The holy Prophet Elijah (Elias the Tishbite) is one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament, a burning zealot for the glory of God who served the True God amid the idolatry of the wicked king Ahab. Fire fell from heaven at his word, he confounded the prophets of Baal, he shut and opened the heavens by prayer, and he was taken up alive into heaven in a fiery chariot. The Church commends his memory on July 20 (August 2, new style). Below is the complete canonical text of the Akathist in English, together with the prayers read after it.
Kontakion 1
Chosen of God to turn Israel from the delusion of Baal, dread reprover of lawless kings, shining with fervent zeal for God the Almighty, with holiness of life and with wonders, caught up with thy body into the heavens and destined to go before the Second Coming of Christ: we offer thee praise, O prophet of God Elijah; and thou, as one having great boldness before the Lord, deliver us by thy prayers from every evil and peril, who cry unto thee with reverence:
Rejoice, Elijah, great prophet, glorious forerunner of the Second Coming of Christ!
Ikos 1
An angel didst thou become, O prophet, by thy zeal for God and thy pure life, though abiding in the flesh: for while thou wast yet a babe, thy father Sabach beheld bright angels speaking with thee, swaddling thee with fire and feeding thee with flame, which foretold thy burning zeal for God, the power of thy words, and thy blameless life, radiant as light. Wherefore we cry unto thee in wonder:
Rejoice, chosen from eternity for the service of the salvation of the sons of Israel;
rejoice, prepared from thy mother’s womb to be a herald of divine truth and godliness.
Rejoice, who didst astonish thy father by the glorious vision vouchsafed unto thee;
rejoice, who from thy youth didst love virgin purity and stillness.
Rejoice, who didst despise the vanity of this world and all its goods, giving thy soul wholly to the Lord;
rejoice, illumined by the light of wisdom from God and nourished from childhood in the doctrine of godliness.
Rejoice, Elijah, great prophet, glorious forerunner of the Second Coming of Christ!
Kontakion 2
Beholding the ungodliness and corruption of Israel, O glorious prophet, thou didst grieve exceedingly in spirit and burn with zeal for the glory of God, for the sons of Israel bowed down before a detestable idol and turned away from the True God, to Whom all the heavenly hosts cry aloud with fear:
Alleluia!
Ikos 2
Darkening his mind by an evil will, the lawless king of Israel, Ahab, forsook the True God Almighty and worshipped the detestable idol of Baal, and likewise multiplied idolatry and ungodliness throughout his kingdom. But thou, O prophet, being filled with great zeal for God, didst boldly reprove the king, declaring to him that for the punishment of him and his kingdom rain should not fall, nor dew, for three years and six months, and that a great famine would be upon all the earth. Marvelling therefore at thy great zeal for God and thy boldness, we cry to thee with love:
Rejoice, fearless preacher of truth and strong champion of godliness;
rejoice, fervent reprover of ungodliness.
Rejoice, who didst incline the long-suffering God to punish impenitent sinners;
rejoice, who by thy word didst shut the heavens and make the fruitful land barren.
Rejoice, who didst obtain from the Lord a three-year famine for the wickedness of the people;
rejoice, for God Most High gave thee to Ahab, as of old He gave Moses unto Pharaoh.
Rejoice, Elijah, great prophet, glorious forerunner of the Second Coming of Christ!
Kontakion 3
By the power of thy prayer, O wondrous prophet, the heaven was indeed shut and gave no rain for three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout the land: that the wicked, worn down by heat and hunger, might repent and turn to the Lord, crying unto Him in compunction:
Alleluia!
Ikos 3
Having great good will toward thee, O prophet, the Lord willed to separate thee from the lawless sons of Israel, that thou mightest not suffer hunger and thirst with them, and He commanded thee to go to the brook Cherith, where ravens fed thee, bringing thee bread and flesh. Wherefore we offer thee this praise:
Rejoice, who by fasting and vigil didst destroy all earthly and vain thoughts;
rejoice, who by prayer and meditation on God didst lift thy mind to things above.
Rejoice, boast of the patriarchs and beauty of the prophets;
rejoice, praise of ascetics and glory of the righteous.
Rejoice, instructor of hierarchs and strength of martyrs;
rejoice, for thou didst turn the sons of Israel, blinded by ungodliness and unbelief, to the path of truth.
Rejoice, Elijah, great prophet, glorious forerunner of the Second Coming of Christ!
Kontakion 4
A great tempest, breaking the mountains, went before the Lord as He drew near to thee on Horeb; then came an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire came a still small voice, and there the Lord appeared to thee. Perceiving His presence, thou didst cover thy face with thy mantle, crying to Him with fear and joy:
Alleluia!
Ikos 4
Hearing thy command, O prophet, the wicked king Ahab gathered all the tribes of Israel to Mount Carmel, and brought thither the shameful prophets of Baal; and straightway he sent and gathered them, coming himself as well. But thou, zealot for the glory of God, desiring utterly to put the detestable idols to shame and to glorify the True God, didst command that two altars be prepared, with no fire kindled upon them, saying: “And the God Who answers by fire, He is God.” When all the people heard this, they said: “The word of Elijah is good; let it be so.” We, magnifying thee, cry aloud:
Rejoice, great messenger of the King of Heaven and herald of His holy commands;
rejoice, adamant, unconquered in zeal and unshaken pillar of godliness.
Rejoice, mighty defender of truth and firm adversary of the enemies of God;
rejoice, uprooter of ungodliness and planter of godliness.
Rejoice, burning zealot for the divine glory;
rejoice, for in the last days of the world thou shalt preach the True God and reprove the wretched Antichrist.
Rejoice, Elijah, great prophet, glorious forerunner of the Second Coming of Christ!
Kontakion 5
The lawless queen Jezebel thought to quench thee as a star that shows the way to God: filled with rage against thee for the destruction of her shameful prophets, she sought to slay thee. For her heart was hardened and she would not believe thy wonders, O prophet, nor know the True God, singing unto Him:
Alleluia!
Ikos 5
Beholding, after thy prayer, all the people of Israel how fire came down from the Lord out of heaven upon thy sacrifice, O all-praised prophet, and consumed it wholly, together with the wood, the stones, the dust, and the water, they fell upon their faces, crying: “Truly the Lord, He is God!” And the people believed in God, and the shameful prophets didst thou slay. Glorifying therefore the Almighty God Who works wonders, we say unto thee, His servant:
Rejoice, who didst obtain great boldness before the Master of all;
rejoice, who by signs and wonders didst confirm the divine Truth.
Rejoice, who didst put the demonic delusion to shame and glorify the true faith;
rejoice, who didst enlighten the faithless with true knowledge of God.
Rejoice, who by the triple pouring of water upon the altar didst reveal the mystery of the Holy Trinity;
rejoice, for all creation obeyed thee, and fire and water ministered unto thee.
Rejoice, Elijah, great prophet, glorious forerunner of the Second Coming of Christ!
Kontakion 6
A preacher of true knowledge of God and of godliness didst thou become, O prophet, not only in Israel but also in the land of the pagans, being sent by the Lord to Sarepta of Sidon to be fed by a widow, and rather to feed her in the famine: for, having the great grace of wonderworking, thou didst multiply the meal and the oil in her house without stint, until the time of famine passed, and by breathing upon him thrice, at thy prayer, thou didst raise her dead son, singing to God the wonderworker:
Alleluia!
Ikos 6
Ardent in zeal for God Almighty, thou didst grieve exceedingly, O prophet, that the sons of Israel had forsaken His covenant, thrown down His altars, and slain His prophets. But the Lord, to comfort thee, declared that not all Israel had turned from Him, but that He had seven thousand hidden servants who had not bowed the knee to Baal. Wherefore, calling to mind thy zeal for God, we sing to thee with reverence:
Rejoice, faithful servant and intimate friend of the Lord;
rejoice, pattern and glory of godly shepherds.
Rejoice, teacher of salvation and enlightener of those who sit in darkness;
rejoice, who inspirest courage in the defenders of truth and strengthenest them in their labors and sufferings for righteousness.
rejoice, for thou didst burn with a seraphic, fiery love for God;
rejoice, for the Lord heard thee in all things and did all that thou didst ask.
Rejoice, Elijah, great prophet, glorious forerunner of the Second Coming of Christ!
Kontakion 7
Desiring to show His mercy to repentant sinners, the Lord Who loves mankind, after the prophesied time of famine had passed, sent down at thy prayer, O prophet, and by the word of thy lips, a rich and peaceful rain upon the thirsty earth. And the sons of Israel, having obtained so great a mercy, with compunction of heart cried out in thanksgiving to God:
Alleluia!
Ikos 7
The wicked king Ahab added a new crime to his iniquities when he commanded the innocent Naboth to be slain and seized his vineyard. Therefore, reproving the lawless king, thou didst prophesy to him, O prophet, that where Naboth was put to death, there the swine and the dogs would lick his blood, that the dogs would devour his wife Jezebel, and that his whole house would be destroyed. Knowing this dread prophecy to have been fulfilled, we are filled with awe, crying aloud:
Rejoice, dread avenger of the wronged and the hard-hearted;
rejoice, mighty defender of the orphaned and the oppressed.
Rejoice, chastiser of those who despise the holy feasts of the Orthodox Church;
rejoice, dread punisher of insolent blasphemers of the Name of God.
Rejoice, reprover of those who seize the goods of others and of unjust judges;
rejoice, who puttest the covetous and the bribe-takers to shame, and protection of the generous and merciful.
Rejoice, Elijah, great prophet, glorious forerunner of the Second Coming of Christ!
Kontakion 8
Wondrously didst thou appear, O prophet, in the strength of thy might, when by fire from heaven thou didst consume the messengers of the lawless king Ahaziah; and for the bribery of the king thou didst declare unto him his death with firm resolve. Wherefore, glorifying God who wrought such wonders through thee, we cry:
Alleluia!
Ikos 8
Thou wast adorned with the greatest humility, O prophet of God; wherefore the two captains of fifty who came to thee in pride with their soldiers, to bring thee before the lawless king Ahaziah, didst thou consume with fire; but Obadiah, who came to thee in humility and fed the disciples of the prophets, didst thou spare. Wherefore we offer thee these songs of praise:
Rejoice, who dost humble and chastise the proud, and art the shelter and defender of the humble;
rejoice, chastiser of bribetaking judges, and helper of those who judge righteously.
Rejoice, fellow-champion of the faithful host in battle, and castor-down of the ungodly adversary;
rejoice, clothed with wisdom as with armor, and girded with righteousness as with a shield.
rejoice, armed with zeal for God as with a sword, and borne on wings of fasting;
rejoice, covered with faith as with a helmet of salvation, and crowned with love as with a most radiant crown.
Rejoice, Elijah, great prophet, glorious forerunner of the Second Coming of Christ!
Kontakion 9
All human nature is utterly amazed that thou, O wondrous prophet, didst walk forty days, neither eating nor drinking, to Mount Horeb, where thou wast vouchsafed the glorious appearance and most sweet converse of the Lord Almighty, singing unto Him:
Alleluia!
Ikos 9
Eloquence of many orators cannot suffice to understand and explain how thou, O Elijah of great renown, being in human flesh and sharing our nature, wast taken up with thy body into heaven, when a chariot of fire with horses of fire appeared to thee. Glorifying therefore the Lord Who glorified thee, and marvelling at thy translation, we cry unto thee with reverence:
Rejoice, who by wondrous abstemiousness didst put to death the old man within thee;
rejoice, who by the fire of divine zeal didst consume every material thought within thee.
Rejoice, who by thy translation to heaven didst gladden the human race and assure it of life eternal;
rejoice, honoured by God with supernatural honor and glory, and glorified above all the prophets of old.
Rejoice, joyfully welcomed by the angelic choirs in the dwellings of heaven;
rejoice, for thy name is honoured throughout the world, and thy zeal for God is greatly praised.
Rejoice, Elijah, great prophet, glorious forerunner of the Second Coming of Christ!
Kontakion 10
Desiring to save the people of Israel from the delusion of Baal, the all-good God chose thee, O great prophet, as an instrument of His will and clothed thee with divine authority and power, that thou mightest turn the faithless, correct the lawless, enlighten the darkened, and teach all to cry unto God:
Alleluia!
Ikos 10
Be a wall and a defence unto us, O most holy prophet, appeasing by thy mighty intercession the righteous wrath of God that strikes us, sinners and unworthy, with drought and famine, and also with noxious winds and diseases; that, delivered from evils, we may sing to thee in thanksgiving:
Rejoice, who by thy prayers dost shut and open the heavens, sending from God both the fruitfulness and the barrenness of the earth;
rejoice, who by thy intercession before God dost bring down peaceful rains and life-giving dew upon the plants of the earth.
Rejoice, who dost still the raging waves of the sea and the fearful storms, and dost rule the thunders and lightnings according to the will of God;
rejoice, who dost tame the noxious winds and the deadly plagues that strike both men and beasts.
Rejoice, nourisher of orphans and widows, and protector of the bountiful;
rejoice, for thou dost strike the wicked blasphemers and persecutors of the true faith, and dost drive away the spirits of malice from the servants of God.
Rejoice, Elijah, great prophet, glorious forerunner of the Second Coming of Christ!
Kontakion 11
Receive from us this hymn of compunction, O prophet of God Elijah, as thou didst receive the request of Elisha, when he asked that the spirit that was in thee might be doubled in him; and when, being caught up to heaven, thou didst cast down to him thy mantle, which he took and divided, as thou also hadst done before, the waters of the Jordan, and became heir of the divine grace that wrought within thee. So likewise cover us with the mantle of thy mercy from every evil and peril, that we may cry to God with thanksgiving:
Alleluia!
Ikos 11
A radiant luminary wast thou in Israel, O all-praised prophet, shining with thy angelic life and wisdom, and also with extraordinary zeal for God and glorious wonders, enlightening the people with true knowledge of God and dispelling the darkness of idolatry. Wherefore we offer thee praise, singing:
Rejoice, radiant star, whose brightness illumined the whole world;
rejoice, light-bearing lamp that burneth unceasingly, enlightening those who sit in darkness.
Rejoice, illumined by the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and filled with the spirit of counsel and might;
rejoice, enlightened by the spirit of knowledge and godliness, and saturated with the spirit of the fear of God.
Rejoice, adorned with lofty virtues and glorious wonders;
rejoice, for thou didst execute the judgments of God upon the earth, and didst anoint prophets and kings.
Rejoice, Elijah, great prophet, glorious forerunner of the Second Coming of Christ!
Kontakion 12
Great grace was given thee from God, O all-praised prophet, for in thy earthly life thou didst prophesy and work marvellous wonders, and afterwards wast supernaturally taken up with thy body into heaven; and after thy translation thou didst wondrously stand on Tabor before the transfigured Lord and converse with Him; and to this day thou ceasest not to work wonders and to pour forth mercies and healings upon those who honour thee with devotion, while they cry faithfully to God:
Alleluia!
Ikos 12
Singing of thy burning zeal for God and thy angelic life, of thy wondrous and glorious miracles and of the great good will of the Lord toward thee, we praise thee, O Elijah, prophet of great renown; yet, unable to set forth worthily the greatness and the glory of thee, we cry unto thee in compunction:
Rejoice, ark of the divine glory and all-honoured temple of the Holy Trinity;
rejoice, undying lamp of the churches and fragrant flower of the divine paradise.
Rejoice, guide of godly hermits, instructor and strength of those who live in virginity;
rejoice, for thou dost awaken sinners to repentance and obtainest life eternal for the whole Christian race.
rejoice, for thou dost delight in the ineffable glory of the saints and dost unceasingly praise the Lord;
rejoice, for at the end of the ages thou shalt work great signs and wonders for the confirmation of men in the true faith and for the reproof of Antichrist.
Rejoice, Elijah, great prophet, glorious forerunner of the Second Coming of Christ!
Kontakion 13
O wondrous and glorious prophet of God Elijah, most mighty zealot for God, who sendest rain and drought, and fruitfulness or barrenness to the earth from God! Hearken to this small prayer offered unto thee by us with reverence, and by thy warm intercession before the Lord preserve us from drought, famine, and deadly diseases; grant us also the welfare of the air and fruitfulness of the earth, and the spirit of true faith and godliness; that, delivered from eternal torments, we may be vouchsafed the blessedness of paradise, singing to God:
Alleluia!
This Kontakion is read three times.
Then we repeat Ikos 1 and Kontakion 1.
Ikos 1
An angel didst thou become, O prophet, by thy zeal for God and thy pure life, though abiding in the flesh: for while thou wast yet a babe, thy father Sabach beheld bright angels speaking with thee, swaddling thee with fire and feeding thee with flame, which foretold thy burning zeal for God, the power of thy words, and thy blameless life, radiant as light. Wherefore we cry unto thee in wonder:
Rejoice, chosen from eternity for the service of the salvation of the sons of Israel;
rejoice, prepared from thy mother’s womb to be a herald of divine truth and godliness.
Rejoice, who didst astonish thy father by the glorious vision vouchsafed unto thee;
rejoice, who from thy youth didst love virgin purity and stillness.
Rejoice, who didst despise the vanity of this world and all its goods, giving thy soul wholly to the Lord;
rejoice, illumined by the light of wisdom from God and nourished from childhood in the doctrine of godliness.
Rejoice, Elijah, great prophet, glorious forerunner of the Second Coming of Christ!
Kontakion 1
Chosen of God to turn Israel from the delusion of Baal, dread reprover of lawless kings, shining with fervent zeal for God the Almighty, with holiness of life and with wonders, caught up with thy body into the heavens and destined to go before the Second Coming of Christ: we offer thee praise, O prophet of God Elijah; and thou, as one having great boldness before the Lord, deliver us by thy prayers from every evil and peril, who cry unto thee with reverence:
Rejoice, Elijah, great prophet, glorious forerunner of the Second Coming of Christ!
Prayer
O all-praised and most wondrous prophet of God Elijah, who shinest upon the earth by thy angelic life, by thy most fervent zeal for the Lord God Almighty, and also by signs and glorious wonders; who afterwards, by the most gracious good will of God toward thee, wast taken up supernaturally upon a chariot of fire with thy body into heaven, and wast vouchsafed to converse with the Saviour of the world transfigured on Tabor; and who now abidest unceasingly in the abodes of paradise and standest before the throne of the King of Heaven!
Hearken to us, sinners and unworthy, who in this hour stand before thy holy icon and eagerly flee to thy intercession.
Pray for us to God Who loveth mankind, that He grant us the spirit of repentance and contrition for our sins, and by His almighty grace help us to abandon the paths of ungodliness and to prosper in every good work; that He strengthen us in the struggle against our passions and lusts; that He plant in our hearts the spirit of humility and meekness, the spirit of brotherly love and guilelessness, the spirit of patience and chastity, the spirit of zeal for the glory of God and for the salvation of our neighbour.
By thy prayers, O prophet, abolish the evil customs of the world, and above all the ruinous and corrupting spirit of this age, which infects the Christian race with contempt for the divine Orthodox faith, for the rule of the Holy Church and the commandments of the Lord, with dishonour toward parents and those in authority, and casts men into the abyss of ungodliness, corruption and perdition.
Turn away from us, O most wondrous prophet, by thy intercession, the righteous wrath of God, and deliver all cities and villages from drought and famine, from dreadful storms and earthquakes, from deadly plagues and diseases, from the invasion of enemies and from civil war.
Obtain for us, O prophet of God, from the Lord, that our shepherds have holy zeal for God, heartfelt care for the salvation of their flock, wisdom in teaching and in governance, godliness and fortitude in temptations; for judges, impartially, disinterestedness, uprightness and compassion for the wronged; for all in authority, care for their subjects, mercy and justice; and for the subjects, humility and obedience to those in authority and the diligent fulfilment of their duties.
That having thus lived in peace and godliness in this age, we may be vouchsafed a share in the eternal good things of the Kingdom of the Lord and Saviour our Jesus Christ, to Whom belong honour and worship, with His Father Who is without beginning and the All-holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer in time of drought
O great and glorious prophet of God Elijah, who, for the sake of thy zeal for the glory of the Lord God Almighty, couldst not bear to see the idolatry and ungodliness of the sons of Israel; who didst reprove the lawless king Ahab and, in punishment of them, obtain from the Lord by thy prayer a three-year famine upon the land of Israel, that casting away the detestable idols and turning from iniquities and lawlessness they might return to the One True God and to the keeping of His holy commandments; who didst wondrously feed the widow of Sarepta in the famine and raise her dead son by thy prayer; who after the prophesied time of famine didst reprove the people of Israel gathered on Mount Carmel for their apostasy and ungodliness, and then by prayer didst call down fire from heaven upon thy sacrifice, and by this wonder didst turn Israel to the Lord; who didst put to shame and slay the shameful prophets of Baal; and after this, praying again, didst open the heavens and obtain an abundant rain upon the earth and gladden the people of Israel!
Unto thee, O wondrous servant of God, we eagerly draw near, sinners and humble, tormented by drought and heat: we confess that we are unworthy of the mercy and goodness of God, and rather deserving of the dread rebukes of His wrath, of affliction and need and every evil and disease. For we have not walked in the fear of God and in the paths of His commandments, but have walked in the lusts of our corrupt hearts and committed every kind of sin beyond number; our iniquities have risen higher than our head, and we are unworthy to appear before the face of God and to look upon the heavens.
We confess that we also, like ancient Israel, have turned away from the Lord our God, if not in faith, then in our lawlessness; and if we do not worship Baal and other detestable idols, we yet serve our own passions and lusts, serving the idol of gluttony and sensuality, the idol of covetousness and ambition, the idol of pride and vainglory, and we follow the godless customs of the heathen and the destructive spirit of the age.
We confess that it is for this reason that the heaven was shut and became as brass, because our heart was shut against mercy and true love of neighbour; for this reason the earth hardened and became barren, because we bring to the Lord no fruit of good works; for this reason there is no rain and no dew, because we have no tears of compunction and no life-giving dew of godly meditation; for this reason every green thing and the grass of the field withered, because every good feeling in us has dried up; for this reason the air is darkened, because our mind is darkened with shameful thoughts and our heart defiled by lawless desires.
We confess that it is not fitting that we should ask this even of thee, O prophet of God. For thou, being a man of like passions with us, becamest like the angels in thy life and wast taken up to heaven as one without a body; but we, by our shameful thoughts and deeds, have become like the senseless beasts and have made our soul as flesh. Thou didst astonish angels and men with fasting and vigil; but we, giving ourselves over to intemperance and sensuality, become like the unreasoning beasts. Thou didst always burn with exceeding zeal for the glory of God; but we care not for the glory of our Creator and Lord and are ashamed to confess His adorable Name. Thou didst root out ungodliness and evil customs; but we serve the spirit of this age, setting the godless customs of the world above the commandments of God and the rule of the Holy Church. And what sin and transgression have we not committed, wretched ones? We have exhausted by our lawlessness the longsuffering of God. Therefore the righteous Lord is angry with us and, in His wrath, has chastened us. Yet, knowing thy great boldness before the Lord and trusting in thy love for the human race, we dare to pray to thee, O most praised prophet: be merciful unto us, unworthy and useless.
Entreat the most bountiful and all-merciful God, that He be not angry with us to the end and destroy us not with our iniquities, but send upon the thirsty and parched earth an abundant and peaceful rain, and grant it fruitfulness and the welfare of the air. Bow down, by thy effectual intercession, to mercy the King of Heaven, if not for our sake, who are sinful and polluted, yet for the sake of His chosen servants who have not bowed the knee to the Baal of this world; for the sake of guileless and simple infants; for the sake of the dumb beasts and the birds of heaven, which suffer for our iniquities and perish of hunger, heat and thirst.
Obtain for us, by thy gracious prayers, from the Lord, the spirit of repentance and heartfelt compunction, the spirit of meekness and temperance, the spirit of love and patience, the spirit of the fear of God and of godliness; that, having returned from the paths of ungodliness to the right way of virtue, we may walk in the light of the commandments of God and attain the good things promised unto us, by the good pleasure of the God Who is without beginning, the Father, by the love of His Only-begotten Son, and the grace of the All-holy Spirit: now, and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.