Holy Prophet Zacharias and Righteous Elizabeth, Parents of Saint John the Baptist (1st Century) — September 5 / September 18 (Julian Calendar)

On this day, September 5 according to the Julian Calendar (September 18 civil calendar), the Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Prophet Zacharias and Righteous Elizabeth, the parents of Saint John the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord. Both were of the lineage of Aaron: Saint Zacharias, the son of Barachias, served as a priest in the Temple at Jerusalem. The righteous couple walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless (Luke 1:6), yet they suffered from childlessness, which in those times was considered a great punishment from God. Once, while Zacharias was serving in the Temple, an angel announced to him that Elizabeth, who had already reached old age, would bear a son who would be great in the sight of the Lord (Luke 1:15) and would go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17). Zacharias doubted that this prophecy could be fulfilled, and for his lack of faith he was struck dumb. When the righteous Elizabeth gave birth to a son, at the prompting of the Holy Spirit she named him John, although no one in their family had ever borne that name. When the father of the newborn was asked, he requested a tablet and wrote the same name upon it. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke and blessed God (Luke 1:64). Filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, he prophesied concerning his son as the Forerunner of the Lord.

When the lawless Herod learned from the Magi of the birth of the Messiah, he resolved to slaughter all the male children in Bethlehem and its surroundings, from two years old and under (Matthew 2:16). Herod knew well of the wondrous birth of the Prophet John and wished to kill him as well. The righteous Elizabeth fled with the infant into the mountains, and the murderers searched for them everywhere. When Elizabeth noticed her pursuers, she begged the Lord with tears to help her. Suddenly the mountain split open and sheltered mother and child. During this dreadful time Zacharias did not leave the Temple in Jerusalem. The soldiers sent by Herod tried for a long time, in vain, to learn from him where John was hidden, after which, on Herod’s orders, they slew him between the temple and the altar (Matthew 23:35). The righteous Elizabeth departed this world forty days after the death of her husband, while Saint John, under the protection of the Lord, lived in the wilderness until the time came for his appearance before the people of Israel.