THE HOLY PROPHET ELIJAH

                                 PATRON SAINT OF THE ST. ELIJAH CHURCH, ALIQUIPPA PA

                                                       by  Very Rev. V. Tomich

    St. Elijah is an Old Testament prophet who was born in the city of Thesbite which was near the border of what is today Arabia. He was known as Elijah, " Tesvicanin," the Tishbite. He lived in Syria 850 years before the birth of Christ. St. Elijah grew up in a family of priests from whom he received his education, thereby dedicating his soul and body to God. He thus became a spiritual leader of the Hebrew people. St. Elijah had distinguished himself for his strict moral principles and his uncompromising fight for the true and right religion of his fathers.

    His life and great work fall during the period of wickedness, corruption, and immorality of the evil Hebrews. Even the king's palace was not spared from immorality and wickedness. During the reign of king Ahab, immorality and corruption reached their peak. His wife, Jezebel, was a worshipper of many gods, in order to please her, the king had smelted two idols into an image of two golden calves and had invited all the people to worship them as gods and bring before them sacrifices. Full of ardor for faith in one true God, St. Elijah appeared before the king and said that for this act Ahab and his people will be punished and that the heavens will close and not one drop of rain will fall upon the earth. This prophecy of St. Elijah was fulfilled. The heavens closed and neither a drop of rain nor a dewdrop fell upon the earth. The intense heat of the sun scorched all the trees, vines, flowers, and grass. The smaller rivers dried up. The soil cracked. Famine broke out and the dry spell lasted for three and one-half years.

    St. Elijah made an appearance before the king and requested that the priests of many gods bring before teh altar their sacrifice and that he, too, would bring one. He wanted this done in the presence of all the children of Israel. Whose sacrifice is accepted by Heaven will be the true one and they then will serve and worship that God. The sacrifice of St. Elijah was accepted. As soon as Elijah finished praying to God, thunder resounded and a fire from heaven enveloped the sacrifice of Elijah. The priests of many gods bowed their heads in shame while the people turned their beliefs to the one true God and recognized Elijah as a great prophet and fiery preacher of God's truth. Even after this miracle, wicked Jezebel continues to condemn Elijah and searched for means of wiping him out. Meanwhile, the unseen hand of God safeguarded him.

    The departure of St. Elijah from earth was truly a miracle. One day as he was walking with Elisha, his successor, a fiery chariot appeared from heaven into which Elijah entered and was carried forth to heaven. The fiery words with which the great prophet condemned evil and immorality were as violent as the thunder and lightning which had set afire the sacrifice and had defeated the idol worshippers of that time. This is why the Serbian people have named him "gromovik", which means the "thunderer".

    The Holy Orthodox Church remembers St. Elijah as an incarnate angel and regards him as a forerunner and prototype of the Messiah as is sung in the short hymn or troparion dedicated to him. These are the words of the hymn sung every year in church on St. Elijah Day and in our church every Sunday:

        "O angel incarnate and foundation of the prophets, second forerunner of the Advent of Christ, Glorious Elijah, thou didst send down grace from above upon Elisha, who wards off diseases and cleanses lepers, and abounds accordingly with healing remedies for those who honor him."