Millions of Romanians on Saturday celebrated John the Baptist, the first century martyr who was beheaded for embarrassing a Roman king.
Romania counts more than two million people called Ion (John) or derivations of the name.
The name is celebrated differently around the country. In Transylvania, Ions and Oanas, Ionels and Ionelas are carried to a river and dipped in the water, a reenactment of him baptizing Jesus.
In Bucovina, in northern Romania, anyone called Ion customarily places a decorated fir tree outside their house and throw a party.
Romanian Orthodox believers go to church and wash their faces with holy water or “agheasma” which was blessed on Epiphany, Jan. 6.
According to tradition the water will guarantee health throughout the year.
Some 85% of Romanians are Orthodox Christians.
St John’s Day marks the end of the festive season which began with the birth of Christ or Christmas on Dec. 25.
Orthodox Christians consider St. John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus, to be the greatest of Christian saints after the Virgin Mary.
Roman-appointed King Herod John the Baptist thrown into prison because he had publicly rebuked him for divorcing his first wife and unlawfully taking as second wife his niece Herodias. He ordered him to be beheaded.
Saint John the Baptist, one of the most significant figures in the New Testament is best known for having baptized Jesus Christ in the Jordan River.
John and Jesus were also cousins through their mothers, who were also cousins.
