The Fiery Ascension of the Prophet Elijah to Heaven. Wooden orthodox icon.
Original icon: 19th century.
The Prophet Elijah is one of the Old Testament prophets who lived during the time of the Israeli kings Ahab and Ahaziah (9th century BC); the teacher of the prophet Elisha, to whom he passed on his gift of prophecy. Judging by his nickname "Thesbite", he was a native of the city of Thisbe in Galilee. He was greatly revered in Ancient Rus', since, based on biblical texts, the people's consciousness attributed to him power over the elements: according to the word of the prophet Elijah, who denounced the wicked king Ahab, a three-year drought began on earth. At the end of his life, the prophet Elijah was taken to heaven in the flesh, ascending on a fiery chariot, and this episode was traditionally considered as a prototype of the future Resurrection of Christ and the Ascension of the Mother of God, as a symbolic expression of the continuity of the Old and New Testaments.
The icon shows the prophet Elijah being carried away by a whirlwind of chariots and fiery horses, while his disciple Elisha kneels in the foreground, holding a cloak thrown down to him (2 Samuel 2:11-13)
The icon is made by printing on a wooden board. Paints are mineral, do not fade with time. The thickness of the board is 2 cm. The board is covered with primer by hand. The image is covered with wax. Each icon has a metal mount on the back side so that you can hang the icon on the wall.
