Head of John the Baptist, San Silvestro in Capite

Head of John the Baptist, San Silvestro in Capite

Another head of John the Baptist is held at San Silvestro in Rome. Additional head relics can be found at a shrine at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus (Great Mosque of Damascus) and the Residenz Museum in Munich. This head of John the Baptist first arrived at the church in the 13th century, after previously being held at the Roman church of Santa Maria in San Giovannino (now demolished). The earliest record of the relic at the latter church is from 1140, however tradition dictates that the head was brought to Rome by Greek monks in the 8th century. Some scholars suggest that this relic actually belongs to another figure named John, but has since been re-associated with John the Baptist.

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