Rabbi Alchonon's Vision of the Prophet Elijah in Jerusalem
Published October 6, 2026 at 6:15 AM
Contributed by
Millennial Star Research
During the Tishe Beab services in a Jerusalem synagogue in 1889, the Chief Rabbi Alchonon (the Chacham-Bashi), upon reaching the 21st verse of the Lamentations, suddenly stood up and exclaimed that he had been visited by the Prophet Elijah, who informed him that the 'Comforter' was preparing to come. The Rabbi then fell to the floor, and observers noted his countenance changed to look like an angel.
Fuller account of this event (the complete account as preserved in The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 51, No. 45, 11 November 1889, p. 719):
A telegram from Jerusalem states that during the Tishe Beab services in a synagogue there, the Chacham-Bashi, or Chief Rabbi, Alchonon, upon reaching the 21st verse of the Lamentations, suddenly stood up and exclaimed that he had been visited by the Prophet Elijah, who informed him that the 'Comforter' was preparing to come. The Rabbi then fell to the floor, and observers noted his countenance changed to look like an angel.
In Their Own Words
“As the last words fell from the lips of the Chasen our most worthy old Chacham-Bashi (the title of the chief Rabbi of Jerusalem) arose from his seat behind the 'Aron Kodesh' (the law's ark), and with an unusually loud voice, which thrilled the whole congregation and seemed to make the walls tremble, thus exclaimed: 'The Lord be praised, the Prophet Elijah has visited me, blessed Eliuha Hanobi' (Elijah the Prophet) for his visit to me, unworthy dust from dust. A comforter is coming, a few only and he will be here, for our Eliuha said so to me, and blessed be Eliuha, for he permitted my eyes to behold the comforter preparing to come!'— Millennial Star 51:45”
Sources & References
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), 11 November 1889 (Vol. 51, No. 45). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1889-11-11_51_45 (account extracted verbatim from the issue's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high) Complete account: The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 51, No. 45, 11 November 1889, p. 719 https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1889-11-11_51_45
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