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One of the church celebrations, which is sacredly honored all over the world, is dedicated to the birth of the last prophet of Israel – John the Baptist. Catholics and Orthodox celebrate the holiday differently. This is due to the different calendar and age-old customs of the two branches of the Christian faith.
Among Catholics, the birth of John the Baptist has the highest rank. It is celebrated solemnly and widely. A holiday is considered a non-working day in all Catholic countries. In the Orthodox Church, the birth of the Baptist is attributed to the great holidays, but, unlike the Catholics, this day is not a day off.
Healthy Food Near Me talks about the traditions of the Nativity of John the Baptist in 2022.
When is the Nativity of John the Baptist celebrated in 2022
Orthodox celebrate a significant event 6 months before the birth of Christ, that is July 7. This date does not change from year to year. In the Catholic Church, the approach is the same, but the holiday falls on 24 June. The reason is that the Orthodox Church lives according to the Julian calendar, while Catholics live according to the Gregorian calendar.
It is noteworthy that it is not customary for the Orthodox to celebrate the birth of a glorified person. Only three holidays are called “Christmas”. This is the birth of Christ himself on January 7, the birth of the Most Holy Theotokos on September 21 and the Nativity of John the Baptist on July 7.
history of the holiday
The birth of the future prophet is written only in one of the four Gospels, which was compiled by St. Luke. The long-awaited child appeared in a God-obedient couple who lived during the reign of King Herod. On the maternal side, the newborn was a relative of Jesus.
The Gospel tells that for many years the Jewish priest Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were waiting for an addition to the family, but for many years they remained childless. According to ancient beliefs, the absence of children was considered a great misfortune for the family. Prosperous old age, love for parents, prosperity and the best hopes for the future were associated with the heirs. The childless were universally condemned, so the desperate spouses completely lost heart.
Once, when Zechariah held a service in the temple and was going home, a heavenly messenger appeared to him. Archangel Gabriel said that soon the elderly spouses should expect a child who will bring much joy to the Jews.
Zechariah did not believe the angel, doubting the veracity of his words. He had been asking God for an heir for too long and had already gotten used to the sad thought that there would never be a child. Then Gabriel punished Zechariah and left him speechless.
As predicted, the priest’s wife was able to endure and give birth to a long-awaited son. Only on the 8th day after birth, when the child was given the name John, his father was able to speak again.
Holiday traditions
How is the birth of John the Baptist celebrated in Our Country? As elsewhere in the world, Christians participate in solemn worship. In the evening before the holiday, a great service is held in the churches – the All-Night Vigil. Believers do not sleep all night and pray to John the Baptist.
The saint preached repentance, therefore, in prayers to him, they ask for the admonition of sinners and help for prisoners. John the Baptist is asked to give a vision of his own sins, to introduce unbaptized people and sectarians to the faith. The prophet has long been revered by peasants and beekeepers. It is customary to ask him for help in agricultural labor and a plentiful harvest.
For centuries, temples dedicated to the Nativity of John the Baptist have been built in Our Country. Today, such churches stand in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Suzdal, Uglich, Oreshka and other cities and villages of our country.