How common and accepted was it to pray to Elijah during Jesus' times?

**Matthew 27**: > **46** And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? > **47** Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. During our Lord's crucifixion, people thought he was praying to Elijah. Nobody asks "what is this man doing? Prayer is only to God!". As some have commented, we do not know the faces of the people when they said that. They might have been horrified. Or they might not. That made me think: was it common and accepted to pray to Elijah during Jesus' times? If so, did they pray to other people and angels as well? Thank you very much!