Orthodox Church commemorates Saint John the Baptist and Spas Strumishki

The Orthodox Church observes a day of strict fasting and commemorates the martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist. According to tradition, John the Baptist was beheaded by King Herod Antipas after the prophet publicly denounced the King's unlawful relationship with Herodias, the wife of his brother.

On this same day, the Church also honors the memory of Spas Strumishki (also known as Anastas), a Bulgarian neo-martyr born in 1774. While working in Thessaloniki, he was detained by authorities for attempting to transport goods without paying the required tax for non-Muslims. After being accused of misrepresenting his faith to avoid the tax, he faced death threats for refusing to convert to Islam.