The Fiery Ascent of Elijah
That cheeky Elisha just manages to snatch Elijah’s cloak as he is taken up by the fiery horses. I loved writing this icon as the great fiery globule was a reminder of the immense power of Almighty God. I am certain that Elisha would have had some broiled fish for supper.
Sometimes one could also be forgiven for imagining he was abducted by aliens but as a lover of sci-fi I would think that.
When I used to exhibit on the railings by Hyde Park I would sometimes take my icons along as an antidote to all the materialism. I was amazed and reassured at how many people stopped and loved to talk about them and the spirituality behind them. This Elijah was a particular favourite and many Russians would come and translate the text even though it is archaic. I have forgotten the exact translation so if anyone would like to have a go and submit it to me I would be grateful and can then add it to the post.
Have a brief look at the rays emanating from the cosmic arc in the top corner. This is typical of icons and I have reproduced it here, those old iconographers already knew about the dual nature of light long before we discovered it.
Have a great week and may the power of Elijah be with you.
