August 29th - Feast of Beheading of John the Baptist

This feast day commemorates the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist by Herod Antipas as reported in Matthew 14:1-12:

At that time Herod the ruler heard reports about Jesus; and he said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he has been raised from the dead, and for this reason these powers are at work in him."  For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because John had been telling him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."  Though Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they regarded him as a prophet.  But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and she pleased Herod so much that he promised on oath to grant her whatever she might ask.  Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter." The king was grieved, yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he commanded it to be given; he sent and had John beheaded in the prison.  The head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who brought it to her mother.  His disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went and told Jesus.  NSRV

It is said that after the beheading John spoke "Herod, you should not have the wife of your brother Philip."  After Salome gave the platter to her mother, Herodias is said to have repeatedly stabbed the tongue with a needle and buried the head in a dung heap.  Herod's steward's wife Joanna retrieved the head and hid it on the Mount of Olives.  The body was taken by John's disciples and buried at Sebastia.