Religious Icons of the Holy Prophet Obadiah

On December 2, the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of the Holy Prophet Obadiah, one of the Twelve Minor Prophets. He is the author of the Book of Obadiah, or Book of Prophecies, which contains one chapter and ranks fourth among the books of the Minor Prophets. Although Obadiah did not record his life, some church texts and religious icons can tell a lot about his deeds.

Religious icons of the Holy Prophet Obadiah

Religious icons of the Prophet Obadiah are highly revered by Orthodox believers. He is usually depicted as an elder with gray hair and a small beard. In one hand, he holds an unfolded scroll with the words: “In that day, saith the Lord, I shall destroy the wise men out of Idumea” (Obadiah, chapter 1, verse 8).

Unfortunately, the birthplace of the Holy Prophet Obadiah is unknown. According to tradition, he lived in the 9th century B.C. In Hebrew, his name means “servant of the Lord,” which reflects his occupation. He was among the Twelve Minor Prophets and accompanied the Holy Prophet Elijah. St. Obadiah was serving in the court of King Ahab when the violent persecution and extermination of Christian prophets began. According to tradition, St. Obadiah saved about 100 prophets. He took them to a cave and provided them with water and food daily. Once a king sent him with a troop to capture the Prophet Elijah. Everyone but him ended up dead because of the heavenly fire Elijah had caused. Since then, St. Obadiah joined the prophet and left the service of King Ahab.

It is known that Obadiah received from God the gift of prophecy. He soon wrote a book with predictions of the Edom destruction. According to him, a messenger was sent to the people calling for war against Edom. The book of Obadiah is the shortest in the Old Testament. However, it is written in a beautiful and vivid manner.

According to tradition, the Holy Prophet Obadiah was buried in Samaria. Orthodox believers commemorate his memory on December 2.

Religious icons of St. Obadiah help find wealth and family well-being. In addition, it was the tradition on his day to pray for household needs and perform rituals protecting the home from evil spirits.

Do not miss our new blog posts to learn about other saints and their Orthodox icons!