St Elias the Prophet

Behold, I will * send you Elias the Prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers.

℣.By the word of the Lord he shut up the heaven.

℟.And he brought down fire from heaven thrice.

Elias * was a man passable like unto us; and with prayer he prayed that it might not rain upon the earth, and it rained now for three years and six months. And he prayed again; and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

℣.Elias was covered with the whirlwind.

℟.And his spirit was filled up in Eliseus.

Elias took his mantle * and struck the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, and he and Eliseus passed over on dry ground; and Elias went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

℣.Blessed are they that saw thee.

℟.And were honored with thy friendship.

Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God: that we who believe that thou didst marvellously lift up thy Prophet Elijah in a fiery chariot, while yet in this life; at his intercession may we while still alive be raised to spiritual heights and rejoice in the resurrection of the just. Through thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth God, world without end.

℟.Amen.