Category:Relics of John the Baptist (subject)
According to Christian and Islamic traditions, Relics of John the Baptist are (or were) preserved in numerous locations, notably, the Nabi Yahya Mosque in Sebaste [West Bank], the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus [Syria], the Cathedral of Amiens [France], the Church of Saint Sylvester in Capite in Rome [Italy], and other locations.
Overview
The Tomb of John the Baptist
The Gospels of Mark (6:29) and Matthew (14:12) say that the disciples of John "came and took his body and laid it in a tomb," but the location is not specified.
Legends soon began to develop in Christianity (and then in Islam) about the burial place of John.
The Sebaste Tradition
A 4th century Christian tradition indicated in Sebaste the burial place of John the Baptist. The presence of a Herodian palace (although belonging to Herod the Great, not to Herod Antipas) probably generated the tradition. The palace was mistakenly identified with the site of the prison of John the Baptist and the place where he was beheaded (John was more likely imprisoned and executed by Herod Antipas in the fortress of Machaerus in Perea, as indicated by Josephus). A church was built in Sebaste, and later transformed into a mosque. The Nabi Yahya Mosque (the mosque of the Prophet John) is still today an important pilgrimage site.
The Head of the Baptist
It was believed that the head of the Baptist was not returned to his disciples but kept by Herod Antipas. Many legends flourished in Christianity and Islam over the centuries about what happened to the head of the Baptist, and how it was several times hidden and miraculously rediscovered.
(a) St John's Shrine in Damascus, Syria -- It is said that when the Christian Cathedral of Damascus was turned into a mosque at the beginning of the 8th century, a box containing the head of St. John the Baptist was found in a crypt. St John's Shrine inside the Umayyad Mosque became (and is still today) a place of veneration for Muslims and Christians alike.
(b) The Amiens Cathedral, France -- The relic of the head of the Baptist arrived in Amiens on December 17, 1206. It was part of the loot of the Fourth Crusade, brought from Constantinople by Wallon de Sarton. The relic went lost during the French revolution.
(c) The Church of Saint Sylvester in Capite, Rome [Italy] -- The relic of the head of John the Baptist is still today exhibited in a chapel to the left of the entrance.
Other Relics of John the Baptist
The Cloth of John the Baptist
In Depth
- A (sources) -- survey of ancient sources
- A (arts) -- survey of fictional works
- A (research) -- survey of scholarly works
External links
- [ Wikipedia]
Pages in category "Relics of John the Baptist (subject)"
The following 2 pages are in this category, out of 2 total.