July 20th is the feast day of St. Elijah (also Elias). Vehicles are blessed on his feast day in commemoration of tradition that states he did not die but rode his fiery chariot to Heaven. All modes of transportation can be brought to the church to be blessed on Friday evening, July 20, following the 5:30 p.m. Divine Liturgy, Saturday evening, July 21, following the 5:30 p.m. Divine Liturgy, and Sunday morning, July 22, following the 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy. Most people bring their car or truck but why not a bicycle, boat, skateboard, hot air balloon? In Indiana every car needs insurance. Come to St. Athanasius parish and get spiritual insurance bestowed upon your vehicle.
St. Elijah the Holy Prophet lived an exemplary life. It is tradition that he was in direct communication with God and knew exactly what to do on this earth. It is through the denial of the temporal world that St. Elijah received the Spiritual Gifts from God to bring a dead boy back to life, to defeat the priests who worshipped Baal and ultimately escaped his death and torture while at the same time choosing his successor when he and his chariot were taken to heaven.
View the Divine Liturgy music here. It includes an opening hymn and the changeable parts used in the liturgy for this feast day.
Byzantine Catholic Church in Indianapolis Indiana
