John the Baptist beeswax icon

The beeswax icon is hand-carved with great attention to details. John the Baptist is depicted in the center. To the right of him, there is an inscription that reads, "Behold the Lamb of God" - the words the saint uttered when he saw Jesus. In the upper right and left corners there are images of John's parents, the Holy Prophet Zachariah and the Righteous Elizabeth. Below, there are scenes depicting his birth, the baptism of Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan River, and the saint's martyrdom.

The birth of St. John the Baptist was a miracle, for he was born into the family of an elderly barren couple. The description of this event can be found in the Gospel of Luke. John becomes aware of the birth of even while still in his mother's womb, when the Virgin Mary, having received the Annunciation, visits her relative Elizabeth, who was already in the late stages of pregnancy.

From that moment on, John's whole life is devoted to the Lord. He lives in the desert, leading an ascetic life. He is called the Baptist because even before baptizing Christ, he fervently preached to people, urging them to repent and be baptized. As the Forerunner, he is the last prophet of the Old Testament and prepares the way for the coming of the Messiah. When Jesus appears before him to receive baptism, John immediately recognizes him, leading to the well-known dialogue in which Christ commands John to fulfill God's will and baptize Him.

John's passionate preaching, calling people to repentance and stigmatizing the sinful life of the Jewish rulers, became the occasion for his arrest by Herod Antipas. Herod was unlawfully living with his brother's wife Herodias. At the celebration of Herod's birthday, Herodias' daughter Salome, at her mother's instigation, coaxed the king into promising to behead John the Baptist.

In the Orthodox Church, there are several feasts dedicated to the memory of John the Baptist – from his conception to the finding of his Honorable Head. In Greece, numerous folklore traditions are associated with his personality and activities.