Day of Elijah the Prophet: history, signs and traditions of the holiday. Church Orthodox holiday of August

August 2 (July 20, O.S.) - the day of the holy prophet Elijah- from time immemorial, he coped in Russia with special rituals that have been established for centuries, directly related to the life of the plowman people, whose entire well-being depended on the land-breadwinner. This day is marked in the people's memory by a number of various signs, proverbs, sayings, spells and legends, reflected, as in a mirror, in folk customs, sacredly observed according to the covenant of the ancestors.

In the view of popular Russia, Ilya the Prophet merged many features of the ancient pagan Perun, the lord of thunders, who quenched the summer thirst for the earth with life-giving rains, which concealed the rudiments of its fertility. This, in the old days, undoubtedly, was one of the main motives for the veneration of the day dedicated to the celebration of his memory among the people, who were just beginning to part with the deification of the elements of nature. Subsequently, when the very memory of former paganism was lost among the people, the Old Testament legend about the earthly life of the holy prophet only strengthened the age-old ties between him and his admirers in Russia. The fabulous features, timed to coincide with his formidable appearance, survived in all their harsh beauty.

Svya that prophet Elijah remained among the people the master of thunder, a mighty gray-haired old man with formidable eyes, driving from end to end across the firmament of heaven, across the boundless heavenly fields, on his chariot drawn by winged horses . His punishing hand pours fiery stone arrows-lightning from the heights above the stars, striking the frightened hosts of demons, evil demons, other evil spirits and the sons of men who have transgressed the law of God. Neither the cries nor the groans of the stricken will soften his unbending heart, and his gaze will not rest on the spectacles of earthly misfortunes. Having done the justice of heaven, he, like a stormy whirlwind, rushes farther and farther on his sparkling chariot, and gray curls only scatter over his mighty shoulders and a white, silvery beard flutters in the wind. As in the old days, it pours rain streams on the ground. Under his patronage, God gave the earthly fields, irrigated by the sweat of the working people. In the booming peals of thunder, the Russian peasant could hear either the rumble of the wheels of the fiery chariot of the prophet, or the clatter of the hooves of his four horses, which in speed could only be compared with one wind. "Faster than Ilya's horses - only the wind!" says the old proverb.

Russian folk tales that settle St. Elijah on the "Buyan Island" give him an important place among the elemental beings that influence the life of labor and human life. On this island, lying within the unexplored limits of the "sea-okiyana", as is known from the conspiracies that have come down to us, all the thunders and lightnings of heaven are concentrated, all the power of storms and winds. But here sit "both the maiden Zorya and the prophet Elijah." The latter attracted the eyes of all the working people on the earth. He was prayed not only for the sending of rains (“Ilya is dry”), but also for the cessation of showers (“Ilya is dry”). Prayers were addressed to him for protection from gunshot wounds, for good luck in hunting, for a cure for anthrax, and even, no matter how little it fits with the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bhis formidable greatness, about happiness in love. A lot of all kinds of conspiracies and spells are associated with his formidable and, according to the people, omnipotent name.
“I will rise, the servant of God,” it is said, for example, in one of these conspiracies, “I will go under the eastern side, to the ocean-ocyyan. On that ocean-sea lies a white-combustible stone alatyr, and on the stone is the holy prophet Elijah with heavenly angels. I pray to you, holy prophet, send thirty angels in a gold-forged dress, with bows and arrows, and beat and shoot from the servant of God lessons and prizes, and inflows, pinches and aches, wind-bearing ulcers ... "

The power of Elijah the prophet, who, according to popular belief, has power even over angels, thunders like a thunderstorm over all dark forces. With his arrows he strikes the spirits of darkness; during a thunderstorm they turn into snakes and other reptiles, crawl into shelters, but even there heavenly arrows find them and kill them to the delight of good people who honor the prophet of God. But woe to those from his formidable wrath who do not honor him, who, listening to their malice, breed only evil pride in the field of life. In one of the old tales, the "thunderer Ilya" says to the "fiery Mary" (the Blessed Virgin), crying over the sins of mankind: of them, neither noisy rain, nor quiet dew for three years, and let neither wine nor wheat be born ... "And these" keys ", according to other monuments of folk art," were given into his hands from the true God ", he is free and in rain and dry. At will, he can beat the fields of sinners with hail, strike evil people to death. But at the same time, he takes care of the fields of good plowmen, beats with arrows any earthly "vile" that eats crops. “If Ilya the prophet had not beaten them, then the earth would not have given birth to bread,” they said among the people.

Such, according to the ideas of the people, is Elijah the prophet, personifying the righteous wrath of God. Everywhere in Russia he was called "terrible", and everywhere the day dedicated to his memory was considered one of the most dangerous. Every year on Ilyin's day they expected rain and thunder in Russia. A bucket that day foreshadowed fires. They washed themselves with Ilyinsky rain to protect themselves from all sorts of enemy spells associated with diseases. In many places, the peasants even fasted throughout the Ilyinsky week in order to prevent the wrath of the prophet and save their fields, their villages and cattle from his arrows. The very day of the holy prophet was called “angry” and was spent in utter idleness, no one had to work in the field - neither reap, nor mow, nor hay, even the most empty work was considered a great sin and could incur the wrath of Elijah. All rural Russia firmly believed that he killed the stubborn disobedient, who never honored the holiday of Elijah the Prophet, with thunder. If on that day clouds appeared in the sky, the people followed them with fear with their eyes; if it came to a thunderstorm, this fear turned into panic fear: the entire population huddled in houses, shut doors tightly, curtained windows and begged the prophet to change anger to mercy.

In some places, the old custom was observed to gather on this day with the whole parish at the church and drive cattle there. The priest was asked to sprinkle the "animal" with holy water. After mass, they chose and bought the whole world one animal, for which they paid the owner the money collected. This animal was then slaughtered, its meat was boiled in a common cauldron and shared by those present at the celebration for money, which was then turned in favor of the church. Also on this holiday, prayers were sung over cups with grain - for fertility.

Preventive measures were taken even on the eve of Ilyin's day. Peasants fumigated their houses with incense since the evening, and all bright objects, such as a samovar, mirrors, etc., were covered with linen or even taken out of the hut on the grounds that the prophet Elijah considers such objects reprehensible luxury, indecent in peasant life.

"Saint Elijah is zazhivanie!" - they said among the people and before the start of the harvest they tied a sheaf of ears at the root, dedicating them to the patron of the crops with the words: “To Elijah the prophet - on the beard!” In some provinces, this was done before the end of the harvest. Everyone treated the “bread bush” left in the field with reverence, similar to fear. “Whoever touches the twist will squirm!” - the old people said and cited countless examples to confirm their words to convince the frivolous rural youth.
With Ilyin's day, according to folk signs, red summer days ended.“Ilya’s summer is ending, his life is stinging; the first sheaf is the first autumn holiday!” the peasants said. Folk wisdom says: “To Ilya before lunch - summer, after lunch - autumn!”, “Before Ilyin’s day, sweep the hay - put a pood of honey into it, after Ilyin - a pood of manure!”, “Before Ilya, the priest will not beg for rain, after Ilya - a woman will catch up with an apron; before Ilyin's day and under the bush it dries, and after Ilyin's day it does not dry even on the bush! Meanwhile, just at this time, the people are waiting for buckets for harvesting bread, because, in his words: “Before Ilya, the rain is in the bin, after Ilya, it is from the bin!”

On Ilyin's day they did not work in the field, but they prepared for this holiday precisely by work. “By Ilyin’s day, fetch steam!”, “Before Ilya, at least take a tooth!”, “For Ilyin’s day, at least whip with a whip, but fence!”, “Before Ilya - at least with a whip!” - in these sayings one hears the voice of rural experience, worked out by centuries of agricultural labor. The only work allowed on the feast of St. Elijah the Prophet is the first trimming of the combs in the bee-house. On the same day, beekeepers distilled the last swarms of bees and cleaned the hives. It was believed that “the bee is God’s worker”, that her work “For a candle for God” protects her from the wrath of the prophet smashing with thunder. According to beekeepers, Ilya the Thunderer will not strike the hive with thunder, even if an unclean spirit hides behind him.

On Ilyin's Day, cattle were not driven out to pasture either. The people are unshakably convinced that on this holiday wolf holes open and "the whole beast roams free." In addition, there was a fear that an angry prophet could hit both the cattle driven out into the field and the shepherd.

By this time, the water in the rivers was getting colder.

This was also associated in the representation of the people with the honored holiday of the "raining and thundering" prophet. “Before Ilya, the people bathe, and from Ilya they say goodbye to the river!”, “From Ilya’s day, the worker has two pleasures: the night is long, but the water is cold!” The days are getting shorter (“Peter and Paul added an hour to the night, Elijah the prophet dragged two!”), And the work in the fields comes and goes. “Ilya the prophet counts shocks,” and in some places there is already a “new novelty for Ilyin’s day” behind the straw. According to the village: “Ilyinskaya straw is a village featherbed!”, “Know autumn on Ilyin’s day in sheaves!”, “That’s the fun of Ilyin’s guys, that new bread!”, “The peasant has that renewal on Ilyin’s day, which is full of novelty! "," To know the woman by the dress, that on Ilyin's day with a pie! Harvesting spring crops, a hay carrier, sowing winter crops, threshing - everything takes a lot of time. And the trouble is, if the rains prevent this, if the people do not plead with the formidable Ilya, merciless in his righteous anger.

The last summer thunderstorms, turning into autumn, are thundering more and more menacingly.From the impact of the fiery arrows of Elijah the Prophet, according to popular belief, springs and fast rivers run out of the stone mountains, which do not freeze even in the cold winter season. They were credited with miraculous powers. Often, crosses and chapels with icons of the holy prophet Elijah and the Mother of God were placed over them, to which solemn processions were subsequently made every Ilyin day, and at other times - during prayers on days of drought.

In many old songs, the holy prophet Elijah merges with the personality of the epic Ilya of Muromets.The exploits of this hero of the Russian land are attributed to Elijah the prophet. In many places, where, according to legend, the horse of Ilya Muromets knocked out springs with his hoof, chapels were erected in the name of St. Elijah. In turn, the thunderous peals of thunder were explained by "the trip of the hero of Muromets on six horses across the sky."

Wherever the name of the formidable prophet Elijah is found in the monuments of Russian folk art that have survived to this day, he appears in the crown of his righteous anger at ungodly sinners and with fatherly cares for the pious and kind. With what appearance he lived in the view of the distant ancestors of the Russian commoner, he remained so among the people.

Elijah the prophet cooled the water.

In the people it is considered that on August, 2nd summer comes to an end. From that day on, people began to wait for autumn and prepare for the harvest. It was believed that the prophet Elijah cools the water on his holiday. They also said that Ilya rides horses across the sky, and one of his horses, due to fast running, loses a horseshoe that falls into the water, and it cools down. There is still a saying among people: "Ilya the prophet stirs up water in the rivers."

Swimming is bad for health.

From that day on, the lakes begin to bloom, and this may adversely affect your skin, and you are unlikely to enjoy swimming in foul-smelling green water. The temperature at night is more and more different from daytime. Such jumps also affect the temperature of reservoirs, so swimming in August can have a deplorable effect on your health.

Wild beasts and evil forces.

It is believed that on the night of August 2, all wickedness gathers near the reservoirs. Since that day, mermaids and devils have been in charge of them. Having bathed in such a source, you can get a skin disease or invite misfortune on yourself. Also, folk beliefs speak of the risk of drowning: before you have time to come to your senses, a mermaid is already dragging you under water.

There is a sign that from this day you can easily meet wild animals near the reservoirs. Wild animals converge on rivers and lakes, which should not be disturbed. Sometimes they say: "On Ilyin's day - a deer swam across the water, you should not swim."

Be careful at the reservoirs after Ilyin's day and remember the popular beliefs. People knowingly collected them for centuries, passed proverbs from generation to generation and took their observance seriously.

Ilyin's Day, which is always celebrated in a completely new style - August 2 is more than rich in completely versatile signs. Since Ilya the Prophet is the lord of thunder, lightning, wind, clouds, that is why a huge number of folk signs of Ilyin's day are associated primarily with the weather.

It is from this day that the water becomes much colder than on an ordinary summer day. The water is covered with duckweed and all children are strictly forbidden to swim;

Starting from Ilyin's day, it is considered completely undesirable to swim, otherwise there will be trouble, you can drown or get sick;

Precipitation on Ilyin's day portends a fairly rich harvest, and vice versa, if there is a drought on the day of the memory of St. Elijah, then this is a fire;

Rainwater collected on Ilyin's day has magical properties.

It is important enough to finish the haymaking by the day of August 2 and then start the autumn harvest;

Since Elijah the Prophet, as they say, dragged away two days, the day is already getting shorter;

There are also signs about the behavior of thunder on Ilyin's day: a quiet rain promises a very deaf thunder; to a big downpour - booming thunder and it is necessary to wait for hail if the thunder is completely uninterrupted;

It is necessary to remember what kind of weather will be on Ilyin's day, for the same must be expected on the Exaltation - September 27;

A very dry August 2 only means that there will be six more weeks of severe drought;

There is a sign on Ilyin's day, which says: it is forbidden to work on this day, otherwise it will burn with heavenly fire;

On the day of Elijah, it rains with thunder, which means that the head will hurt quite strongly; and if the thunder is extremely long and very continuous, then this portends an unusual heaviness in the chest;

There is an extremely good sign on Ilyin's day: whoever gets caught in the rain on this holiday will definitely be healthy all next year;

An unexpected fire on a holiday must first be filled with milk, and only after that with water. This is done so that the fire does not diverge further;

According to the sign, a wedding on Ilyin's day will not bring happy family happiness, only an extremely unsuccessful marriage will await such a young married couple, there may be some difficulties with the birth of children. The day of a married couple will be filled with frequent disagreements and quarrels if the wedding date falls on the feast of Elijah the prophet.

Huge advice to all couples in love, nevertheless, observe the signs of a wedding on Ilyin's day, since these beliefs come to us from generation to generation, and have a fairly ancient history. And only then no problems and troubles in life will visit your family nest.

The magic of rain water on Ilyin's day.

The magic of rainwater on Ilyin's day is very special, because it can not only attract good luck in business, but also relieve headaches and all sorts of worries. A variety of signs are associated with rainwater on August 2:

A very plentiful harvest promises the past rain on Ilyin's day;

Before others, a small child will speak, if he, in turn, is bathed in the rain;

For a whole year, you will definitely remain healthy if you wash your face with rainwater on Ilyin’s day precisely in a thunderstorm;

There is also such a sign about rainwater on Ilyin's day, and it is as follows: you should pay special attention to your close relatives, they require some support from you, this fact can be traced if you got caught in the rain on Ilyin's day .

And in order for rainwater to bring you definitely only a positive result, you must adhere to the following conditions: rainwater on Ilyin's day must be collected with your palms. In the event that there is no rain on August 2, although this is very rare, you can use - spring. The main condition: in no case should you use cups or any bottles, you must go to the spring and wash yourself with water collected with your own hands.

The following table, given in the article, will help you familiarize yourself with exactly what rainwater helps on Ilyin's day, depending on the time of day.

Conspiracies on Ilyin's day.

The well-known and, moreover, revered feast of the memory of the holy prophet Elijah, absolutely always falls on August 2 according to the new style. In the old style, this day was celebrated - July 20.

A variety of rituals, signs and magical conspiracies are quite rich in the day of remembrance of the Old Testament saint. The most common conspiracy is a conspiracy for money, but no less popular are conspiracies on Ilyin's day for family well-being, to relieve seizures in a seriously ill person and to protect against damage and all kinds of unkind witchcraft.

A conspiracy on Ilyin's day from corruption.

In order to protect and protect yourself from damage and any very unkind witchcraft, it is necessary on August 2, that is, on Ilyin’s day, to wash yourself with rainwater, while saying the following conspiracy three times:

Conspiracy on Ilyin's day for family well-being.

Family well-being will never leave your home if you perform the following ceremony on Ilyin's day. Go around your yard and house, saying:

Conspiracy on Ilyin's day for a seriously ill patient.

In order to cure a very seriously ill person from seizures, it is necessary by the day - August 2, to take exactly the front part of the men's shirt and, accordingly, the back of the women's shirt, sewing them together, let the sick person put on such a shirt in the morning on Ilyin's day as soon as he wakes up. After that, bring the person to the mirror and during the time he looks into it, speak a conspiracy on Ilyin's day for a seriously ill person:

Sometimes it happens that a person does not want to do anything wrong at all. He simply says that the baby is calm, eats well ... But at the moment of pronouncing these words, there is some kind of bad thought in my head that is not connected with the child. And then the children's aura catches all the blackness, thus, the evil eye occurs. Subsequently, the child constantly cries and is naughty for no apparent reason.

There is a ritual on Ilyin's day to remove the evil eye from a child. It is necessary on August 2 - on the day of memory of the holy prophet Elijah, to atone for the child before going to bed. And at the moment you bathe him, you need to “dissuade him”. To do this, you need to water with your right hand on the whole body of the baby - the head, arms and legs, while repeating aloud or to yourself the following:

“Evil-bad, leave with water so that the servant of God (name) is healthy, bright and happy. Elijah-Elijah, all hope is in you!”

You need to say these words 7 times.

Conspiracy on Ilyin's day for good luck in business and trade.

It is on Ilyin's day, that is, on August 2, that a very special ritual is performed, which, in turn, contributes to fairly good trading. This means that the goods will leave the counter very quickly and quite easily.

For this ritual, it is necessary to prepare a small handful of sand, absolutely any bowl and rainwater, which, in fact, must be collected at night on Ilyin's day. Rainwater collected on Ilyin's day has a special magic, which is why it is extremely often used in various conspiracies on Ilyin's day.

Next, at midnight, sit down at the table, placing the prepared bowl in front of you. After that, pour sand into it and try to pour rainwater into the sand very slowly in order to have time, say the following conspiracy three times:

All Christians on this day say a prayer to Elijah the Prophet, thereby asking him for help in rather difficult situations, for protection from ill-wishers and a very successful resolution of any undertakings.

It is from the day of Elijah that the rainy season begins and the cooling intensifies noticeably. The water becomes really cold and summer swimming ends. Rainwater on Ilyin's day has extraordinary magic. It can prevent a variety of diseases, help in business and protect against spoilage and an ill-wisher.

The prophet Elijah is considered one of the most revered saints of the Old Testament, and his memory is absolutely always honored - August 2. Prayer to Elijah the Prophet is said to help for the gift of rain during a drought, for a fairly good harvest and for a very successful resolution of absolutely any undertakings.

Glory to the Prophet Elijah.

We magnify you, / the holy glorious prophet Elijah of God, / and honor (even to Heaven / on a chariot of fire, / your glorious ascent. Troparion to the Prophet Elijah

In the flesh an Angel, / the foundation of the prophets, / the second Forerunner of the coming of Christ, glorious Elijah, / from above sending the grace of Eliseev / to drive away illnesses / and cleanse lepers, / the same and those who honor him sharpen healing.

Kontakion to the Prophet Elijah, tone 2:

Prophet and seer of the great deeds of our God, great-named Elijah, setting the clouds of water with your broadcasting, pray for us the only Lover of mankind.

Prayer 1.

O laudable and marvelous prophet of God Elijah, shining on the earth with your equal-angelic life, with the most ardent zeal for the Lord God Almighty, and with glorious signs and wonders, even, by the extreme goodwill of God to you, he was most naturally raptured on a fiery chariot with your flesh to heaven, worthy of conversing with transfigured on Tabor by the Savior of the world, and now in the heavenly villages abide unceasingly and stand before the throne of the Heavenly King!

Hear us, sinners and indecent ones, at this hour standing before your holy icon and diligently resorting to your intercession. Pray for us the Lover of God, may He give us the spirit of repentance and contrition for our sins, and with His all-powerful grace, may He help us leave the paths of wickedness, prosper in every good deed, may He strengthen us in the struggle against our passions and lusts, and plant in our hearts the spirit of humility and meekness, the spirit of brotherly love and gentleness, the spirit of patience and chastity, the spirit of zeal for the glory of God and good care for the salvation of one's own and one's neighbors.

Abolish with your prayers, prophet, the evil customs of the world, moreover, the pernicious and corrupting spirit of this age, infecting the Christian race with disrespect for the Divine Orthodox faith, for the charter of the Holy Church and for the commandments of the Lord, disrespect for the parent and those in power, and overthrowing people into the abyss of wickedness , corruption and destruction.

Turn away from us, wonderful prophet, by your intercession the righteous wrath of God and deliver all the cities and villages of our fatherland from lack of rain and famine, from terrible storms and earthquakes, from deadly ulcers and diseases, from the invasion of enemies and internecine strife.

Strengthen with your prayers, most glorious, our powers that be in the great and difficult feat of government, prosper them in all good deeds and undertakings to establish peace and truth in our country. Assist the Christ-loving army in the war with our enemies.

Ask, prophet of God, from the Lord our shepherd, holy zeal for God, heartfelt concern for the salvation of the flock, wisdom in teaching and management, piety and strength in temptations, ask judges for impartiality and selflessness, righteousness and compassion for the offended, for all those in charge, care for subordinates, mercy and justice, but humility to the subordinates and zeal for their obedience.

Yes, having lived in peace and piety in this world, let us be worthy of partaking of eternal blessings in the Kingdom of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, He deserves honor and worship with His Beginningless Father and the Most Holy Spirit forever and ever.Amen.

Prayer 2.

O holy glorious prophet of God Elijah, great zealot of the law of God. You are a fair and brave avenger in the murder of the Baal priests, you were the avenger: as if you do not beg the glory of God, but multiply forever, you wanted to see, and you were not afraid of so much of their many-born fury, as if the Jezebel priests on the potots of Kissov slaughtered you with a knife, then, like a whirlwind on having been taken by a fiery chariot, you ascended to the height of heaven with glory. For this sake, we, unworthy and sinners, humbly pray to you, an honest prophet of God: worthily glorify and sing your most honorable intercession, but having found you a great intercessor, rich mercy from the Lord will be honored.

Even now, gloriously pleasing you, we pray: protect our state with peace, and deliver us from every slander of the enemy, from gladness, and cowardice, and lightning fire, and do not forget us, sinners, your blessed memory of celebrating and unceasingly glorifying the Lord who glorified you till the end of time.Amen.

Prayer 3.

O great and glorious prophet of God, Elijah, for the sake of your zeal, according to the glory of the Lord God Almighty, did not endure the sight of idolatry and wickedness of the sons of Israel, denouncing the lawless king Ahab, and as a punishment for those three-year famine on the land of Israel with your prayer from the Lord, yes, rejecting vile idols and departed from unrighteousness and iniquity, he will turn to the one true God and the fulfillment of His holy commandments, miraculously nourishing the widow of Sarepta in gladness and resurrecting her son by dying with your prayer, after the passage of the time of gladness, the people of Israel gathered on Mount Carmel in apostasy and wickedness reproached , asking for fire from heaven with a prayer for your sacrifice, and miraculously turning Israel to the Lord, shaming and killing the student prophets of Baal, by the same prayer he cleared the sky and asked for abundant rain on the earth, and rejoiced the people of Israel! We diligently resort to you, the faithful servant of God, sinning and humility, tormented by lack of rain and heat; we confess that we are not worthy of the mercy and blessings of God, worthy more than the fierce rebukes of His wrath, sorrow and need, and all kinds of evils and diseases. We did not walk in the fear of God and in the fetters of His commandments, but in the lusts of our corrupted hearts, and every kind of sin was done without number; our iniquities have surpassed our head, and we are not worthy to appear before the face of God and look into heaven.

We confess, as we, like ancient Israel, have departed 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 servility with passion and our lust, serving the idol of gluttony and voluptuousness, the idol of covetousness and ambition, the idol of pride and vanity, and we follow the ungodly foreign custom and the pernicious spirit of the times.

We confess that for the sake of this the sky was closed and created like copper, as if our heart was closed from mercy and true love for our neighbor; for this reason, the earth was hardened and became barren, as we do not bring to our Lord the fruits of good deeds; for this sake, there is no rain and dew, as if not the imams of tears of tenderness and the life-giving dew of Divine Thought; for this sake, every cereal and grass of the countryside withered, as if every good feeling was gone from us; for this reason, the air is darkened, as if our mind was darkened by cold thoughts and our heart was defiled by lawless lusts.

We confess, as if you, prophet of God, ask we are unworthy of Esma.

You are more, being an obsequious person to us, You became like an angel in your life and, as if incorporeal, you were taken up to heaven; but we become like our dumb cattle with studish thoughts and deeds, and made our soul like flesh.

You surprised the angels and people with fasting and vigil, but we, indulging in intemperance and voluptuousness, are like unthinking cattle.

Thou didst burn with zealous 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 uprooted ungodliness and evil customs, but we are slaves to the spirit of this age, setting the ungodly customs of the world more than the commandments of God and the ordinances of the holy Church. And what sin and untruth shall we not do in repentance? We exhaust the longsuffering of God by our iniquities. The same righteous Lord was angry with us, and in His anger punished us.

Both leading your great boldness before the Lord and hoping for your love for the human race, we dare to pray to you, most praiseworthy prophesy: ​​be merciful to us, unworthy and indecent, implore the great-gifted and all-merciful God, so that he will not be completely angry with us and will not destroy us with our iniquities, but let abundant and peaceful rain fall on the thirsty and withered earth, give it fruitfulness and good air; bow with your effective intercession to the mercy of the King of Heaven, if not for the sake of us sinful and filthy, but for the sake of His chosen servants, who did not bow their knees before the Baal of this world, for the sake of mild and senseless babies, for the sake of dumb cattle and birds of heaven, suffering for our iniquity and melting from hunger, heat and thirst.

Ask us with your favorable prayers from the Lord for the spirit of repentance and tenderness of the heart, the spirit of meekness and temperance, the spirit of love and patience, the spirit of God's fear 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 the promises to us good, by the good will of the beginningless God the Father, by the love of mankind of His Only Begotten Son, and by the grace of the All-Holy Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever.Amen.

Prayer 4.

O holy prophet of God Elijah, pray for us the Lover of God, may he give us, the servants of God (names), the spirit of repentance and contrition for our sins, and with His all-powerful grace, may He help us leave the path of wickedness, succeed in every good deed, and in the fight against our passions and lusts, may it strengthen us; may our hearts be inspired by the spirit of humility and meekness, the spirit of brotherly love and gentleness, the spirit of patience and chastity, the spirit of zeal for the glory of God and good care for the salvation of one’s own and those of one’s neighbors.

Turn away the righteous wrath of God from us with your intercession, and live in peace and piety in this world, let us be vouchsafed the communion of eternal blessings in the Kingdom of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, He deserves honor and worship, with His Beginningless Father and the Most Holy Spirit, forever and ever .Amen.

What date is the holiday of Elijah, perhaps everyone knows. Prophet Elijah is highly revered by both Christianity and other world religions - Judaism and Islam.

The image of the prophet Elijah is represented by a formidable old man, the lord of thunder and lightning, who rides a fiery chariot across the sky and mercilessly strikes sinners with thunder and lightning. However, despite his severity, this revered Saint is always generous to the righteous. It is he who carefully monitors the fulfillment by people of human and divine laws. The first church built in Russia was dedicated to Saint Elijah.

Feast of St. Elijah - history

Prophet Elijah was born in Palestine, in the city of Thiss, in the 9th century. BC. At the moment of Ilya's birth, his father has a vision that the elders greet the baby, and the angels feed him with fire and swaddle him in a fiery shroud. The baby was to become a beacon of faith. That is exactly what happened. Elijah became an implacable enemy of paganism, a true zealot of piety.

The veneration of Elijah as a Saint came to the Slavs from Byzantium. Among the Slavic people, the prophet Elijah was associated with Perun, the god of thunder, whose lightning bolts were a weapon against any evil. Riding across the sky in a chariot, Perun defended the laws among people and gods, was the guardian of heaven.

Christians endowed the prophet Elijah with the same qualities that the most revered god Perun had. The day of Elijah became the holiday of warriors, and the formidable Prophet Elijah became the guardian of heaven. It was customary for the Slavs on August 2 to commemorate the soldiers who fell in battle, to make sacrifices, to consecrate weapons, to conduct ritual battles.

Miracles of Prophet Elijah

There are a lot of miracles created by Elijah. At the word of this Saint, the waters of the Jordan River parted. Elijah, to admonish sinners and intimidate the pagans, brought down heavenly fire to the earth. He prophesied and revealed God's will. Elijah had the ability to cause rain and even resurrect the dead. He was asked for relief with or. Ilya could also protect from robbers. This saint became the patron saint of airborne troops and is revered by pilots.

Both in Christianity and in Judaism, it is believed that God took Elijah alive. He became the only prophet of the New Testament, with the exception of Enoch, who lived before the flood, who went to heaven alive.

Holy prophet Elijah - traditions

A lot of beliefs and prohibitions are associated with the date of August 2. Nothing can be done on Ilyin's day. All work is considered a sin. It is believed that if you carry or stack hay, the prophet Elijah will burn it. By August 2, it is important to finish haymaking and start the autumn harvest. An exception was made only for beekeepers. They can clean the hives, cut the honeycombs, because the bee is considered a “lady bird”, collecting wax for a candle. People know that Ilya will never strike a hive with lightning, even if an unclean spirit has taken refuge behind him.

There is a belief that wild animals roam on the day of Elijah, so cattle were not driven out to pasture at all, otherwise the wolves would bite them. And even if you manage to avoid a dangerous meeting with predators, the naughty shepherd will be punished. An angry prophet can send lightning to cattle and a disobedient.

Ilya also has power over dark spirits. He strikes evil spirits with his arrows. Escaping, evil spirits turn into animals - cats, dogs, hares, foxes, so animals are not allowed to go home on Ilyin's day.

Since Ilya is considered the lord of thunderstorms and rains, many signs on this day are associated with precipitation. Rain on the day of Elijah portends a rich harvest, and drought - fires.

Rain water on August 2 has special properties. It washes away all diseases, protects from the evil eye and witchcraft.

Swimming is strictly prohibited on this day. Such a ban is due to the fact that Ilya rides in the sky, and from a fast ride one horse drops a horseshoe into the water, after which the water becomes cold.

August 2, according to the church calendar, is a holiday - the day of memory of the prophet of God Elijah - one of the most beloved and revered saints among our people and among many Slavs. As always, church and folk traditions are closely intertwined on Ilyin's day. Find out what signs exist on Elijah the prophet, what can and cannot be done on a holiday.

Like Nicholas the Wonderworker, Elijah the prophet belongs to the saints beloved and revered by the people. The prophet Elijah in the Slavic folk tradition is the lord of thunder and lightning, heavenly fire, rain, the patron of harvest and fertility. The Christian Ilya the prophet came to replace the pagan Perun the Thunderer. It is not for nothing that the day of Elijah the Prophet is also popularly called the Thunderbolt, the Holder of Thunderstorms, the Thunderer, Perunov Day, Obzhinki, Ilya the Unmerciful, Ilya the Angry, Ilya the Terrible.

Elijah, the lord of thunder and lightning, was depicted in folk writings galloping through the heavens on a fiery chariot drawn by four white horses. The sound of hooves is thunder. And Elijah himself is the messenger of the law of God, a formidable, but just and generous patron of agriculture and cattle breeding, who punishes the lazy and unrighteous with a lightning strike, and hails the fields and crops, and protects and takes the hardworking and righteous under his protection, watering crops with blessed rain.

In the 9th century BC, in the Jewish city of Thesba, a boy was born, who was named Elijah. When the baby was born, his father had a vision that his newborn son was being fed with fire by the archangels themselves and wrapped in fiery swaddling clothes. This vision turned out to be prophetic.

According to the scriptures, Elijah was taken alive to heaven, ascended in a fiery chariot, so that before the second coming of Christ he would return to earth and go around the world three times, warning people about the Last Judgment.

As the traditions of the Ukrainian people describe - Elijah gallops across the sky on a golden (fiery) chariot. The sun is the wheel from the chariot of Elijah the Prophet, the Milky Way is the road along which the prophet rides, on a chariot drawn by winged frisky horses, from the clatter of hooves of which thunder comes. In winter, there is no thunderstorm and thunder, because Ilya changes to a sled.

Ilya the Thunderer is endowed with tremendous power, and it is so great that it has to be restrained: God laid a stone on Elijah's head, and put shackles on his right hand.

Signs and traditions on Elijah the prophet

Believers on Elijah go to church and ask in prayers for well-being in the family, peace, health of loved ones, carry seeds for consecration for the next harvest.

Previously, it was customary to organize fairs on Elijah, as well as bratchina - communal dinners, at which they brought food and drinks from each house, treated themselves, treated travelers, wanderers, the poor, the needy. Such meals ended with festivities, games, round dances, songs.

People believed that on the day of Elijah, all evil spirits are saved from the fiery punishment of the saint and turn into various animals and fish, including pets. Therefore, people on Elijah did not let domestic dogs and cats out of the house, so that an evil spirit would not inhabit them.

The day of the prophet Elijah is one of the holidays revered by the people, however, no special significant rituals were performed on this day, despite the fact that many beliefs, mythological legends, calendar and household signs and prohibitions are associated with Elijah.

They prepared for the holiday in a few days - they protected their homes from evil spirits, evil spirits, baked special ritual cookies and bread - koloboks, stopped any work in the field and around the house.

On a holiday, there is a ban on any kind of work, they say that nothing will argue, everything will fall out of hand, and there will still be no sense, and the work itself can anger the saint, who will punish the one who disrespects his holiday.

On Elijah you can observe changes in nature - the first signs of autumn appear, the behavior of animals and birds changes, the weather changes.

Nights on Elijah are called “sparrow” and “rowan” - if it rains all night, thunder rumbles and lightning flashes, sparrows do not know peace all night, they are afraid of thunder.

During a thunderstorm, they closed doors and windows tightly, lit a lamp or a candle ( Thursday or baptismal) in front of the icon and prayed to Elijah the prophet to save him "from a flying arrow, from shaking thunder".

On this day, they tried to stay as far away from the water as possible - do not bathe, do not wash. The people noticed that usually a rainy day falls on the holiday, with thunderstorms, downpours, wind, and the water in the reservoirs becomes very cold and you can’t swim in it. There are many superstitions about why you should not swim. They say that the water is cold because the horseshoe of the horse from Elijah's chariot fell into it. Somewhere it was believed that the devil himself or the water one defiled the reservoirs. Some believed that Ilya threw a piece of ice into the water. Anyone who violates the ban will have a hard time, they were afraid to drown or get very sick, after they believed that after bathing abscesses and ulcers appeared on the body. It was believed that devils, mermaids, who had lived on the shore since the Day of Ivan Kupala, returned to the reservoirs on Elijah, and on Ilyin’s day they were overtaken by the thunderbolts of the Thunderer and they hid in the water, so the angry evil spirits dragged to the bottom those who decided to swim.

Proverbs and sayings on Elijah

Ilya summer cums
On Ilya before lunch - summer, after lunch - autumn
Before Ilya, a man bathes, and from Ilya he says goodbye to water
Before Ilya, the priest will not beg for rain, after Ilyin's day, the woman will catch up with an apron
Peter and Paul subtracted an hour, and Elijah the prophet dragged away two.
Whoever got caught in the rain on this day, stock up on health for the whole year.
Before Ilyin's day and under the bush, the sun dries, and after Ilyin's day, the dew does not dry on the wasteland.
On Ilya before lunch is summer and after lunch is autumn

From Ilyin Day the night becomes longer.

The prophet Elijah is one of the most famous people in the history of mankind, who is revered not only in Christianity and Judaism, but also in the late Protestant sects and Islam - traces of the image of the Saint are present even in pagan religions.

Despite his severity, the prophet Elijah is highly revered among all the Saints - he is harsh to sinners and generous to the righteous, guards the fulfillment of human and divine laws.

Saint Elijah is considered the master of lightning - after the adoption of Christianity in Russia, the image of the prophet replaced the god of thunder Perun, who was revered by the ancient Slavs. Therefore, many customs, beliefs and signs are associated with this day among the people.

Sputnik Georgia tried to find out why no work in the field and around the house can be done on Ilyin's Day, and it is also forbidden to swim.

Why you can’t swim on Ilyin’s day

According to popular belief, starting from August 2, it was impossible to swim in open water - in the old days, people believed that this could bring trouble on themselves and harm their health.

There are several versions why on Ilyin's day and after it you should not visit lakes and rivers. According to one of them, you can’t swim, because “the prophet Elijah cooled the water.” Legend has it that when Elijah went to heaven in a chariot, one of the horses lost a horseshoe from its hoof, which fell into the water and cooled it. The saying - "Ilya the prophet stirs up water in the rivers", is heard among the people to this day.

Icon "Prophet Elijah in the desert" (XV century)

According to another version, from that day on, water in reservoirs begins to bloom - it was believed that water with an unpleasant odor, covered with mud, could be harmful to health.

There was also a mystical version - in the old days people believed that on the night of August 2, unclean forces gathered near the reservoirs - water, mermaids, devils, and from that time they began to host in rivers and lakes. Therefore, you can drown from convulsions or rupture of the heart, you can pick up warts and other river ailments.

Beacon of Faith

According to legend, the future prophet was born in Thesvia of Gilead in the tribe of Levi 900 years before Jesus Christ. The name Elijah, given to the baby, which is translated as the fortress of the Lord, determined his whole life.

Elijah's father, Owl, at the time of the birth of the child had a vision in which heavenly angels swaddled and fed the baby with fire. The vision became prophetic - the child grew up and became a beacon of faith.

Elijah, when he grew up a little, went to live in the desert, where he prayed a lot, observing the strictest fast. Later, he was called to the prophetic ministry and began to struggle with wicked deeds and departure from the true faith.

© photo: Sputnik / Konstantin Chalabov

The Lord sent the future prophet to the Israeli king Ahab, commanding him to predict that his kingdom would suffer famine if he and his people did not turn to the true God. Ahab did not listen to the prophet, and a drought and a great famine came into the country.

Elijah spent a year in the wilderness during the famine, where ravens carried food to him. Then the Lord sent a prophet to Sarepta of Sidon to a poor widow who was suffering with her children in anticipation of starvation.

At the request of the prophet, she prepared unleavened bread for him from the last handful of flour and the rest of the butter. Then, through the prayer of the prophet Elijah, flour and oil have not been exhausted in the widow's house since then throughout the famine. By the power of his prayer, the great prophet performed another miracle - he resurrected the deceased son of this widow.

Returning to the kingdom of Israel after three and a half years, Elijah told the king and all the people that all the calamities of the Israelites are due to the fact that they forgot the true God and began to worship the idol Baal.

© photo: Sputnik / Yuri Kaver

To prove the error of the Israelites, Elijah proposed to make two altars - one to Baal, and the other to God, and on which of the two altars fire from heaven descends, that is the true God.

First, they made an altar to Baal, piled firewood, slaughtered a bull, and the priests of Baal began to pray to their idol, but the fire never came down from heaven.

Then Elijah made his altar, laid firewood, after watering it with water, and began to pray to God. And suddenly fire fell from heaven and consumed not only the wood and the sacrifice, but also the water and the stones of the altar. The people saw this miracle, glorified the true God and again believed in Him.

For his ardent zeal for the Glory of God, the prophet Elijah was taken to heaven alive in a fiery chariot - a witness to this miraculous ascent was the prophet Elisha. Saint Elijah appeared together with the prophet Moses on the Day of the Transfiguration of the Lord and appeared before Jesus Christ, talking with him on Mount Tabor.

According to legend, the prophet will be the Forerunner of the Terrible Second Coming of Christ to earth and during the sermon he will accept bodily death.

Customs, rituals, signs

According to folk customs, no work in the field and around the house can be done on this day, so as not to anger the prophet Elijah - work on this holiday in the garden can lead to the death of the crop, so people tried to put aside all their affairs and relax on this holiday.

On this day, work such as caring for bees and preparing wax for candles is allowed, as people believe that it is on Ilya that he works best, has a special energy that can protect against all evil.

According to signs, on this day it was impossible to stand under a tree, shout, swear, scold - the people believed that lightning on this day could strike a sinful person. It is also impossible to stand at crossroads, as various evil spirits gather there.

The main thing that cannot be done on this day is swearing, brawling, and abusing alcohol. You need to spend it with good thoughts and an open heart.

They began to celebrate the holiday the day before - they baked ceremonial cookies, with the help of various ritual actions they tried to protect their house from rain, hail and lightning, and themselves from illness and the evil eye.

Saint Elijah, in the popular imagination, on the one hand, is stern, formidable, punishing, in his submission is rain, thunder, lightning, on the other hand, he is generous, endowing, as he sends fertility to the earth.

© photo: Sputnik / Ilya Pitalev

Therefore, they pray to the prophet for the gift of rain during a drought - if it rains on Ilyin's day, then it is believed that there will be few fires, and the next year's harvest will be rich.

People believed that it was possible to wash off the evil eye and damage by washing with rainwater collected on Ilyin's day.

“If there is a thunderstorm on Ilyin’s day, close the mirrors” - according to the sign, it was necessary to hide any shiny things that attract lightning and cover the mirrors. Especially if these items were in close proximity to the window.

The peasants believed that on Ilyin's day, animals and reptiles come out and crawl out of their holes and roam the meadows and forests, so cattle should not be released into the meadow so that they would not be torn to pieces by predators and not stung by snakes.

It was also believed that on Ilyin's day, all the evil spirits, escaping from the fiery arrows of the prophet, turn into various animals - hares, foxes, cats, dogs, wolves, and so on. In this regard, a custom was established on Ilyin's day not to let dogs and cats into the house, so as not to bring thunder and lightning to the house.

On Ilyin Day, the hunting season began, since from that day on, animal burrows, in particular, wolf burrows, opened in the forests. If on Ilyin's day it was possible to get "gray", it was a sign that good luck would accompany the whole season.

Ilyin's day was considered the calendar border of summer, and from that day the first signs of autumn already appear in nature. From this day on, moderate heat is established, the daylight hours are waning, and the night is increasing.

Numerous proverbs testify to this: "Ilya the prophet dragged away two hours of daylight", "From Ilyin's day, the night is long, and the water is cold."

On Ilyin's Day in Russia, it was customary to arrange religious processions and pray for the weather suitable for field work, for the harvest, for protection from the evil eye and diseases, and so on.

By Ilyin's day, it was customary to bake the first loaves from the grain of the new crop, which were eaten by the whole village.

Material prepared on the basis of open sources

On August 2, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of the biblical prophet Elijah, who lived in Israel in the 9th century BC. e. The saint lived during the reign of the wicked king Ahab. It was a difficult period in the history of the Israelite people. The ruler's wife was a pagan. Ahab was completely under her influence. He persecuted and killed zealous supporters of religion, and planted a cult of worship of pagan gods in the country - Astarte, Baal and Moloch.

One day, Elijah came to Ahab, who was from Fesbah and from a young age led an ascetic life in the desert. The Prophet was dressed in the simple clothes of a hermit and girded with a rope. He angrily reproached the ruler for apostasy from the true God and predicted that drought and famine would befall his people for this. After these words, Elijah left the capital and, fearing the revenge of Ahab, hid in the mountains beyond the Jordan. Although the places there were deserted, the prophet did not go hungry. Twice a day the ravens brought him meat and bread, and he took water from the stream.

When the drought came, the stream dried up. Then Elijah, by God's command, moved to the pagan city of Sarepta, where a poor widow sheltered him in her house. Soon the widow's son became seriously ill, who later died. Then Elijah took the body of the boy, carried it to his room and laid it on the bed. He fervently prayed to God, asking him to give the child life. The prayer was heard and the lad came to life.

Later, Elijah again returned to the kingdom of Israel, by God's will, he chose a disciple in the person of Elisha. The prophet again turned to the king and invited him to test who is the true God. For this, the people and the priests of Baal were gathered on Mount Carmel. The priests were the first to offer sacrifice to their god. They placed a calf on the altar and began to pray to Baal that he would hear them and give a sign, but they did not succeed.

At noon, the time for the evening sacrifice came, then Elijah built an altar of 12 stones, dug a ditch near it, piled firewood and cut his calf. He ordered water to be poured on the altar. When the ditch was overflowing with water, Elijah began to pray. The Lord heard his prayer and fire came down from heaven, which consumed not only the calf, but also the stones with water. After that, the sky was covered with clouds, and the long-awaited rain began to fall.

According to legend, Elijah was taken to heaven alive. From the sky came a fiery chariot drawn by fiery horses. On this chariot, the saint rushed to Heaven in a whirlwind. This biblical account of the ascension to heaven gave rise to the idea that the prophet must return to earth before the second coming of Christ.

Ilyin's Day began to be celebrated in ancient Byzantium. Later, this custom was adopted in Russia, after Prince Vladimir was baptized.

Ilyin's day: signs and beliefs

Ilyin's day is the last summer holiday. The cult of the prophet Elijah united in Russia with pre-Christian beliefs and received a popular character. The saint was credited with power over thunder, thunder, lightning, wind and rain, like Perun the Thunderer. There was a belief that thunder comes from the sound of a chariot on the heavenly road, on which the prophet Elijah rides. Therefore, the day of the memory of the prophet is called the “thunder holiday”.

Traditions attribute to the prophet the origin of springs and streams that do not freeze in winter. The people believed that they appeared from the impact of Elijah's fiery arrows on a stone. Chapels with icons of the Mother of God and Saint Elijah were erected over these holy springs. The water in them was considered healing.

According to popular beliefs, the prophet Elijah is the patron of thunder. On Ilyin's day, you should not work in the field, because it can kill you with lightning.

At this time, the nights are increasing, and the day is waning, it is getting colder. This allowed our ancestors to have a better rest. The people said: " From Ilyin’s day, the workers get enough sleep, and the horses are full”. It was believed that Ilya was finishing the summer. After this day, the leaves on the trees begin to turn yellow, and the grass stops growing.

After Ilyin's day, the behavior of birds and insects changes:

• flies bite until August 2, and after that they stock up;
• stop biting mosquitoes;
• mosquitoes and spiders disappear from Ilyin's day;
• before this date, rooks fly alone, and after Ilya, they gather in flocks.

Many signs are associated with this day:

• to get rid of the evil eye, you need to wash yourself with Ilyinsky rain;
• on Ilyin's day, before lunch, it's still summer, and after lunch - autumn;
• on Ilyin's day, wolf holes open;
• from this date the rainy season usually begins;
• the evil spirit on Elijah, fearing the fiery arrows of the prophet, turned into different animals - foxes, hares, cats, dogs, etc.

On this day, try to look in the mirror less often. This warning is especially true for the elderly and sick people. The fact is that on August 2, as in the day, the influence of the looking glass increases, i.e. a mirror can draw out the life force of a person looking into it.

A person born on August 2 will be able to find underground treasures and ward off evil spirits. Amber suits him as a talisman.

Ilyin's day: why can't you swim?

Many have heard that you can’t swim on Ilyin’s day and after it. There is even a saying about this: Before Ilya, a man bathes, and after that he says goodbye to the river". It was believed that it was dangerous to swim a week before the holiday and after it, because a merman or a mermaid could be pulled into the water.

According to another version, on his holiday, the prophet leaves for the heavenly road in a fiery chariot, and one of his horses loses a horseshoe. A horseshoe, falling into a reservoir, makes the water in it ice cold.

There is also a third version, you can’t swim in the reservoirs after Ilyin’s day, since the water in them is defiled by the devil who bathed in it (in local beliefs, the devil correlated with the water).

Video: holy prophet Elijah