The commemoration of St. John’s nativity is one of the older, if not the oldest, feasts in honor of any saint found in either the Byzantine or Roman Liturgies.
The feast of St. John’s birth is mentioned in the sermons of St. Ambrose, St. John Chrysostom and St. Augustine. In the fifth century we even find churches erected in his honor. In the seventh century St. Andrew of Crete composed beautiful hymns honoring the nativity of Christ’s Forerunner, and St. John Damascene, in the eight century, enriched the liturgy with poetic sticheras and hymns in honor of St. John.
The Gospels themselves are our sources for the life of St. John, and of these St. Luke’s is the most complete, giving the circumstances of St. John’s birth, ministry and death. The father of John the Baptist was Zachary, a priest of the course of Abia. His mother, Elizabeth, “was of the daughters of Aaron” (Lk. 1:5). St. Luke describes the birth of St. john in a most striking manner. Zachary and Elizabeth “were both just before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. But they had no son, for Elizabeth was barren; and they were both advanced in years” (Lk. 1:6-7). But they prayed that their marriage be blessed with offspring and, St. Luke continues: “Now it came to pass, while he was officiating in the order of his course as a priest before God, according to the custom of the priest’s office, that he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord to burn incense. A whole multitude of people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right of the altar of incense. And Zachary seeing him, was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him ‘Do not be afraid, Zachary, for your petition has been heard and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son and you shall call his name John. And you shall have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great before the Lord; he shall drink no wine or strong drink, and shall be filled with Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he shall bring back to the Lord their God many of the children of Israel’” (Lk. 1:8-16). Zachary was somewhat slow to believe his message and in punishment for his incredulity was struck dumb until the promise was fulfilled.