God intervened for John the Baptist to be born to Zachariah and Elizabeth, who were too old to bear children otherwise. According to scriptures, Zachariah was visited by the angel Gabriel, who informed him that he would have a son and that they ought to name him John. Because of his skepticism, Zachariah was silenced until the birth of his son, John, in accordance with God's plan.

Mary visited Elizabeth when she was expecting John, and upon hearing Mary's greetings, John leapt inside Elizabeth's womb. This revealed to Elizabeth that the child Mary was carrying was the Son of God.

Southwest of Jerusalem, in Ain-Karim, is most likely where John was born. He lived as a hermit in Judea's wilderness as a young adult until roughly the year 27 A.D. He started preaching on the Jordan River's banks at the age of 30, urging people to turn from their sins and baptizing them in the river. John acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah when he approached him for baptism and declared, "It is I who need baptism from you."

After John followed Jesus' instruction to baptize Him anyway, the heavens parted and the Spirit of God appeared as a dove. Then God spoke, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Following Jesus' baptism, John continued to preach. However, shortly after, Herod Antipas put him in jail because John had exposed the king's adulterous union with Herodias, the half-brother Philip's wife.

Salome, daughter of Herodias, demanded John's head as retaliation for John the Baptist's criticism of her mother's shameful union with Herod. Herod the King grudgingly agreed. John the Baptist died sometime between 33 and 36 AD.

The feast day of John the Baptist is June 24, and there is occasionally a second feast on August 29, the anniversary of his death.

Other Saints of the Day
Saint Germoc
Saint John of Tuy
Saint Bartholomew of Farne
Saint Faustus and Companions
Saint Mother Maria Guadalupe Garcia Zavala