Feast of John the Baptist

John the Baptist is the Patron of my birth place, Tabaco City in Albary province.

The Church celebrates his Feast on June 24, which is also celebrated as the Fiesta of Tabaco City.

Who is John the Baptist?

He was the son of Zachary, a priest of the Temple of Jerusalem, and Elizabeth, a kinswoman of Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus.

John lived as a hermit in the desert of Judea until about 27 AD. When he was thirty, he began to preach on the banks of the Jordan against the evils of the times and called men to penance and baptism, proclaiming that "the Kingdom of Heave is close at hand!"  He attracted large crowd, and when Christ came to him, John recognized Him as the Messiah and baptized Him, saying to our Lord Jesus, "It is I who need baptism from You." St. John was the last great prophet to herald the birth of Jesus Christ.

Ordinarily, the Church observes the day of a saint's death as his or her feast, because that day marks his or her entrance into heaven. There are two exceptions to this rule, the birthdays of Blessed Mary and of St. John the Baptist. The reason is this: All other persons were stained with original sin at birth, hence, were displeasing to God. But Mary, already in the first moment of her existence, was free from original sin (for which reason even her very conception is commemorated by a special feast), and John was cleansed of original sin in the womb of his mother, when the Blessed Mary pregnant at that time with our Lord Jesus, visited John's mother, Elizabeth.

In the Gospel accounts, King Herod had John the Baptist imprisoned for denouncing his marriage to his brother's wife,Herodias. The King then had John beheaded, and the Feast of his beheading is remember on August 29.

John the Baptist is also considered the patron of tailors (because he made his own garments in the desert), of shepherds (because he spoke of the "Lamb of God"), and of masons. This patronage over masons is traced to his words:

"Make ready the way of the Lord, make straight all his paths.

Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be

brought low. And the crooked shall be made straight, and

the rough ways smooth." (Luke 3,4-6)

We greet Tabaco City a Very Happy Fiesta!