Biography

20 July - Holy Prophet Elias the Thesbite / Mar Elias was one of the great prophets of the Old Testament. Holy Prophet Elias / Mar Elias was filled with zeal for spreading the word of Holy God. He lived during the reign of King Achab (875-845 B.C.).
His actions are in the First and Second Books of Kings in the Old Testament of the Bible.

The Bible calls Holy Prophet Elias the 'Tishbite' in reference to his birthplace, Tishba. Tishba was a small village in the Gilead Heights, near the present Ajloon, in Jordan.

Holy Prophet Elias the Thesbite / Mar Elias had long hair and wore sheepskin. He lived in the desert and mountainous area of Palestine.

Mission

Holy God entrusted him with the delicate task of reestablishing the worship of Him. The King, the Queen and the people had abandoned worshiping Holy God for the cult of Baal and Astarte (or Ashera), the god and goddess of fertility in Phoenicia.

Chariot of Fire

The Holy Prophet Elias / Mar Elias rode a chariot of fire into heaven. The Holy Prophet Elias did not die.
"As they (The Holy Prophet Elias / Mar Elias and Holy Prophet Elisha) walked conversing, a flaming chariot and flaming horses came between them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind." (2 Kings 2:11)

Great Feast of the Transfiguration of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ

6 August - Great Feast of the Transfiguration of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ took The Holy, Glorious and Illustrious Prince of the Apostles Peter, The Holy Apostle James, and The Holy Apostle John with Him onto Mount Tabor, where He revealed to them His Divine Nature to the extent that human eyes could see it and human flesh could experience it. Falling down, stricken by the vision of Divine Glory, they saw Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ conversing with the Holy Prophet Moses and The Holy Prophet Elias / Mar Elias. Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ showed them "as much of His glory as they could behold," and they were knocked unconscious by the Divine Power. Afterwards, the Lord strictly told the Disciples not to tell anyone what they had seen. The hymns for the feast tell us that He did this "so that having seen You in glory, they would not be dismayed at the time of your suffering," and that in this way "You showed the reality of the resurrection You are to grant us, in your love for humanity and your almighty power as God."