The Christmas of John the Forerunner is approaching, we celebrate one of the biggest holidays correctly, observe the prohibitions.

John the Baptist the Forerunner A great prophet who predicted the coming of the Messiah. In the sacred waters of the Jordan River, he baptized the inhabitants of Judea and Jesus Christ himself, who became the possessor of the Holy Spirit, a dove descended from heaven. Therefore, the saint was called the Baptist.



One of the three Christmases celebrated by Christians belongs to John the Forerunner, and the Orthodox will celebrate it on July 7. The previous two holidays are dedicated to the coming into our world of Jesus Christ and the Mother of God.

John the Baptist the Forerunner informed Gabriel of the birth of the great martyr John of his elderly parents. The old priest Zacharias at first did not believe the words of the archangel, so he deprived him of the gift of speech until the birth of his son. The man spoke only when it was necessary to proclaim the name of the newborn. The boy saw the light six months before Jesus.



Soon the mother of St. Elizabeth had to flee with the baby in her arms into the desert to save the life of the child. Herod then ordered the killing of all the boys who were under two years of age: the king feared the prophecy of the birth of Christ. Subsequently, their family wandered for a long time in the sands, and the Forerunner spent more than a dozen years among the wasteland.

John returned to his homeland at the age of thirty. He led a righteous life, preached Christianity, and led many on the right path. But for the honesty and fearlessness of the prophet, he was martyred: he was executed for the just exposure of a representative of the authorities.



The Christmas of John the Forerunner A majestic church holiday that combines Christian rules with folk traditions. On this day, parishioners go to church to listen to the solemn service and pray. People believe that sincere prayer, proclaimed before the image of a saint, has powerful power.

What they ask of the saint is addressed to the image in case of infertility or loss of a child. Prayer to the great apostle can heal the body and soul. Therefore, he is asked for health for the whole family. Pray to him, if fate is unfavorable, to radically change it.



Ask the prophet for advice when faced with difficult choices. They go to the Great Martyr when there are problems at work. They pray for his family well-being.

At the Christmas of John the Baptist there are prohibitions. Since the prophet was executed by cutting off his head, it is forbidden to cut products of oval or round shape on the holiday. It is not recommended to use any sharp or cutting objects during the day.



You should adhere to the fast and not abuse hot drinks. It is a sin to arrange noisy festivities and excessively have fun. It is impossible on this day to engage in heavy physical labor, work in the field, saw or chop wood.

It is forbidden to wash, clean the house, sew and knit. It is a sin today to swear, make scandals and swear. On this day it is not customary to swim in the lake or river. The Church does not advise to perform pagan rites that have been preserved among the people since ancient times. It is not recommended to lend or borrow on a holiday.



Christian priests for a long time fought with folk traditions and festivities on Kupala, until there was an involuntary assimilation with the feast of John the Baptist. Ordinary people now call July 7 the day of Ivan (John) Kupala.