St. John the Baptist / Svatý Jan Krtitel - Jánské námestí (Kostelec nad Cernými lesy, Central Bohemia) - Statues of Religious Figures on Waymarking.com

Depicted sandstone Baroque statue of St. John the Baptist (Svatý Jan Krtitel) You can find in small Jánské Square (Jánské námestí) in the historic part of town Kostelec nad Cernými lesy. Statue is work of unknown Baroque sculptor from 1758.

John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure in Christianity, Islam (known as Yahya ibn Zakariyya), the Bahá'í Faith, and Mandaeism. John is described as having the unique practice of baptism for the forgiveness of sins. Most scholars agree that John baptized Jesus. Scholars generally believe Jesus was a follower or disciple of John and several New Testament accounts report that some of Jesus' early followers had previously been followers of John. John the Baptist is also mentioned by Jewish historian Josephus. Some scholars maintain that John was influenced by the semi-ascetic Essenes, who expected an apocalypse and practiced rituals corresponding strongly with baptism, although no direct evidence substantiates this. According to the New Testament, John anticipated a messianic figure greater than himself, and Jesus was the one whose coming John foretold. Christians commonly refer to John as the precursor or forerunner of Jesus, since John announces Jesus' coming. John is also identified with the prophet Elijah. [wiki]