Just as summer kicks in, the Orthodox Church celebrates Saint Ilie, the driver of Heaven’s chariot and patron of lightning, thunder and bolts. The Bible says that Ilie lived in the ninth century (before Christ), when emperor Ahab was the ruler of Israel.

Back then, Ahab and his predecessors worshiped fake gods and their physical representations. Ilie couldn’t stand this fake religion and told Israel’s ruler about his wrong beliefs and his madness. Also, the enlightened man threatened the people of Israel and their leader with God’s punishment. 

The legend says that his words were “In these following years, there will be no dew and no rain!”. As he spoke, the skies and land went dry and a great draught followed, while no rain and dew were to be seen in the next three and a half years. Famine struck hard, as the people or Israel suffered from starvation and so did their animals.

Ahab threatened Ilie with death, so he had to stay hidden till the long years of draught passed. His secret hideout was close to a small river, where he was fed by the crows that provided his daily bread. Also, he was dwelling in the house of a Phoenician widow, who shared her poor meals with him.

It is said that during his stay in Phoenicia, Ilie had resurrected the woman’s dead child and the wise man had predicted a gruesome death for king Ahab and his wife. Ilie didn’t die as a common man, but he rose to the heavens in a chariot of fire on July 20, the date when we celebrate him.

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