What not to do on Elijah's day. What is possible and what is not allowed on Elijah’s day

history of the holiday

It is also called Elijah’s Day; this not only church holiday is rich in traditions and signs. Let us note that the Catholic Church honors the memory of the prophet in winter - February 16th.

For a long time, girls asked the prophet Elijah for a good husband, and villagers asked for rain during a drought. Also, prayer addressed to him helps to succeed in any business and get rid of illnesses.

It is worth recalling that during the times of paganism, the Slavs celebrated Perun’s Day on August 2, the god of thunder and military valor. But after the baptism of Rus', it was “rewritten” on the Day of Remembrance of the Prophet Elijah - the lord of thunder, heavenly fire, rain, harvest, fertility and warriors. Ilya is a “formidable saint.” It is believed that he rushes through the heavens in a chariot, shooting lightning at those who do not want to observe the law of God.

Traditions on Elijah's Day

Our ancestors had their own traditions and customs on Elijah’s Day: on this day, neighboring villages held joint meals. In addition, on this holiday it was customary to distribute food to the poor and homeless.

Also, Elijah's Day was associated with the beginning of the harvest. It was believed that it was on this holiday that summer ends and autumn begins. On this day, field work was prohibited - the prophet could strike such a person with lightning.

Our ancestors called the night of Elijah “the sparrow night,” since there is a high probability that lightning will flash and thunder will thunder, and birds will begin to behave strangely, crashing into oncoming objects.

On Ilya's Day and after it, swimming in reservoirs is prohibited: the water becomes very cold - you can catch a cold, and you can also find all sorts of evil spirits in it on this holiday.

On the holiday of Elijah, people wash themselves with spring water: this protects against disease and damage.

In addition, on Elijah’s Day, it was forbidden to let pets go outside so that evil spirits would not enter them. It was believed that it was on this day that Ilya rode a chariot across the sky and threw lightning arrows at all evil spirits, and our ancestors believed that creatures could inhabit animals.

On the eve of Elijah's Day, the garden, livestock, fields and homes were fumigated with incense to prevent lightning from striking them.

So, on Elijah Day you cannot:

• work in the field and around the house;
• shout and sing loudly - lightning may strike;
• use foul language and entertain bad thoughts;
• let pets outside;
• on this day you cannot stand under a tree - you may be struck by lightning;
• you cannot stand at crossroads, as evil spirits gather there;
• bathe.

Signs on Elijah's day:

From Ilya's day you can't swim - Ilya wrote in the water

Before Ilya, people swim, and after him they say goodbye to the river

The water has been cold since Elijah's day

Since Ilyin's day the water has been getting cold

Since the holiday of Elijah the water has been getting colder

If thunder is heard, then Elijah travels around the heavens in his chariot

With Elijah the harvest begins and summer ends

If a fire happens on Elijah’s Day, then milk is poured into the fire before the water so that it does not spread further

You can’t work in the field on Elijah’s day - it will burn you with heavenly fire

Before Ilya, even the priest won’t beg for rain, but after him the woman will catch up with her apron

After Ilya's day the night is dark and especially long

Whoever got caught in the rain on this day received health for the whole year.

Whoever counts the hay on this day will soon lose all his goods.

Prayer to the Prophet Elijah

O holy prophet of God Elijah, pray for us, the Lover of God, that He may give us, the servants of God (names), the spirit of repentance and contrition for our sins, and with His omnipotent grace help us to leave the paths of wickedness, and to succeed in every deed of grace, and in may he strengthen us in the fight against our passions and lusts; 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.

Orthodox and Greek Catholics celebrate on August 2 the feast of Elijah (Elijah), the first of the most respected immaculates. In churches on this day there are passages of the cross and blessing of water where there are sanctuaries in honor of the prophet.

Prophet Elijah

Every year the Orthodox celebrate on August 2 the feast of Elijah, the prophet who lived in Palestine in the 9th century. up to B.C. From a young age he settled in the desert and lived there in fasting and prayer. Elijah was called into prophetic service during the reign of the idolater sovereign Ahab, who worshiped Baal (the sun) and forced the Israeli population to act in a similar way. God sent Elijah to Ahab and ordered him to tell him that if the population did not turn to the real Lord, his kingdom would face a crisis. Ahab did not listen to the prophet in any way, and waterlessness and great trouble arose in the state.

During the period of dangerous fasts and famine, the prophet lived in the desert. Then he found shelter for two years with a widow in the town of Sarepta. Afterwards he returned to the Kingdom of Israel and declared to the ruler and the whole people that all the misfortunes of the Israelites, without exception, were due to the fact that they had forgotten the true Lord and began to bow to the image of Baal.

to Baal

First, they built an altar to Baal, threw in some wood, slaughtered a bull, and the priests of Baal began to offer prayers to their own god. In the evening, Ilya made his own altar, laid logs, sprinkled them with water and began to offer prayer to the Lord God. Suddenly, a flame descended from the sky and burned not only the logs and the sacrifice, but also the water and the stones of the altar. The population, noticing this magic, glorified the true Lord and believed in him again.

Elijah the prophet (August 2 holiday) was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot. The seer Elisha was an eyewitness to this wondrous ascent. Then, in the Transfiguration of the Lord, someone appeared together with the prophet Moses and appeared before Jesus Christ.

According to legend, the seer will become the Forerunner of the 2nd coming of Christ and will suffer physical death during the period of preaching.

Story

Ilya the Seer is the most famous blessed one among ordinary people. And for this reason, it is certain that August 2 (the holiday of Elijah) is secured by traditions, customs and beliefs. In popular beliefs, Ilyusha the Seer appears as a powerful, gray-haired old man who rides around the boundless firmament in his own chariot. His punishing hand sends flaming arrows, shaking demons and humans who do not adhere to the decree of the Lord. No matter where the seer appears, he is surrounded by flame, nightmare, death and decay. It symbolizes the wrath of God and according to the whole of Rus', Elijah the prophet was called nothing less than stern.

Traditions

The traditions of August 2, the holiday of Elijah, have pagan origins. During this period, the ancient Slavs respected the thunderer Perun. And only after the baptism of Rus' under the influence of the Orthodox church, the appearance of the pagan deity was eventually replaced in the national consciousness by Elijah the Prophet. He embodied all the functions of the Thunderer without exception.

Absolutely all legends described that Elijah the Seer expresses the Lord’s wrath. His punishing, just hand punished the spirits of the dark, and especially the evil demons. According to people's beliefs, all evil spirits are protected from his formidable arrows, transforming not only into unbridled animals (hares, foxes) and sycophants, but also into everyday ones: dogs, cats and others.

Therefore, a tradition arose not to let dogs and cats and other household pets out into the street, so that the spirits of darkness, who had found refuge in them and were fleeing from arrows, would not sneak into the home, and the discharge aimed at them would not enter the house.

In Ilya, on August 2, people certainly wash with spring water. It protects against diseases and deterioration of health.

Especially on this day you need to beware of pine trees with 2 peaks. If there is a thunderstorm, then all doors and windows in the home, without exception, are covered, and lamps and candles are lit in front of the icons. After a thunderstorm, rainwater is collected. It has healing power and protects against the evil eye.

On the Orthodox holiday of August 2, Elijah the prophet instructs not to work in the garden. The Seer is able to strike the worker with lightning or burn the grass. Only one type of work is officially permitted - this is the inspection of hives and the first reduction of honeycombs in the beehouse. According to legend, evil spirits are afraid of bees and do not approach them in any way.

Signs

The fact that the Seer is the ruler of thunder, lightning, whirlwinds and rain clouds gave rise to many omens. You can believe in the holiday of Elijah 2; as a rule, they are true. You should pay attention to the following omens.

• You shouldn't take a dip since Ilyin's day - he peed in the water.
• From Ilya's day all the liquid cools down.
• Before Ilya, the man bathes, and after Ilya, he says goodbye to the river.
• Thunder rumbles - in this case, Ilyusha moves across the sky in his own chariot.
• Ilya accepts the harvest and ends the season.
• You cannot work in the ground during Ilya’s period, otherwise it will burn you with an azure flame.
• Before Ilya, the clouds go according to the wind, but from Ilya they begin to go contrary.
• Before Elijah, the priest will not beg for the rain, but after Elijah the woman will bring it with an apron.
• After Ilya's day, you won't find a horse in the garden - look how impenetrable the nights are.
• From Ilyin's day there is a night of duty: the worker gets enough sleep, and the stallions eat enough.
• Anyone who finds himself in the rain during Ilyin's period will always be in excellent shape.
• Whoever counts the heaps of Ilya, he will lose all the benefits without exception.

What can you do?

The signs for the holiday of Elijah on August 2 are simple and clear. You cannot work on this day. But what can you do, despite popular beliefs?

Every religious person will definitely go to temple on this day. Since it is on the second of August that they hold festive services in honor of In addition, processions of the cross are organized. After the services, families gather for a formal dinner. People specializing in arable farming have every chance of requesting an excellent harvest from Elijah during this period.

What not to do?

What should you not do on the holiday of Elijah on August 2, so as not to send trouble to yourself? During a thunderstorm, it is forbidden to be in the water, near trees, near a pine tree with 2 peaks, running down the street, speaking loudly, humming, or screaming.

Grandmothers taught their descendants in such bad weather to close the door tightly, curtain the windows, light either a lamp or a candle (Epiphany or Thursday) in front of the icon, then cross themselves and everyone without exception, asking Elijah the prophet to free their loved ones from the shaking thunder, from the unstable arrow. For this ritual, there must certainly be a handkerchief. In order to protect their own homes and yard, the steppe, and animals from lightning, people fumigated everything without exception with incense in the evening before the holiday, and in the daytime of the next day.

It is believed that during this period it is impossible to carry out practically any work related to land and housing, so as not to anger the holy prophet. There is a popular legend that activities in the garden have every chance of causing the destruction of the crop. On this day, it is not prohibited to carry out activities related to bees and caring for them. On holidays, it is allowed to prepare wax for the purpose of making candles.

Why can't you go into the water?

It is impossible to swim after August 2, the church holiday of Elijah, since the seer, according to legend, had cooled the water by that moment. The people also know the proverb: “A seer muddies the water in rivers.”

The second opinion, why you should not swim after Ilyin’s day, warns that this harms your well-being. Since from this period the water in the ponds begins to bloom, this will not have the best effect on the body.

It is generally accepted among people that on August 2 the swimming season ends; the air temperature at night becomes significantly lower than the daytime temperature. Similar differences are reflected in the water.

Another factor why society in the old days was afraid to plunge into life after Elijah’s day was feral animals and evil forces. If you trust popular superstitions, then on the night of August 2nd, evil spirits are encountered near reservoirs - mermen, mermaids, demons. It is as if they have been starting to rule the rivers and lakes since that time. For this reason, the threat of drowning is very great - before a person has time to come to his senses, the non-human will take him and drag him along with him.

On August 2, the Orthodox Church honors the prophet Elijah, who lived in the 9th century BC. The Prophet, along with Nicholas the Saint, belongs to the most popular saints. Many icons with his image have been preserved, especially popular were the images of the “Fiery Ascension”, in which the prophet in a fiery cloud, supported by an angel, rides in a chariot drawn by fiery horses.

When Elijah was born, his father had a vision of wise elders talking to the baby as an equal, feeding him with flame and swaddling him with fire. When Elijah grew up, the Lord sent him to the Jewish king Ahab, who worshiped idols and forced all his people to do so. The prophet predicted famine if the king did not come to his senses and accept the true faith. Ahava refused to do this, and a great drought occurred in his country. At this time, Elijah lived in the desert, where ravens brought him food.

Three years later, the prophet returned to the kingdom of Israel again and reported that all the troubles of the people were due to the fact that they had forgotten the true God. As proof, he proposed to build two altars: one to the pagan god Baal, whom the Israelites then worshiped, and the other to the Christian God. In the morning, the pagans began to offer prayers to Baal, but this did not give any result. When the time came for the evening sacrifice, Elijah placed wood on his altar and ordered water to be poured over it. The prophet began to pray to the Lord, fire came down from the sky and the damp wood caught fire. After that, the sky became cloudy and the rain began, which everyone had been waiting for for so long. Seeing this miracle, people began to glorify the Lord and believed again.

For his exploits, the prophet was taken to heaven alive. A fiery chariot descended from heaven and took away the prophet.

Elijah's Day: the history of the holiday

Elijah the prophet inherited many features of the Slavic deity Perun, who controls thunder and lightning. In the popular imagination, Ilya is a stern, menacing, punishing white-bearded old man, but at the same time generous and giving. The Old Testament prophet in the popular consciousness became a formidable and powerful manager of rain and thunder and lightning. He sends fertility to the earth. Ilya constantly rides across the sky in his fiery chariot, thundering and throwing lightning, using them to punish the dark forces, and evil and untruth in people.

Our ancestors believed that thunder comes from the knocking of the fiery chariot of the prophet Elijah on the sky, driving away the serpent or unclean spirit. Lightning is the arrows with which the saint strikes evil forces.

Before the adoption of Christianity, Rus' celebrated Perun's Day, which later became known as Ilyin's Day. The holiday has incorporated many pre-Christian traditions. Thanks to the similarity of functions, the image of the prophet Elijah became a good replacement for the thunderer Perun.

The people called Ilya “angry”, “fiery”, “thunderous”, “cloudy-bearing”. He was considered the "master of rain." According to popular legend, the prophet carries water across the sky for the saints and splashes it a little, which is why it rains.

On Ilya they were afraid of “sparrow nights,” when thunder rumbles, lightning flashes, cattle roars, frightened birds rush about, bumping into various objects in the dark. People suffered from insomnia on such nights. In order to ward off trouble from their home on the eve of Elijah’s day, the entire home was fumigated with incense, the mirror and samovar were covered with a towel, cats and dogs were not allowed into the house, children were taken to the stove, their heads were covered with scarves, and they prayed.

According to popular belief, Ilya burned many huts and killed many cattle in the field. With fiery lightning arrows, the saint cleanses the earth of evil spirits, which, to escape, hide in houses, in the crowns and hollows of trees, under the caps of poisonous mushrooms, on the boundaries. Evil spirits could turn into domestic or wild animals, snakes, fish, hide in a church, or even enter a person if he did not have a cross. While pursuing the unclean spirit, Elijah could even kill an innocent person. Therefore, they believed that people killed by lightning go to the kingdom of heaven.

Fires on Elijah's Day, hail or severe thunderstorms were perceived as punishment from above. If lightning lights up a hut on Elijah’s Day, then it should be extinguished not with water, but with whey or milk. From heavy rain with lightning and hail, the peasants put bread and salt outside the window, and when the rain stopped, they carried them to the river and lowered them into the water.

The rains sent by Ilya not only led to disastrous consequences, but also had positive qualities and had healing powers. They washed themselves with them to get rid of damage and the evil eye.

Elijah's Day: traditions and customs of celebration

On the feast of the prophet Elijah, a sacrifice was brought to the church - a leg of a ram, honey, green peas and ears of fresh rye. Part of what was brought was left in the temple, and part was taken home.

The arrival of autumn was associated with Ilya’s Day, attention was paid to the behavior of animals, changes in the weather, obvious signs of autumn in nature:

Matinees begin with Ilya(morning frosts).

Ilya's summer is ending.

For Ilya, it’s summer before lunch, and autumn after lunch.

) the day was shortened by an hour, and Elijah the prophet was dragged away two times.

Petrok will come and pinch off a leaf, Ilya will come and pinch off two.

On Elijah’s day even the stone will vegetate.

Before Ilya, the rooks are alone, but after Ilya they gather in large flocks.

After Ilya, mosquitoes stop biting.

Before Ilyin's day, the fly bites, and after that it stores up.

According to legend, wolf holes open on Ilyin's day, so the first trip to hunt wolves was carried out. Hunters believed that if they hunted a wolf on August 2, the whole year would be successful. Elijah the prophet was considered the patron saint of hunting and partly of forest animals. Sometimes the entire Ilyinsk week was called “animal week,” because it was during this time that the bear did not give rest to the livestock.

According to the signs on Ilya’s day, the following days, periods and holidays were judged:

1. What is the weather like on Ilya, will it be like this on).
2. If it rains on Elijah, then next year there will be a bountiful harvest of rye.
3. It’s cloudy in the morning - sowing of winter crops should be early and you can expect a big harvest; if it’s cloudy at noon, sowing is average, and if in the evening, sowing is late and the harvest is poor.
4. Dull thunder means quiet rain, booming thunder means heavy rain.
5. Continuous thunder - hail.
6. If it rains on Elijah’s day, there will be few fires, if it is sunny, there will be many.

Before Ilyin's day, haymaking was completed. Because it was at this time that it was possible to collect the juiciest grass suitable for making hay.

Elijah the prophet - it's time to mow.

Before Ilya’s day there was a peck of honey in the hay, after that there was a peck of manure.

After Ilya, dry the hay on a fork.

The rye is ripe for Elijah's Day. The harvest usually begins on this date. The peasants collected peas and covered the cabbage with a pot so that it was white. After August 2, it is not recommended to eat strawberries, otherwise you will constantly feel sleepy, and the straw collected on this day is called “Ilyinsky feather bed.” For health and well-being, we definitely tried to sleep on it on the night of Ilya or after Ilya. The roofs of huts were also covered with this straw, it was steamed and treated for aches and diseases of the legs.

Elijah's Day: rites and rituals

Despite all the severity, Ilya introduced himself to the people:

• a “bird of heaven” that flies around the world and appears where divine help is needed;
• an angel in the form of a man, having neither ancestors nor descendants;
• a wonderful healer, adviser in marriage disputes, reconciliator of parents and children.

The people hoped for his patronage and protection, making sacrifices, paying due honors, praying and observing certain prohibitions. According to popular beliefs, only in this case will Ilya be merciful and not leave him in trouble.

The name of the prophet Elijah penetrated into conspiracies and “healing” beliefs. Candles melted from a snake killed on August 2 had miraculous powers in the treatment of various diseases. Bark taken from an old oak tree (the tree of the Thunderers) helped with toothache. The bark was soaked in healing springs and attached to the amulet.

Ilya helped against a snake bite, protected him in battle, his name was mentioned in conspiracies and prayers against danger in battles. People turned to the saint for healing from various ailments: damage, hiccups, condemnation, the evil eye, epilepsy, anthrax.

Ritual of “Prayers” (“Bullfighters”)

In Rus', the most significant ritual of Ilya’s Day was the collective meal with the slaughter of a bull or ram, known as “brotherhood”, “prayers”, “bull-killers”. This ritual of sacrifice ensured the harvest, well-being in the family, and the fertility of livestock.

The fraternities were organized by men. On Elijah’s Day, residents of one village or several surrounding ones drove cattle to the church. The priest sprinkled the entire flock with holy water. After the solemn mass, the animal chosen and purchased with common money was slaughtered. In order for Ilya to provide clear weather for harvesting grain and haymaking, an unbleached red bull was sacrificed. The sacrificial animal was slaughtered by the oldest or most respectable person in the village. They did this while the bells were ringing with a special long knife. The meat was cooked in a common cauldron, divided according to the number of those present and given to them for money, which went to the benefit of the church. The blood of the sacrificial animal was smeared on the eyes and forehead, and on the cheeks of children, so that the health and strength of the animal would be transferred to the person.

For “praying,” beer was brewed using malt from rye grains collected from village residents. They treated not only the residents of the village and their guests, but also wanderers and beggars. On the day of the holiday, an icon of Elijah the Prophet was brought from the church, and prayer services were served. Ilyinsky “brotherhood” ended with youth festivities, round dances, games and songs.

Ritual “Dozhinki” (“Beard Curling”)

Usually the rye ripens by this date: “ The rye ripens in time for Elijah's Day, and is harvested on)". In the southern regions, by August 2, the harvest was already ending: “ Elijah the prophet counts the sheaves in the field". The pre-zhin ritual is associated with the name of Ilya “ beard curling" During its performance they said: “ Here's a beard for you, Ilya - for the summer, give us rye and oats».

On this day, bread from the new harvest appeared on the tables, called “ new novelty».

Elijah's Day: what not to do

Ilya’s day brought with it a ban on swimming:

The peasant bathes before Ilya, and says goodbye to the river from Ilya.

Since Ilya’s day the water has been cold and you can’t swim.

There are several versions about this:

1. A week before the holiday and after it, you cannot swim, because mermaids or merman can drag you into the water.
2. On August 2, Elijah the prophet rides onto the heavenly road in his fiery chariot, and one of his horses loses a horseshoe, which falls into the water and makes it icy.
3. After Ilya's day, the water was desecrated by the devil who bathed in it.

There are other prohibitions for this day:

1. You can't cut hay because... all the grass cut that day will certainly rot, and the swept hay will be blown across the field by the wind.
2. It is forbidden to drive away bees, trim the first honeycombs, or clean out the hives. By this date, the swarming of bees was completed. An alien swarm arriving at a later time was considered unreliable and was driven away.
3. It was not allowed to drive livestock out to pasture. They believed that if this was done, the angry Ilya would destroy both the animals and the shepherd. According to another legend, snakes and animals that come out of their holes on this day and wander through forests and meadows are a refuge of evil spirits that can harm people and livestock if they are outside the house. They said: " On Elijah, cattle are not driven out into the field, fearing thunderstorms and reptiles, which are given freedom on this day».

On August 2, you cannot work in the field or at home, use foul language, swear, or judge someone; it is better to drive bad thoughts away from yourself, otherwise you can anger the holy prophet.

Video: holiday August 2 – Ilyin’s Day

As always, in 2019 Orthodox Christians will celebrate the Day of Elijah on August 2 (July 20, old style).

Elijah's Day is not only a holiday for believers, but also the transition from summer to autumn, when daylight hours decrease, nights become cold, and the behavior of animals and insects changes.

Elijah is one of the most revered prophets and zealots of the faith - formidable and generous. The prophet instructs the lost and protects the faithful of the Lord. The saint controls rains, thunder and lightning; the harvest and earthly fertility depend on him.

Elijah's Day - date of celebration

The date of the holiday remains the same from year to year, although it may vary in different branches of Christianity: for example, Catholics celebrate the day of the prophet Elijah on February 16, and the Armenian church celebrates Elijah on the first Sunday after Trinity (Pentecost). In Islam, the prophet Elijah (Ilyas) is also given a place of honor; he is considered a righteous man and a messenger, ascended to heaven after death.

history of the holiday

In the 9th century BC, 900 years before the birth of Christ, a child was born in the Jewish city of Thesbia (Thiswah), who was destined to become the prophet Elijah (Eliyahu, Eliya). According to legend, at the time of his birth, the father of the future prophet had a dream in which angels wrapped the baby in fiery swaddling clothes and fed him with fire. The dream turned out to be prophetic. Elijah grew up and retired to the desert, where he prayed zealously and observed strict fasting.

It is known about the life of Elijah that the prophet was an example of a chaste life and resisted idolatry and wicked actions with all his might.

The saint had to perform miracles many times in order to enlighten the Israeli king Ahab, who chose the path of serving the god Baal. Elijah prophesied, brought down fire from heaven, “closed” the sky, called for rain with prayers, raised a dead youth, divided the Jordan River.

According to legend, towards the end of his earthly journey the prophet was taken alive to heaven, where he rushed off on a fiery chariot drawn by four white horses, leaving behind his spiritual disciple Elisha. It is believed that Elijah is in heaven waiting for the second coming of Christ in order to return to earth again.

The veneration of the prophet Elijah began in Byzantium in the 9th-10th centuries AD; on the occasion of Elijah's day, Byzantine emperors organized festivities and theatrical performances. It is not surprising that after Kievan Rus adopted Christianity, this saint became no less revered and respected among the Slavs.

The Prophet Elijah very organically fit into the new state religion, essentially replacing the formidable thunderer and guardian of the heavens Perun and adopting his characteristics and “powers.” By the way, it is Ilya who is now considered the patron saint of warriors, or rather aviators and paratroopers.

The first Orthodox church in Rus' was built in Kyiv precisely in honor of Elijah the Prophet even before the official Baptism of Rus' (the modern St. Elias Church), which undoubtedly testifies to his great veneration among the people. History suggests that the Baptism of Rus' itself took place near this church, which is located on the banks of the Dnieper and the once existing river Pochayna.

Traditions, signs, rituals on Elijah's Day

All folk tales testify that the prophet Elijah is the executor of God's law and a manifestation of God's wrath, and especially the demons and representatives of evil, otherworldly forces, whom he strikes with his lightning arrows, get from Elijah.

Hiding from Ilya, the devils take possession of creeping reptiles and animals, both wild and, unfortunately, domestic ones. That is why pets are not allowed into or out of the house on August 2, in order to prevent evil spirits from hiding in them and sneaking into the living space in their guise.

If it happened that evil spirits entered the home in the guise of a beloved cat, then the risk increases that Ilya will fall into the house with lightning in order to strike it.

Moreover, on the day of Elijah, even fishermen closely inspect their catch and throw away any fish with reddish eyes. What if she was possessed by insidious devils?

On August 2, according to popular signs, summer turns to winter (“On Ilya, winter fights with summer”). On this day, they prayerfully asked Elijah for rain or sunny weather, depending on what was more necessary.

If there was a thunderstorm, rainwater was collected and stored, believing that it had healing powers and protected from the evil eye (“Whoever got caught in the rain on that day has stocked up on health for the whole year”).

During a thunderstorm or simple rain, certain rules also had to be followed. It was forbidden to be in the water, stand under a tree, make loud noises, run or have noisy fun. It was considered especially unacceptable to stand under a pine tree, which has two tops.

During a thunderstorm, doors and windows were tightly closed, and lamps and candles were lit in front of the images.

On the eve of Elijah’s Day, people sought to carry out a protective ritual in advance, so in the evening they fumigated their homes, gardens, livestock and, of course, fields with incense in order to “insure” them from being struck by lightning.

Elijah’s Day separated two seasons (“On Elijah, before lunch – summer, after lunch – autumn”), therefore, the peasants were required to finish mowing hay by this date and begin harvesting.

By Ilyin's Day, haymaking is completed and the harvest begins

On August 2, all livestock had to “stay at home”; they were not allowed out to pasture, fearing the wrath of Elijah, who was actively driving around the sky in his fiery chariot and looking out for evil spirits. It was also contraindicated to work; any work in the garden could lead to the entire crop rotting and the leaves and fruits falling off (“Don’t put swords on Elijah’s heaps - he’ll burn the heaps with heavenly fire”). An exception was made only for work in the apiary, since bees were considered God's workers, and church candles were made from their product - wax. It was believed that evil spirits were afraid of bees and would never try to hide in a hive.

It is with the day of Elijah that most proverbs, sayings and omens are associated in folklore. In fact, all folk traditions and rituals of this day are reflected in oral literature, which is still passed on from mouth to mouth.

How to celebrate Elijah's Day

Songs and round dances. In the old days, on Elijah’s Day, a collective feast was traditionally organized, which was called “brotherhood” (or “prayer”), and preparations for the feast began several days in advance. All the residents of the village, and even several neighboring villages, gathered for it. The central dish of the table was a lamb or bull, which was symbolically sacrificed to Ilya, and beer was usually served as the main drink. Village women also baked ritual cookies (bread) from new flour. And after the feast, fun festivities began: round dances, games and songs.

I. Pryanishnikov. Country fraternity

Why can't you swim? A special feature of Ilya’s day was a categorical ban on swimming. There are many reasons and explanations for this ban. The folk version speaks of evil spirits that hide from Ilya in the water, desecrating it, and are quite capable of dragging bathers and bathers to the bottom. If you are lucky and no mermaid or merman dragged you into the abyss, then you risk becoming seriously ill or becoming covered with boils and abscesses.

A more rational explanation, rather, is due to the fact that summer is ending and cold weather is setting in (“Before Ilyin’s day, a man bathes, and on Ilyin’s day he says goodbye to the river”). Among other interpretations, we can mention the legend of a horseshoe dropped into the water by a horse pulling Elijah’s chariot; in fact, this horseshoe allegedly sharply cooled all reservoirs.

How the Church celebrates Elijah's Day

On this day, the Orthodox Church in its churches glorifies Elijah with prayers and services as one of the most revered saints of the Old Testament. In individual churches, especially those named after Elijah, divine liturgies and religious processions are held.

What to cook for the holiday

As in ancient times, on Elijah’s Day people bake and cook all kinds of grains from the new harvest, mainly from beef or lamb.

According to one of the rituals, on Elijah’s Day you need to dig up new potatoes in your garden and prepare a dish from them. In this case, the potatoes will grow excellent and will be stored well all year. Therefore, do not forget to serve the potatoes - you can cook them or, for example,.

In some villages, residents still gather for meals together, and they prepare food not only for themselves, but also generously share it with the poor and homeless.

And, for example, in Orthodox Bulgaria on this day, for a ritual dinner, festive meat is cooked on a spit. There is also a special soup made from chicken giblets, for which the oldest rooster from the chicken coop is sacrificed.

The Day of Elijah the Prophet - the traditional and well-known name for Elijah's Day - is celebrated in the new style on August 2. Elijah is one of the prophets revered by both Orthodox Christians and Jews, and even Muslims. His folklore image is often mentioned in numerous folk customs and superstitions that prohibit swimming in reservoirs after the day of his memory. Of course this is [...]

The Day of Elijah the Prophet - the traditional and well-known name for Elijah's Day - is celebrated in the new style on August 2. Elijah is one of the prophets revered by both Orthodox Christians and Jews, and even Muslims.

His folklore image is often mentioned in numerous folk customs and superstitions that prohibit swimming in reservoirs after the day of his memory.

Of course, these are common prejudices. But what do we really know about him? And what does it mean to be a prophet anyway? Archimandrite Nazariy (Omelyanenko), a teacher at the Kyiv Theological Academy, tells the story.

- Father, who exactly is the prophet Elijah?

Prophet Elijah is one of the Old Testament prophets who lived almost 900 years before the birth of Christ. His life occurred during the reign of the wicked king Ahab in Israel, who was a pagan. Together with their wife, a priestess, they made sacrifices to the pagan god Baal. Due to this, paganism became the dominant religion among the people of Israel.

And it was because of the prophet Elijah that the Lord revealed the basis of faith in one God. Ultimately, paganism was trampled under foot.

- Who is called a prophet? Why did prophets appear?

A prophet is a person to whom the Lord gives a great gift to see the future and predict. And the concept of “prophet” is used more by the Old Testament righteous people who lived in different eras. They were mainly sent by God in difficult times for God’s chosen people, in times of trials, and when the people retreated from the truth and fell into paganism.

It was for this reason that the Lord sent prophets, gave them the gift to see the future, the gift to see the sins of the people, made them leaders of the people in order to turn them to morality, to correct faith in the true God.

– Why is the prophet Elijah so widely revered among the people? What makes it special?

With baptism, Kievan Rus received the prophet Elijah as one of the most beloved saints. There are many prophets in the church calendar, but Saint Elias is especially revered.

This is primarily due to his bright life full of miracles. This is also due to the fact that the day of his memory fell during the harvest period in the annual cycle of the Slavs.

Since ancient times, in the person of the holy prophet Elijah, the believing people have revered the patron of the harvest, and therefore with special love they turned to the saint of God on the day of his memory with a prayer for the blessing of a new rich harvest.

The depth of veneration for the holiday of Elijah is also evidenced by handwritten church calendars, in which this holiday is called “the holy, fiery ascension to heaven of the prophet Elijah.”

– There is a belief that on this day Ilya always sends rain. Why is this saint so associated with precipitation?

Indeed, the prophet Elijah is also considered by the people to be the manager of rain and drought. Such veneration, in fact, is associated with the life of the prophet Elijah, which tells us about the conflict between King Ahab and the prophet Elijah. King Ahab fell into polytheism, and the prophet Elijah openly accused him of this.

Through the prayers of the prophet Elijah, God closed the sky for three years, that is, there was no precipitation for three years. It is clear that under such circumstances there was not a single harvest and the entire people were exhausted. Only after three years, by order of the king
a prophet came to him. He proposed to make two altars - one to Baal, and the other to the true God. At first, the priests of Baal prayed to their idol for the gift of fire, but everything was useless. Then Elijah began: he poured water on his sacrifice and began to pray to God. And suddenly fire came down from heaven and consumed not only the wood and the sacrifice, but even the water and stones of the altar.

The people, seeing this miracle, glorified the true God and believed in Him again. And through the prayers of the holy prophet Elijah, the Lord opened the sky, and snow fell again on the thirsty land. Since those distant times, believers have prayed to the prophet Elijah to send rain.

– Why were the relics of the prophet Elijah not preserved, like many other saints?

Prophet Elijah was taken to heaven alive. The Old Testament says that having one disciple of the prophet Elisha, Elijah told him about the truth.

As they walked together, a wind blew in the form of a hurricane, and a fiery chariot with a pair of fiery horses appeared. Elijah descended on her and was thus taken to heaven. Ascending, he threw off his outer clothing, which Elisha had taken. The disciple prayed that he would have grace like Elijah. And, in fact, with this robe he received this grace. According to Orthodox doctrine, the prophet Elijah was taken to heaven bodily and will appear on earth again before the second coming of Christ along with another prophet Enoch, who was also taken to heaven alive.

– People say that on this day and after it you can no longer swim in reservoirs. Why?

This is due to the fact that after the holiday of the Prophet Elijah, the first signs of autumn appear, the air and water in rivers and lakes become colder. For this reason, in the old days, people usually did not bathe after Elijah.

Probably, if a person is faced with the choice of going to the temple of God or to a pond or river, then, of course, it is not advisable to swim, but in all other cases it is possible.

– What should and should not be done on this day?

According to the church charter, on major holidays we traditionally do not work in order to emphasize the importance of the holiday. If we do nothing and at the same time do not go to church, then this will be hypocrisy to a certain extent, because we honor the saint precisely at the Divine service, and not when we are not working. Therefore, I advise everyone to come to the temple of God on this day and turn to the prophet Elijah with a sincere prayer for peace in our Fatherland, since at one time Elijah appeared to the people precisely during the period of division and spiritual enslavement of the people and was able to unite them.

Signs on Elijah's Day

On Elijah’s Day, services are held in churches and temples, prayers are read, work is not allowed on this day, and rich treats are prepared for lunch. You should also not stand at crossroads, as various evil spirits gather there. You need to spend it with good thoughts and an open heart. And he does this by sending hail and lightning on the unbelievers.

Therefore, they pray to the prophet for the gift of rain during a drought - if it rains on Elijah’s day, it is believed that there will not be enough fires, and the harvest next year will be rich.

It is believed that on Ilya's day the daylight hours begin to sharply decrease.

Dull thunder means quiet rain, booming thunder means downpour.

In fact, it is usually from this date that the water begins to bloom and it acquires an unpleasant odor.

Cattle were also kept at home: according to popular beliefs, on Elijah’s day snakes are given free rein, and they can bite the cattle.

This day is popularly considered the junction of 2 seasons - warm summer and autumn cold.

On Ilya’s day, the hunting season began, since from this day animal holes, in particular wolf holes, opened in the forests.

On Elijah's day it rains - there won't be enough fires, a bucket - a lot.

On Elijah's Day, believers sought to help the poor and needy.

However, Ilyin’s Day 2017 is not only a holiday for believers, but also a transition from summer to autumn (on this day “Winter fights with summer”).

From this day on, moderate warmth sets in, daylight hours decrease, and night increases.

As for the Church, on this day magnificent liturgies are read at services, and a religious procession is also held.

People said that you can’t swim on Elijah’s day - you’ll end up drowned.

On this day they began to bake bread from the new harvest.