Beheading of St John the Baptist
Beheading of St. John the Baptist — Saturday, August 29, 2026 in 2026.
The martyrdom of St John the Forerunner at the order of Herod. It is kept as a day of mourning and, in many places, of abstention from festivity.
When is Beheading of St John the Baptist in 2026?
In 2026 the feast falls on Saturday, August 29, 2026. It is a fixed feast and keeps the same date every year on the New Calendar; Old Calendar parishes keep it thirteen days later on the civil calendar.
| Year | Date | Fasting that day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Saturday, August 29, 2026 | No Fast |
| 2027 | Sunday, August 29, 2027 | No Fast |
| 2028 | Tuesday, August 29, 2028 | No Fast |
| 2029 | Wednesday, August 29, 2029 | Fast |
Fasting on Beheading of St John the Baptist
A strict fast day whatever day of the week it falls on.
Fasting practice varies between jurisdictions, parishes and households — see the Orthodox fasting rules for the full picture and speak with your priest about your own rule.
See this feast in the calendar
Open the day itself for the saints, feast and fasting rule in full, browse August 2026, or see the whole of 2026.