Even the most inveterate atheist and man, who never crossed the threshold of the temple, had heard of the prophet Elijah. Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers often mentioned him in proverbs, many signs are associated with his name. For example, in Russia, many people know that in early August from Ilyin’s day, nature is preparing to meet in the fall. The night gets longer, the water in the rivers is colder. What is this ancient saint known for and what is the church revered for?
Great Prophet of the Old Testament
Ilya lived about 3 thousand years ago. We are separated by a huge temporary abyss, unattainable and incomprehensible. This explains the complexity and ambiguity in interpreting the events of life and the spiritual deed of Elijah.
The Old Testament speaks of him as a deeply religious person, infinitely faithful to God. It was Elijah who predicted to the Israelites, mired in sin and worshiping the idols and the god Vahah, a terrible drought that lasted more than 3 years and caused a famine that swept the whole country.
King Ahab, driven to despair by the long absence of rain, goes to Elijah. The prophet seeks to convey to the ruler the idea of the falsity of the religious representations of his people. He invites the priests of Vahah to make a sacrifice at the same time with him and see whose offering God will accept. The Lord responded only to Elijah's prayer, singing fire on both the altar and the calf.
Many false prophets, obeying the will of demons, and after what they saw continued to insist on their innocence. Overwhelmed with righteous anger, Ilya, along with ordinary people watching what was happening, executed 450 idolaters on Mount Carmel.
From the point of view of the Old Testament, where the Lord is described not only as a gracious all-forgiving Father, but also as a formidable God, punishing the wicked, the killing of priests was justified.
Chariot of fire
In Christianity, there is a tradition that the recognition of merit and canonization occurs only after the death of a person. In the entire centuries-long biblical history, there were only two cases when the Lord took the righteous to heaven during their lifetime.
Ilya is a saint who did not know the taste of death. A chariot of fire carried him skyward to God. Hieromonk Dimitri (Pershin) calls the ascension of the prophet a temporary transition to eternity.
Ilya will remain in heaven until he returns to earth and begins to preach the gospel to sinners again. This will happen at the end of time, during the reign of the Antichrist.
The life of a saint in a modern interpretation
To understand and reveal for himself the personality of Elijah, the priest Sergiy Begiyan in an article devoted to the description of the earthly life of the prophet, suggests looking at him through the eyes of our contemporary.
It is enough to imagine that a strangely dressed man walks the streets of the metropolis, urging everyone to repentance and threatening heavenly punishment. No, he is not insane. He is a prophet. The authorities and law enforcement agencies do not like him, but they fear and do not touch him. The spiritual strength of this person is so great that it is to him a high-ranking official is sent to ask to save the country from a terrible catastrophe.
The newly-mage magicians, sorcerers and psychics offer their help in saving people, half of the population believes in their abilities, mired in heresies. But the Lord remains deaf to their calls. He responds only to the silent prayer of the righteous.
After that many will believe and repent, thereby sleeping their souls. But only the people are weak in their faith. After a while, people will again begin to worship the golden calf and listen to the false prophets. Since the time of Elijah, nothing has fundamentally changed.
What date is Ilyin’s day celebrated in the church
In Christian denominations, the commemoration of the saint takes place at different times:
- in the Orthodox Church, Elijah’s day is considered August 2;
- Catholics praise the prophet on February 16th.
In both Orthodoxy and Catholicism, the celebration date remains constant every year. But in the Armenian church, Sunday following the Trinity is considered the day of Elijah. The number on which the holiday falls may vary.
As noted in Russia
On the memory day of the saint, certain restrictions and prohibitions were imposed on certain types of Slavic activities:
- It was impossible to work at home and in the field. All free time should be spent in prayer.
- Mistresses didn’t let pets out of the doorway and didn’t let them back in if they accidentally ran out. It was believed that demons, fleeing the wrath of Elijah, could inhabit cats and dogs.
- It was forbidden to swim in the rivers. This was explained by the fact that unclean forces hid in the reservoirs. In addition, water in open sources with the onset of the last summer month became much colder.
On Ilyin’s holiday, you should have a good night's sleep, gain strength, and visit a temple. In the evening, they organized walks and dances. Residents of neighboring villages united for a joint meal, called a brother.
Today, many traditions have lost their relevance and are forgotten. But modern Russians know that on August 2 there are two holidays: Day of the Prophet Elijah and Day of the Airborne Forces.
Protector of the winged army
The first landing of a group of 12 people was carried out near Voronezh in 1930. It happened just on Ilyin’s day. What other heavenly patron could the Blue Berets choose? The ancient prophet is ideal for this role.
Elijah was merciless to sinners and wicked people. He was always ready to defend his faith and the land of Israel. The saint's icons are often depicted with a sword in his hand in memory of how he dealt with the false prophets.
The task of the paratroopers is to protect the Russian land, not to let the enemy on it. They, as well as their heavenly intercessor, help in situations where there is no one to wait for help from. No one, except Elijah, came out against 450 priests worshiping idols and did not restore faith to people. "Nobody but us" is the well-known motto of the Airborne Forces. May the saint help all the soldiers in their great mission!
And may the prophet of God Elijah protect Russia from wars, terror and natural disasters, and save every person from temptations and delusions.