Feast day: June 24
John the Baptist is Jesus’s cousin. June 24 — the feast of St. John the Baptist — celebrates John’s birth. His feast day is six months before Christmas Eve because John was born about six months before Jesus!
Many stories about John are told in the Bible.
The angel Gabriel visited John’s parents to tell them that they would have a baby. (The angel Gabriel appeared to Jesus’ parents, too!)
When Mary, Jesus’s mother, was pregnant with Jesus, she visited Elizabeth, John’s mother.
The Bible says that John lived in the desert and ate locusts (insects) and honey.
John preached about God and made way for Jesus’ coming. He also baptized many people — that’s why he is called “John the Baptist.” He even baptized Jesus!
St. John the Baptist was humble. Many people followed John, but when Jesus began his ministry, John told the people that Jesus was much more important than him.
King Herod had John killed, so we call him a martyr.
You can celebrate the feast of St. John the Baptist by visiting your cousins (if they live close by,) or giving them a call. You could also ask your parents to tell you about your baptism or show you pictures from that day.
You could also eat like John the Baptist by trying a spoonful of honey. And if you’re courageous, you could try chocolate-covered-crickets!
Youth who are high school age and younger are invited to submit original visual art, such as a drawing or painting, to be featured in the “Saints for Kids” section of Youth Focus.
For the next Saints for Kids, the subject of the artwork are Sts. Joachim and Anne. A photo of the artwork can be submitted via email to ocastlen@archlou.org or the original can be mailed to the attention of The Record at the Maloney Center, 1200 S. Shelby St., Louisville, Ky., 40203, with a stamped, self-addressed return envelope.
The deadline to submit is July 10. Call reporter Olivia Castlen at 471-2131 with any questions.
