On September 11, the church recalls with speed and gratitude an event that occurred shortly before the crucifixion of Christ: the beheading of head John the Forerunner.
Jesus’ cousin, the great prophet and accuser of sins, John spent his days in the wilderness, in strict austerity. He ate only honey and locusts, wore clothes made of camel hair, did not cut his hair. At the age of 30, John began to preach the imminent coming of the Messiah. He called the people to repent of their sins and baptized them in the Jordan River, giving rise to a new life.
John was not afraid to blame even King Herod for his sins. He took his wife from his brother and married her himself, violating Jewish law. John loudly, without hiding, accused Herod of this. He did not forget to mention the other sins of the king. He was arrested and put in jail for that. Herodias, the new queen, hated John and wished him dead. Herod, however, did not want to execute the prophet for fear of popular unrest.
Having tried persuasion, pleas and blackmail, but having achieved nothing, the queen came up with a cunning plan. During the feast, she sent her teenage daughter, Salome, to dance in front of guests. The dance was a huge success. Satisfied Herod promised for such pleasure to fulfill any desire of the girl. At the urging of her mother, Salome demanded John’s head.
To save his face, the king ordered the execution of the prophet. His head was brought to Salome on a platter.
She was then buried separately from her body. About the burial place learned the wife of the housekeeper, John. The Jews knew that the prophet had died on that day. She secretly took the head out of the palace and buried it on Mount Oleon. The body was buried at the place of execution in Sebasti. A temple was later built on this site, but Julian the Apostate ordered it to be burned in 362.
Parts of the saint’s head and right hand are preserved. The little finger from it is stored in Turkey, in the historical museum of Istanbul. The ring finger is in Italy. Part of the head fell on Mount Athos, as well as in the monastery of St. Sylvester near Rome, in Nagorno-Karabakh and in Damascus.
What’s the point of the holiday?
The evangelist Mark wrote of John that he was a voice crying in the desert. In the desert of human souls, in which the place of the Lord is occupied by emptiness, a meaningless set of beliefs and many sins.
As John called the Jews to repent, so the Holy Spirit calls us. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven awaits you. It’s right here. To do this, you only need to make the right choice.
To plunge into the blessing of the Lord, as the Jews plunged into the Jordan River and repent of their sins.
September 11 is the day of the revision of human souls. Look into your heart. Is there any sin left? Does the world attract us more spiritually? Are we going the way John pointed out, even if it is difficult and painful?
Usually, on holidays, even in fasting, believers are given relief. But September 11 is a fasting day. Strict restriction helps to shift attention to spiritual growth. Take an inventory of your thoughts and actions, repent and repent. Before God first. To people who have been hurt. The Lord is merciful, the broken heart will always comfort, but the confessed sin will forgive.
Remembrance days
September 11
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