Saint John the Forerunner

The third finding of the honorable head of Saint John the Baptist occurred around the year 850. During the turmoil in Constantinople, the holy head was taken to the city of Emesa. Later, during the invasions of the Saracens, it was transferred to Comana and hidden in the ground during the iconoclast persecutions. When the veneration of icons was restored, Patriarch Ignatius received a vision during a night prayer about the place where the head was hidden. The emperor, upon hearing this, sent an embassy to Comana, where the head was found for the third time. It was later transferred to Constantinople and placed in the court church; a part of the holy head is located on Mount Athos.