For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison, for the sake of Hero'di-as, his brother Philip's wife; because John said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Hero'di-as danced before the company, and pleased Herod, so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter." And the king was sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given; he sent and had John beheaded in the prison, and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.
Matthew Gospel, 14:3–11
Salome is a Judaic princess, the daughter of Herodias and a step-daughter of Herod Antipas. The dance of young Salome at the celebration of Herod Antipas’s birthday fascinated Herod so much that he agreed to grant any of her wishes. Having been prompted by her mother, Salome demanded that prophet John the Baptist be killed and his head were brought to her on a dish.
According to Gospel, John the Baptist was the closest precursor of Jesus Christ, foretelling the arrival of the messiah. He baptized Jesus Christ in the waters of the river Jordan, dipping him into water three times. «And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; 17 and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.» (Matthew 3:16-17).
In the streaming hair of Salome, like in a cloud, in the left-hand corner there are faces of three angels. Three angels were witnesses of what had happened. It had occurred.
Salome, sitting beside the dish where John’s head is placed, is stunned because she has come into contact with something that hasn’t come up yet. Her left hand is put down wearily, while with a finger of her right hand she is trying to touch something unidentified and mysterious. As if through the looking-glass a breeze has thrown her hair up and sent shivers down her body.
On Salome’s left arm there’s a bracelet in the shape of an eight-point star – the symbol of the Virgin. The beginning of the era of Pisces and the arrival of the messiah.