Who is John the Baptist’s father?

Who is John the Baptist’s father? 

Saint Zechariah is his father. He was a descendant of Aaron and therefore a priest in the temple of Jerusalem and the husband of Saint Elizabeth, who had been barren for many years. Once when he was serving in the temple, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and told him that his wife would bear a son and that he was to name him John. Because Zechariah doubted the words of the angel, he was made mute until the birth of John the Baptist. The full account of this encounter can be found in the Gospel of Luke 1:5-24.