Icon - Prophet Hosea - Wood

Prophet Hosea

Superior inscription in ecclesiastical Slavic.

Prophet Iosía

Text of the scroll (prophetic attribute)

The prophet holds a scroll with a quote from the Book of Hosea, in Church Slavonic. Although it is partially worn, the sense of the passage can be recognized:

And their roots grow, and many divisions...

Precise translation into Spanish.

The vine quickly grows downward.
With lots of foliage, but lifeless...

or, in a more fluid way

The vine grows quickly and with abundant foliage, but lacks life.

Biblical source and interpretation.

This text is not a literal quote, but a prophetic paraphrase inspired by Hosea 10:1.

Israel is a lush vineyard that bears much fruit.
The more fruit he had, the more altars he multiplied.

It is a prophetic paraphrase related to the denunciation of sin and Israel's infidelity, a central theme of the Book of Hosea.

Iconography and Style

Figure of an Old Testament prophet: elderly, long beard, serious expression.

Clothing

Dark green inner tunic.

Red cloak (symbol of divine inspiration and prophetic zeal).

Golden halo: holiness and participation in the divine light.

Right hand in a gesture of teaching or admonition, typical of prophets.

Ochre-golden background, austere, characteristic of late Russian painting.

Russia, probably 18th–19th centuries.

Egg tempera on panel, with a gold background.

Condition: general wear, craquelure, loss of pictorial layer, especially in the lower part (typical of domestic devotion icons).

Spiritual significance

The prophet Hosea is a key figure in the Orthodox tradition because:

It symbolizes God's faithful love in the face of human infidelity.

Your message is also interpreted in a Christological way, as a proclamation of Christ's redemptive love for the Church.