Small Athonite Icon with Saint John the Baptist

Small icon (lithograph) of Saint John the Baptist, on hard MDF with matte varnish.
Dimensions: 7 x 12 cm.

Short life of Saint John the Forerunner 

Saint John the Forerunner and Baptist was the greatest prophet of the New Testament and the one who prepared the people for the coming of Jesus Christ. He was the son of the priest Zechariah and Elizabeth, and a relative of the Virgin Mary. His birth was a miraculous event, as his parents were advanced in age when the Archangel Gabriel announced to Zechariah that they would have a child. According to tradition, John was saved from the massacre of the infants ordered by King Herod and grew up dedicated to God. He lived an ascetic life in the wilderness of Judea, devoted to prayer and fasting, until he began his public ministry.

On the banks of the Jordan River, he called people to repentance and baptized them, which is why he is called the Baptist. The most significant moment of his ministry was the Baptism of the Lord, when he was honored to baptize Christ Himself. The Church refers to him as the Forerunner because he came before Christ and prepared the way for His saving work. With great courage, he defended the truth and did not hesitate to rebuke injustice. This led to his imprisonment and martyrdom by beheading, on the order of Herod. The Church commemorates Saint John the Forerunner and Baptist on several dates throughout the year. The main feast is the Synaxis of the Holy Forerunner on January 7, immediately after the Feast of the Holy Theophany.