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Conception of St John the Baptist

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Conception of St. John the Baptist Feast Day

 

The Conception of St. John the Baptist is honored in the Orthodox Christian Church as the commemoration of the moment when the righteous Elizabeth conceived St. John the Baptist, the prophet who would later prepare the way for the coming of Jesus Christ. This feast day is celebrated on September 23 and marks the beginning of the life of the great Forerunner of Christ.

 

The Announcement of John’s Conception

According to the Gospel of Luke, the priest Zacharias was serving in the Temple in Jerusalem when the Archangel Gabriel appeared to him. The angel announced that his wife Elizabeth, though advanced in age and previously unable to have children, would give birth to a son.

Gabriel told Zacharias that the child would be named John and would grow to become a great prophet who would prepare the people for the coming of the Lord.

 

Zacharias’ Doubt and Silence

When Zacharias questioned how such a thing could happen at their age, the angel declared that he would remain unable to speak until the child was born, because he had doubted the message.

Elizabeth later conceived, fulfilling the promise of God and beginning the life of the one who would become St. John the Baptist, also known as the Forerunner of Christ.

 

The Beginning of the Forerunner’s Mission

The conception of John the Baptist is seen as the first step in the fulfillment of God’s plan that would lead to the birth of Christ. John would later preach repentance, baptize believers in the Jordan River, and ultimately baptize Jesus Christ Himself.

Because of his role in preparing the people for the coming of the Messiah, the Church honors him as the greatest of the prophets and the final prophet before Christ.

 

When the Conception of St. John the Baptist Is Celebrated

The feast of the Conception of St. John the Baptist is observed each year on September 23 in the Greek Orthodox Church. The day commemorates the beginning of the life of the prophet who would prepare the way for the coming of Christ.

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