The Superstitions of St. Elias, Miraculous Wonder and Lightning. Why are people scared of July 20th

A great wonder in his life, and after his ascent to heaven in a firepower, the prophet Elijah received from God the power "to open and close the heavens". The Orthodox Christians pay homage every year to July 20, and see him as the protector of the harvest, the saint who brings the rain, but also the deity who, thrown by men, throws hail and thunder.

The legend of St. Elias is totally atypical: a mortal guilty of great sins, including the one of killing one's parents after being tempted by the devil, of repenting and receiving God's forgiveness. He was raised to heaven and then wandered in the clouds with a chariot with wheels of fire,

Demons flee his way

In popular belief, it is also said that demons flee from his path and live in the earth, where they hide under the trees or even in the bodies of animals. One of the superstitions related to St. Elias is that if thunder and lightning must mark the cross, because God allowed St. Elias to strike anything to destroy the demons, except the cross. The holiday of the prophet Ilie Tesviteanul is the day of the Romanian aviation.

On July 20 of each year, the faithful celebrate St. Elias the Tesvitian, a prophet of the Old Testament considered as wonderful, voracious and protector of the harvest. In the popular tradition, it is a day that many people fear.

"As a solar and meteorological divinity, Saint Elijah causes thunder, lightning, torrential rains and fires, and it is said that whoever works that day is angered by St. Elijah, who sends suffering, hail and rain to people, "says Doina Isfanoni, research scientist at the Dimitrie Gusti Village Museum in the capital

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By St. Elias, in the villages of Baragan, the people always respect all habits that have been rooted in time.In the old days, it was said that it was not allowed to consume apples before July 20, and these fruits did not either hitting each other, so that the hail would not fall, and on July 20, the apples, considered the fruit of St. Elijah, are brought to the church to be sanctified, believing that is only in this way that they will become will be gold apples for the other world.

St. Elias is also the protector of crops, which is why, that day, the fields are sprinkled with aghastom, so that they bring fruits rich the following year. In the morning of the party, collect the best drying plants that dry in places without moisture. He is now picked up and sanctified in church and basil. "On the morning of July 20, healing plants, especially basil, are collected in the country, landed in bridges or in cellars. The women go to the church that day to be sanctified, after which they return home, set them on fire and the ashes that result use it for therapeutic purposes, "said the experts. Ethnography and Folklore

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Honey and Honey

In many parts of the country, St. Elijah also preserves the tradition of harvesting bees, known under the name of "cuttings of hives", faithful, dressed in festive clothes At the festive table, friends and relatives are invited to taste the honey and to honor a bowl of sweet honey sweetened with fresh honey. ritual promotes prosperity of beekeepers' homes