Ilinden is one of the holidays to protect against thunder and hail. Today, the church celebrates the memory of the prophet Elijah.
Today is a name day celebrated by names and their derivatives:
Ilia, Iliyan, Iliana, Ilko, Ilka, Ilcho, Bozhko, Bojana, Bojinko, Bojinka, etc.
A zealous follower of God and a fierce denouncer of idolatry, the prophet Elijah lived during the time of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, who worshiped the pagan god Baal. Enraged by their unwillingness to obey the commands of the true God, the saint tried to show them the right path by threatening drought and famine, by miracles and earnest preaching.
Prophet Elijah succeeded in converting many to the true faith, but the rulers and the majority of the people were sinking in dishonor. Aggrieved, but not broken, he continued with his disciple Elisha to go around among the people and teach them. After receiving a warning, one day the prophet was taken to heaven in a chariot of fire, leaving Elisha only his outer garment. The Jews believed that he would descend among them again before the coming of the Messiah. That is why when John the Forerunner appeared many years later, he was often considered the prophet returned to earth. St. Elijah is revered by all Christians as the greatest biblical prophet and, along with Moses, as one of the two greatest Old Testament men.
Everywhere, Bulgarians venerate St. Elijah as the lord of the heavenly natural elements - hail, thunder and lightning. It is believed that when he races his horses along the heavenly road, he causes thunder and fire. If people do not honor him, if they do not sacrifice him, the saint can lock up the heavenly moisture and for three years not let rain fall on the earth. Therefore, a large male animal - a bull, an ox or a ram - is usually slaughtered on Ilinden. The village gathers in a meadow under centuries-old oak trees and there they prepare the sacrifice in cauldrons. The priest performs a water consecration and consecrates the feast. With holy water he sprinkles around so that there is no drought in the summer. In every home, traditionally, the oldest rooster of the heavenly saint is crowed.
There is a belief that the Ilinden sea takes the most victims as a sacrifice for the holy prophet Elijah. Ilinden comes with a dead grip on the sea, say the old fishermen. From that day on, the weather turns, the autumn winds begin to blow, there are waves and dead current. As you count to five, the wave hits you and the ice pulls you in. That's why among the folk beliefs of Ilinden it won't work, because lightning can strike a person. He doesn't even go to the beach. The believing vacationers strictly observe this and do not go to the sea on July 20 and August 2, the fishermen say.