August 2, the holiday of Elijah: signs what not to do?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Orthodox and Greek Catholics celebrate on August 2 the feast of Elijah (Elijah), the first of the most respected virgins. In churches on this day, the passages of the cross and the blessing of water take place 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 BC 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 idolatrous sovereign Ahab, who worshiped Baal (the sun) and forced the Israeli population to act in a similar way. God sent Elijah to Ahab and instructed him to tell him that if the population does not turn to the real Lord, his kingdom will know a crisis. Ahab did not listen to the prophet in any way, and waterlessness and a huge misfortune set in the state.

The period of dangerous fasting by famine the prophet lived in the desert. Then he found shelter for two years with a widow in the town of Sarepta. Then 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, are due to the fact that they have forgotten the trueLord and began to worship the image of Baal.

Baaloo

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

Ilya the prophet (August 2 holiday) was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot. The eyewitness of this wondrous ascent was the seer Elisha. 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 during the sermon will acquire physical death.

History

Ilya the seer - the most famous of the ordinary people blessed. And for this reason, it is certain that August 2 (the holiday of Elijah) is provided with traditions, customs and beliefs. In popular beliefs, Ilyusha the seer is represented as a powerful gray-haired old man who drives around the boundless firmament in his own chariot. His punishing hand sends fiery arrows, shaking demons and humans who do not adhere to the decree of the Lord. In whatever place the seer appears, he is everywhere surrounded by flame, nightmare, death and decay. It symbolizes the wrath of the Lord and, according to the whole of Russia, Ilya the prophet was called nothing more than harsh.

Traditions

Traditions on August 2, the feast of Elijah, have pagan origins. During this period, the ancient Slavs respected the Lord of Thunder Perun. And only after the baptism of Russia, under the influence of the Orthodox church, the appearance of a pagan deity was eventually replaced in the public consciousness by Elijah the prophet. He embodied all the functions of the Thunderer without exception.

In absolutely all legends, it was described that Elijah the seer expresses the wrath of God. His punishing fair hand punished the spirits of the crown, and especially the evil demons. According to the beliefs of people, all evil spirits are protected from his formidable arrows, transforming not only into unbridled animals (hares, foxes) and low-worshippers, but also into household ones: dogs, cats and others.

Therefore, a tradition arose not to let dogs and cats and other domestic pets go outside, so that the spirits of darkness, who found refuge in them and flee from arrows, did not make their way into housing, and the discharge directed at them did not hit the house.

On the Orthodox holiday of Elijah, August 2, they certainly wash themselves with spring water. It protects against diseases and ill he alth.

Pine trees with 2 peaks should be especially avoided on this day. If there is a thunderstorm, then all doors and windows in the dwelling, without exception, are covered, lamps and candles are lit in front of the icons. After a thunderstorm, rain water is collected. It has healing power and protects againstevil eye.

On the Orthodox holiday of August 2, Elijah the prophet prescribes not to work in the garden. The Seer is able to strike a worker with lightning, or burn grass. Only one type of work is officially allowed - this is the inspection of the hives and the first reduction of combs in the bee house. According to legend, the evil spirit is afraid of bees and does not approach them in any way.

Signs

The fact that the Seer is the ruler of thunder, lightning, whirlwinds and rain clouds has given rise to many omens. On the holiday of Elijah on August 2, signs can be trusted, as a rule, they are true. Pay attention to the following portents.

• You should not dip from Ilyin's day - he wrote in some water.
• From Ilyin's day, all liquid cools down.
• Before Ilya, a man bathes, and from Ilya, he says goodbye to the river.
• Thunder rumbles - in this case, Ilyusha moves across the sky in his own chariot.
• Ilya takes the harvest, and ends the season.
• You can not work in the Ilyin period in the earth, otherwise it will burn with an azure flame.
• Before Ilya, the clouds go according to the wind, and from Ilya they are accepted to go contrary.
• Before Ilya, the priest will not beg for a downpour, but after Ilya, a woman will bring an apron.
• After Ilyin's day in the Siwa garden, you won't find a horse in any way - look how impenetrable the nights are.
• From Ilyin's day, a night of duty: the worker gets enough sleep, and the stallions gorge themselves.
• Whoever gets into the Ilyin period in the rain will always be in great shape.
• Who is Ilyahe counts shocks - this one, without exception, will lose the benefit.

What can I do?

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

Every religious person will definitely go to the temple on this day. Since it is on the second of August that they hold festive services in honor of the prophet Elijah. In addition, cross passages are arranged. After worship, families gather for a solemn dinner. People who specialize in arable farming have every chance to ask Elijah for a great harvest during this period.

What not to do?

What can not be done on the feast of Elijah on August 2, so as not to bring trouble on yourself? During a thunderstorm, it is forbidden to be in the water, near trees, near a pine tree with 2 peaks, run down the street, speak loudly, hum, yell.

Grandmothers taught their descendants in such bad weather to close the door closely, hang the windows, set fire to either a lamp or a candle (Epiphany or Thursday) in front of the icon, then cross themselves and everyone without exception, begging Elijah the prophet to release their loved ones from the shaking thunder, from an unstable arrow. With this ceremony, there must certainly be a handkerchief. In order to save their own housing and yard, steppe, 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 almost no work related to land and housing, so as not toanger the holy prophet. There is a legend among the people that activities in the garden have every chance of causing the death of the crop. It is not forbidden on this day only to carry out activities related to bees and caring for them. It is allowed to harvest wax on a holiday for the purpose of making candles.

Why can't you jump into the water?

It is impossible to swim after August 2, the church holiday of Elijah, because the seer, according to legend, had cooled the water by that moment. The proverb is also known among the people: "The seer muddies the water in the rivers."

The second opinion, why you shouldn’t swim after Ilyin’s day, notifies that this harms your well-being. Since from this period the water in the ponds begins to bloom - this will not affect the body in the best way.

People generally believe that on August 2 the swimming season ends, the air temperature at night becomes much lower than the daytime. Similar differences are reflected in the water.

Another of the factors why society in the old days was afraid to plunge after Ilyin's day is feral animals and evil forces. If you trust the popular superstitions, then on the night of August 2, unclean forces are found near the reservoirs - water, mermaids, demons. As if they are accepted to refuel in rivers and lakes from now on. For this reason, the threat of drowning is very high - a person will not have time to change his mind, as an inhuman will take him and drag him away.