On the Beheading of the Honorable Forerunner (Archimandrite George Kapsanis)

On the Beheading of the Honorable Forerunner 

By Archimandrite George Kapsanis

(Delivered in 1981 at Gregoriou Monastery of the Holy Mountain)

We have noticed two contrasting images in tonight’s feast, described to us by the hymnography of our Church and the sacred Gospel we read (Mark 6:16-29).

On the one hand we have Herod, Herodias, the daughter of Herodias, that wicked banquet, the triumph of human wickedness and sinfulness. Promiscuity, illicit marriage, drunkenness, fearlessness of God, passions, anger, hatred, revenge, lack of repentance. In contrast to this image, so gloomy, stands the pure, holy figure of the Baptist, the Prophet, the man of God, the righteous man, Saint John the Forerunner.

Great indeed is the difference! In the person of the Honorable Forerunner we see the man of God, man as God willed him to be, the man of obedience, love, faith, hope in God, perfect devotion to the Lord, sacrifice. In the other persons, of the enemies of the Honorable Forerunner, we see the man who was enslaved to the devil, as he became because of his disobedience to God. On the one hand, we have the highest peak of holiness, and on the other hand, we have the lowest depth of sinfulness and the passionate state. These two images summarize the drama of man's salvation, the fall and holiness.

Homily Two on the Beheading of John the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord (Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov)

Homily Two on the Beheading of John the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord

By Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov

(Delivered in 1962)

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, today the Church of Christ, and we with it, remember with sorrow a sad event from our sacred history – the beheading of the greatest Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, John. This tragic event is conveyed to us by the Gospel read today in the following words: "At that time, Herod the King heard about the fame of Jesus, for his name had become known. He said, 'John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; that is why these powers are at work in him.' But others said, 'It is Elijah.' And others said, 'It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.' But when Herod heard of it he said, 'John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.' For Herod had sent and seized John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; because he had married her. For John said to Herod, 'It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.' And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he was much perplexed; and yet he heard him gladly. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and the leading men of Galilee. For when Herodias' daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, 'Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will grant it.' And he vowed to her, 'Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.' And she went out, and said to her mother, 'What shall I ask?' And she said, 'The head of John the baptizer.' And she came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, saying, 'I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.' And the king was exceedingly sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. And immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard and gave orders to bring his head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb" (Mark 6:17–29).

August: Day 29: Teaching 1: The Beheading of John the Baptist

August: Day 29: Teaching 1:
The Beheading of John the Baptist
 
(Why is the Beheading of John the Baptist Remembered So Reverently?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The forerunner of our Lord Jesus Christ, who preceded His birth, had to precede His saving death by his own death, so that as on earth he preached the coming of the Lord, proclaiming: "There comes One after me who is mightier than I" (Mark 1:7), so also in hades he might proclaim to the souls contained there that the expected Messiah had already appeared in the world. This is how it was fulfilled: 

Herod, called Antipas, the son of the elder Herod, who killed the children of Bethlehem, was married to the daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia; but, seduced by the beauty of Herodias, the wife of Philip, his brother, with her consent, he drove away his first lawful wife and took Herodias. Such lawlessness could not be tolerated by the zealot of God's law, the denouncer of sins and preacher of repentance, Saint John the Baptist. He began to denounce Herod before everyone, saying: "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." But Herod, not tolerating the denunciation, commanded that John be thrown into prison in chains. Herodias, however, was most furious against the holy denouncer. She wanted to kill him immediately, but she could not, because Herod, who knew John as a righteous and holy man, did not want to hand him over to be killed, fearing not so much God as that the people, who revered John as a prophet, would cause an uprising because of his murder. As a result of this, Saint John remained in prison for quite a long time. 

The Death of John the Baptist as the Fruit of a Lawless Family Relationship

Referring to the person of the Forerunner, Metropolitan Ignatios of Demetrias and Almyros, during Great Vespers on August 28th 2025, described him as “a model ascetic, a champion of the truth, who knew and served his mission.” He also observed that “his killing is the fruit of a lawless family relationship. Power sometimes feels so secure that it thinks it can exceed the laws and even the Law of God. Herod’s passion for power, Herodias’ grudge and Salome’s lack of education led to John’s death.”

Metropolitan Ignatios compared that lawless family with modern ones, “which experience violence at their core, which leads to crimes, and even crimes against women or even children. Ultimately, without God, man loses his humanity, his home becomes a prison, the equality of people is destroyed and life becomes hell. The same thing happened with the Prophet John. His death resulted from a family that did not operate according to the Divine Law.”

August: Day 28: Teaching 1: Venerable Moses the Ethiopian

August: Day 28: Teaching 1:
Venerable Moses the Ethiopian
 
(The Judgment of God Punishing Murderers)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The life of Venerable Moses, celebrated today, is very instructive. It demonstrates that there are no sins that can overcome the mercy of God. The great robber, who shed human blood and committed various wicked deeds, after his conversion to God, when divine grace touched his soul through his conscience, became a completely different person. Leaving behind the companions of his sinful life and all the treasures he had plundered, he secluded himself in a monastery, where, through the practices of fasting, prayer, humility, courageous and relentless struggle against his passions and desires, and constant tearful repentance, he attained a high degree of holiness. Regarding his former sinful life, let us today, brethren, discuss the sin of murder.