The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-06-23
NOTE
FEAST DAYS
Of SAINTS
Apostolic Bodies Will Honor
St. John the Baptist and
St. Peter.

Two important saints days will
be commemorated next week by the
churches of apostolic origin.
Tomorrow is the Feast of the
Nativity of st. John the Baptist The
date of st. Johns birth is set as
six months before Christmas be-
cause of a statement concerning
Elizabeth, the mother Of John, in
st. Luke's account of the Annuncia-
ton 1t is common to COM
memorate martyrs on the date Of
their martyrdorn; st. John the
Baptist Day is an exception. as the
traditional date of his martyrdom is
August 20.
st. John the Baptist occupies
peculiar position In the history
of the Christian religion. No phase
of that history is more remarkable
to its students than the unceasing
evidence OF the divine hand which
so guided the thought and philo3o-
ply Of the Jewish people from the
days of Moses through the CEN
turtles of the prophets and through
the last two centuries before Christ
that the minds of the people were
ripe to receive the new revelation
of God and His kingdom which was
given to man by Jesus Christ.
In this development John the
Baptist played an important part.
At time when the Jewish PEG ole
were divided between their religious
sects and governed by those who
sought only the ceremonial obser-
walton Of the law; at a time when
many were hopeless of a deliverer
from the tyranny Of kings and 1so-
man governors; at time when the
national enthusiasm of the Jews
which had been fostered by the
prophets and by the Maccabees
was rapidly waning, came John
the Baptist leading his austere
life. reminiscent Of the prophet
Elijah. and preaching a gospel OF
righteousness. penitence and humil.
ity. Very Justly was 1t claimed
for him that he was sent to pre-.
pare. the way for the Saviour OF
Mankind.
Friday. June 20, is st. Peters
Day. The commemoration Of st.
Peter on this date is of great an
tiquity and 1t is known to have been
observed in the churches of both
the East and the West since the
fourth century. Originally the feast
was a double memorial commence
rating the martyrdom of both St.
Peter and st. Paul. The later in
PRODUCTION Of the Feast OF the Con-
version Of st. Paul, celebrated on
January Is, has removed the neces-
sity for concentrating him on the
same day as st. Peter. There 10
an early tradition that st. Peter
and st. Paul suffered martrydom
on the same date.
st. Peter was throughout the
gospel story a leader among the
apostles and shared with st. John
the Masters greatest confidence.
After the ascension it was Peter
who was most prominent in the ac-
tivities Of the Jewish Christians.
The fact that James and not Peter
presided at the Council of Jerusalem
twenty years later is thought to
indicate that Peter was travelling as
a missionary. It Is almost certain
that Peter visited Rome, but there
Is no record of the date.
Tradition has it that he was
cTuClLleu III noLIle Jul HlS OAV VI thC
prosecutions of Christians by the
early emperors. He Is said to have
asked that he be hung on the cross
with his head downward, as he was
not worthy to die in the same man.
ner as his Lord.
St. John the Baptist's Day will be
commemorated in the Episcopal
churches in Washington tomorrow
by the use Of special prayers ard
scriptures at all the services. On
st. Peters Day. next Friday, there
will be an early morning celebra-
ton Of the holy communion in sew
eral Of the Episcopal churches.