Zechariah and Elizabeth name their baby John. He later becomes known as John the Baptist.

"O God, who willed that Saint John the Baptist should go ahead of your Son both in his birth and in his death, grant that, as he died a Martyr for truth and justice, we, too, may fight hard for the confession of what you teach. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." (Collect from the Ordinary Form of the Mass) Today we celebrate, both in the Traditional Calendar and the Contemporary Calendar of the…

Pope Francis reminds the faithful that 24 June is the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, and invites everyone to draw closer to God.

Zechariah was a priest in the days shortly before Jesus was born. His wife was Elizabeth. They were quite old, but God chose them to be the parents of John the Baptist. Mary visited Elizabeth and they celebrated the coming births of these special children. These activities are about the birth of John the Baptist.

Saint Elizabeth, cousin of the Blessed Virgin Mary and mother of Saint John the Baptist, is a beautiful model of humility, faith, and joy in the face of God’s miraculous works. Advanced in age and barren, she and her husband, Zechariah, had long prayed for a child, trusting in the Lord’s plan. In their old age, an angel appeared to Zechariah, foretelling the birth of a son, John, who would prepare the way for the Lord. Elizabeth’s heart was filled with joy and gratitude, seeing in her own…

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Observing the Baptist's nativity unites us - through the communion of saints - with countless other believers over space and time, who marvel at the wonders God has done. SUGAR ...

God knew that John the Baptist would be a special person with a special job even before he was born. This free, printable, match game activity will help children learn about the birth of John the Baptist and discover that John helped prepare the people of Israel for Jesus.