Elia is the god of rain and thunder in Georgian mythology; his original pre-Christian name is unknown; and after the Christianization of Georgia the deity became identified with the biblical prophet Elijah, whose own name, Ilia in Georgian, resembles it closely. Despite efforts by the official church to suppress it, the cult of Elia persisted, merely absorbing certain Christian elements rather than disappearing.
Facts
Attestation
Veneration TodayVenerated in a syncretic or Christianised form 1 HistoricityNot a historical person: a divine or other-than-human being 1 Function
Domain / Function Belief
TheologyPolytheistic: many gods 1 Sources
1. The Facts on File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend
Anthony S. Mercatante, revised and expanded by James R. Dow, Facts on File
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