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Today, October 5, the Church commemorates the Prophet Jonah.translated

October 4, 2026 · 1 min read

The Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of the Old Testament Prophet Jonah on October 5. The Prophet lived in the 8th century before the Birth of Christ and was a successor to the Prophet Elijah. The Holy Scripture includes the Book of the Prophet Jonah, which contains prophecies about the fate of the people of Israel, the sufferings of the Saviour, the desolation of Jerusalem, and the end of the world.

Also in this book, there is a narrative about how the Prophet Jonah himself was sent with a message of repentance to the Ninivites (Jonah 3:3-10).

One of the most striking events in the life of the Holy Prophet was his three-day stay in the belly of a whale and miraculous deliverance, which foreshadowed the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord Himself, in His conversation with the scribes and Pharisees, who demanded a sign, said that He would not give them another sign except the sign of the Prophet Jonah: "As the Prophet Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights" (Matthew 12:40).

Read also:

If I Were the Prophet Jonah

Our materials about the Holy Prophet Jonah

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💬 Comments (5) 🌐 Show original
М
Максим Волков
I remember thinking as a child while fishing: if only a whale swallowed him like Jonah and spat him out somewhere near a good place. And then there’s also about the sign for the Pharisees - Christ directly said that this was about Him. I wonder if the Ninevites really repented after his sermon?
K
Kristaq Prifti
Yes, that reminds me of when I read about Iona jumping into the sea and staying in the whale's belly for three days. As Christ also says in Matthew 12:40, it is a true sign of His resurrection. Maxim, I believe that the Ninevites really repented, because God knows how to turn people around.
О
Ольга Попова
Yes, the Ninevites really repented, even their king stood up from his throne and put on sackcloth. And my son, when he was a child, also asked about the whale after fishing on the Volga - they say, what if he throws us out somewhere in Astrakhan. Christ definitely said about Himself, this is the most powerful place.
Е
Екатерина Попова
Yes, the Ninevites really repented, even the king got down from his throne and put on sackcloth, as it is written in the book. As a child, my son also asked after fishing on the Volga: if a whale swallows it, where will it spit it out - to Astrakhan or further? And Christ spoke directly about the sign for the Pharisees, this is the clearest place.
Ნ
ნათია კვარაცხელია
I remember reading this story and thinking that Jonah's three days in Keith's womb is exactly what Christ said in Matthew 12:40. The people of Nineveh really repented, the king even changed his name and sat down in old clothes. When my son was little, he used to ask me if Kitty would spit us out on the coast of Georgia or further afield.
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