Ever dream of a place touched by divine intervention? The Kirche des Hl. Propheten Elias in Cologne is such a place. It is a testament to faith and a miraculous story.
Let’s step back in time to the 1940s in Greece. A young boy named Michael Konias had a dream. In his dream, the Prophet Elias appeared before him. The Prophet told Michael that he would buy a black field in a far away country. On that field would be an apple tree that had never borne fruit. The Prophet instructed him to build a chapel in his honor there.
Michael’s mother dismissed it as a bad dream because black earth was unheard of. However, the vision never truly left Michael. Years later, Michael Konias moved to Cologne, Germany. He bought a house in Cologne-Kalk with his wife Waltraud.
Years later, the opportunity arose to buy the neighboring property. Two elderly tenants told Michael about the garden. They explained that nothing grew there except an old apple tree. Intrigued, Michael stepped into the backyard. There it was: black earth, an apple tree that had never fruited, and no weeds. He remembered the Prophet Elias’s words.
In 1981, Michael, his family, and friends began building the Kirche des Hl. Propheten Elias. They did this without a building permit. Troubles arose when disapproving neighbors reported the construction. Work was halted. Barbara, Michael’s wife, intervened. She arranged a meeting with Cologne’s mayor, Norbert Burger. The mayor was captivated by the story. He granted the Konias family a building permit after imposing only a small fine.
The Kirche des Hl. Propheten Elias was finally completed. It stands today as a place of worship. The Orthodox community of Saint Demetrios uses it. Services are held in both Church Slavonic and German. The congregation includes Serbs, Greeks, Germans, Russians, Bulgarians, Macedonians, and Romanians. Michael Konias’s vision of unity is realized here.
The Kirche des Hl. Propheten Elias celebrates the Prophet Elias every year. The Divine Liturgy is held at 9:30 am. This highlights the church’s dedication to its namesake.
The story of the Kirche des Hl. Propheten Elias is one of faith. It is a story of perseverance, and a divine encounter. It is a place where a dream turned into reality, creating a spiritual home for many.