John the Baptist
1st-century Jewish itinerant preacher (Bible)
Feast: 24 June (current Roman calendar, solemnity) · 24 June (1962 Missal, I class)
Also kept: 29 August (The Passion of Saint John the Baptist, current Roman calendar) · 29 August (On the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, 1962 Missal)
Who they were
John was the son of the priest Zechariah and of Elizabeth, who was old and had been barren; the Archangel Gabriel announced his birth. The Gospel of Luke tells that he leapt for joy in his mother's womb when Mary, carrying Jesus, came to visit.
He lived in the desert, dressed in camel hair and eating locusts and wild honey, and preached repentance, baptising at the Jordan. There he baptised Jesus himself, saying 'He must increase, but I must decrease.' Arrested by King Herod for condemning his marriage to his brother's wife Herodias, he was beheaded in prison at her daughter's request.
The miracles
There was never a formal cause: John is honoured as a saint from the Gospels. He is the only saint besides Our Lady whose birth, on 24 June, is kept as a solemnity; his martyrdom is remembered on 29 August. His head is venerated at San Silvestro in Capite in Rome.
Why that counted as sanctity
John is the last of the prophets and the forerunner who pointed to Christ and then stepped aside: 'He must increase, but I must decrease.' His holiness lay in that self-effacement, in a life of penance given entirely to preparing the way, and in his refusal to bend the truth for a king, for which he died.
Connected on this site
- Alfonso Maria Fusco Saint“Alfonso Maria Fusco (23 March 1839 – 6 February 1910) was a Roman Catholic priest and the founder of the Sisters of Saint John the Baptist – also known as the Baptistine Sisters.” — Wikipedia
- Andrew the Apostle Saint“The title First-Called (Πρωτόκλητος, Prōtoklētos) used by the Eastern Orthodox Church stems from the Gospel of John, where Andrew, initially a disciple of John the Baptist, follows Jesus and, recognising him as the Messiah, introduces his brother Simon Peter to him.” — Wikipedia
- Ava Saint“Her work on the lives of John the Baptist and Jesus "has been praised as the first German epic".” — Wikipedia
- Ctesiphon of Vergium Saint“A noblewoman named Luparia, interested in their mission, hid them and converted to Christianity after building an altar in honor of John the Baptist.” — Wikipedia
- Euphrasia Eluvathingal Saint“John the Baptist is celebrated on 29 August, the feast of St.” — Wikipedia
- Gabriel Saint“In the New Testament Gospel of Luke, Gabriel appears to Zechariah foretelling the birth of John the Baptist.” — Wikipedia
- Gaudentius of Brescia Saint“He brought back relics of St John the Baptist, the Apostles and the Forty Martyrs, and enshrined them in a basilica.” — this site's research
- Gerardo dei Tintori Saint“Saint Gerardo dei Tintori or Tintore (1134(?) – 6 June 1207) is a saint of the Catholic Church, joint patron saint (with Saint John the Baptist) of Monza in Italy, where he is particularly noted as the founder of a hospital.” — Wikipedia
- Gohard of Nantes Saint“John the Baptist, a month after the defeat of Blain, the Vikings arrived at Nantes.” — Wikipedia
- John de Brito Saint“He is also called "the John the Baptist of India."” — Wikipedia
- Licinius of Angers Saint“He founded a monastery and a Church both dedicated to St John the Baptist, and was buried there.” — Wikipedia
- Philip the Apostle Saint“Philip came from Bethsaida and had been a disciple of John the Baptist, waiting for the Messiah.” — this site's research
6 more
- Saint Anne Saint“Anne is said to have been the sister of Esmeria, Elizabeth's mother, which would make her great-aunt of John the Baptist.” — this site's research
- Lukardis von Oberweimar Blessed“Afflicted by many sufferings, which she bore with great patience and firmness of spirit, she was comforted by visions of the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Baptist.” — this site's research
- Octavia Iglesias Blanco Blessed“They were beatified on 29 May 2021 under Pope Francis; their remains are venerated in the chapel of Saint John the Baptist in Astorga cathedral.” — this site's research
- Crocifissa Militerni Venerable“Teresa Militerni, in religion Crocifissa, was a professed religious of the Congregation of St John the Baptist; she was born at Cetraro, Italy, on 24 December 1874 and died there on 25 March 1925.” — this site's research
- Giovanna Maria Battista Solimani Venerable“Maria Antonia Solimani, in religion Giovanna Maria Battista, was a nun who founded the Hermit Nuns of St John the Baptist and the Missionaries of St John the Baptist; she was born in Genoa, Italy, on 12 May 1688 and died there on 8 April 1758.” — this site's research
- Antonietta Capelli Servant of God“She founded the Institute of St John the Baptist at Campomorone in 1927 and the priestly Congregation of St John the Baptist Precursor in 1959.” — this site's research
- Vatican News - Saint of the day (Italian): John the Baptist
- Wikidata Q40662 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — John the Baptist (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.