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Origins -

St. John the Baptist was born in the 1st decade BCE, in Judaea, Palestine, close to Jerusalem. He is a significant figure in Christianity, known for baptizing Jesus Christ.

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St. John's birth was foretold -

John the Baptist's birth was foretold by the angel Gabriel to his father Zechariah. Zechariah was told that John would be the "forerunner" of the Lord.

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St. John's birth was foretold -

Zechariah's wife, Elizabeth, was considered too old to bear children, so he was skeptical. Elizabeth is believed to have been the cousin of Mary, the blessed Virgin. When Mary visited Elizabeth, it's said John the Baptist "leaped in her womb."

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Venerated across religious sects -

Known by the name Saint John the Baptist by certain Catholic sects, he is referred to as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy.

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Venerated across religious sects -

In some Baptist Christian traditions, he is known as John the Immerser, while in Islam he is also recognized as the prophet Yahya.

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Solitude and emergence -

After John the Baptist spent a prolonged period of time in solitude in the desert, he emerged in the Lower Jordan River valley as a prophet.

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A member of the Essenes? -

It's believed by some scholars that John the Baptist practiced asceticism - living a life of simplicity - and may have belonged to an ascetic sect known as the Essenes.

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A member of the Essenes? -

The Essenes were a mystic Jewish sect, who practiced baptism and awaited the messiah. The New Testament makes reference to John the Baptist's expectation of the arrival of a messianic character, someone bigger than himself.

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John and baptism -

John was well known for baptizing those who repented in preparation for God's Final Judgment. Most Bible scholars seem to agree that he baptized Jesus Christ.

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Disciples -

John also had followers, or disciples, many of whom are believed to have become the first followers of Jesus and his teachings.

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The gospels -

John the Baptist makes an appearance in all four canonical Gospels and the non-canonical Gospel of the Nazarenes.

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The gospels -

In each of the four Gospels, the arrival of John is recognized as the beginning of the Christian era of humanity, even though he came before Jesus.

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A messenger in the wilderness -

In the Gospel of Mark, John is referred to as having been the fulfillment of a prophecy that originated in the Book of Isaiah. It was foretold there would be a messenger whose voice would cry out "in the wilderness."

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Asceticism -

The Gospel of Mark also tells us more about John the Baptist's ascetic life. He is said to have worn camel hair clothes and lived off a diet of locusts and honey.

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Predicting the arrival of the messiah -

John spread the word that there would be one who would come after him, who would baptize others with the Holy Spirit instead of water. Could this be referring to Jesus?

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The baptism of Christ -

John's baptism of Jesus took place on the banks of the River Jordan. Upon being baptized, it's said that like a dove, the Holy Spirit descended and the words, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased," were heard by Jesus.

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Imprisonment -

John was taken prisoner by Herod Antipas after baptizing Jesus. Herod Antipas was the ruler of Galilee and central Transjordan.

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Herod Antipas -

Herod Antipas had married the divorced wife of his half-brother, Herodius - something illegal under Jewish law - after divorcing his first wife, who was the daughter of a King adjacent to the Arab people.

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Herod Antipas -

The denunciation of Herod's marriage by John the Baptist presented a dangerous opportunity for Herod's opposition. According to the Gospel of Matthew, he ordered to have John beheaded.

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Nabi Yahya Mosque -

Located outside the present-day West Bank city of Nablus, the Nabi Yahya Mosque is believed to be where John the Baptist was executed, and where his body was buried.

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The head of St. John the Baptist -

The location of his head, however, is more controversial. The fortress of Machaerus was believed to be its final resting place by ancient historians.

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The head of St. John the Baptist -

But in Eastern Orthodox tradition, the story goes that the head of St. John was discovered by followers before being buried and found twice at the Mount of Olives.

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The head of St. John the Baptist -

Both Amiens Cathedral in France and the church of San Silvestro in Capite, in Rome; as well as the Umayyad Mosque, in Damascus, Syria, have claimed that the head of St. John is buried within their grounds. 

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Saint John's Eve -

Saint John's Eve is celebrated across much of Europe. The festivities usually begin at sunset on June 23, the evening before the saint's day.

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Saint John's Eve -

In the Gospel of Luke, it's noted that John was born six months before Jesus, which is why he is celebrated on June 24. This is the same date as the summer solstice in the Roman calendar.

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Saint John's Eve -

Saint John's Day was added to the Christian church calendar around the 6th century CE. People gathered around fires, lit in honor of the saint, the evening beforehand which became a vigil.

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Fiesta de San Juan -

Today St. John's Eve is still celebrated across Europe with fire being a symbol of the festivities, such as during the Fiesta de San Juan in Spain.

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Festa de São João do Porto -

The Festa de São João do Porto, in Portugal, is another modern interpretation of this ancient feast day that mixes sacred and modern elements.

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A place of pilgrimage -

The Jordan River, which rises on the slopes of Mount Hernon, and flows southwards to where it empties in the Dead Sea, was where John carried out his baptisms. It remains a significant pilgrimage site for Christians to this day. 

Sources: (Britannica) (Catholic Online) (Bible Gateway) 

See also: Who were the Cathars, and what did they believe?

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