Zechariah and Elizabeth
Parents of John the Baptist
Other Celebrations for this Day:
Liturgical Cycle: A,B,C
Introduction
Today we keep the memorial of Saints Zechariah and Elizabeth, the parents of Saint John the Baptist. Though not officially on the universal Roman Calendar, their memory is cherished in Catholic tradition, drawing from the Gospel of Luke (chapters 1–2), where their faith, patience, and openness to God’s plan are recounted. Zechariah, a priest of the Temple, and Elizabeth, a woman advanced in years, were blessed by God with the miraculous birth of John, the forerunner of Christ. Their lives remind us of God’s fidelity to His promises and invite us to trust in His timing with steadfast faith.