Saint Zechariah

Priest, Prophet, Martyr

Zechariah was a priest in the division of , After Elizabeth had given birth to their son, she one of the twenty-four formed during named him John as the Angel Gabriel had commanded. the reign of King to minister at the Temple in At the time it was customary to name children after a Jerusalem. Each of the orders was responsible for member of the family, but no one in their family was ministering during a different week and Sabbath. Each named John so they went to ask Zechariah what he wished division would begin their service at midday during the to name the child. When he wrote on a tablet that John Sabbath before the time when they would perform the was his name, Zechariah’s muteness was cured and he morning sacrifice. From then on, they would serve in the named their child John. Zechariah then began to prophesy temple, offering the daily sacrifices and administering the about the messiah and his son in a prayer which became Priestly Blessings to the people, with their service ending known as the Benedictus. at midday on the following Sabbath after they had Less than a year after the birth of their son, King performed the morning sacrifice. Herod ordered a census be taken at the command of the As a member of the priestly line of Israel, Emperor of the Roman Empire, Augustus Caesar. Zechariah was well respected along with his wife Zechariah and Elizabeth remained where they lived while Elizabeth who was also from one of the priestly lines of many others around them had to travel to their hometown Israel. In addition to the esteem, they would enjoy as to register for the census. Soon after when John was about members of the Levites, Zechariah and Elizabeth also two years old, there was a great commotion when several lived holy and righteous lives and would not break the magi visited the region of , but soon after the commandments of God, doing everything that was departure of the magi, Zechariah and Elizabeth learned expected of them. Despite this, well into their 50’s and that Herod was searching for a child and had ordered the 60’s, or even later, the two were unable to have any execution of all children under the age of two. The children which was considered by the Israelite’s to be a miracle surrounding the birth of his son had likely been sign of God’s displeasure toward them. well publicized, and to protect him, Zechariah sent him Despite this, Zechariah held to his duties. One with Elizabeth into the hill country so they could not be year when it was time for the division of Abijah to serve found by Herod’s officers. at the , he was chosen by lot to enter Believing that John could possibly be the the temple to burn incense before God, an honor that was Messiah and thus a threat to his own rule, Herod sent allowed once in their life and of which not every priest officers to find him. Unable to find John, Herod’s officers enjoyed the honor. When he entered the temple, sought out Zechariah and found him at the entrance to the Zechariah was visited by the Angel Gabriel, who temple where they demanded to know where John was on prophesied for him that he and his wife would conceive the pain of death. Zechariah no longer knew where John and bear a child in his old age and their child would be a was, and when he refused to give them any information great prophet fulfilling the prophecy of the return of that would lead them to his son’s location, they killed Elijah. Despite the examples of such miracles in scripture Zechariah at the entrance to the temple. through Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel and Hannah, Zechariah Later in the morning when Zechariah did not disbelieved Gabriel’s words and was mad mute as a come out from the Temple for the morning salutation punishment. according to custom, the Priests found him dead inside. When Zechariah was delayed in leaving the According to tradition, after three days of mourning the temple and returned unable to speak, everyone believed death of Zechariah, Saint Simeon was chosen by lot to he had seen a sign. When he returned to his home in take up Zechariah’s place. Zechariah’s was killed around Hebron, he and his wife conceived a child and Elizabeth the year 1 BC and his feast day is September 23rd. wen into seclusion for five months. Soon after that, Elizabeth’s young cousin Mary came to visit with the claim to have been similarly visited by an angel who had revealed Elizabeth’s having conceived a child. Elizabeth for her part proclaimed Mary the Ark of the New Covenant at the prompting of their unborn son. Zechariah then took Mary into their house under his protection for the next three months. During the three months, Mary began to become visibly pregnant and around the time Elizabeth gave birth to their son, she returned to her own home.