Saint Elijah is the most revered by people of the prophets, as he is the second through whom the Lord addressed the inhabitants of the earth. The first was Moses. He is also one of those whom God took to himself, leaving no witnesses to this action. The airborne troops consider St. Elijah their patron and intercessor.
The icon "Ilya the Prophet" contributes to the successful outcome of any started business, but it is believed that the saint helps most of all in agricultural affairs. He is asked to send rain during a drought or fair weather during heavy rains. Also, the prophet can save the one praying in front of his icon from disturbing diseases. It removes anger from people's hearts and promotes a peaceful family atmosphere.
Which churches have the icon of the Holy Prophet?
"Saint Elijah the Prophet" is an icon whose significance is so great that it makes it the most famous and revered. It is located intemple named after the same saint in Moscow in Obydensky Lane. The most important life moments are preserved on 20 hallmarks decorating the image. The icon is the main one in the temple. There is also another, no less revered Orthodox icon of Elijah the Prophet, which was created on the bicentennial anniversary of the temple in the early 20th century. The name of the icon is "Christmas time the prophet Elijah in the desert".
The Church of the Prophet Elijah, located in the Novgorod region, is another place where the saint is honored. There are 2 icons here, one of which was created more than two centuries ago, it is she who is carried during the procession. And the other icon is only 15 years old (the date of creation is 2000), but the locals love it very much, calling it miraculous.
Temple of Elijah the Prophet on Mount Carmel in Israel
For several centuries in a row, pilgrims from all over the world have come to Mount Carmel to touch the shrines associated with the prophet. The place for the temple was not chosen by chance, because it was in the cave of this mountain that Ilya hid from his pursuers for a long time, and here he defeated the pagan priest. The temple was built right above the cave in the shape of a cross.
In the courtyard there is a small altar, similar to the one Ilya created in his time. Nearby is a neat statue of the prophet, who raised his hand with a blade over a pagan priest. When the Arab army of Muslims was at war with the Jews, they cut off the hand of the statue, believing that it helps all the people in the war. The temple was built relatively recently - in the first quarter of the 20th century, on the day of the memory of St. Elijah. Every year, believers flock here to pray or baptize children.
How and why Saint Elijah was revered in Russia
He became one of the first to be worshiped in Russia. Temples were erected in his honor, the first in Kyiv in the 9th century, and Princess Olga ordered the construction of a church in the northern part of Russia, in the village of Vybuty. Ilya was considered and continues to be considered a primordially Russian saint, understanding the problems and sorrows of his people.
Ilyin's day, celebrated by believers on August 2, is considered the demarcation of the seasons. Although it is also summer, in central Russia after this date they do not swim in the reservoirs and, as a rule, it gets colder and it becomes rainy. On this day, they asked the saint for a good harvest, and the girls prayed to give them a betrothed, with whom they would go down the aisle.
How does the icon "Elijah the Prophet" help?
At all times, Russian peasants prayed to Ilya to bless them for plowing the land. Saint Elijah the Prophet, whose icon was in every home, has always been considered a great miracle worker, a thunderer who can control the elements, especially rain. When people worry about the we alth of the harvest, so that it does not dry out or, on the contrary, is not flooded, they earnestly pray to the prophet Elijah.
The icon "Ilya the Prophet" helps to cope with any difficulties, whether it be a lack of material we alth, mental and physical illness. It is also able to ward off sudden death from a person. Believers are constantly convinced of this.
Icons withthe image of the prophet
The very first icon "Ilya the Prophet" was painted in the early Byzantine period. On it, the saint appears as a stern man with a piercing look of brown eyes, dressed in a woolen cloak. The prophet has long hair and a full beard. Often Ilya was put on a hat made of wool, and a dagger was put into his hands, thus conveying his strength and rage directed towards the non-believers. In those days, almost every saint was depicted with a weapon in his hands.
There are two radically different ways of writing a prophet, as they are tied to different periods of his life. Some icon painters depict him in thought, namely, sitting on a stone in the desert and looking around, while a raven gets him food. The legend written on this occasion says that the essence of this picture is that St. Elijah hears the Divine voice through the thickness of earthly problems and thoughts.
Another option is Elijah the Prophet at the moment of transition to the Kingdom of Heaven. He is depicted soaring with a cloud at his feet, his gaze is turned to heaven, but sometimes he also looks at the abandoned earth. It is on such icons that the prophet hands over his shroud to the most reliable follower - Elisha. "Saint Elijah the Prophet" - an icon, the meaning of which is to reflect in one image all the key moments of life, is written with multiple hallmarks, on which you can see a conversation with the Lord, a victory over pagan priests, and the revival of a person.
Do-it-yourself icon of Elijah the Prophet
In modern daysready-made icons in various designs can be purchased everywhere: in church shops, in jewelry stores, you can order it from icon painters on Internet sites, or you can do it yourself. The beaded icon "Ilya the Prophet" is the best thing that almost everyone can do in tribute to the memory of the saint. The main thing to remember is that before starting such work, it is necessary to receive a church blessing. And the sketch that you need to work on can be purchased at church shops or online stores. After the icon is ready, it should be consecrated and charged with church power. During needlework, you can read prayers to Elijah the Prophet. There is no doubt that an icon created by one's own hands will have no less miraculous power than those found in churches or sold in church shops.
