Prophet Elijah’s Day: folk signs and beliefs

Every year on July 20, Ukraine celebrates the day of the prophet Elijah, one of the most revered saints in the Christian tradition. This holiday has long been considered a turning point in summer, and many folk signs and warnings are associated with it. It is on Elijah’s day, according to legend, that a gradual turn to autumn begins – both nature and people’s customs react to this in a special way.

Saint Elijah is one of the most famous prophets of the Old Testament, who lived in the 9th century BC. According to church tradition, he was a zealous defender of faith in the One God and a denouncer of idolatry. He is considered a thunder saint, because, according to legend, after his ascension to heaven, he rides through the heavens in a fiery chariot and controls lightning and thunder.

In Ukraine, Saint Elijah’s Day is celebrated on July 20 (according to the new Julian calendar) by both believers of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Greek Catholics, and some Eastern Christians.

The Feast of Elijah occupies a special place in Ukrainian folklore and the folk calendar. It is not only religious, but also deeply connected with natural cycles and seasonal changes in weather. The main folk signs and beliefs that have survived for centuries give an idea of the beliefs of our ancestors:

• “Before Elijah, a man bathes, and after Elijah, he says goodbye to the water” – it was believed that after this day, swimming in rivers and lakes was no longer dangerous: the water “cools”, becomes “impure”, and can cause illness.
• The first thunder after Elijah is to early autumn. If there is a thunderstorm on July 20, autumn will come quickly, and winter will be fierce.
• Rain on Ilya is a harbinger of harvest. If it rains on this day, it is believed to bless the fields and ensure a bountiful harvest.
• You can’t work in the fields or in the garden. Elijah is considered the protector of the peasants, so on this day people tried not to do any physical work, especially with the land – so as not to invite sin or bad weather.
• You can’t drive cattle out into the field. According to legend, Elijah could punish anyone who didn’t keep quiet on this day with lightning.
• Beekeepers would “seal” the hives. This was the last day when the bees could be disturbed — then the apiary was left alone until the honey was harvested.
• It was believed that after Elijah, “the night becomes longer and the day becomes shorter” – people noticed a gradual change in the rhythms of nature after this holiday.

Prophet Elijah’s Day is a holiday on the border of summer and autumn, which honors not only the saint, but also weaves deep connections between nature, religion, and tradition in Ukrainian culture. The signs of this day remain alive in the people’s memory, and the date itself is a symbol of the transition to the second half of summer.

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