Only three birthdays are celebrated on the liturgical calendar: Jesus, Mary, and John the Baptist. That alone tells you something about who he is.
The story begins before he was born. When the angel Gabriel told Mary she would conceive the Son of God, he also told her that her cousin Elizabeth — old and long thought barren — was already six months pregnant. Mary immediately left for Judea. When she arrived and called out, the baby in Elizabeth's womb leaped. John recognized his Lord before either of them had drawn a breath in the open air.
He would go on to live in the desert, eat locusts and wild honey, preach repentance in the wilderness, baptize crowds in the Jordan, and ultimately lose his head rather than stay silent about Herod's sin. He was, as Jesus said, the greatest born of woman. And today the Church throws him a birthday party.
Enjoy Feast Day Food
Every food idea for this feast is rooted in the themes of the day — birth, joy, and the wild prophet who prepared the way:
- Birthday cake or cupcakes — It's a birthday. Make one. Sing to him.
- Shell mac and cheese — In honor of the shell used to pour water at Baptism. A simple, joyful, kid-friendly nod to John's great mission.
- Honey — John ate wild honey in the desert. Drizzle it on biscuits, stir it into tea, or simply let kids dip a spoon. It's a small and sweet connection to the prophet himself.
Make the Jumping Baby St. John Pop-Up Birthday Card
Use the Jumping Baby St. John Pop-Up Birthday Card from the June Printable Pack to assemble a card celebrating the prophet's birth. As kids cut and fold, read aloud Luke 1:41 — the moment John leaped in the womb. Even before birth, he recognized Jesus. Let that sink in for a minute. Then let the card pop open and celebrate.
Play a Leaping Game
Hopscotch, leap frog, jumping jacks — anything that gets kids leaping in honor of the baby who leaped for joy. If your family is up for it, this is also one of the most ancient feast days in the Church's calendar, traditionally celebrated with a bonfire. Light one in the backyard tonight if you can, and talk about John the Baptist as a burning lamp — the one who pointed everyone toward the Light.
Pray
Read the Annunciation and the Birth of St. John the Baptist from Luke 1 together as a family. Then pray the Magnificat — Mary's great prayer of praise, first spoken in the presence of the prophet still in his mother's womb.
St. John the Baptist, pray for us.
