St. John the Baptist

 First Photo: General view of the area where righteous Elizabeth with baby John was hiding

After the death of Zechariah, Elizabeth with baby John was hiding in deserted places near the village of Ein Karem. The vegetation in these places is not so deserted, but in winter there are showers, and winds, and piercing cold. Later, John left his native place and went to the Judean desert, near the Jordan.

Second Photo: The cave in which the righteous Elizabeth hid has survived to this day; above the cave stands a small Catholic monastery in memory of the Nativity of John the Baptist.

Hegumen Daniel reports about the mountain where Elizabeth fled with John the Baptist: “From there, from half a verst through a mountain gorge, Elizabeth ran to Mount Elizabeth and said: “Mountain, take a mother with a child.” And immediately the mountain parted and received Elizabeth. The servants of King Herod, who were chasing after Elizabeth, came to this place, found nothing and returned tired.

Very tasty water flows out of the cave, Elizabeth and John drank it when she lived in this mountain until the death of Herod, and an angel guarded her. This mountain is very large, there is a lot of forest on it, and there are many gorges around. The cave is located west of Jerusalem. This place is called Orani. The prophet David fled from Jerusalem from King Saul to the same mountain.

Third Photo: Having lost his father early, Saint John the Baptist soon lost his mother as well. Righteous Elizabeth was buried in another cave, not far from the place where she took refuge with St. John the Baptist from persecution. John the Baptist, who was then about four years old, was left all alone.