"I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord.'" (Luke 3:4)

God used these words to inform his people that He would send a great prophet shortly before Christ appeared in the world. He would call people to prepare the way of their hearts to welcome Christ. This great prophet was none other than Saint John, whome we call "the Forerunner" because of this very mission.

Written by the fathers of the Sacred Monastery of Mesa Potamou for young readers, the book begins with an explanation of the prophets and their mission. It then tells the entire story of the wondrous life of the greatest man born of women, Saint John the Baptizer. (Luke 7:28)

Artist Angeliki Deleha's moving illustrations bring Saint John to life in his roles as prophet, apostle, and martyr, including his first meeting with the Savior while yet unborn, as a child in Judean wilderness, his baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ, his imprisonment, and martyrdom.

The book also includes a catalog of feastdays dedicated to the Forerunner, and a short history of the Sacred Monastery of Mesa Potamou, Cyprus, who has as its patron Saint John.