Category:Young John the Baptist in the Desert (subject)

Murillo (1665)

Young John the Baptist in the Desert / John the Baptist's Hidden Years refers to an event in the life of John the Baptist. The episode is narrated in the Gospel of Luke and expanded in later Christian traditions.

People : John the Baptist

< Life of John the Baptist : Annunciation to Zacharias -- Visitation of Mary -- Birth of John the Baptist -- Child John the Baptist with Jesus -- Young John the Baptist in the Desert -- Preaching of John the Baptist -- Baptism of Jesus -- Question about Fasting -- Messengers from John the Baptist -- Death of John the Baptist -- Question about Authority -- Relics of John the Baptist >

Overview

The Gospel of Luke simply states that John the Baptist grew and went to the desert before starting his public ministry, without providing any further details. Later Christian traditions speculated on the "hidden years" of John, as it did with Jesus. Christian iconography often portraits John with the child Jesus; sometimes he is alone, sometimes he is in company of his mother Elizabeth. It was also commonly believed that John left his house as a boy to spend his entire childhood in solitude and grew up in the desert.

John the Baptist as a child also appears in many representations of the Madonna and Child and the Holy Family, together with Jesus of Nazareth; only occasionally, the two children appear alone. See Child John the Baptist with Jesus.

The Monastery of St. John in the Wilderness

The Monastery of St. John in the Wilderness was built on the place that is traditionally believed to be where John was raised. It is located, south of Jerusalem, a short distance from Ein Karem, the traditional birthplace of John the Baptist. It is known as Ain el-Habis, meaning “spring of the hermit.”

The landscape surrounding this monastery is lush and green. There are two caves located below the monastery. The first contains water and is used for baptisms and ritual bathing. The second is believed to be where John hid with his mother to escape from Herod’s massacre of the innocents. Today there is a fresco that can be seen at the back of the cave depicting John and his mother Elizabeth.

Built at the time of the Crusades, the monastery was in the hands of the Georgians and then of the Franciscans. The current monastery and its church were designed by Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi and were inaugurated in 1922.

A special evening prayer service is held annually on June 23rd to commemorate John the Baptist growing strong in the spirit in the wilderness.