Prophet Elijah — July 20 / August 2 (Julian Calendar)

On this day, July 20 according to the Julian Calendar (August 2 civil calendar), the Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Prophet Elijah the Tishbite, one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament, who lived in the 9th century before Christ.

The Prophet Elijah — one of the greatest prophets — arose from the tribe of the Levites more than nine hundred years before the birth of Christ. His epithet “Tishbite” derives from the name of his native city, Tishbe. According to one of the Fathers of the Church, at the time of Elijah’s birth his relatives beheld a vision in which men of radiant countenance approached the newborn child, wrapped him in flames, and gave him fiery bread to eat — a foreshadowing of the burning zeal for God that would characterize his entire prophetic ministry.

From his youth, Elijah dedicated himself entirely to God: he withdrew into the wilderness and spent his days in strict fasting, prayer, and meditation upon the divine will. When the apostate King Ahab led Israel into the worship of Baal, Elijah appeared before him and announced, in the name of the Lord, a three-year drought as punishment for the people’s idolatry. He then withdrew to the brook Cherith, where ravens brought him bread and meat morning and evening at the Lord’s command.

After three years of drought, when famine had reached its utmost extremity, the Lord sent Elijah back to confront King Ahab. On Mount Carmel, before the king and all the people, Elijah challenged the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal to a contest. Calling on the name of the Lord, fire descended from heaven and consumed his sacrifice, while Baal’s prophets received no answer. Elijah then slew the false prophets and prayed for rain, which came abundantly, ending the devastating drought.

By the will of God, the Prophet Elijah was taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot without tasting death. According to the teaching of the Church, he will return to the earth together with the Prophet Enoch before the Second Coming of Christ, to bear witness to the truth and suffer martyrdom at the hands of the Antichrist.