St Zechariah’s Vision (Luke 1:5-25)

During the reign of King Herod, an elderly priest called Zechariah lived in the hills of Judaea with his wife Elizabeth. The couple led good lives, but had not been able to have children. Elizabeth was infertile and had already gone through the menopause.

One day, it was Zechariah’s turn to burn incense within the sanctuary of the Temple of Jerusalem. As he was doing so, an angel suddenly appeared to the right of the altar. Zechariah was very frightened, but the angel said: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear for you a son, and you shall name him John.”

When Zechariah heard this, he had his doubts, and said: “I am an old man and my wife is well past the stage of giving birth.” The angel then introduced himself as the Archangel Gabriel and said: “Because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their appointed time, you will lose your power of speech and will become mute until the day that these things take place.”

Meanwhile, the people who were praying outside the Temple were wondering why Zechariah was taking so long. When he did emerge, he could not speak to them, and they realised that he had seen a vision while he was in the sanctuary. After he had finished his temple service, Zechariah returned home. As foretold by the angel, his elderly wife then became pregnant with his child.

Pope Benedict XVI noted* that the story has strong links with the Old Testament. The Book of Daniel (9:21) says that Gabriel appeared to the prophet during the hour of sacrifice, as he did here. According to that passage, Gabriel visited Daniel to tell him about the coming of an “Anointed One” (9:25).

Gabriel also told Zechariah that his son, St. John the Baptist, would reconcile parents with their children (Luke 1:17). This was a reference to a saying from the Book of Malachi (3:23-24). The underlying message here is that the prophecies of the long-foretold Messiah – and of the man who would pave his way – were now starting to be realised.

This stained glass scene of Gabriel appearing to Zechariah is found within St Mary Immaculate & the Holy Archangels, in Kelvedon. In keeping with its name, the church features numerous windows of biblical angels and archangels by Lavers & Westlake. This particular one dates to 1909.

Zechariah is pictured wearing the sacred vestments of a Jewish priest, while Gabriel raises his hand to calm the shocked man. The Latin caption at the base of the window reads: Ne timeas Zachariah quoniam exaudita est deprecatio tua. These are Gabriel’s words from Luke 1:13 – “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard.”

See the full image:

Where to find this work of art
St Mary Immaculate & the Holy Archangels, Kelvedon

Read the relevant passage
Luke 1:5-25

On a similar theme

• From the Old Testament: Like Zechariah, Sarah doubted angels who had foretold that she would have a son in old age.
• From the New Testament: Zechariah would later regain his speech when he named his son John, as Gabriel had requested.

*Ratzinger, Joseph (Pope Benedict XVI), Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives (London: Bloomsbury, 2012), 20.