St. John the Baptist: Feast Day, Patronage & Prayers
Feast day: June 24 (Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist); August 29 (Memorial of the Passion of St. John the Baptist)
Patron of: French Canadians, those preparing for Baptism, and those who seek true repentance.
About St. John the Baptist
St. John the Baptist is the last and greatest of the prophets, the forerunner who prepared the way for Christ. Born to the elderly Zechariah and Elizabeth after the angel Gabriel announced his birth, he leaped for joy in his mother's womb when Mary, carrying Jesus, came to visit. He is one of very few saints whose birth the Church celebrates, because he was sanctified before he was born.
As a man John lived in the desert, dressed in camel's hair and eating locusts and wild honey, and he called crowds to repentance and baptized them in the Jordan. When Jesus came to be baptized, John pointed Him out: "Behold the Lamb of God." His whole life is summed up in his own words, "He must increase, but I must decrease." For fearlessly telling King Herod that his marriage to his brother's wife was unlawful, John was imprisoned and beheaded. Jesus said that among those born of women none was greater. John teaches us humility, courage, and the joy of pointing others to Christ.
Prayers to St. John the Baptist on Daily Catholic Prayers
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