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 The death of
St. John the Baptist is reported in varying amounts of detail throughout the
synoptic Gospels and Mark and Matthew report the event with the most detail.
In Mark's Gospel, John was arrested and imprisoned because of King Herod's
fear of him. John had been openly censuring Herod for taking his
sister-in-law as his own wife, and Herod was afraid that John's preaching
would start a revolt against him.
Although Herod feared John, he would not kill him because he knew John was a
righteous and holy man, and he liked hearing John speak. Herodias, Herod's
wife, did not share his respect for John and looked for any chance to have
him killed. Herodias' chance came when her daughter Salome's dancing so
pleased Herod and aroused such irrational lust in him that he promised her
anything she desired. Herodias prompted her daughter to ask for the death of
John the Baptist. Herod granted her wish and John was killed.
The day for this feast is taken from the date when the Church of St. John
was dedicated at Sebaste, in Samaria. This church is located at what is
traditionaly thought to be the burial site for St. John.
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