The Conception of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John — September 23 / October 6 (Julian Calendar)

The Conception of the venerable, glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John. In the days of King Herod, the priest Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth lived in Judea. “Both were righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless,” yet, by God’s will, they reached old age without a child. Heavy-hearted with sorrow, they prayed fervently that the Lord would look upon them with mercy. Then one day, in the order of his daily service before God, “according to the custom of the priesthood,” Zacharias entered the temple to burn incense and saw the Archangel Gabriel standing at the right side of the altar. He was struck with fear, but the angel comforted him and brought good tidings: “Fear not, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John” (Luke 1:13). Zacharias did not believe the heavenly messenger, and as a punishment he was struck mute until the birth of the heir. The people waited a long time for the priest’s blessing. When he came out he could not speak to them, and all understood that he had seen a vision. Zacharias made signs to the gathered people and remained mute.

The Archangel’s prophecy came to pass: barren Elizabeth conceived and bore the Forerunner of the Lord.

The holy Archbishop John Chrysostom says in his homily on the Conception of John the Baptist: “He who turned the barren rock into a spring of waters… commanded barren Elizabeth to become a mother, showed the unfruitful to be fruitful, and made her, weighed down by old age, like a newly wedded woman. For when she was drawing near the grave, then she was made ready to bear; when old age had withered her flesh, then God made her womb young again; and what time had taken from her, she received from the Creator, and what was lost in youth was restored to her in old age.”