O Glorious St. John the Baptist, of those born of women the greatest of prophets (Luke vii , 28); thou, though sanctified from thy mothers womb and most innocent, didst nevertheless will to retire into the desert, there to practise austerities and penance; obtain for us from our Lord the grace to be detached, at least in the affections of our hearts, from all earthly treasure, and to practise Christian mortification with interior recollection and a spirit of holy prayer.

O Most zealous Apostle, who, without working any miracle on others, but solely by the example of thy life of penance and the power of thy words, didst draw after thee crowds, in order to prepare them to worthily receive the Messiah, and listen to His heavenly teaching; grant that it may be given to us also, by the example of a holy life and the practice of good works, to lead many souls to God, and, above all, those who have been enveloped in the darkness of error and ignorance, and led astray by vice.

Unconquered martyr, who for the honour of God and the salvation of souls, didst, with heroic constancy, and at the cost of life itself, withstand the impious Herod, reproving him openly for his bad and dissolute life; obtain for us a brave and generous heart, so that, overcoming all human respect, we may boldly profess our faith, and follow the teaching of our divine master Jesus Christ.

O God, who hast made this day worthy of honour in the commemoration of St. John, grant to Thy people the grace of spiritual joys, and direct the minds of all the faithful into the way of eternal salvation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.