Synaxis of St John the Baptist
Doxology. Kept with the Great Doxology.
Commemorated today
- The Synaxis of the Venerable and Illustrious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, John.Prophet · A synaxis — several kept together life on this site
The life we have written
Holy Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John
The last of the prophets, who spent his life pointing away from himself — and was killed for refusing to stop telling the truth to a man with power.
- Era
- First century, before and alongside the ministry of Christ
- Region
- The hill country of Judea, the wilderness, the Jordan valley, and the fortress of Machaerus
- Category
- Prophet, Forerunner, and Martyr
- Principal feast for this profile
- The Beheading, August 29
- New Martyr Athanasius of Attalia (1700)New Martyr — killed under Ottoman or modern persecution · d. 1700
What is known
A new martyr died in one of the later persecutions rather than the Roman ones — most often under Ottoman rule, or in the twentieth century under Soviet and other modern regimes. The word new distinguishes the era, not the manner.
The title places them at Attalia. The year given is 1700.
Beyond this, no life of them survives that could be checked — which is true of most of the saints kept on any given day. The commemoration is the record.
- Our Venerable Father Cedd, Bishop of Essex and Abbot of Lastingham (664)Hierarch · d. 664
What is known
A hierarch is a bishop — including patriarchs, metropolitans and archbishops. The Church commemorates bishops in this rank whether they are remembered chiefly for teaching, for governing, or for holding a see through a difficult century.
The title places them at Essex. The year given is 664.
Beyond this, no life of them survives that could be checked — which is true of most of the saints kept on any given day. The commemoration is the record.
Appointed readings
About this page. This is the Menaion date — the fixed calendar. Parishes on the New Calendar keep it on January 7 by the civil calendar. On the Julian calendar this same commemoration is kept on January 20 by the civil calendar. The movable cycle, which turns on the date of Pascha and changes every year, is on the calendar page. Where a life has been written on this site the name links to it; where it has not, only what the commemoration itself attests is shown, and nothing is added to it.