Prophet · 1st century
John the Forerunner
The Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John
New Calendar June 24 Old Calendar July 7
Why they are a saint
John the Forerunner was the last prophet of the Old Covenant and baptizer of Christ. He preached repentance in the wilderness and was beheaded by Herod Antipas. The years given for this life are 1st century. His memory is kept with the other Old Testament righteous whom the Church venerates as saints.
Life
Saint John's parents, the priest Zachariah and Elizabeth, lived in Hebron and were old and childless. While Zachariah served in the Temple, the Archangel Gabriel foretold the birth of a son who would announce the Messiah; because he doubted, Zachariah was struck speechless. John leaped in his mother's womb when the Virgin Mary visited Elizabeth. When the child was named, Zachariah wrote, 'His name is John,' and his tongue was loosed.
When Herod ordered the infants killed, Elizabeth fled with her son into the wilderness, and Zachariah was killed in the Temple for refusing to reveal where they were. Protected by an angel, John lived in the wilderness until he came preaching repentance, and he was found worthy to baptize the Lord.
Herod Antipas imprisoned him for denouncing his unlawful union with Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. At Herod's birthday feast, Salome, at her mother's prompting, asked for John's head on a platter, and Herod had him beheaded, around the year 32. His disciples buried his body at Sebastia, and the pious Joanna buried his head on the Mount of Olives.
Sources: OCA Lives of the Saints · OCA Lives of the Saints. Retold in our own words.
Traditional patronage
The cited source names no specific patronage.
Patronage / why chosen as patron
Patron of monastics, chastity, repentance, because he lived the monastic life of prayer and asceticism.
Prayer
O holy John the Forerunner, pray to God for us.
A short general prayer to a saint, not a liturgical text. No public-domain troparion for this saint is included.