St. John the Baptist Monastery Commemorations
The Monastery of St. John the Baptist is located in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem. It is considered one of the oldest Christian churches in the Holy Land; the first church was built here back in the 5th century.
The main shrine of the monastery is a part of the frontal bone of John the Baptist. The parts of the holy relics of the Greek martyr St. Panayiotis are also kept here.
The Divine Liturgy is celebrated daily in the monastery, during which the monks read the notes on health and repose submitted by the believers, and light candles. During these services, the brethren pray for all of Christendom.
To Saint John the Baptist
John the Baptist is considered to be the most famous and beloved saint. He is not an ordinary saint: prayers are offered to him immediately after the Lord, the Most Holy Mother of God, and the Heavenly Guardians. And it's not surprising, as it was John the Forerunner who baptized Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan. He is the one who leads to Christ.
Prayer to the miraculous icon of John the Baptist can grant believers spiritual healing, and this in itself is a miracle.
What do we pray John the Baptist for?
- Strengthening in faith and purification from sinful thoughts;
- Granting peace and a positive attitude before an important task;
- Abundant harvest;
- Resolution of conflicts and quarrels within the family;
- Healing from various ailments, especially headaches and strokes;
- Protection from enemies and persecutors;
- Deliverance from drunkenness and other harmful habits;
- Conversion of unbelievers and the unbaptized to the Lord;
- Support for those serving sentences.
Prayer to John the Forerunner sustains during difficult times, helping to calm down, strengthen the spirit, and achieve spiritual harmony. The Canon to St. John the Baptist is considered one of the most powerful prayers.
To Saint Panayiotis of Jerusalem
The homeland of Saint Panayiotis is the Peloponnese peninsula, however, at a young age, he found himself in Jerusalem, as an attendant of a Turkish pasha. There, he accompanied him to a mosque, where he was accused of desecrating a Muslim shrine and sentenced to death. The only way to avoid it was to convert to Islam.
The young man was offered to embrace the new religion; however, he remained steadfast in his faith. Standing before the judges, he continued to profess Jesus Christ as the true God, for which he was subjected to many tortures. On April 5, 1820, at the age of about 20, with the words "Christ is risen!" on his lips, the saint surrendered his soul to Christ, whom he loved so much. He was beheaded at the Jaffa Gate.
The Orthodox Greeks of Jerusalem managed to redeem the holy relics from the Ottomans for 5000 kuruş and bury them with due respect. Today, these miraculous relics are kept as a priceless shrine in the Monastery of St. John the Baptist in Jerusalem.
What do we pray Saint Panayiotis of Jerusalem for?
- Strengthening in faith;
- Renewal of the soul with true repentance and guidance on the right path;
- Granting of fortitude in trials;
- Healing from various ailments;
- Conversion of unbelievers and the unbaptized to the Lord;
- Endowment of courage to defend the truth.
Orthodox Holidays
A unique opportunity to submit prayers for health or repose of your loved ones on Orthodox holidays. Such holidays may relate to events of the earthly life of Our Lord Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary, or be dedicated to the lives of saints, commemorations of particularly revered events, and holy icons.
In this section, the upcoming holidays of the Orthodox Church are displayed. Please be attentive when filling out the cards, as each of them refers to one of the upcoming Orthodox holidays.
