The Findings of the Head of John the Baptist are Orthodox feasts in honor of the most revered part of the relics of John the Baptist - his head. In the tradition of the Orthodox Church, there are legends about three discoveries of the head of John the Baptist; a separate celebration has been established in honor of each. The first discovery took place in the 4th century, the second in the 5th century, and the third in the 9th century. The feast of the first and second miraculous findings is celebrated by the Orthodox Church on February 24 (March 9) - in non-leap years, and on February 24 (March 8) in leap years. In addition, on May 25 (June 7) the third finding of the head is celebrated.
Currently, the actual location of the relic remains unclear, with many who claim to at least have some portion of the head. In medieval times, it was rumored that the Knights Templar had possession of the head, and multiple records from their Inquisition in the early 14th century make reference to some form of head veneration. Islamic tradition places the head of John the Baptist in the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, while Catholicism places it in the Church of San Silvestro in Capite. In addition, mention is made of the front part of the skull in the Cathedral of Amiens (France), brought there from the Fourth Crusade when the crusaders looted Constantinople, and parts of the head are said to be in Turkish Antioch and in one of the monasteries of Armenia. The Romanian Prodromos Skete on Mount Athos also makes a claim, among others.
Currently, the actual location of the relic remains unclear, with many who claim to at least have some portion of the head. In medieval times, it was rumored that the Knights Templar had possession of the head, and multiple records from their Inquisition in the early 14th century make reference to some form of head veneration. Islamic tradition places the head of John the Baptist in the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, while Catholicism places it in the Church of San Silvestro in Capite. In addition, mention is made of the front part of the skull in the Cathedral of Amiens (France), brought there from the Fourth Crusade when the crusaders looted Constantinople, and parts of the head are said to be in Turkish Antioch and in one of the monasteries of Armenia. The Romanian Prodromos Skete on Mount Athos also makes a claim, among others.
I. Beheading of John the Baptist
John the Baptist - the closest predecessor of Jesus Christ, who prophecied the coming of the Messiah, lived in the desert as an ascetic, preached a baptism of repentance for the Jews, baptized Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan, then was beheaded due to the machinations of the Jewish princess Herodias and her daughter Salome. Herodias was the wife of Herod Philip, but was taken from him by the tetrarch of Galilee, Herod Antipas, for which John denounced the latter. Herod Antipas imprisoned John, but did not dare to execute him (Matthew 14:3-5, Mark 6:17-20).
Herodias' daughter Salome (not named in the Gospels), on the birthday of Herod Antipas “danced and pleased Herod and those who reclined with him.” As a reward for the dance, Herod promised Salome to fulfill any of her requests. She, at the instigation of her mother, who hated John for denouncing her marriage, asked for the head of John the Baptist, and “The king was saddened, but for the sake of the oath and those who reclined with him, he did not want to refuse her” (Mark 6:26). An executioner was sent to John’s prison, who cut off his head and, bringing it on a platter, gave it to Salome, and she “gave it to her mother.” John's body was buried by his disciples, and the death was reported to Jesus (Matt. 14:6-12, Mark 6:21-29).
In memory of the beheading of Saint John the Baptist, the Church established a feast and strict fasting as an expression of the grief of Christians over the violent death of the great Prophet, and this is celebrated on August 29 (September 11).
John the Baptist - the closest predecessor of Jesus Christ, who prophecied the coming of the Messiah, lived in the desert as an ascetic, preached a baptism of repentance for the Jews, baptized Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan, then was beheaded due to the machinations of the Jewish princess Herodias and her daughter Salome. Herodias was the wife of Herod Philip, but was taken from him by the tetrarch of Galilee, Herod Antipas, for which John denounced the latter. Herod Antipas imprisoned John, but did not dare to execute him (Matthew 14:3-5, Mark 6:17-20).
Herodias' daughter Salome (not named in the Gospels), on the birthday of Herod Antipas “danced and pleased Herod and those who reclined with him.” As a reward for the dance, Herod promised Salome to fulfill any of her requests. She, at the instigation of her mother, who hated John for denouncing her marriage, asked for the head of John the Baptist, and “The king was saddened, but for the sake of the oath and those who reclined with him, he did not want to refuse her” (Mark 6:26). An executioner was sent to John’s prison, who cut off his head and, bringing it on a platter, gave it to Salome, and she “gave it to her mother.” John's body was buried by his disciples, and the death was reported to Jesus (Matt. 14:6-12, Mark 6:21-29).
In memory of the beheading of Saint John the Baptist, the Church established a feast and strict fasting as an expression of the grief of Christians over the violent death of the great Prophet, and this is celebrated on August 29 (September 11).
II. History of the Findings
A. First Finding of the Head of John the Baptist (4th century - Feast Day: February 24)
According to legend, Herodias did not allow John’s head to be buried along with his body and hid it in her palace, from where it was taken out by a pious servant (whose name was Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward) and buried in an earthen jug on the Mount of Olives. Years later, the nobleman Innocent decided to build a church on that site, and while digging a ditch for the foundation, he discovered a jug with a relic, which was identified by the signs emanating from it. After finding the head, Innocent carefully kept it, but before his death, fearing that the relic would be desecrated, he hid it in his church, which then dilapidated and collapsed.
A. First Finding of the Head of John the Baptist (4th century - Feast Day: February 24)
According to legend, Herodias did not allow John’s head to be buried along with his body and hid it in her palace, from where it was taken out by a pious servant (whose name was Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward) and buried in an earthen jug on the Mount of Olives. Years later, the nobleman Innocent decided to build a church on that site, and while digging a ditch for the foundation, he discovered a jug with a relic, which was identified by the signs emanating from it. After finding the head, Innocent carefully kept it, but before his death, fearing that the relic would be desecrated, he hid it in his church, which then dilapidated and collapsed.
B. Second Finding of the Head of John the Baptist (5th century - Feast Day: February 24)
During the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great in Jerusalem, the head of John the Baptist was found by two pilgrim monks who arrived in the city to venerate the Holy Sepulcher. John the Baptist appeared to one of them and pointed out the place where the head was located. The monks took it with them and put the relic in a sack made of camel hair, but, showing laziness, they gave the relic to a potter they met from the Syrian city of Emessa to carry the relic. According to legend, the Saint who appeared ordered the potter to leave the impious monks and take the relic for safekeeping. All his life he carefully preserved the relic, lit lamps and prayed every day. Before his death, the potter, at the behest of John the Baptist, placed the head in a water-bearing vessel, sealed it and gave it to his sister. He ordered his sister to carefully preserve the relic, and before her death, give it to a pious Christian. Later, the relic ended up in the possession of an Arian priest named Eustathios, who, with the help of healings emanating from it, supported the authority of the Arian doctrine. When his deception was revealed, he hid the head in a cave near the city of Emessa. Later, a monastery arose above the cave and in 452, and Saint John, who, according to legend, appeared to the archimandrite of the monastery, Markellos, pointed out the place where his head was hidden. It was found and transferred to Constantinople.
During the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great in Jerusalem, the head of John the Baptist was found by two pilgrim monks who arrived in the city to venerate the Holy Sepulcher. John the Baptist appeared to one of them and pointed out the place where the head was located. The monks took it with them and put the relic in a sack made of camel hair, but, showing laziness, they gave the relic to a potter they met from the Syrian city of Emessa to carry the relic. According to legend, the Saint who appeared ordered the potter to leave the impious monks and take the relic for safekeeping. All his life he carefully preserved the relic, lit lamps and prayed every day. Before his death, the potter, at the behest of John the Baptist, placed the head in a water-bearing vessel, sealed it and gave it to his sister. He ordered his sister to carefully preserve the relic, and before her death, give it to a pious Christian. Later, the relic ended up in the possession of an Arian priest named Eustathios, who, with the help of healings emanating from it, supported the authority of the Arian doctrine. When his deception was revealed, he hid the head in a cave near the city of Emessa. Later, a monastery arose above the cave and in 452, and Saint John, who, according to legend, appeared to the archimandrite of the monastery, Markellos, pointed out the place where his head was hidden. It was found and transferred to Constantinople.
C. Third Finding of the Head of John the Baptist (9th century - Feast Day: May 25)
From Constantinople, the head of John the Baptist, during the unrest associated with Muslim raids in the 820's, was transferred to Comana (it is unknown whether it was Pontic Comana or Cappadocian Comana), where it was hidden during the period of iconoclastic persecutions. After the restoration of icon veneration at the Synod of Constantinople in 842, according to legend, Patriarch Ignatius, during night prayer, received instructions about the location of the relic. By order of Emperor Michael III, an embassy was sent to Comana, which around 850 found the head of John the Baptist in the place indicated by the patriarch. After this, the head was transferred to Constantinople and was placed in the court church. Theodore the Studite is credited with the Discourse on the Finding of the Head of John the Baptist, which describes the story of its third discovery.
From Constantinople, the head of John the Baptist, during the unrest associated with Muslim raids in the 820's, was transferred to Comana (it is unknown whether it was Pontic Comana or Cappadocian Comana), where it was hidden during the period of iconoclastic persecutions. After the restoration of icon veneration at the Synod of Constantinople in 842, according to legend, Patriarch Ignatius, during night prayer, received instructions about the location of the relic. By order of Emperor Michael III, an embassy was sent to Comana, which around 850 found the head of John the Baptist in the place indicated by the patriarch. After this, the head was transferred to Constantinople and was placed in the court church. Theodore the Studite is credited with the Discourse on the Finding of the Head of John the Baptist, which describes the story of its third discovery.
III. Shrines
In the 4th century, a martyrium was built on the Mount of Olives over the site of the first finding of the head of John the Baptist. Its original building has not survived. In 1910, on the site of the martyrium, the chapel of the finding of the head of John the Baptist was erected (belongs to the Ascension Monastery of the Mount of Olives). It contains fragments of the original mosaic floors of the martyrium. The mosaic floor was discovered during excavations by Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin). A separate mosaic marks the place where the head of John the Baptist was found.
In the 4th century, a martyrium was built on the Mount of Olives over the site of the first finding of the head of John the Baptist. Its original building has not survived. In 1910, on the site of the martyrium, the chapel of the finding of the head of John the Baptist was erected (belongs to the Ascension Monastery of the Mount of Olives). It contains fragments of the original mosaic floors of the martyrium. The mosaic floor was discovered during excavations by Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin). A separate mosaic marks the place where the head of John the Baptist was found.
The place of the third finding of the head is a large oval niche carved into the rock in a hard-to-reach place. The recess in which the sacred relic was kept for a long time is open to pilgrims. Between the lamp and the icon of the Mother of God is a miraculous image of the head of John the Baptist that is considered to be "not-made-by-hands".
