Holy Glorious Prophet Elias

July 20, 2025

Feast of the Holy Glorious Prophet Elias

And [Elijah] said to her, “Give me your son,” and he took him out of her arms and carried him up to a loft where he slept and laid him on his own bed. He cried to the Lord and said, “O Lord, my God, have You brought tragedy upon the widow with whom I live by killing her son?” And he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord and said, “O Lord, my God, I pray that You let this child’s soul come into him again.”

The Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the child came into him again, and he was revived. Elijah took the child and brought him down out of the chamber into the house and returned him to his mother, and Elijah said, “See, your son lives!” (1 Kings 17:19-23)

The icon is of the Holy Glorious Prophet Elias (July 20th).

News

Pontiff Affirms Bulgaria's Christian Contribution

Hits: 5778

Receives Parliament President and Delegation

VATICAN CITY, MAY 24, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI recognized the historical contribution of Bulgarian Christianity while receiving in audience the president of that country's Parliament.

Georgi Pirinski came to the Vatican today accompanied by a Bulgarian delegation that included members of government and representatives of the Orthodox Church.

The visit is part of the celebrations in honor of Sts. Cyril and Methodius according to the Julian calendar followed by the Orthodox Churches.

During the official visit, the Pope spoke of Bulgaria's "desire to reaffirm its European traditions, profoundly marked by Gospel values."

"This country," the Pontiff said, "found, in the Gospel, a source of values able to strengthen the culture, the identity and the genius typical of its people."

In this way, the teaching of the brothers of Thessalonica, Sts. Cyril and Methodius, apostles to the Slavs, "contributed to the formation of the spiritual life of the Bulgarian people, ensuring them a place in the cultural tradition of the European continent."

"After the sad and difficult period of communist domination, Bulgaria is today headed toward a full integration with other European nations," said the Pope.

Earlier this year, Bulgaria was granted membership in the European Union. About 82% of the country's 7.3 million people are Orthodox; 12.2% are Muslim.

The Holy Father expressed his hope that "Bulgaria and its people will conserve and promote those Christian virtues that descend from the teachings of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, and are still valid and necessary today."

Code: ZE07052405

Date: 2007-05-24