On July 20^th the church celebrates the Old Testament prophet and miracle worker Elijah, a descendant of Aaron, the brother of Moses. The name Elijah means God’s Power, God’s Fortress. This is the name day of Ilia, Ilian, Iliana, Ilka, Ilko, Lina, Licho in Bulgaria.

The legend says that the prophet’s father saw in his dream his son was breastfed with flame. The people see the saint as the master of summertime storms with thunders, lightning etc. He is also called Gramodolets, Gramovnik, Gramodol, Gramolomnik…

Elijah lived back in the 9^th c. BC, during the reign of King Ahab. The king worshipped the idol Baal and would persecute anyone with different beliefs. Elijah was among the persecuted. The legend about him has it that the prophet closed the sky via prayers and there was no rain for a period of three years and a half. In order to demonstrate the power of God, Elijah proposed to Ahab sacrifice rituals to be carried out. Then they had to wait – whoever’s sacrifice brought out flames in the sky would point at the true belief. The ruler agreed on the bet. His shamans prayed a lot, but in vain. Then fire fell from the sky on the sacrifice of Elijah and burnt it. The people saw that, bowed to the real Lord, eliminated the shamans and the earth was soaked with rain. Elijah predicted in the course of 25 years. Then a fire chariot grabbed him one day at the Jordan River and he was taken to the skies alive. That is how iconography represents the prophet – holding the reins of four white horses that drag a gilded chariot into the sky.

In folklore fairytales and songs Elijah chases the dragon with his chariot. The monster eats the wheat and the saint throws fire arrows at it – lightning. The fire coming under the horses’ hoofs and out of the dragon’s nostrils is also described as lightning.

According to the Christianized myths Elijah was one of the 5 brothers that God divided the entire world in between. The saint received summertime firestorms, the earth in depth, the sky in height and also all dark clouds. Renowned ethno expert from the early 20^th century Dimitar Marinov has written down the story of an old woman - Rada Toniova, which reminds of the Old Testament texts: “Asked by Mother Mary and Mary Magdalene, the prophet locked the sky for three years and not a single drop of rain fell. The earth cracked nine cubits in length and depth.’ That was done, in order for some people’s lack of faith to be punished. When those repented and began to visit the church again, restoring their faith in Lord, Elijah unlocked the sky and raindrops began falling from above.

The holiday of Mary Magdalene, considered by the people to be Elijah’s sister, is celebrated on July 22^nd. At some places she is called Fire Mary. A legend, close in its content to the previous one, says that Elijah fell ill and spent whole nine years in bed – then no raindrop fell outside. Mary Magdalene went out in search of some healing method. Mother Mary met her and told her to get back home, to take salt and bran and then to go up in the mountain. She should find a doe there and feed it. Then Mary had to milk the animal and take the milk to her brother, in order to heal him. When Elijah drank the milk, he got healed immediately. Then he unlocked the Black Sea, which swung and slight breeze occurred, bringing rain…

English version: Zhivko Stanchev