DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43337#0430
CHAPTER TWO. THE ICONOGRAPHIC PROGRAMME | 427
saint’s role as «divine seer». It is precisely this quality that liturgical
texts and especially those read at services on the festivals of epiphany,
single out167. The most important image of Elijah was his presence at
the theophany of the «Transfiguration», thereby signifying the unity
of the Old and New Testaments and proving the eternal existence of
the second person of the Trinity. It is interesting that a large composi-
tion of the «Transfiguration» is to be found near to the Elijah cycle in
Akhtala: it is shown in the south cross arm over the arch leading into
the southwest compartment, immediately below the depiction of the
«Baptism». As with the Baptist cycle the scenes of Elijah the Proph-
et form a commentary on the main event in the history of salvation
which is shown in the more important part of the church. In the arm
of the domed cross the «Transfiguration» and the «Baptism» are shown
together as the two most important manifestations of theophany in
which the descent of the dove of the Holy Spirit and the shining radi-
ance on Mount Tabor testified to the divine nature of Christ.
It is not just the theophanic content of the Gospel compositions
which accounts for the demonstrative comparison between the Baptist
and Elijah cycles in the southwest compartment, however. The images
of the two prophets who were treated and regarded as the equals of the
angels were indissolubly linked168. St John the Baptist was the direct
inheritor of Elijah who, in the Old Testament tradition, was allotted
the role of forerunner and witness of the Messiah. St John appeared
in the world «in the spirit and power of Elijah» (Luke 1:17). John the
Baptist was sometimes depicted, moreover, in the camel-hair shirt of
Elijah, symbolising his succession to the prophet’s duty.
In the monastic environment Elijah and John the Baptist were es-
pecially revered as great hermits and founders of monasticism who
were the models for all hermits. In the Life of St Hilarion the Georgian
who is depicted almost next to the southwest compartment it is told
how the saint lived, when he was in Palestine, «in the cave of Elijah
the Prophet which at one time was the habitation of the great John
the Baptist»169. By juxtaposing the prophetic cycles and setting them
next to the tier of holy monks the authors of the Akhtala iconographic
programme were emphasising the idea of the continuity of the ascetic
tradition. From Elijah the Prophet it passed down to John the Baptist
and then through the holy anchorites to the inhabitants of the Akhtala
monastery itself.
saint’s role as «divine seer». It is precisely this quality that liturgical
texts and especially those read at services on the festivals of epiphany,
single out167. The most important image of Elijah was his presence at
the theophany of the «Transfiguration», thereby signifying the unity
of the Old and New Testaments and proving the eternal existence of
the second person of the Trinity. It is interesting that a large composi-
tion of the «Transfiguration» is to be found near to the Elijah cycle in
Akhtala: it is shown in the south cross arm over the arch leading into
the southwest compartment, immediately below the depiction of the
«Baptism». As with the Baptist cycle the scenes of Elijah the Proph-
et form a commentary on the main event in the history of salvation
which is shown in the more important part of the church. In the arm
of the domed cross the «Transfiguration» and the «Baptism» are shown
together as the two most important manifestations of theophany in
which the descent of the dove of the Holy Spirit and the shining radi-
ance on Mount Tabor testified to the divine nature of Christ.
It is not just the theophanic content of the Gospel compositions
which accounts for the demonstrative comparison between the Baptist
and Elijah cycles in the southwest compartment, however. The images
of the two prophets who were treated and regarded as the equals of the
angels were indissolubly linked168. St John the Baptist was the direct
inheritor of Elijah who, in the Old Testament tradition, was allotted
the role of forerunner and witness of the Messiah. St John appeared
in the world «in the spirit and power of Elijah» (Luke 1:17). John the
Baptist was sometimes depicted, moreover, in the camel-hair shirt of
Elijah, symbolising his succession to the prophet’s duty.
In the monastic environment Elijah and John the Baptist were es-
pecially revered as great hermits and founders of monasticism who
were the models for all hermits. In the Life of St Hilarion the Georgian
who is depicted almost next to the southwest compartment it is told
how the saint lived, when he was in Palestine, «in the cave of Elijah
the Prophet which at one time was the habitation of the great John
the Baptist»169. By juxtaposing the prophetic cycles and setting them
next to the tier of holy monks the authors of the Akhtala iconographic
programme were emphasising the idea of the continuity of the ascetic
tradition. From Elijah the Prophet it passed down to John the Baptist
and then through the holy anchorites to the inhabitants of the Akhtala
monastery itself.