August 29th -The Beheading of St. John the Baptist

Herod Antipas, son of the Herod who slew the young children in Bethlehem at the time of the Lord Jesus was ruler of Galilee when John the Baptist was preaching.

This Herod was married to the daughter of Aretas, an Arabian prince. But Herod put away his lawful wife and took Herodias, his brother Philip's wife with him while Philip was still alive. John the Baptist stood up against this lawlessness and strongly denounced Herod, at which Herod threw him into prison. At the time of some feast at his court in Sebastia in Galilee, Salome, the daughter of Herodias and Philip, danced for the guests. Herod, in his cups and carried away by her dancing, promised her whatever she asked, even to the half of his kingdom. Instructed by her mother, she asked for the head of John the Baptist.

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