From Prophet to Miracle-Working Saint: Dynamic Approaches to Elijah in Ancient and Medieval Cultures

The versatile figure of Elijah as Jewish prophet, Christian saint and Muslim "green man" plays at once a controversial and a unifying role across cultures. This collection of essays delves into the rich Elijah traditions that connect late-antique Mesopotamia to modern Europe. It emphasizes how Elijah's many-sided character cannot be explained by his sparse mentions in the Bible. His enormous popularity rather depends on a network of artistic and performative interpretations that developed in different traditions and were divulged through cultic practices and feasts in which Elijah was the protagonist.