September 11 is popularly called Ivan Lenten. This is the only day of the year when prohibitions and temptations converged at the same time. In the Orthodox Church, September 11 is associated with the name of John the Baptist.
John the Baptist
John the Baptist is the last of the Old Testament prophets who foretold the New Testament with his life and sermons. He was called the Forerunner, or the one showing the way of the Messiah.
The attributes of John the Baptist were a reed cross, a staff with a banner on which was written in Latin "Behold the Lamb of God", a baptismal cup and a lamb.
The father of John the Baptist, the priest Zachariah, was speechless as a punishment for not believing the angel, who announced that his wife Elizabeth, who had come out of childbearing age, would give birth to an extraordinary child, who should be called John.
According to apocryphal texts and folk legends, Mary remained with Elizabeth until she gave birth to a son.
The expecting child Elizabeth was visited by her cousin Mary, who also carried a wonderful child under her heart.
The spiritual life of John the Baptist was predetermined by his extraordinary birth and religious upbringing from childhood. He led a harsh life in the desert and was portrayed barefoot, accompanied by wild animals.
Beheading of John the Baptist
September 11 is one of the great church holidays - the day of memory of John the Baptist, when the entire Orthodox world mourns his tragic death.
The gospels tell the story that John, who baptized Jesus and many Jews in the Jordan River, denounced the ruler of Galilee Herod Antipas, for which he was arrested and, at the instigation of Herod's wife, Herodias, was executed.
This legend is based on actual events. The ancient historian Flavius, who lived in the 1st century, mentions the preacher John, who was executed by Herod.
The Bible does not mention the name of Herod's stepdaughter. Only in later sources is she called Salome.
The ruler of Galilee, Herod, held a feast on the occasion of his birthday. The main "dish" of this festival was the sensual and shameless dance of Salome, daughter of Herodias, cruel and beautiful like her mother. Herod liked the dance so much that he swore to fulfill any whim of Salome. And she, at the instigation of Herodias, who hated John the Baptist, demanded the prophet's head presented on a platter. Herod did not dare to break his promise to the guests. And he presented the head of John to his stepdaughter, which Herodias immediately threw into the mud, and the body of the prophet was stolen by his disciples and buried in the city of Sebastia.
On this day, a strict fast is supposed to be observed. The church prohibits eating meat and fish, therefore the church feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist is better known among believers under the name "John the Lenten". Also on September 11, it is necessary to abandon entertainment, since entertainment symbolizes the feast that resulted in the death of the prophet.
