Nativity of John the Baptist

June 24, 2026

Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist

The angel said, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God."  (Luke 1:13-16)

The icon is of the Nativity of Holy Forerunner, Prophet and Baptist, John (June 24th).

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Centennial of the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Church Exarchate - October 12-13, 2024

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Washington, DC — The year 2024 is a momentous one for the Byzantine-Ruthenian Catholic Church in the United States, as it celebrates two significant milestones.

First, it marks the centennial of the establishment of the Byzantine-Ruthenian Church Exarchate in the United States, now known as the Byzantine Catholic (Ruthenian) Metropolitan Church. On May 8, 1924, Pope Pius XI appointed Father Basil Takach as the Bishop of Ruthenian Catholics in the United States, an event that laid the foundation for what is today the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh and the Eparchies of Passaic, New Jersey, Parma, Ohio and Phoenix, Arizona. 

Second, it commemorates the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the Byzantine-Ruthenian Catholic Chapel at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC.

National celebrations will include a pilgrimage to Washington, DC, highlighted by a Divine Liturgy on Saturday, October 12, 2024, celebrated by Archbishop William C. Skurla, D.D., of the Byzantine Catholic (Ruthenian) Metropolitan Church, along with the Bishops of the Byzantine Catholic Church. For schedules and further details, visit byzantine100.com.