On the Virtue of Holy Silence Before the Mysteries of God -- A Meditation on the Silence Imposed upon Zechariah Msgr. Charles Pope • December 15, 2015 • As we move toward the conclusion of the Advent season, we ponder the events surrounding Christ's birth. The penultimate focus is the events leading up to the birth of St. John the Baptist, and in particular, the narrative of Zechariah and Elizabeth. While there are certainly many teachings to be drawn from this passage, there is value in pondering the imposition of silence upon Zechariah. This aspect of the story is particularly...