St. John the Baptist was miraculously born to an aged and childless couple and was chosen by God to go before Christ to prepare his way. He appeared out of the desert wearing camel's hair and eating locusts and wild honey, while preaching a message of repentance and the imminent coming of the Messiah. His preaching led to many receiving a baptism of conversion (not Christian baptism) by his hand in anticipation of the coming of Christ. When Jesus came to be himself baptized, John objected that their roles out to be reversed, but he assented and baptized Christ into our death, so that one day we might rise with Jesus to life. John was also the first to point Jesus out among his followers, telling two of them (St. John and St. Andrew) "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (Jn 1:29) Both Andrew and John immediately followed Jesus and became his disciples. Eventually, John criticized the illicit marriage of King Herod and was arrested. He was later beheaded by the cowardly king who made a rash oath to his daughter in law. John was acclaimed by Christ as "none greater" and his devotion in the Church is very widespread. St. Benedict, when building Montecassino, dedicated a whole chapel to St. John the Baptist. During Advent, the Church gives special focus to St. John as she prepares for the coming of Christ.
Our John the Baptist Rosary has Tortoise Faceted Czech Glass for the decades to recall John being clothed in camel's hair. We used Honey Faceted Czech Glass for the Our Father Beads to represent his diet. The Angels Communion center is used as a way to remember that John's preaching continues at every Mass when the priest raises the host and tells the congregation "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!" The Shells crucifix is used to represent his mission and the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. The rosary is completed with a St. John the Baptist medal, depicting him standing by a lamb.