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St. John the Baptist (1st century C.E.),
born miraculously as the son of the priest Zechariah and his wife
Elizabeth, the cousin of Mother Mary, mother
of Jesus. A staunch ascetic and denouncer of religious hypocrisy, he
baptized Jesus Christ and others at the river Jordan (see
illustration below), while announcing that he was only the forerunner of
Christ who would baptize with fire.
His
name comes from the Hebrew Yochanan, which means YHWH has been gracious.
Jesus referred to him as the reincarnation of Elijah (See Matthew 11:1314). He
was beheaded by Herod Antipas.
  
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