Icon "Saint Prophet Elijah"

The icon has the "flesh" areas of the Holy Prophet Elijah painted, with everything else worked in relief on a silver-toned metal riza. At the center of the composition is a full-length image of the Prophet, in a three-quarter turn to the right (head to the left), seated on a rock in a cave on Mount Horeb, looking at a bird with bread in its beak flying toward the cave (the bird, in gold, is applied at the upper left). The Prophet is barefoot, wearing a sheepskin cloak — a melote — with a leather belt, and leans on a staff. Around his head is an applied, shaped metal halo in gold with a floral ornament. On the riza, Elijah's figure in the cave is surrounded by a symbolic depiction of trees. Around the perimeter of the riza is a wide frame with a geometric "cross" ornament, with flowers set within circles at the corners. Above the depiction of the trees is the Church Slavonic inscription: "Holy Prophet Elijah." On the reverse, the panel is reinforced with two inset horizontal battens.

The icon was painted in the 16th century, and the riza made in the 19th century. The icon belonged to the pre-war collection of the Sloboda Ukraine Museum named after H. S. Skovoroda.

Legend: the Holy Prophet Elijah lived in the 9th century BC. He came from the town of Tishbe in Israel. He led a strict, ascetic life, devoted to God. Elijah actively opposed the idolatry that prevailed in the Kingdom of Israel under King Ahab and his wife Jezebel, and called the people to return to the worship of the one God. At the Prophet's prayer, a long drought came upon the land. By God's command, Elijah withdrew to the brook Cherith, where ravens brought him bread and meat. When the brook dried up, the Prophet settled in the house of a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. At his prayer, the flour and oil in the house never ran out, and after her son died, he was restored to life in answer to the Prophet's prayer. After three years of drought, Elijah confronted the priests of Baal on Mount Carmel. At his prayer, fire came down from heaven upon the altar of the Lord, after which the long-awaited rain finally came. Pursued by Queen Jezebel, the Prophet went to Mount Horeb, where he withdrew into a cave and was granted a Divine revelation. There the Lord commissioned him to continue his prophetic ministry and to choose Elisha as his successor. Later, the Prophet also spoke out against injustice, when, at Queen Jezebel's order, the ordinary Israelite Naboth was falsely accused and put to death so that King Ahab could seize his vineyard. Elijah exposed the king's crime and foretold punishment upon him and his house. At the end of his earthly life, Elijah was taken up alive into heaven in a whirlwind, on a fiery chariot drawn by fiery horses. The Prophet Elijah is traditionally venerated as a zealous champion of the faith and a particular intercessor in times of drought and natural disaster.