The First and Second Finding of the Precious Head of the Holy, Glorious Prophet and Forerunner John the Baptist
Great Fast Day 10. All-night Vigil Feast.
Sixth Hour – Isaiah 5:16-26; Presanctified – Genesis 4:16-26; Proverbs 5:15-6:3
Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.
Read Isaiah 5:16-26
Today we commemorate the event of the first and second finding of the head of the Glorious Prophet and Forerunner John the Baptist. After the execution of the holy prophet, which Herod commanded, his body was taken by his disciples and buried in the city of Sebaste, but his head was kept by Herodias in a clay jar. Later, it was taken secretly by the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza and buried on the Mount of Olives.
The head was found many years later by a monk who began to build the foundations for a church on that spot. He recognized that this was a special relic and filled with great grace and so he took care of it during his lifetime. Before his death he was worried that this relic would be abused by unbelievers so he buried it where he found it.
The second finding occurred during the lifetime of St. Constantine and Helen. The Holy Forerunner appeared to two monks who were on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and instructed them to unearth the holy relic. They carelessly carried the relics and when they got tired they gave it a co-traveller. St. John then instructed the traveller to take the relics and flee the impious monks. The holy relic was from that time successfully preserved by the pious Christians until a heretic priest took the relic. This priest in an attempt to hide the relics hid them in a cave. God then inspired pious monks to settle the cave and begin a monastery, which then under the direction of St. John found the relics. This finding we commemorate as the second finding.
Isaiah’s reading today speaks to us in the spirit of St. John the Forerunner. Reminding us that we can work against God when we embrace that which is contrary to goodness, light, truth and Divine sweetness. When thinking of these ‘Woes’ we are quick to judge others in our society, but the reality is that pride prevents us from being honest with ourselves. Today Isaiah and St. John ask us to dig deep and honestly examine our hearts to see if we hold closely anything that is contrary to God? Do we hold on to anything that is evil in the eyes of God and fool ourselves into thinking that it is good? Any darkness which we promote as light? Anything bitterness, which we cover over as sweetness? Let us heed the voice of St. John and deepen our repentance this Lenten season.