The Assumption of Elijah was completed by Viennese artist Ernst Degasperi (1927 - 2011) for St. Mary’s Cathedral in 1976. The acrylic-on-canvas painting is rich in symbolism, with Degasperi using gold to represent God the Father, silver to represent God the Son, white to represent the Holy Spirit and black and red to symbolise the creation and fire respectively. In the painting, we can see seven golden eyes, which symbolise the power of the Holy Spirit by alluding to the “seven eyes of the Lamb” which are “sent out into the earth” in Revelation 5:6, speaking to God’s omnipresence.

The painting mimics the shape of an olive tree, a symbol of peace and reconciliation. The olive tree was significant and highly valued to ancient Jews, with its oil being used for sacramental anointing. It is also a symbol of prophecy in the Bible. Degasperi was himself a staunch Roman Catholic and the aim of this painting (and his work more broadly) was to further the understanding between different Christian churches, and more specifically, between Christians and Jews. Elijah was a prophet from Israel associated with fire, and in the painting,  we can see flames ascending to heaven to represent the miracle of fire God produced at the request of Elijah in 2 Kings 1:10. Simultaneously, Degasperi painted the heavens descending to become concentrated in the heart of Elijah, transfiguring him. The Transfiguration of Christ is a major event in the Bible and describes Christ changing form to become radiant and dazzling to his disciples Peter, James and John. During the Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah appeared to the disciples as well. The Transfiguration was described in Matthew as ‘a vision of the future’, linked closely to themes of prophecy that inform this work. By using figures from the Old Testament associated with Judea and engaging them with themes of the future, Degasperi hints at a future in which Jews and Christians can be united.

For his inspiration in painting The Assumption of Elijah, Degasperi looked to the olive trees of Jerusalem, the Judean desert and the beautiful skies of Scotland, where the artist stayed for the duration of the painting’s execution. It was painted here in the Chapter House of the cathedral and was a gift from the artist in gratitude of the help the cathedral had given him in furthering his work. His hope was that it might inspire those who come across it to think of others (particularly those of different faiths) with compassion and understanding. As a young man coming of age in 1940s Europe, Degasperi was undoubtedly influenced by the horrors of the Nazi regime. A number of his works have made reference to the Holocaust and aim to bridge a gap in the understanding of monotheistic religions like Judaism.  The Assumption of Elijah is no different, and it gently asks the viewer to explore feelings associated with the perceived differences of others, and to ‘clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.’ (Colossians 3:12).