On the Feast of Holy Prophet Elias (Elijah), His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Nativity of the Lord Metropolitan Cathedral in Chisinau.
Concelebrating to the hierarch of the Moldovan Orthodox Church were Archpriest Vadim Cheibas, the Cathedral Dean and Metropolitan Secretary, Archpriest Ioan Gherbovetchi, Dean of parishes in Portugal, Corsun Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, and the priests and deacons of the Cathedra.
The faithful gathered early morning in the Cathedral to give glory to God, glorified through His saints. Special prayers for heavenly intercession were uttered today to St. Elias, a great Prophet who lived in the 9th c. BC, and who showed a vivid example of fervent faith and holy zeal.
Prophet Elias restlessly denounced idolatry and called king Ahab and his pagan wife Jezabel to repent and abandon idol worship, returning to the ancient faith in the true God. The great prophet suffered endless persecutions for his zeal, although God worked numerous miracles through this great saint.
Saint Elias teaches us even today that we must worship God in truth and spirit, if we want to prove true worship and faith.
The life of the holy Prophet Elias is recorded in the Old Testament books (3 Kings; 4 Kings; Sirach/Ecclesiastes 48: 1-15; 1 Maccabees 2: 58). At the time of the Transfiguration [Preobrazhenie] the Prophet Elias conversed with the Saviour upon Mount Thabor (Tabor) (Mt. 17: 3; Mk. 9: 4; Lk. 9: 30).
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