Every year on June 24, the Church celebrates the birth of Saint John the Baptist, one of the oldest feast days in the religious calendar. And it has a unique distinction.
The Church usually commemorates the deaths of saints. But it makes an exception for three births: those of Jesus, Mary and Saint John the Baptist. If there is one famous figure in the history of Christianity, it is the man who announced the coming of ‘The Messiah’.
P. RORY HANLY
Parish priest of 'Saint Sylvester in Capite'
The church is actually dedicated to three popes: Saint Stephen, Dionysius, and Sylvester. It became known as San Silvestro because Pope Sylvester is the best known of the three saints and the designation in Capite the earliest evidence for it is 1192 or 1194 and it's because of the head, the relic of the head of St. John the Baptist in Capite refers to that relic of the head of St. John the Baptist
According to the Gospels, Salome, daughter of Herodias, asked Herod, on behalf of her mother, for the saint’s head on a platter, and recieved it.
P. RORY HANLY
Parish priest of 'Saint Sylvester in Capite'
We know John's integrity, his great passion for the truth. We also see that he had a great kindness when the People came to him looking for baptism and asked what they must do. He gave them kind of clear instructions, but not in a harsh way.
The festival is celebrated a few days after the summer solstice, when the days begin to grow shorter. Christian tradition sees this as a symbol of John’s words: ‘He must increase, but I must decrease’. In contrast, after Christmas, when Jesus is born, the days begin to grow longer, reminding us that Christ is the light who comes into the world.
P. RORY HANLY
Parish priest of 'Saint Sylvester in Capite'
There are other interesting things, I think. His doubt, you know, when Jesus was in the fullness of his ministry and John was in prison, he sent messengers to say, 'Are you really the one who was to come or should we wait for another?
Two thousand years later, Saint John the Baptist continues to captivate believers and pilgrims alike. His birth, celebrated every June 24, remembers the prophet who prepared the way for Christ.
