What a holiday for Orthodox Christians is September 11th. The beheading of John the Baptist: history, signs and why they don’t use a knife on this day

15th Week after Pentecost. Voice five.
Fast. Food with vegetable oil

Fast day.

The martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist in the year 32 after the Nativity of Christ is narrated by the Evangelists Matthew (Matthew 14:1-12) and Mark(Mark 6:14-29).
After the Baptism of the Lord, Saint John the Baptist was imprisoned by Herod Antipas, the tetrarch and ruler of Galilee. (After the death of Herod the Great, the Romans divided the territory of Palestine into four parts and installed their protege as ruler in each part. Herod Antipas received Galilee from Emperor Augustus to rule). The Prophet of God openly denounced Herod for the fact that, having left his lawful wife, the daughter of the Arabian king Arethas, he unlawfully cohabited with Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip (Luke 3: 19, 20). On his birthday, Herod gave a feast to the nobles, elders and commanders. Herodias' daughter Salome danced in front of the guests and pleased Herod. In gratitude to the girl, he vowed to give everything she asked, even up to half of his kingdom. The nasty dancer, on the advice of her evil mother Herodias, asked that the head of John the Baptist be given to her immediately on a platter. Herod was saddened. He feared the wrath of God for killing the prophet, whom he himself had previously obeyed. He was also afraid of the people who loved the holy Forerunner. But because of the guests and a careless oath, he ordered the head of Saint John to be cut off and given to Salome. According to legend, the lips of the dead head of the preacher of repentance opened once again and said: “Herod, you should not have the wife of your brother Philip.” Salome took the dish with the head of St. John and took it to her mother. The frantic Herodias pierced the prophet's tongue with a needle and buried his holy head in an unclean place. But the pious Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Khuza, buried the holy head of John the Baptist in an earthen vessel on the Mount of Olives, where Herod had his own plot of land (the discovery of the holy head is celebrated on February 24). The holy body of John the Baptist was taken that same night by his disciples and buried in Sebaste, where the atrocity took place. After the murder of Saint John the Baptist, Herod continued to rule for some time. Pontius Pilate, the ruler of Judea, sent to him Bound Jesus Christ, whom he mocked (Luke 23:7-12).
God's judgment took place on Herod, Herodias and Salome during their earthly lives. Salome, crossing the Sikoris River in winter, fell through the ice. The ice squeezed her so that her body hung in the water, and her head was above the ice. Just as she had once danced with her feet on the ground, now she, as if dancing, made helpless movements in the icy water. She hung like that until the sharp ice cut her neck. Her corpse was not found, but the head was brought to Herod and Herodias, as the head of Saint John the Baptist had once been brought to them. The Arabian king Arefa, in revenge for the dishonor of his daughter, moved an army against Herod. Having been defeated, Herod was subjected to the wrath of the Roman emperor Caius Caligula (37-41) and, together with Herodias, was exiled to prison in Gaul, and then to Spain. There they were swallowed up by the opening of the earth.
In memory of the beheading of St. John the Baptist, the Church established a holiday and strict fast as an expression of Christian grief over the violent death of the great Prophet.

The beheading of the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John.
Fast day.

The martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist in the year 32 after the Nativity of Christ is narrated by the Evangelists Matthew (Matthew 14:1-12) and Mark (Mark 6:14-29).
After the Baptism of the Lord, Saint John the Baptist was imprisoned by Herod Antipas, the tetrarch and ruler of Galilee. (After the death of Herod the Great, the Romans divided the territory of Palestine into four parts and installed their protege as ruler in each part. Herod Antipas received Galilee from Emperor Augustus to rule). The Prophet of God openly denounced Herod for the fact that, having left his lawful wife, the daughter of the Arabian king Arethas, he unlawfully cohabited with Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip (Luke 3: 19, 20). On his birthday, Herod gave a feast to the nobles, elders and commanders. Herodias' daughter Salome danced in front of the guests and pleased Herod. In gratitude to the girl, he vowed to give everything she asked, even up to half of his kingdom. The nasty dancer, on the advice of her evil mother Herodias, asked that the head of John the Baptist be given to her immediately on a platter. Herod was saddened. He feared the wrath of God for killing the prophet, whom he himself had previously obeyed. He was also afraid of the people who loved the holy Forerunner. But because of the guests and a careless oath, he ordered the head of Saint John to be cut off and given to Salome. According to legend, the lips of the dead head of the preacher of repentance opened once again and said: “Herod, you should not have the wife of your brother Philip.” Salome took the dish with the head of St. John and took it to her mother. The frantic Herodias pierced the prophet's tongue with a needle and buried his holy head in an unclean place. But the pious Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Khuza, buried the holy head of John the Baptist in an earthen vessel on the Mount of Olives, where Herod had his own plot of land (the discovery of the holy head is celebrated on February 24). The holy body of John the Baptist was taken that same night by his disciples and buried in Sebaste, where the atrocity took place. After the murder of Saint John the Baptist, Herod continued to rule for some time. Pontius Pilate, the ruler of Judea, sent Jesus Christ bound to him, whom he mocked (Luke 23:7-12).
God's judgment took place on Herod, Herodias and Salome during their earthly lives. Salome, crossing the Sikoris River in winter, fell through the ice. The ice squeezed her so that her body hung in the water, and her head was above the ice. Just as she had once danced with her feet on the ground, now she, as if dancing, made helpless movements in the icy water. She hung like that until the sharp ice cut her neck. Her corpse was not found, but the head was brought to Herod and Herodias, as the head of Saint John the Baptist had once been brought to them. The Arabian king Arefa, in revenge for the dishonor of his daughter, moved an army against Herod. Having been defeated, Herod was subjected to the wrath of the Roman emperor Caius Caligula (37-41) and, together with Herodias, was exiled to prison in Gaul, and then to Spain. There they were swallowed up by the opening of the earth.
In memory of the beheading of St. John the Baptist, the Church established a holiday and strict fasting as an expression of Christians’ grief over the violent death of the great Prophet.

What holiday is today? This question arises on a regular basis in the field of view of millions of Russians. People want to know more information about holidays so as not to miss one or another important one.

Today is indicative in this regard, since October 8, 2018 falls on several holidays. Professional holiday in Russia today is the following: Day of the commander of a surface, submarine and air ship of the Russian Navy. In turn church calendar indicates Remembrance Day St. Sergius Radonezhsky.

What holiday is it today, 10/08/2018: Day of the commander of a surface, submarine and air ship of the Russian Navy

On October 8, Russia celebrates the Day of the Commander of a Surface, Submarine and Aircraft of the Navy. The holiday was established by decree of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy in 2007.

The date October 8 was chosen in memory of the naval battle of Navarino (during the years of the Greek national liberation uprising), in which the battleship Azov, under the command of captain first rank Mikhail Lazarev, distinguished himself. The battle on the water took place in 1827 in the Bay of Navarino on the southwestern coast of the Peloponnese Peninsula.

The combined squadrons of England, Russia and France took part in the battle against the fleet of the Ottoman Empire.

For the first time in the history of the Russian fleet, "Azov" was awarded the St. George flag and a pennant for military exploits. The Ottoman fleet was defeated.

The Orthodox Church dedicated this day to Sergius of Radonezh. From birth, the future famous ascetic of Rus' was named Bartholomew, the father of his family was the service boyar Kirill, his mother’s name was Maria, and they lived not far from Rostov. Having become an orphan, Bartholomew first of all visited his brother Stefan, who, having become a widow, lived as a monk in the Khotkovo-Pokrovsky Monastery.

But more life monastery, Bartholomew was attracted by solitude, and together with his brother they settled on the coast of the Konchura River, where they also founded a hermitage. The brother, as it turned out, was not such an ascetic, and soon chose a different path - he became the abbot of the Moscow Epiphany Monastery. At the age of 23, along with his tonsure, Bartholomew changed his name to Sergius. A pious life of severity attracted monks to him, and soon, instead of modest solitude, he lived in the monastery that laid the foundation for the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, and Sergius himself became its abbot.

The brethren of the monastery fed only on their own labor, without accepting donations. Sergius, who never tired of the labors of the righteous, founded a number of monasteries: on Klyazma - Georgievsky and Vysotsky, near Kolomna - Staro-Golutvinsky, on Kirzhach - Blagoveshchensky, entrusting the management of them to his students.

The saint is credited with performing many miracles, not only healing, but even the resurrection of one dead child.

Many people came to Sergius, sometimes just to look at him. He prevented strife, reconciling the princes, bringing them together under the authority of the Grand Duke of Moscow. It is believed that this was decisive in the Battle of Kulikovo, when many Russian rulers gathered under the banner of Prince Dmitry Ioannovich. And it is not surprising that the prince received a blessing for the battle from Sergius, who promised Dmitry victory and also sent the monks Oslyabya and Peresvet with his army.

The nickname Cabbage Man came from the usual preparation of cabbage for the winter at that time. It was necessary to keep up with this carefully before the first frost, so that the cabbage did not turn sour. The whole family was busy working on the supplies - women and men chopped cabbage, older children peeled apples and carrots, and grandparents cut them.

Then the cabbage was placed in tubs, sprinkled with salt and additives, adding cranberries or lingonberries to the carrots and apples. Sometimes cabbage was salted with halves of a head of cabbage. And, of course, they left something for cooking, for example, for cabbage soup with fresh cabbage, for filling pies, and they also baked flat cakes on its sheets, and by placing the dough on the sheet, they prayed that the winter would be merciful.

But why the saint was nicknamed the Chicken Coop is not known for certain, but our ancestors believed that he protected poultry and chickens in particular.

The first snowfall on Sergei foreshadowed the arrival of winter on November 21, Michaelmas, and if the weather was clear and snowless, then the same was expected for the next three weeks. There were also long-term forecasts - the north wind promised a cold winter, the south - warm, and the west - generous with snow.

John the Baptist is the last of the Old Testament prophets, who foreshadowed with his life and sermons New Testament. He was called the Forerunner, or the one who shows the way of the Messiah.

The attributes of John the Baptist were a reed cross, a staff with a banner on which was written in Latin “Behold the Lamb of God,” a baptismal cup and a lamb.

The father of John the Baptist, the priest Zechariah, was deprived of the power of speech as punishment for not believing the angel who announced that his wife Elizabeth, who had passed childbearing age, would give birth to an extraordinary child, who should be named John.

According to apocryphal texts and folk legends, Mary remained with Elizabeth until she gave birth to a son.

Elizabeth, who was expecting a child, visited her cousin Mary, who also carried a wonderful child under her heart.

The spiritual life of John the Baptist was predetermined by his extraordinary birth and religious education since childhood. He led a harsh life in the desert and was depicted barefoot, accompanied by wild animals.

Beheading of John the Baptist

September 11th is one of the great ones church holidays- the day of remembrance of John the Baptist, when the whole world mourns his tragic death.

The gospels tell the story that John, who baptized Jesus and many in the Jordan River, denounced the ruler of Galilee, Herod Antipas, for which he was arrested and, at the instigation of Herod’s wife, Herodias, executed.

This legend is based on actual events. Lived in the 1st century ancient historian Josephus mentions the preacher John executed by Herod.

The name of Herod's stepdaughter is not mentioned in the Bible. Only in later sources is she called Salome.

The ruler of Galilee, Herod, held a feast on the occasion of his birthday. The main “dish” of this celebration was the sensual and shameless dance of Salome, the daughter of Herodias, cruel and beautiful, like her mother. Herod liked the dance so much that he vowed to fulfill Salome’s every whim. And she, at the instigation of Herodias, who hated John the Baptist, demanded the head of the prophet presented on a platter. Herod did not dare to break his promise to the guests. And he presented his stepdaughter with the head of John, which Herodias immediately threw into the mud, and the body of the prophet was kidnapped by his disciples and buried in the city of Sebastia.

On this day, strict fasting is required. The Church prohibits eating meat and fish, so the feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist is better known among believers under the name “John the Lenten.” Also, on September 11, it is necessary to abandon entertainment, since entertainment symbolizes the feast that led to the death of the prophet.

On September 11, Orthodox Christians observe strict fasting. This is a strange holiday at first glance - the day, no, not even execution, the cynical murder of a man whom his killers themselves recognized as a saint, a prophet conveying to people the will of God in whom they believed. And not out of revenge or out of principle, but in a drunken spirit, out of an evil whim.

John the Baptist is the most revered in Christendom a saint after the Virgin Mary, in the story of whose martyrdom, told by the evangelists Matthew (Matthew 14:1-12) and Mark (Mark 6:14-29), all European art has drawn inspiration for centuries.

The son of priest Zechariah and righteous Elizabeth of Hebron, a relative of Jesus Christ on his mother’s side, he, having lived as a hermit in the desert for many years, prepared for his calling, and then, obeying it, went to prepare the people with a sermon for the acceptance of Christ and completed his prophetic ministry with the baptism of the Savior .

And then the ruler of Galilee, Herod Antipas, put him in prison for being too bold in denouncing his vices. However, Herod did not at all want to cause him great harm: he was afraid of the wrath of God for the murder of the prophet, whom he himself had previously obeyed, and he was afraid of the people who loved the saint. And yet he gave the order to behead John - it just became awkward in front of the guests, in front of whom he vowed to fulfill any desire of the dancer he liked, and she wanted the head of the Baptist on a platter.

The head of the prophet was then buried in a clay vessel on the Mount of Olives by the wife of Herod’s steward, and the disciples buried his body in Sebastia, where the atrocity was committed.

And they, his disciples, began to celebrate the day of the martyrdom of John the Baptist. And in 362, when, by order of Emperor Julian the Apostate, his grave was opened and his remains were burned, Christians managed to acquire some of the burnt bones and transport them to Alexandria, where they are kept to this day.

In Sebastia, two temples were erected in the name of John the Baptist: one on a hill, near the palace of Herod Antipas, was built in the 6th century on the site of the dungeon where he was executed, the other on the site of his burial. And in the middle of the 12th century, the crusaders built a large basilica there, which Salah ad-Din turned into a mosque. The now existing mosque of the late 19th century, Nabi-Yahya (Prophet John), occupies only part of the former temple.

But why did the day of the murder become a holiday? Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh explained it this way:

“We are accustomed to understanding the word “celebrate” as joy, but it also means “to remain idle,” and you can remain idle because joy will overwhelm your soul and you no longer care about ordinary things, or maybe this will happen because your hands have given up from grief or horror. And this is today’s holiday...

On this day, when we give up before the horror and greatness of this fate, the Church calls us to pray for those who, also in horror and trembling and bewilderment, and sometimes in despair, died on the battlefield, died in dungeons, died a lonely death. After you venerate the cross, let us pray for all those who laid down their lives on the battlefield so that others might live, bowed down to the ground, so that others would rise. Let us remember those who, from millennium to millennium, and not just in our time, perished terrible death, because they knew how to love, or because others did not know how to love, let us remember everyone, because everyone is embraced by the Lord’s love, and the great John will pray for everyone, who went through the whole tragedy of sacrifice until the end of dying and death without a single word consolation, but only by the sovereign command of God: “Believe to the end, and be faithful to the end!”

Hijri Night - Muslim New Year

The night of the Hijra is one of the greatest Muslim holidays. It was installed in memory of the migration of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in the 13th year of his preaching.

At that time, adherents of Islam in Mecca were greatly oppressed, and the believers themselves asked the prophet to move to other places where they could freely live, pray and preach. He was not against it and pointed to the city of Yathrib (the current city of the prophet - Medina), where Jews and Arabs lived, always at war with each other, who really hoped that the appearance of the prophet next to them would put an end to their strife, and the long-awaited peace would come.

The movement of the first Muslims was secret; they set off at night, taking with them only the most necessary things. Only Muhammad himself, his father-in-law Abu Bakr, the first caliph and several people who were unable to make the transition remained in Mecca. They waited for four months while a community of Muslims and a brotherhood of muhajirs—immigrants—were created in Medina.

Meanwhile, the enemies of the prophet in Mecca formed a conspiracy. They wanted to kill him. But, according to legend, Allah revealed their evil intent to Muhammad and ordered him to perform the hijra that same night. The enemies gave chase, and the prophet had to hide from them for three days in one of the caves near Mecca. Not finding the fugitive, the pursuers returned to the city and announced a reward for his capture, which the hunter Suraka was flattered by. But when he had almost overtaken the prophet, his horse suddenly began to sink in the sand as if in water. The hunter begged for mercy and, through the prayer of Muhammad, was freed from captivity in the sand and, shocked by this miracle, believed in Allah.

And the prophet and Abu Bakr reached Medina, where they were met by joyful fellow believers. Since that time, Islam began to spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula, and the night of Muhammad's exit from Mecca (on the 1st day holy month Muharram) marked the beginning of a new calendar - the lunar Muslim calendar, according to which the Muslim world still lives.

The 1st of Muharram is not celebrated as secular in most Muslim countries. New Year. On this day, a sermon is read in mosques dedicated to the prophet’s move from Mecca to Medina, and it is believed that the evening before is better spent in prayer, asking Allah for grace on next year, and the greatest reward from the Almighty is given to the one who fasted the day before.

The first 10 days of the new year are revered in Muslim world blessed for all good beginnings. At this time, it is customary to celebrate weddings, start building houses and make plans for the future.

And the month of Muharram itself - along with the months of Rajab, Dhul Qaada and Dhul Hijjah - every Muslim should try to spend in serving the Almighty, who forbade conflicts, blood feuds and wars at this time.