Saint John the Baptist is the Teacher of the Permanent Prayer

1/9/2012
Romanian Orthodox Church

On 29 August, the Romanian Orthodox Church celebrates the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist. He is known especially for the holiness of his life, for the strictness of asceticism and ardent desire to do justice and reach the Kingdom of God. The people of the Church named him angel in human body or human angel.

In the sermon delivered in the historical chapel of the Patriarchal Residence, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, eulogized the life of Saint John the Baptist and Prophet pointing out his devotion and the fact that he was a preacher of the divinity of Christ.

Saint John the Baptist preached that Jesus of Nazareth was the Lamb of God who would do away with the sins of the world

“Saint John the Baptist is part of the salvation plan of God for the humankind. He distinguished himself through quite a special devotion all his life because he retired in the desert of Jordan ever since his childhood living in prayer, fasting and meditating on the commandments of God. Saint John the Baptist lived in a cave and ate wild honey and locusts and never had an alcoholic drink. Saint John the Baptist preached that Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God who would do away with the sins of world, confessed His divinity when baptised Him in the river Jordan; he called the world to repentance, to the baptism of repentance which was a preparation for the Christian baptism. He began his sermon with the words: “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near”, said His Beatitude.

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel has also spoken in his sermon about the martyr’s death of Saint John the Baptist who was beheaded as well as about the findings of his head.

Saint John the Baptist – a teacher of the permanent prayer

The Patriarch of Romania has also shown that Saint John the Baptist is a protector of the monks and of those who preach justice and truth, having been especially a teacher of the permanent prayer and of repentance.

“Saint John the Baptist is considered a teacher of repentance, as well as a prayerful for those who repented but who had no more time in their lifetime to do repentance deeds because they died unexpectedly. Saint John the Baptist is a teacher of permanent prayer, a teacher of those who live in the desert, far from the world, a protector of the monks, especially of the hermits who live in the desert and a protector of those who preach justice and truth in society, as well as the fulfilment of the will of God in the humans’ lives”, also said the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

Beheading of Saint John the Baptist – a fasting day

Then, His Beatitude explained why the Church established this day as a fasting one.

“This feast is a fasting day. Our religious service books also show us how the Orthodox faithful must fast on this day; because Saint John the Baptist fasted all his life and never drank alcoholic drinks and because his death was caused by the stuffing with meat and wine and by the licentious thoughts, no product made by bloodshed is consumed on this day, not even fish. No meat and no fish are eaten on this day, but only vegetables, fruits, just to remind us that he was a great faster and that Herod Antipa decided his death because he never fasted and restrained himself”, said His Beatitude.

Saint John the Baptist is en encouragement for us to fulfil the will of God in the world, to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven with great courage

“Saint John the Baptist was beheaded when only 32, so that he was rather young when he died, but he gathered in his soul much light in the Kingdom of Heaven during his childhood and youth, and showed much devotion and lowliness for Christ. Thus, Saint John the Baptist is an encouragement for us to fulfil the will of God in the world, to preach with great courage the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven for the glory of the Most Holy Trinity and for our salvation”, also said the Patriarch of Romania.

The Orthodox Church dedicated six feasts to Saint John the Baptist: his conception – 23 September; birth – 24 June; service – 7 January; beheading – 29 August; the first and second findings of his head – 24 February; the third finding of his head – 25 May.

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