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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world


Name

Zechariah, Old Testament prophet

Saint ID

S00283

Number in BH

BHG 1880.I-1880c

Gender
Male
Type of Saint
Old Testament saints
Related Evidence Records
IDTitle
E00164Greek Calendar of Church Services to be performed at different churches in Oxyrhynchus (Middle Egypt) from the end of October to the end of March of the years 535–536, providing information on the names of many churches, and on the saints’ days celebrated in the city.
E00492The Piacenza Pilgrim records his visit to the basilica of *Zechariah (Old Testament prophet, S00283) at Eleutheropolis (Palestine), where the prophet lay buried, and to the grave of *Isaiah (Old Testament prophet, S00282); the saw with which the latter had been killed was displayed in the church of Zechariah. Account of an anonymous pilgrim, written in Latin, probably in Placentia (northern Italy), c. 560.
E00927Inscribed horse brass with Greek invocations of *Theodore (presumably the soldier and martyr of Amaseia and Euchaita, S00480) and *Zechariah (probably the father of John the Baptist, S00597). Found in Ikonion (Lycaonia, central Asia Minor). Probably 7th c.
E01036Inscribed stone reliquary with relics of *Zechariah (probably the father of John the Baptist, S00597). Found near Seleukeia/Seleucia ad Calycadnum (Isauria, southern Asia Minor). Probably 5th/6th c.
E01068Labels of tombs at Korykos/Corycus (Cilicia, south-east Asia Minor), owned by a church dedicated to *Zechariah (probably the father of John the Baptist, S00597). Probably late 5th or 6th c.
E01084Greek inscription, almost certainly labelling a burial place owned by a church dedicated to *Zechariah, (probably the father of John the Baptist, S00597). Now at the Museum of Adana (Cilicia, south-east Asia Minor); provenance unknown. Probably 6th c.
E01727Lid of a marble reliquary, bearing a Greek dedicatory inscription, just possibly containing relics of a *Zechariah (either the Old Testament prophet, S00283, or the father of John the Baptist, S00597). Found at El Bassah/Khirbet Ma'asub (near Tyre, west Phoenicia). Probably 6th c.
E01999The Life of *Melania the Younger (aristocratic ascetic in Jerusalem, ob. 439, S01134), by Gerontius, a monk at her monastery, recounts how, in 417/418, she placed relics of the prophet *Zechariah (S00283), *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030) and the *Forty Martyrs of Sebaste (S00103) in the oratory of the female monastery she founded on the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem; and how she later built a small martyrion, whose dedication is not recorded, for the male monastery she had founded subsequently. Written in Greek or Latin, probably in Jerusalem, c. 450.
E02377Greek painted inscriptions (dipinti) from the north-east chamber of the church of *Kosmas and Damianos (brothers, physicians martyrs of Syria, S00385) of the 'complex of *John the Baptist' in Gerasa/Jerash (Roman province of Arabia), invoking the help of *George (soldier and martyr, S00259), probably of Kosmas and Damianos, and an unspecified *Zechariah (probably the father of John the Baptist, S00597, or the Old Testament prophet, S00283). After 533.
E02524The so-called Madaba Mosaic Map shows a number of labelled places of the cult of saints in the Holy Land (mainly monasteries). Found in Madaba (Roman province of Arabia). Probably mid-6th c.
E03163The early seventh-century Georgian version of the Lectionary of Jerusalem commemorates on 26 May *Philip (the Apostle, S00109), *Thomas (the Apostle, S00199) and *Zechariah (either the Old Testament prophet, S00283, or the father of John the Baptist, S00597).
E03191The early seventh-century Georgian version of the Lectionary of Jerusalem commemorates on 10 June *Zechariah (Old Testament prophet, S00283).
E03361The early seventh-century Georgian version of the Lectionary of Jerusalem commemorates on 25 August the deposition of the relics of *Isaiah (Old Testament prophet, S00282), *Zechariah (Old Testament prophet, S00283, or the father of John the Baptist, S00597), the *Three Hebrew Youths (of the Old Testament Book of Daniel, S01198) and the *Forty Martyrs of Sebaste (S00103).
E03374The early seventh-century Georgian version of the Lectionary of Jerusalem commemorates on 5 September *Zechariah (probably the father of John the Baptist, S00597), and the Apostles *Philip (S00109), and *Thomas (S00199).
E03390The early seventh-century Georgian version of the Lectionary of Jerusalem commemorates on 2 October the Apostles *Peter (S00036), *Paul (S00008), *Thomas (S00199), *Philip (S00109), and *Andrew (S00288), *Isaiah (Old Testament prophet, S00282), *Zechariah (Old Testament prophet, S00283), *Mamas (martyr of Kaisareia/Caesarea in Cappadocia, S00436), *Theodore (soldier and martyr and Amaseia and Euchaita, S00480) and *Christophoros (martyr of Pamphylia, S00616), *Sergios (soldier and martyr of Rusafa, S00023), *Pantaleon (martyr of Nicomedia, S00596).
E03640The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th century, based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Jerusalem, commemorates on 10 February 'Theognios' , the invention of the relics of *Zechariah (either the Old Testament Prophet, S00283, or the father of John the Baptist, S00597), 'Potime' (unidentified), *Thyrsos (martyr of Bithynia, S00612), 'Alexandros' (unidentified), and *Adrianos and Natalia (martyr of Nicomedia and his pious wife, S01342).
E03741The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 16 May *Zechariah (Old Testament prophet, S00283, or father of John the Baptist, S00597), *Helladios (unidentified hieromartyr, S01762), Xenodoros or possibly Xenodochos, an epithet of George, an 8th c. bishop of Melitene, *Iustinus (possibly the philosopher and martyr of Rome, S01140), and Thomas, a 9th c. bishop of Jerusalem.
E03751The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th century, based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 26 May *Thomas (the Apostle, S00199), *Philip (the Apostle, S00109), *Zechariah, (probably the father of John the Baptist, S00597, or possibly the Old Testament prophet, S00283), and *Therapon (bishop and martyr of Cyprus under Diocletian, S01751).
E03766The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 10 June *Zechariah (either the father of John the Baptist, S00597, or the Old Testament prophet, S00283), *Barnabas (Apostle and companion of Paul, S00786), *Timothy (Apostle and disciple of Paul the Apostle, S00466), and *Onnophrios (Egyptian anchorite, S00055).
E03843The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 25 August *Isaiah (Old Testament prophet, S00282), *Zechariah (Old Testament prophet, S00283), the *Three Hebrew Youths (of the Old Testament Book of Daniel, S01198), and *Daniel (Old Testament prophet, S00727), and *Titus (disciple of Paul, S01204).
E04059Sozomen, in his Ecclesiastical History (9.16 & 17), recounts the discovery in Palestine of the relics of *Zechariah (Old Testament Prophet S00283) and *Stephen the First Martyr (S00030) under Theodosius II (r. 408-450). Written in Greek at Constantinople, 439/450.
E04405Fragmentary Greek inscription, probably containing an excerpt from an imperial letter, mentioning an oratory (eukterios oikos) of *Zechariah (either the Old Testament prophet, S00283, or the father of John the Baptist, S00597), the privilege of asylum, probably awarded to this oratory, and probably a feast (panegyris) of the saint. Found at El Bassah/Betzet, sited on the coast, between Tyre and Ptolemais, but reportedly brought from nearby Khirbet Ma'asub (northwest Galilee/Roman province of Phoenicia). Probably 6th c.
E04560The Greek Life of *Daniel the Stylite (ob. 493, S00342) recounts the life and manifold miracles of an ascetic who, imitating *Symeon the Stylite (the Elder, ob. 459, S00343), lived on a pillar and founded a monastic community at Anaplous on the Bosphorus. The text mentions shrines of martyrs and prophets in Constantinople, the use of holy oil and images, and the transfer of relics of Symeon the Stylite and the *Three Hebrew Youths (of the Old Testament Book of Daniel, S01198) to Constantinople. Written in Constantinople, 493/518.
E04847The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 10 June.
E05735John Malalas in his Chronographia (Book 17), in an account of events in Antioch (Syria) in the early 6th century, mentions the local shrines of *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030), *Michael (the Archangel, S00181), *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033), unnamed *Prophets (S00139), *Zachariah (probably the father of John the Baptist, S00597, or the Old Testament Prophet, S00283), and *Kosmas and Damianos (brothers and physician martyrs, S00385), as well as a Gate of *Ioulianos (martyr of Cilicia buried at Antioch, S00305). Written in Greek at Antioch or Constantinople, in the mid-6th c.
E06310Coptic invocation possibly from Panopolis (Upper Egypt) addressing* Michael (the Archangel, S00181), *Gabriel (the Archangel, S00192), *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00030), *Zechariah (presumably the father of John the Baptist, S00597) and *5400 Martyrs (unnamed, S00060) to cause someone physical harm; datable to the end of the 4th/beginning of the 5th century.
E07025The Greek Life of *Auxentios (ascetic and monastic founder in Bithynia, ob. c. 470, S01523) recounts the life and miracles of its hero as an ascetic on mount Oxia, near Chalcedon (north-west Asia Minor, near Constantinople), and founder of a nunnery at Gyrita near Chalcedon. It mentions shrines near Chalcedon. Written in Constantinople, probably in the mid 6th century.
E07159Procopius of Caesarea, in his Secret History (3.21-29), recounts how Photius, foster son of Belisarius, when trying to escape house arrest imposed on him by the empress Theodora, sought asylum in the churches of *Mary (Mother of Christ; S00033) and *Sophia (Holy Wisdom, S00705); Photius also had a vision of *Zechariah (Old Testament Prophet, S00283) who bade him escape to Jerusalem. Written in Greek in Constantinople, in 550/562.
E07915Theodosius, in his On the Topography of the Holy Land, on a route from Jerusalem to Bethulia notes the burial site of *Zechariah (Old Testament prophet, S00283) near Eleutheropolis. Written in Latin, perhaps in Africa, 518/540.
E07942The Breviarius, a brief guide to the holy places of Jerusalem, which survives in two distinct versions, mentions a number of buildings and relics associated with saints and Old Testament figures. Written in Latin, presumably in Jerusalem, perhaps (in its two surviving states) around AD 500.
E08127The Greek Life of *Domnika (abbess of Constantinople, ob. after 475, S02889) recounts the life and miracles of the founder of one of the earliest female convents of Constantinople. It mentions the dedication of its church to *Zechariah (Old Testament Prophet, S00283), and miracles ascribed to the Prophet and to the relics of Domnika. Written in Constantinople in the 7th c.
E08323The Hibernensis canon law collection's 48th book, 'On Martyrs,' quotes a number of unidentified sayings and precedents concerning martyrs, the translation of their relics, and their powers after death, including some falsely attributed to patristic authorities. Compiled in Latin in Ireland and/or Iona (north-west Britain), c. 690/748.