1 But the impious tyrant, finding no means of putting a complete end to his bloody work, immediately made investigations near Zechariah regarding John, to know if he was his only son; and whether he was destined to reign over Israel. So he sent soldiers to deliver little John to them, and Zechariah said: Several people have informed me that your son is destined to reign over the land of Judea. Show it to me, so that I may know it. When Zechariah heard this, he was afraid of the impious scelerato, and he replied: By the life of the Lord, I do not know what you are talking about.
2 And, when Isabel learned this, she took little Juan and went with him, a fugitive, to a deserted place from the mountain, where he looked for a place to put the child in safety. Then she, almost breathless, wept bitterly, and she shed her tears before the Lord, exclaiming: God of my fathers, God of Israel, hear the prayer of your servant. Treat me according to your mercy and your benevolence towards men, and rescue us from the hands of Herod and from the rabid and criminal pack of his armies. Let the earth open and swallow us both, before my eyes see the death of my son. And, as soon as these words were spoken, at the same moment, the mountain opened and she gave him access, and she hid Isabel and little Juan. A luminous cloud covered them, and kept them safe and sound. And an angel of the Lord, descending to them, served as their guardian defense.
3 But Herod sent his servants to Zechariah a second time and said to him, Tell me where your son is hiding and Bring it to me so I can see it. Zechariah answered: I am consecrated to the service of the temple. But since my home is not here, but in the mountainous region of Galilee, I do not know what has become of the mother and the child. And the servants returned with Zechariah’s message. Herod again sent a message to his generals, and told them: Go tell this to Zechariah: This is what the king of Israel says: You have hidden your son from my eyes, and you have not wanted to present it to me openly, because I know that this child is to reign in the house of Israel. Do you intend to avoid me, and escape from my requirements, with evasive words and vain pretexts? It will not be like this in my days. If you do not bring him to me willingly, I will take him by force, and you will perish with him.
4 And Zechariah answered: By the life of the Lord, I repeat that I do not know what has happened to my wife anymore. my son. And the servants went to tell the king the words of the Great Priest. But the impious tyrant, full of every kind of iniquity, sent his commissioners again, and warned Zechariah, saying: For the third time I transmit my orders to you. You have not wanted to attend to them and you have not been intimidated by my threats. Do you forget that your blood is on my hand and that no one will save you, not even the one in whom you hope?
5 And, as the commissioners brought the new warning to Zechariah, he replied: I understand that you want my blood, and that you are determined to pour it out for no reason. But even if you cause my body to perish with a cruel death, the Lord, who made me and created me, will welcome my soul. And they went to repeat to Herod what Zechariah had said. But the wicked man, in the growing perversity of his heart, gave no answer. And that same night he sent soldiers, who sneaked into the temple and killed Zechariah near the altar, in the tabernacle of the covenant. And no one, neither the priests nor the people, knew anything about what happened.
6 But, at the time of the ritual prayer, they waited for Zechariah to appear, like every day , and trying to see it, they did not find it. And, when the dawn appeared, at the moment of surrendering to that prayer, the priests and the people gathered to greet each other, and said to each other: What has happened to the Great Priest? Where is he? And, surprised by his tardiness, they thought: No doubt he prays his private prayer, or else he has had some vision in the temple.
7 But one of the priests, named Philip, boldly entered into the Holy of Holies, and saw the clotted blood near the altar of God. And behold, an articulate voice came out of the tabernacle, saying: The innocent blood has been shed in vain, and it will not be blotted out from the children of the house of Israel, until the day of complete vengeance comes. When the priests and the entire popular crowd heard this, they tore their garments and, scattering ashes on their heads, exclaimed: Wretched are we and our fathers, all condemned to this disaster and this ignominy!
8 And the priests, entering into the tabernacle, saw the blood of Zechariah coagulated, like a stone, near the altar of God, but they did not see his body. And, filled with astonishment, they told one another that his loss was complete. And they asked themselves, astonished: What has become of his body, which does not appear anywhere? And they wandered everywhere in search of him, and found no trace of him. And each one suspected one another that someone had secretly collected his body and taken it to hide in some hidden place. And, celebrating great mourning in honor of the dead Great Priest, the children of Israel mourned him for thirty days and searched in many places, without being able to find the body. And thus the murder of Zechariah took place.
9 After what had happened, the priests and all the people deliberated to establish a new Pontiff in the holy temple. And, addressing their prayers to the Lord God, they asked him to give another servant to the altar. And they cast lots, and the appointment fell on old Simeon, who was Pontiff for a very short time and died faithfully confessing Christ. Because, from the arrival of the Savior to the temple until the moment Simeon gave up the spirit, he lived forty days in total. And after all those events, another leader was established in the house of Israel.