Saint Prophet Ezekiel was the son of the priest Buzi. After the first occupation of Jerusalem, he was seized and taken captive to Babylon.
During his captivity, he beheld a divine vision. Four living creatures appeared before him, symbolizing the spiritual truths of the Word of God and the Holy Evangelists.
The Lord appointed him as a protector of Israel, commanding him to warn the people of the consequences of sin. He granted him abundant knowledge and divine illumination, enabling him to discern the events that foretold the punishment of the people for their surrender to idolatry and moral corruption. He saw that the glory of the Lord had left the Temple and that the destruction of Jerusalem was drawing near.
Among other prophecies, he foretold the punishment of the neighboring nations who rejoiced over the city’s fall, while also foreseeing the future restoration of Israel. In his prophecies, he spoke of the resurrection and the miraculous revivification of the bones of the dead by the command of God, thereby strengthening humanity’s hope for salvation.
He was known for his miraculous deeds, which on many occasions saved the people from famine and extreme hardship.
He ended his life as a martyr and was buried in present-day Baghdad, Iraq. His memory is commemorated on July 23.
