariah and of Elizabeth. He lived in the wilderness, preached repentance, and baptized the Lord in the Jordan. He would not be silent when Herod Antipas took Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Herod bound him in prison. At a late birthday feast the daughter of Herodias asked for his head. He was beheaded in the night. His disciples took the body and buried it in Sebastia. Herodias hid the head.
The words of Saint John
“One who is stronger than I comes after me.” (When he preached the coming of the Lord.)
—
“Behold the Lamb of God.” (When he pointed to Christ.)
—
“It is not lawful for you to have Philip your brother’s wife.” (To Herod, before the prison, and again after the sword, when the head was brought in on the platter.)
—
“Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for another?” (The words he gave two disciples to carry from the prison, not because he doubted, but so that they would see the works of Christ.)
The words of others in the reading
Rostov keeps the feast, the oath, the dance, and the command. He does not keep a long speech from Herod, Herodias, or the girl.
Who stood with him
Zachariah and Elizabeth were his parents. His disciples came to him in the prison, learned from him, and buried his body the same night in Sebastia. Herod Antipas held Galilee. Herodias pressed for his death. Her daughter danced and asked for the head. Herod’s first wife was the daughter of Aretas of Arabia; he had driven her out.
He spoke one sentence into a feast that wanted music, and the feast took his head rather than take the sentence back.
We ask his prayers when a true word is cheaper to cut off than to hear.
Pray for us
Troparion, Tone 2
“The memory of the righteous is celebrated with hymns of praise, but the Lord’s testimony is sufficient for you, O Forerunner. You were shown in truth to be the most honorable of the prophets, for you were deemed worthy to baptize in the streams of the Jordan Him whom they foretold. Therefore, having suffered for the truth with joy, you proclaimed to those in hell God who appeared in the flesh, who takes away the sin of the world, and grants us great mercy.”
Kontakion, Tone 5
“The glorious beheading of the Forerunner became an act of divine dispensation, for he preached to those in hell the coming of the Savior. Let Herodias lament, for she entreated lawless murder, loving not the law of God, nor eternal life, but that which is false and temporal.”
Saint John, pray for us.
Sources
St. Demetrius of Rostov, Lives of the Saints, August 29, the Beheading.
https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Dmitrij_Rostovskij/zhitija-svjatykh/716
Other commemorations in the same collection:
Synaxis, January 7. https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Dmitrij_Rostovskij/zhitija-svjatykh/22
Nativity, June 24. https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Dmitrij_Rostovskij/zhitija-svjatykh/536
Conception, September 23. https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Dmitrij_Rostovskij/zhitija-svjatykh/816
First and Second Finding of the Head, February 24, and Third Finding, May 25, under those days in the same menaion:
https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Dmitrij_Rostovskij/zhitija-svjatykh/
Orthodox Church in America, The Beheading of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John.
https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2024/08/29/102419-the-beheading-of-the-holy-glorious-prophet-forerunner-and-baptis
Orthodox Encyclopedia, article “John the Forerunner.”
https://www.pravenc.ru/text/471450.html
Pravenc calendar, Beheading: 11 September (29 August).
http://www.pravenc.ru/calendar/2024/09/11.html
Also in the Latin books
Catholic Encyclopedia / New Advent, St. John the Baptist.
https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08486b.htm
Acta Sanctorum treats the Precursor among the June and August volumes; the Bollandists discuss the Passion on 29 August.
https://actasanctorum.org/
Vatican News, Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist (29 August).
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/liturgical-holidays/memorial-of-the-passion-of-saint-john-the-baptist.html
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Updated 09/2026
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