In the Russian video above one can see briefly the Holy Cloud which descends upon Mount Tabor every year on August 19, which is the Feast of the Transfiguration of Christ according to the Julian Calendar followed by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. This is a miracle which has been witnessed every year by countless thousands and is visible to the naked eye.
The Holy Cloud can also be seen in the photo below in which it appears as a fog.
Mount Tabor (Hebrew: Har Tavor) is a hill rising 500m above the Jezreel Valley in the region of Galilee. Due to its strategic location along the north-south road, it has been an important fortress since ancient times. Christians have identified a rock atop Mt. Tabor as the place of the Transfiguration of Christ since the 4th century AD.
The miracle occurs following the All-Night Vigil when after the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy the faithful go outside and prayerfully begin to sing hymns. This miracle occurs no matter how clear the sky may be every year and is an observable fact. And it happens at the same time every year, at approximately 4:00 AM with the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy. In this case, it is very similar to the Holy Light which appears every year at the same time at the Holy Sepulchre on Easter. This Holy Cloud only descends upon the Orthodox monastery on Mount Tabor and not on the other heterodox churches on the mountain. When the Holy Cloud descends it brightens the area with a fragrant reddish-white (some say orange) color in the midst of the night. The fragrance spreads like incense, though it is distinct from incense. The faithful take in this experience and glorify God for the blessing and sanctification which the Holy Cloud brings. As the faithful continue their hymns to God, the cloud fades away. The faithful depart with great joy for being witnesses of this great annual miracle which confirms their Holy Orthodox Faith. Among those who attend are believers and unbelievers, Greeks, Russians, Bulgarians, Romanians and others.
Read also:
An Account of the Annual Miracle on Mount Tabor on August 6th
Meteorologists Cannot Explain the Miraculous Cloud of Mt. Tabor
Read also the following eye-witness testimonies:
Nun Aikaterini Witnesses the Holy Cloud of Mt. Tabor
A Young Woman Sees the Holy Cloud in 2002
Thou, O Christ our God, hast delivered the written Law upon Mount Sinai, and hast appeared there riding upon the cloud, in the midst of fire and darkness and tempest. Glory to Thy power, O Lord.
(First Canon of the Transfiguration, Ode 4)
The pillar of fire plainly showed to Moses Christ transfigured, and the cloud pointed clearly to the grace of the Spirit that overshadowed Mount Tabor.
(Second Canon of the Transfiguration, Ode 6)
