|
How the Pearl of Elias Got Its Pearl NamePearl name -- just how does a giant pearl get a name?  Pearl of Elias On our (Kari and me, her husband, Mark) second visit to the (then un-named) Pearl of Elias, Kari asked the owner, "Have you given your giant pearl a name?" The owner became reflective. "A name for the pearl?" He didn't speak the words aloud, but his quizzical expression communicated the idea clearly. "A name for my pearl!" This seemed like a new thought. . . and a good idea. And so the quest for a suitable name began. What do you name an object that is one of the largest pearls in the world? And why give it a name at all? "So people can remember it," we told the owner. "The Pearl of Allah has a name and this one should too. We left the subject and moved on to other things. . . . Two days later while we were enjoying a seafood repast, the owner revealed he had given serious thought about naming his pearl. He began tossing out names, none of which seemed just right. Finally Kari or I suggested, "Why don't we name it after you--the Pearl of Elias?" Elias is a nickname of the owner. He smiled, a little taken back. But we could tell he liked it. As a matter of fact, the pearl name, "Pearl of Elias", seems to fit very well. Elias is a Bible name for the prophet Elijah and is honored by Christians, Jews and Muslims. The Koran spells the name "Ilyas" so this great pearl can also be called "The Pearl of Ilyas". All of this was pleasing to the man who owns the pearl. And so, with our prompting, he consented, and finally chose the name, Pearl of Elias, a name that would please Muslims, Jews and Christians. That the name would fit for all was pleasing to Elias himself.
|
