Who was Zachary?

Zachary was a priest in the Temple in Jerusalem and the father of John the Baptist. He was a righteous man, according to the Gospel of Luke, and lived in the hill country of Judea. Zachary's wife, Elizabeth, was also a righteous woman and the cousin of the Virgin Mary. One day while Zachary was performing his duties in the Temple, an angel appeared to him and told him that he and Elizabeth would have a son, despite their advanced age. The angel also told Zachary that his son would be a prophet who would prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah. Zachary was struck speechless, as he could not believe that he and his wife would have a child. However, when his son was born, he regained his ability to speak and praised God for the miraculous birth. Zachary died in Jerusalem, but the exact date and circumstances of his death are not recorded in the Bible. He is remembered as a righteous man who was faithful to God and as the father of John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the coming of Jesus Christ.