Present in the sacred books great amount descriptions of miracles revealed through the lives of holy people. Many of them are connected with the history of the saint of God, Elijah the Prophet, revered by all believers.
The life story of the great Prophet Elijah evokes delight and surprise. His veneration is due to a number of miracles performed by him during his life and after gaining the Kingdom of Heaven. The holy saint will hear and cover every person who turns to him in prayer and will cover him with a veil of intercession.
History of the icon
900 years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Elijah was born. His name means "of the Lord." During his life, the saint was a zealous Christian, his sermons inspired faith and immeasurable love for the Creator in the hearts of people.
The prophet had a gift and saw what was invisible to others. The saint of God predicted unbearable heat and droughts for the sins of the people. The Lord Himself, seeing the torment and suffering of people, could not send even one drop of rain, so as not to disrupt the holy mission of the prophet Elijah.
The saint sought to convert lost souls to worship and repentance. The time came when drought dried up the last source of water. Ilya, like all people, was hungry, but did not turn away from the faith and strength sent to him from Above. In one of the most difficult moments, the saint asked a poor woman for shelter and food. For the kindness that the widow did not refuse, her house no longer knew hunger.
In prayer, Elijah turned to God, asking him to give him strength. The inexplicable miracle of resurrection also dates back to his lifetime and is considered one of the miracles performed by the great prophet.
But, despite the miracles, he was persecuted and hid from pagan persecution. There is a legend that Prophet Elijah did not die, but being alive went to God in a heavenly chariot.
Description of the icon
The canons of icon painting go back far into antiquity, where the saint was depicted with long hair, a thick beard and with a scroll Holy Scripture in hand. Distinctive feature modern icons is an image of different scenes. In one image, Ilya is depicted with a raven, in the other - with a Heavenly chariot. Much has been modified, but the general meaning has been preserved in all subsequent lists.
Where is the icon
In almost every region of Russia, churches of God have been erected to the holy prophet, in which there are copies of icons. Therefore, we should point out only the most significant images that showed the world a miracle.
The first and oldest icon is located in Moscow, in the Church of the Prophet Elijah. The ancient image of the saint is decorated with stamps and depicts a plot from the life of the saint. Also in this temple is kept the second icon of the saint of God, which depicts scenes of Elijah’s life in the desert.
The second temple of the Prophet Elijah, as well as the third church in the name of the saint of God, were also erected in Moscow. One of the revered images takes part in religious processions, another adorns the entrance to the Upper Temple, the third image is kept in the Transfiguration Monastery.
What does an icon help with?
The miraculous image of the saint helps you succeed in absolutely any undertaking. They turn to the help of the prophet of God in moments of weakening faith, captivity of passions, slander and unbelief. Prayers strengthen faith and grant blessings in deeds, protect against poverty, decline and disease. With the image of the great prophet, peace, prosperity and prosperity will come to the house.
Prayer before the icon of the Prophet Elijah
“Holy prophet of the Lord Elijah, I appeal to you, lover of mankind and righteous man of God. Offer the prayers of unworthy servants (name) to our Father, may He hear our repentance and contrition for shameful sins. May heavenly intercession help us move away from vice and the devil’s tricks. Strengthen our faith, grant humility and meekness, love for our neighbor, patience. Deliver, great saint, with your prayer from the wrath of the Creator. You, who have lived in the world and tasted sorrows, we glorify you, wishing you eternal blessings in the Kingdom of the Lord. We give glory to our Father, the merciful Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen".
Days of celebration
The veneration of the icon takes place in a popularly known Orthodox holiday Elijah's day. Believers pay tribute to God's prophet Elijah on August 2. And the huge number of traditions associated with this day makes the festival one of the favorite and revered celebrations in Russia.
Only faith and observance of all the commandments of the Lord will give you a happy destiny, love and grace. We wish you well-being and strong faith. be happyand don't forget to press the buttons and
02.08.2017 04:38
Matrona of Moscow is one of the saints beloved and revered by Orthodox believers. Since birth she...
Day of the Prophet Elijah
On August 2, Christians celebrate the feast of the prophet Elijah. He lived in the 9th century before the birth of Jesus Christ. The name Elijah means “the power of the Lord,” which determined his entire life.
“In the body of an angel, the foundation of the prophets, the second forerunner of the coming of Christ, the glorious Elijah, from on high sent Elisha the grace to drive away illnesses and cleanse lepers. He pours zilinnya on those who revere him. Prophetic and prophetic of the great deeds of our God, Elijah of great names, to your voices you have established watercourses for the clouds. Pray for us to the one Lover of Humanity"
Prophet Elijah. Prophet Elijah.
The Holy Prophet Elijah was born in. Thesphia (Tesbiah) of Gilead 900 years before the birth of Christ. The name that the parents gave to their son (Elijah means “my God is Yahweh”) determined his entire life. From an early age he devoted himself to God, settled in the desert and lived in prayer and strict fasting. At that time, the king of Israel was Ahab, who called on people to worship idols (Baal). Queen Jezebel was also a fan of idolatry. Among the Israeli brave souls who opposed this was Elijah. He prayed zealously, calling on people to repent and believe in the One God. Seeing the spiritual death of his people, Ilya convinced the king to convert and predicted disasters for the people if they did not come to their senses. When the king did not listen to the words of the prophet, a three-year drought occurred, which led to famine in the country. And only through the prayers of the holy prophet Elijah did rain fall again on the thirsty land.
Elijah received a lot of persecution from idolaters. When he was about to die, he learned that God would take him to heaven alive. And so it happened. Elijah's companion and other witnesses saw a chariot of fire appear and the angels lift the Saint into heaven. This is exactly how icon painters depict Ilya - he ascends to heaven on a fiery chariot drawn by four winged horses.
During the earthly life of Jesus Christ, remembering the miracles of Elijah, the Jews perceived the son of God as a prophet. And during the Transfiguration of the Lord on Mount Tabor, Elijah and Moses talked with the Lord. In the troparion of the holiday, Saint Elijah is interpreted as “The bodily angel, the stronghold of the prophets, the second forerunner of Christ’s coming...”
Folk customs and traditions of celebration
Our ancestors celebrated this holiday in ancient times. It is known, in particular, from the chronicle of Nestor that in the pre-Christian period in Kyiv there was a church built in honor of Elijah the Prophet. In the Christian era, on the day of Elijah and for a week after it, religious processions were carried out to the Elias Church with prayers for rain or clear weather. Icon painters depicted the prophet Elijah sitting on a chariot with fiery wheels, surrounded on all sides by fiery clouds and drawn by four winged horses. Ilya was popularly perceived as a mediator between heaven and earth. According to legend, he is able to predict droughts and at the same time call rain clouds with prayers. Hence, in the popular imagination, Ilya appears as a formidable, stern, cruel, but at the same time generous saint.
By folk beliefs, Ilya is the successor of the thunderer Perun. There are many popular proverbs associated with it:
Holy Prophet Elijah
“Before Ilya, the clouds move with the wind, but along Ilya, they move against the wind,”
"Thunder thunders, then Ilya sky bridge rides in a chariot of fire."
There is a legend that when demons rebelled against God, he ordered Elijah to drive out evil spirits from heaven. Since then, Saint Elijah has been chasing demons, shooting fiery arrows at them: thunder and lightning. If at this time thunder sets the hut on fire, the peasants believed that this fire could not be extinguished and said: “As God lit it, a man will not extinguish it.”
In the old days, there was a belief that after Ilya you can no longer swim. “After Ilya, only the pig bathes,” the peasants said. People believed that on this day the water becomes cold. One of the reasons for the sudden cooling of the water was believed to be that Ilya rides horses across the sky, and from fast running one of the horses loses a horseshoe, which falls into the water, and accordingly the water is colder. So, the people said: “When Elijah comes, he will create rot.”
Life of the Prophet Elijah
However, in the popular imagination, Saint Elijah was not only a punishing deity, but also the patron saint of farmers. After all, on this day the calendar summer ends. Winter sowing of rye and wheat begins. Therefore, the peasants looked forward to this holiday and said: “For Elijah, new bread is on the table.”
Life of the Prophet Elijah
Ilya was born in. Thesphia (Tesbiah) of Gilead 900 years before the birth of Christ. The name that the parents gave to their son (Ilya means “the power of the Lord”) determined his whole life. From an early age he devoted himself to God, settled in the desert and lived in prayer and strict fasting. At that time, the king of Israel was Ahab, who called on people to worship idols (Baal). Queen Jezebel was also a fan of idolatry. Among the Israeli brave souls who opposed this was Ilya. He prayed zealously, calling on people to repent and believe in the One God.
Crows feed Ilya
Elijah came to Ahab and in the name of God announced to him: “Because of your wickedness in these years there will be neither rain nor dew, except through my prayer.” And so it happened. A terrible drought began; even the grass burned out, and famine set in. Elijah, by the will of God, settled in
Saint Elijah
desert near a stream, where ravens brought him bread and meat, and he drank water from the stream (1 Sam. 17: 3-6).
When the stream dried up, God commanded the prophet to go to the pagan city of Zarephath of Sidon to a poor widow and live in her. This widow, who lived with her son, had only one handful of flour and a little butter left. Arriving in Zarephath, Elijah ordered her to bake a cake for him and promised that the flour and oil would not decrease until the Lord gave rain to the earth. The woman believed the prophet of God and did as he told her. Her flour and butter did not decrease. Soon this widow's son fell ill and died. The Prophet Elijah prayed to God over him three times, and the boy came to life (1 Samuel 17 17-2-4).
The drought continued for three and a half years. Elijah, at the command of God, again came to Ahab and invited him to gather the Israeli people on Mount Carmel. When Ahab gathered the people, Elijah said, “Enough of your wickedness. Know the true God. Let us make a sacrifice to Baal, and I to the Lord God, but do not light a fire. Whoever sends fire from heaven to sacrifice is the true God.” Everyone agreed.
The priests of Baal were the first to offer sacrifices. They prepared an altar, placed a calf on it, and all day long they jumped around and shouted: “Baal, hear us!” But there was no answer. Evening came. Then Elijah prepared an altar, dug a ditch around it, placed firewood and a bullock on the altar, and ordered water to be poured over the sacrifice so that the ditch was filled with it. Then Elijah turned to the Lord in prayer. And immediately the fire of the Lord came down from heaven and burned not only the wood and the sacrifice, but also destroyed the water that filled the ditch and the stones from which the altar was made. The whole people fell to the ground in fear and exclaimed: “The Lord is the true God, the Lord is the true God!” And Elijah destroyed all the prophets of Baal (1 Sam. 18: 36-40).
After this, Elijah went to the top of the mountain and began to pray for rain. The wind blew from the sea, large clouds appeared in the sky and it began to rain.
Queen Jezebel, Ahab's wife, despite the miracles, continued to persecute Elijah for putting to death all the priests of Baal. Ilya disappeared into the desert. It seemed to him that he was the only one who remained faithful to God, and that is why they wanted to kill him. And he completely lost heart. But the Lord encouraged him by appearing to him when Elijah spent the night in a cave on Mount Horeb.
The voice of God said to him: “Elijah! Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord."
And then a big blow blew, strong wind, tearing apart mountains and crushing rocks. But there was no Lord in this wind. Subsequently there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake either.
Subsequently, fire appeared, but the Lord was not in the fire either. After all, there is a breath of quiet wind, and the Lord is there. The Lord consoled Elijah and said that among the Israelites there were still seven thousand people who did not bow to idols, and that He would raise up among them the prophet Elisha, whom he commanded to anoint.
The appearance of the Lord showed Elijah that the Lord is not only a formidable Judge who punishes, but also a merciful, kind Father. This phenomenon was also a prototype of the coming to earth of Jesus Christ, who appeared not to judge and punish, but also to delight and save people.
Elijah, according to God's instructions, anointed Elisha as a prophet, who later became his disciple. One day, as they walked together, Elijah said to Elisha, “While I am with you, ask me whatever you want.”
Life of the Holy Prophet Elijah
Elisha answered, “Let the spirit that is in you be doubly upon me.” Elijah said: “What do you ask, and if you see me taken from you, you will receive it.” They moved on. Suddenly a fiery chariot with fiery horses appeared, and Elijah rushed into the sky in a whirlwind. Elisha, seeing this, exclaimed: “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and his cavalry!” (2 Kings 2:11-12).
The words of the prophet Elisha meant that the holy prophet Elijah, with his prayers, defended the kingdom of Israel from enemies better than the entire army of Israel - its chariots and cavalry. At this time, Elijah’s mantle, that is, the cloak, fell at Elisha’s feet. Elisha picked it up and with it received the double gift of prophecy. (See: 1 Kings 16-19; 2 Kings 1-2, 1-15).
Elijah received a lot of persecution from idolaters. Icon painters depict Elijah during the ascension - on a fiery chariot drawn by four winged horses, he ascends to heaven.
During the earthly life of Jesus Christ, remembering the miracles of Elijah, the Jews perceived the son of God as a prophet. And during the Transfiguration of the Lord on Mount Tabor, Elijah and Moses talked with the Lord. In the troparion of the holiday, Elijah is interpreted as “The bodily angel, the stronghold of the prophets, the second forerunner of Christ’s coming...”
Elijah in Orthodox Spirituality [ed. ed. code]
Elijah is a significant figure in Orthodox spirituality - many churches and children now take his name: "Ilya".
St. Elijah is revered and is a role model:
his miracles, for example, conversation with God
his asceticism, that is, taken by God to live in the desert, ate only food brought by ravens;
his prophecy, for example, listening to God foretold to denounce rulers for their injustice, their infidelity, and their oppression of the people;
his Orthodoxy, for example, following that real God and opposing the worship of other gods;
his performance of a miracle, for example, provided food during a famine, resurrected the dead;
his concern for the poor, widows and orphans;
God took him alive to heaven in a chariot of fire;
his meeting with the Messiah at the Holy Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8).
Day of the Prophet Elijah
Day of the Prophet Elijah
The Day of the Holy Prophet Elijah is celebrated on August 2. From this day on, in Ukraine there are so-called sparrow nights - night thunderstorms with lightning and thunder. When there is a thunderstorm, people try to keep dogs and cats away from them, because in these animals, popular superstition, devilry can hide from Ilya.
Before the images during a thunderstorm, old people recommend lighting a holy candle. It was believed that this would protect the house from thunder. And if lightning ignites a house, then in the old days people did not even try to extinguish this fire, since it was supposedly inflamed by God himself, which means to the common man and just extinguish it.
On the day of remembrance of this saint, it traditionally rains. It is considered blessed, and if you wash yourself with it, you can be healed of diseases and leprosy.
From this day on, moderate warmth sets in, daylight hours shorten, and nights become longer.
After August 2, they stop swimming because they say, “Ilya cooled the water,” or “Before Ilya, the man bathes, but after Ilya, he says goodbye to the water.” One of the reasons for the sudden cooling of the water was believed to be that Ilya rides horses across the sky, and from fast running one of the horses loses a horseshoe, which falls into the water, and accordingly the water gets colder.
The first signs of the approach of autumn appear, namely, a noticeable difference between the temperatures of night and day. On this day, celebratory bread was baked from the first harvest, which was cut and distributed strictly in order from the eldest to the youngest family member.
On this day, beekeepers cleaned the hives, and hunters made their first trip to hunt wolves. Elijah's Day is the beginning of the hunt, since from this day on, animal holes, in particular wolf holes, opened up in the forests.
Folk signs for St. Elijah's Day
if it is cloudy in the morning, then sowing should be early and you can expect a good harvest
if it’s cloudy at noon, sowing is average, and if in the evening, sowing is late and the harvest is bad.
It's sunny all day - it's bad weather.
Elijah, the rain falls with and against the wind - as the prophet commands, and after him - only with the wind.
Ilya has passed - wait for rot.
For Ilya, it’s summer before lunch, and autumn after lunch.
From Ilya's day the night is long and the water is cold.
In the Orthodox world there are many different legends and stories that make a person not only wonder, but also admire. All of them were created, if not during the life of the revered saints, then after their ascension to heaven thanks to prayers to them.
Saint Elijah the Prophet is considered one of the most famous and recognized in the Orthodox world. After all, this one God's man He is the second chosen one after Moses through whom the Lord addressed earthly people. In addition, this saint is one of the few whom God took to himself, without leaving a single witness to this action. Therefore, it is not surprising that the icons of Elijah the Prophet, photos and descriptions of which are presented in this article, are so revered by believers all over the world. There are images of this saint in many churches. Moreover, the icon of the Prophet Elijah is found not only in monasteries on the territory of our country, but also outside its borders.
Description
In the old days, icon painters depicted all saints almost identically. They had beards and long hair, cloak and scroll in hands. Sometimes a cap could also be seen on the prophet’s heads. They distinguished where and which prophet was depicted only by the inscription on the tablet at the top or on the scroll. Of course, today all the images are somewhat modified, but the general meaning and plots are still preserved. This statement also applies to icons that depict Elijah the Prophet. Most often there are two thematic images associated with it. This is the saint’s stay in the desert and the icon “The Fiery Ascension of Elijah the Prophet.” In reality, of course, there are much more stories. However, these two images are found in churches and in the homes of believers more often than others.
Icons depicting the prophet
The very first image of Saint Elijah was painted back in the early Byzantine period. On it, the prophet appears before the believers as a stern man with brown eyes and a piercing gaze, dressed in a woolen cloak. Elijah in this icon has a bushy beard and long hair. Subsequently, the prophet began to be depicted wearing a woolen hat and holding a dagger in his hands. It was believed that in this way the icon painters conveyed to his icon the strength and rage that was addressed to the Gentiles.
Today there are two fundamental great options writing images of this prophet. They are tied to different periods of his earthly existence. Some icon painters depicted him sitting on a stone in the desert, thinking. Ilya looks around, and a tame raven gets food for him. Legend says that at this moment the saint, through the thickness of thoughts and earthly problems, listens to the Divine voice.
Another option shows Elijah the Prophet at the moment of his transition to the Kingdom of Heaven. On such an icon he is depicted floating on a cloud, with his gaze turned to the sky, or looking at the earth he is leaving.
How does the icon of Elijah the Prophet help?
In general, this saint is incredibly popular among the people. Every year on the second of August the day of Elijah is celebrated. Folk traditions They imagine him as a mighty old man who, riding a chariot across the sky, sends punishing fiery arrows with his hand. The icon “Ilya the Prophet” is no less popular. It is believed that the saint can contribute to the successful outcome of an undertaking, although it is more often believed that the saint helps more in agricultural matters. People turn to him during drought with a request to send rain or, conversely, clear weather during torrential downpours. It is believed that the icon “Elijah the Prophet” helps the supplicant to get rid of various troubling diseases. It also removes the anger from people's hearts. Her presence in the house contributes to a peaceful atmosphere in the family. They pray to this saint, asking for protection for loved ones from bodily ailments and quarrels. The icon “Elijah the Prophet” helps a person in all his endeavors. And unmarried girls have long been asking the saint for a good, worthy husband.
Significance
Images of this saint can often be found in the houses of farmers and military personnel. The airborne troops consider him their intercessor and patron, therefore each military unit has a chapel, the main place in which is occupied by the image of St. Elijah the Prophet. The icon, whose significance is incredibly great for believers, is considered one of the most famous and revered.
Saint on ancient Rus' was considered not only a great miracle worker, but also a thunderer who controls the elements. First of all, this concerned the rain. The icon “Ilya the Prophet” was present in almost every home. When people were worried about the richness of the harvest - so that it would not dry out or, on the contrary, rot, they fervently prayed to the prophet. The icon with his image helped and helps to cope with any difficulties - lack of material goods, mental or physical illnesses. In addition, it is capable of averting sudden death from a person. And judging by the reviews, believers are constantly convinced of this.
Where can you find icons depicting Elijah the Prophet
In our country, the most famous image is that can be seen in Moscow in the temple built in honor of this saint on Obydensky Lane. The twenty marks with which the icon of “St. Elijah the Prophet” is decorated contain the most important life moments of this God’s chosen one. In the temple of the same name, it is the most important. Here is also another, no less revered orthodox icon. Elijah the Prophet is depicted in the desert. This shrine was created for the bicentennial anniversary of the temple, which occurred at the beginning of the twentieth century. The name of this icon sounds like this: “Holy Holy Prophet Elijah in the Desert.”
Two other equally famous icons are in the Temple of the Prophet Elijah, located on the territory Novgorod region. One of them was created more than two centuries ago. This image of the saint is carried during the annual religious procession. Another icon, “Elijah the Prophet,” is relatively young: it is not even two decades old. And although she appeared in the year two thousand, local residents she immediately caught my heart. Novgorodians love and revere her very much, considering her miraculous.
Icon in the Temple of Elijah the Prophet in Israel
For several centuries now, pilgrims from all over the world have been coming to Mount Carmel to personally touch the shrines associated with the name of this divine guide. The place for the construction of the temple was not chosen by chance. According to legend, it was in one of the caves in this mountain that the prophet Elijah for a long time was forced to hide from his pursuers. It was here that he managed to defeat the pagan priest. The temple was built directly above this cave and is shaped like a cross. The small altar located in the courtyard is very similar to the one that Ilya himself once created. Next to him stands a neat statue of this prophet, raising his hand with a blade over the head of a pagan priest. When the Arab army fought with the Jews, the Muslims, by cutting it off, believed that they had thereby destroyed the help it provided to Christians.
The temple was built relatively recently: on the day of remembrance of the Holy Prophet Elijah in the first quarter of the twentieth century. Every year thousands of believers flock to him to pray in front of the icon with his image and baptize children in front of it.
Where can I buy an icon?
Today, images of Elijah the Prophet in a variety of designs are found on sale everywhere. They can be purchased in church shops or jewelry stores, you can buy them from icon painters, or you can create them yourself, for example, embroider them with beads. The main thing you should know is that the icon must be consecrated, charging it with church power.
How to pray
The image of this saint should be present in every home. You need to put candles in front of it and pray. There are many cases when it is believed that Elijah the Prophet definitely helps. The prayer read in front of his icon must come from the heart. If a person kneels before an image in a temple, he must follow some rules: go to God's abode only with an open heart and good intentions. Donations should be given to those in need before entering. When entering a temple, you need to cross yourself and bow. After this, you should go to the icon of Elijah the Prophet and light a candle in front of his image. Having freed yourself from all extraneous thoughts, you should concentrate on your request. If a person prays at home, then he should place an icon in front of him and light a candle next to him.
Elijah the Prophet Day is a holiday of believers, which is usually celebrated on August 2. The saint is considered a kind of mediator between God and people. In ancient times, people respected and feared Ilya, because he could punish by sending lightning. There are many different signs, traditions, etc. associated with this holiday. Believers also read prayers to St. Elijah the Prophet, which help to resolve various situations favorably. It is best to have an icon of the saint in your home, which can be purchased at a church shop.
What do they pray to Elijah the Prophet for?
This saint is considered a heavenly patron who has the power to control rain, lightning and thunderstorms. He could punish with showers bad people, destroying the crops on their lands. At all times, peasants turned to the Prophet for his blessing to cultivate their lands. If there were fears about the richness of the harvest, they asked Elijah to send rain. On August 2, young and single girls turned to Elijah the Prophet to find their soulmate, get married successfully and be happy. In general, it is believed that you can turn to the saint with any question, such as problems with money or health. Many believers claim that prayer requests to the Prophet more than once helped them avoid sudden death.
There are different prayers before the icon of Elijah the Prophet, which can be read both in church and at home. If a believer chooses the first option, then it is worth considering some rules. Go to the temple with an open heart and good intentions. Before entering, be sure to give to people in need. When entering the temple, cross yourself and bow. After this, go to the icon of Elijah the Prophet and light a candle in front of the image. Free yourself from extraneous thoughts and concentrate on your request. If you pray at home, then place the icon in front of you and light a candle next to it. Again, concentrate on your request and read the prayer, and it sounds like this:
“Oh, holy prophet of God Elijah, pray for us, the Lover of God, that He may give us, the servants of God (names), a spirit of repentance and contrition for our sins, and by His omnipotent grace help us to abandon the paths of wickedness and to succeed in every deed of grace, and in the fight against our passions and lusts, may he strengthen us; May the spirit of humility and meekness, the spirit of brotherly love and kindness, the spirit of patience and chastity, the spirit of zeal for the glory of God and good care for our salvation and our neighbors, implant into our hearts.
Turn away from us by your intercession the righteous wrath of God, so that having lived in peace and piety in this world, we will be worthy of the participation of eternal blessings in the Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to Him befits honor and worship, with His Beginning Father and the Most Holy Spirit, forever centuries. Amen".
If the weather has been sunny for a long time and the harvest is suffering, then you can turn to the saint for help, for which read the prayer to Elijah the Prophet for rain:
“O great and glorious prophet of God Elijah, for the sake of your zeal for the glory of the Lord God Almighty, you did not tolerate the idolatry and wickedness of the children of Israel, you denounced the lawless king Ahab and, as a punishment for them, a three-year famine on the land of Israel, through your prayer you asked from the Lord, yes, rejecting vile idols and having retreated from untruths and iniquities, they will turn to the One True God and the fulfillment of His holy commandments, wonderfully nurturing the widow of Sarepta during the famine and resurrecting her son after she died through your prayer, and after the passage of the appointed time of famine, the people of Israel were gathered to Mount Carmel for apostasy and wickedness, reproaching , the same prayer for your sacrifice, asking for fire from heaven and miraculously turning Israel to the Lord, disgracing and killing the cold prophets of Baal, and still resolving the sky with prayer and asking for abundant rain on the earth and making the people of Israel rejoice!
To you, wonderful servant of God, we zealously resort to you, sinners and humility, languishing in the rainlessness and heat: we confess that we are unworthy of God’s mercy and blessings, but more worthy than the cruel punishments of His wrath, sorrow and need and all sorts of evils and diseases.
We did not walk in the passion of God and in the ways of His commandments, but in the lusts of our corrupted hearts we created countless types of sin; Our iniquity has surpassed our head, and we are not worthy to appear before the face of God and look into heaven.
We confess that we, like ancient Israel, have apostatized from the Lord our God, if not by faith, then by our iniquities, and if we do not worship Baal and other vile idols, then we are servile to our passions and lusts, serving the idol of gluttony and lust, the idol of greed and ambition, the idol of pride and vanity, and follow the ungodly foreign customs and the destructive spirit of the times.
We confess that for this reason heaven was closed and created like copper, as if our heart was closed with mercy and true love for our neighbor; For this reason, the earth has hardened and become barren, because we do not bring to our Lord the fruits of good deeds; for this reason there is no rain and dew, as if the imams are not the tears of tenderness and the life-giving dew of the thought of God; For this reason, every grain and herb has withered away, as if every good feeling has dried up in us; For this reason, the air is darkened, just as our mind is darkened with cold thoughts and our heart is defiled with lawless lusts.
We confess that you, the prophet of God, have asked unworthy of us.
You, having become a servile man to us, became like an angel in your life and, like an incorporeal being, was taken up into heaven, but we, with our cold thoughts and deeds, became like dumb cattle and created our soul like flesh. You surprised angels and men with fasting and vigil, but we, indulging in intemperance and lust, become like senseless cattle.
You burned with the utmost zeal for the glory of God, but we neglect the glory of our Creator and Lord and are ashamed to confess His venerable Name.
You have eradicated wickedness and evil customs, but we are slaves to the spirit of this age, supplying the ungodly customs of the world more than the commandments of God and the statutes of the Holy Church.
And what sin and untruth have we not committed?
Our iniquities exhaust the long-suffering of God.
Moreover, the just Lord was angry with us and punished us in His anger. Moreover, knowing your great boldness before the Lord and trusting in your love for the human race, we dare to pray to you, most praiseworthy prophet: be merciful to us, unworthy and indecent.
Pray to the Greatly Gifted and All-Generous God, may he not be completely angry with us and not destroy us with our iniquities, but may he bring abundant and peaceful rain to the thirsty and parched land, may he grant it fruitfulness and the goodness of the air. By your effective intercession, bow to the mercy of the Heavenly King, if not for the sake of us, sinners and vile ones, but for the sake of His chosen servants, who have not bowed their knees before the Baal of this world, for the sake of gentle and senseless babies, for the sake of dumb cattle and birds of the air, suffering for our iniquity and melting away from hunger, heat and thirst.
Ask us with your favorable prayers from the Lord for the spirit of repentance and heartfelt tenderness, the spirit of meekness and self-control, the spirit of love and patience, the spirit of the fear of God and piety, so that, having returned from the paths of wickedness to the right path of virtue, we walk in the light of God’s commandments and achieve those promised to us good, by the good will of the Beginning God the Father, by the love of His Only Begotten Son and by the grace of the All-Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen".
Prayer to Elijah the Prophet for money
If you have financial problems, then you can turn to the saint to help correct this situation. To perform the ritual, take a coin of 5 kopecks and throw it on the floor, and then say the following words:
“Ilya, generous, be generous,
Grant me prosperity and wealth for my family,
I have an irreplaceable nickel,
Let that nickel give me more than one ten,
Your dozens will give me financial wealth.
Perun the Thunderer dragged away poverty and failure,
And Elijah the Prophet brought prosperity and luck to my family.
Amen".
After this, pick up the coin and keep it in your home, placing it on any banknote. The result is a talisman that will attract material wealth.
Signs and traditions for Elijah's Day
It is forbidden to work on this holiday, since it will not only not bring results, but may also anger the saint, who will send a downpour and destroy the harvest. You cannot drive livestock out to pasture, as various evil spirits can move into them. If there is a thunderstorm on August 2, under no circumstances should you swim, stand under the trees, shout or have fun at this time. To protect their home from Elijah's wrath, people 
the day before they fumigated the house with incense, and during a thunderstorm, they closed the windows and doors and lit a candle near the images. It is believed that on August 2, summer ends and autumn begins, so the weather changes, the behavior of birds and people prepare for the harvest. During bad weather, be sure to pack rainwater, since there is an opinion that it has enormous power that protects against. If a person gets caught in the rain on Elijah’s day, it means that he will not be affected by illnesses or problems throughout the year. One of the most important prohibitions of this day is that you cannot swim in open water. It is believed that the water is already cold, and mermaids can be pulled to the bottom.
August 2 Orthodox Church celebrates remembrance day holy prophet Elijah. He is revered not only in Christianity and Judaism, but also in later Protestant churches and Islam, and traces of his image are also present in paganism.
Life of the Prophet Elijah
Prophet Elijah (translated from Hebrew as “My God”) was born in Thesbia of Gilead in the tribe of Levi 900 years before the birth of Christ. According to legend, when Elijah was born, his father had a mysterious vision: “ noble men welcomed the baby, swaddled him with fire and fed him with a fiery flame».
From an early age, Elijah devoted himself to God, lived in the desert, spent time in fasting and prayer. His prophetic ministry came during the reign of King Ahab, whose wife Jezebel convinced to accept paganism.
Therefore, worship was cultivated in the country pagan god to Baal. According to legend, to admonish the king and the Israeli people corrupted by him, the prophet Elijah struck the land with a three-year drought. After some time, through the prayer of the prophet Elijah, the Lord sent abundant rain to the earth, and the drought ended.
The Prophet Elijah is also mentioned in the New Testament: during the Transfiguration of the Lord, he and the Prophet Moses arrived at Mount Tabor to talk with Jesus Christ.
The prophet Elijah performed many miracles. One day he went to Zarephath of Sidon to visit a poor widow who did not spare the last handful of flour and oil, so the flour and oil have not been exhausted in the widow’s house since then. Then the prophet Elijah performed another miracle: he revived the recently deceased son of a widow.
Both in Judaism and Christianity it is believed that Elijah was taken to Heaven alive: “suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared, and separated them both, and Elijah rushed into Heaven in a whirlwind” (2 Kings 2:11). According to the Bible, before him only Enoch, who lived before the Flood (Gen. 5:24). However, in Orthodox theology there is an opinion that Enoch and Elijah were ascended not to heaven, but to some hidden place, in which they await the day of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Deuterocanonical book, Book of Wisdom of Jesus, son Sirakhova, describes this event as follows: “Elijah was hidden by a whirlwind, and Elisha was filled with his spirit” (Sirach 48:12). According to her, Elijah left his outerwear(“cute”), throwing it off the fiery chariot.
Veneration of the Prophet Elijah in Rus'
The Prophet Elijah was one of the first saints who began to be revered in Rus'. In his honor, at the beginning of the 9th century, Prince Askold A cathedral church was erected in Kyiv. Duchess Olga In the name of the prophet Elijah she built a church in the north of Rus'.
After Russia adopted Christianity, the image of Elijah the Prophet replaced the thunder god Perun, revered by the ancient Slavs. The idea that Elijah rides across the sky in a chariot, thunders and shoots lightning, chasing the serpent, is associated both with the image of Perun and with the fact that the prophet Elijah went to heaven alive in a fiery chariot.
Elijah's day
After the adoption of Christianity, the day of remembrance of the Prophet Elijah became dedicated to the traditional folk holiday of the eastern and southern Slavs. The celebration was called Elijah's Day.
Elijah the prophet with his life and deesis. From the Church of Elijah the Prophet in the Vybuty churchyard, near Pskov. End of the 12th century. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
Elijah's day was considered the boundary of the seasons, while among the southern Slavs (for example, in Macedonia) this day was called the middle of summer, and in Russia - the turn to winter. Rain was expected after Ilyin's day. On this day they began to enjoy the fruits of the new harvest. The Slavs associated the holiday with a wedding and the symbolism of fertility: they prayed for a rich harvest, and girls prayed for getting married.
Celebrating this holiday began the day before - on the Thursday before Elijah's Day, when ritual cookies were baked in some areas, or from Marina Lazoreva, when they stopped doing field work.
In addition, on the eve of Elijah's Day, they took precautions to protect their home, farm and crops from rain, hail or lightning.
On this day, prayer services were held in the field and in churches and chapels dedicated to Elijah the Prophet (often established by vow); in some places the peasants had fasted throughout the previous week; they fumigated the house and buildings with incense, took out of the house or hid all shiny, sparkling objects in order to protect themselves from the wrath of Elijah.
In Rus', almost everywhere, an obligatory rite of Elijah’s day was a collective meal (“brotherhood”) with the slaughter of a ram or a bull purchased by pooling. In addition, beer or wort was brewed for Ilya's brotherhood. Such fraternities ended with youth festivities, games, round dances and songs. The organizers of Ilya's brotherhood, unlike other holidays, were men.
Elijah's Day was considered the calendar boundary of the seasons, when the first signs of autumn appeared in nature and the behavior of animals, birds and insects changed.
On Elijah’s Day it was strictly forbidden:
- to work - work on this day will not bring any results and may anger Elijah the prophet, who severely punished for disrespectful attitude towards his holiday. The worker on this day was stopped and punished by his fellow villagers: in the Kaluga province, for example, they unharnessed the horse from the cart on which he was going to carry hay, and the horse team was taken to a tavern and drank together;
- swim - because from this day on all evil spirits return to the water (devils, mermaids, hair - from Midsummer's Day until now they were on land, where Elijah the Prophet shot them with lightning).
Sayings and signs of Ilyin's day:
- Ilya holds thunderstorms.
- Not swords against Elijah, he will burn the heaps with heavenly fire.
- Peter (June 29) - with a spikelet, Ilya - with a kolobok.
- From Ilya's day the night is long and the water is cold.
- Elijah the prophet rides horses across the sky, and from fast running one of the horses loses a horseshoe, which falls into the water, and the water immediately gets colder.
- Until Elijah the priest will not beg for rain; after Ilya, the woman will catch up with her apron.
- A ram's head on the table for the prophet Elijah (Vologda province).
- On Elijah's Day, cattle are not driven out into the fields to pasture.
- After Ilya, mosquitoes stop biting.
Ahab - king of the Kingdom of Israel in 873-852 BC. e., son and heir of Omri. The history of his reign is detailed in the Third Book of Kings.
Enoch is a descendant of Seth, son of Jared and father of Methuselah, the seventh patriarch starting from Adam. The fifth chapter of Genesis says that Enoch “walked with God” and lived 365 years, after which “he was no more, because God took him” (Gen. 5:22-24).
*** Baal is a deity in the Assyrian-Babylonian ethnoculture, revered in Phenicia, Canaan and Syria as the thunderer, the god of fertility, water, war, sky and sun. Baal created heaven and earth, stars, animals from primeval chaos, and from a mixture of earth with his blood he created man.
**** Prince Askold (died in 882) - Kyiv prince(according to one version, he ruled together with Prince Dir).
Reference:
In Moscow there is Orthodox church in honor of the prophet Elijah— Temple of Elijah the Everyday Prophet. It is located at 2nd Obydensky Lane, 6. The temple was built in 1702- 1706 on Ostozhye. The rector since November 2, 2012 is Archpriest Maxim Yurievich Shevtsov.