Death of St. John the Baptist
The Death of St. John the Baptist is a significant event commemorated in both Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions, with an annual observance on August 29. This commemoration stems from the early fifth century, linked to the Church of the Precursor of the Lord in Sebaste, Palestine, believed to be the burial site of John the Baptist. The narrative surrounding his beheading is one of the most dramatic accounts in the New Testament, involving Herod Antipas, who imprisoned John after being criticized for his marriage to Herodias, his niece. Herodias, unhappy with John’s condemnation, sought revenge through her daughter Salome, who, after dancing at Herod's birthday feast, requested John's head on a platter. Herod, bound by his promise, complied despite his fears about John's influence. While Herodias is portrayed as the primary antagonist in the biblical story, later interpretations often shift this focus to Salome, as exemplified in Oscar Wilde's play "Salomé." This complex narrative raises themes of power, influence, and the consequences of one's actions, and it continues to resonate within various cultural contexts.
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Death of St. John the Baptist
Death of St. John the Baptist
A commemoration of St. John the Baptist was observed in Jerusalem as early as the fifth century a.d. on or about August 29 of every year, the anniversary of the dedication of the Church of the Precursor of the Lord at Sebaste, Palestine, where John's remains were thought to be buried. In the following centuries this commemoration became known as the Passion, or Beheading, of St. John the Baptist in Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches.
The story of the beheading of John is one of the most dramatic in the New Testament. Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee, had repudiated his own wife and married his niece Herodias. Herodias for her part had left Philip, Herod's half-brother, in order to marry Herod. John the Baptist criticized Herodias, and according to the account in the New Testament, she persuaded Herod to imprison John. In the opinion of the historian Josephus, Herod also took this step because he feared John's rising influence with the people. John was confined in the Machaerus, a luxurious fortress on the border of Herod's territory. He was treated well and permitted to receive visits from his disciples, who brought him news of Jesus, his cousin, and carried his communications back to Jesus.
Herodias was not content with John's punishment by imprisonment. On his birthday in or about a.d. 29, Herod gave a banquet at which Herodias's daughter Salome danced. Her performance pleased him so much that he offered her anything she wanted, including half his kingdom. Salome asked her mother what she should request, and following her advice told Herod that she wanted the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Herod kept his word, ordered John's head cut off, and had it placed on a platter. Although Herodias is the real villain in the scriptural account of the beheading of St. John, her wickedness is usually transferred to her daughter Salome in later literature and other mediums. Oscar Wilde's play Salomé, written in French, is an example of this tendency.