The Departure of St. Zechariah, the Prophet

On this day St. Zechariah the Prophet, the son of Berechiah, one of the twelve minor prophets, departed. He was from the tribe of Levi, born in the land of Gilead, and was exiled to the land of the Chaldeans. In exile, he started to prophesy, in the second year of King Darius, 520 B.C. He prophesied about "Jeshua, the son of Jozadak," and "Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel," that they would rebuild the temple. (Ezra 5:1; 6:14)

    He prophesied also about the entrance of the Lord to Jerusalem riding a donkey, the foal of a donkey (Zechariah 9:9); the thirty pieces of silver that Judas Iscariot received to deliver his Master to the Jews (Matthew 26:14-15); the scattering of the disciples on the night of the crucifixion; the coming of Christ in glory; and the grief of the children of Israel who did not believe in Him (Zechariah 12:10). He also prophesied about many other things. He was the prophet who was killed between the altar and the temple. He was buried in Jerusalem in the tomb of the prophets.