Russian St John the Baptist Medal
Antique religious medal dating from the latter half of the 18th century, circa 1780. It's Russian, crafted in 84 zolotnik silver, and features Saint John the Baptist on one side, with his decapitated head on a platter on the reverse. In keeping with larger-scale Christian icons from this period, the coloured sections - the face and hands - are rendered in egg tempera*.
John the Baptist was a Jewish prophet who preached of the imminence of God's final judgement and called for people to repent and be baptised. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodox Christianity for this role he played in preparing humanity for Jesus' arrival. Eastern Christianity also teaches that, following his death, John descended into Hades where he continued to preach that Jesus was coming, so he was the Forerunner of Christ in death as he had been in life.
His death is documented in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, which tell of the way that Herod, a sub-king of Galilee, had imprisoned John the Baptist because he had rebuked Herod for marrying Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip I. On Herod's birthday, Herodias' daughter Salome danced before the king and pleased him so much that he offered her anything she asks for in return. When Salome asks her mother what she should request, she is told to demand the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Despite being appalled by the request, Herod reluctantly agreed and ordered the beheading of John, whose head is delivered to her, as requested, on a plate.
Many Eastern Orthodox churches commemorate the beheading of St John the Baptist on 29th August in the Julian Calendar, which corresponds to 11th September in the Gregorian calendar. The day is observed with strict fasting with abstinence from meat, dairy, eggs, fish, and wine in remembrance of his martyrdom.
*a permanent, fast-drying painting medium consisting of pigments mixed with a water-soluble binder medium, usually glutinous material such as egg yolk. The term tempera is derived from the Italian dipingere a tempera ("paint in distemper"), from the Late Latin distemperare ("mix thoroughly"). [Wikipedia]
Era: 18th Century, 1750-1800
Size: 3.0cm by 2.1cm
Marks: Russian silver marks (84 zolotnik)
Condition:
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