The Passion of Saint John the Baptist
In Passione S. Ioannis Baptistae
The beheading of John the Baptist, also known as the decollation of Saint John the Baptist or the beheading of the Forerunner, is a biblical event commemorated as a holy day by various Christian churches. According to the New Testament, Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee under the Roman Empire, had imprisoned John the Baptist because he had publicly reproved Herod for divorcing his first wife and unlawfully taking his sister-in-law (his brother's wife) Herodias as his second wife. He then ordered him to be killed by beheading, which occurred at the hilltop fortress of Machaerus overlooking the Dead Sea in modern-day Jordan.
As a non-Biblical source, Jewish historian Josephus also recounts that Herod had John imprisoned and killed due to "the great influence John had over the people", which might persuade John "to raise a rebellion". Josephus also writes that many of the Jews believed that Herod's later military disaster was God's punishment for his treatment of John.
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Readings at Mass
Every year
- Reading
- 1 Cor 1:26-31
- Responsorial Psalm
- Ps 33:12-13, 18-19, 20-21
- Gospel Acclamation
- Mt 5:10
- Gospel
- Mk 6:17-29