S. João - Porto, Portugal - Statues of Religious Figures on Waymarking.com

"John the Baptist (late 1st century BC – c. AD 30) was a Jewish itinerant preacher in the early 1st century AD. Other titles for John include John the Forerunner in Eastern Christianity, John the Immerser in some Baptist traditions, and the prophet John (Ya?ya) in Islam. He is sometimes alternatively called John the Baptizer.

John the Baptist is mentioned by the Roman Jewish historian Josephus and revered as a major religious figure in Christianity, Islam, the Bahá'í Faith, and Mandaeism. He is considered a prophet by all of these faiths, and is honoured as a saint in many Christian traditions. According to the New Testament, John anticipated a messianic figure greater than himself, and the Gospels portray John as the precursor or forerunner of Jesus, since John announces Jesus' coming and prepares the people for Jesus' ministry. Jesus himself identifies John as "Elijah who is to come", which is a direct reference to the Book of Malachi (Malachi 4:5), that has been confirmed by the angel who announced John's birth to his father Zecharia. According to the Gospel of Luke, John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth were relatives.

Some scholars maintain that John belonged to the Essenes, a semi-ascetic Judaic sect who expected a messiah and who practiced ritual baptism. John used baptism as the central symbol or sacrament of his pre-messianic movement. Most scholars agree that John baptized Jesus and several New Testament accounts report that some of Jesus' early followers had previously been followers of John.

According to the New Testament, John was sentenced to death and subsequently beheaded by Herod Antipas sometime around AD 30 after John rebuked him for divorcing his wife Phasaelis and then unlawfully wedding Herodias, the wife of his brother Herod Philip I. Josephus also mentions John the Baptist in the Antiquities of the Jews and states that he was executed by order of Herod Antipas in the fortress of Machaerus.

The Preaching of St. John the Baptist by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1566 Followers of John the Baptist existed into the second century AD, and some proclaimed him the messiah Known as the Mandaeans, followers of John the Baptist exist to this day. They believe that John the Baptist is their greatest and final prophet or teacher.2


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Associated Religion(s): Catolica Statue Location: Hospital de S. João Entrance Fee: Free Artist: Unknown Website: [Web Link]

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