The New Testament Trinity icon helps with what meaning. How does the Holy Trinity icon help and what is its meaning?

The image of the Holy Trinity is revered by Orthodox Christians around the world. Prayers in front of this icon can protect your life from all evil and worries.

History of the icon

The Icon of the Holy Trinity, otherwise called “Hospitality of Abraham,” was painted in the 15th century by the famous icon painter Andrei Rublev.

According to legend, the pious husband Abraham one day met three strangers near his house who did not give their names. Abraham received the travelers and offered them rest and food. During the conversation, three mysterious people told Abraham that they were messengers of the Lord, His three angels, and reported the imminent birth of their son Isaac. After the prophecy, two angels went to destroy the city of Sodom, which had provoked the wrath of the Lord, and the third angel stayed and talked with Abraham.

Where is the icon

The icon of the “Holy Trinity” is of great value. Currently, the image is in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Description of the icon

On a vertical base there are three angels closing a circle near the table. The table is set, there is a bowl on it and grape branches lie on it. Angels sit under the shade of a sacred tree and mountain, symbolizing the eternal life and love of the Lord.

The image of three angels indicates to the Orthodox the unity of the Lord in three persons and the sacred, sacred content of this number. The light, love and forgiveness contained in the image of each angel indicate the possibility of coming to the Kingdom of Heaven along one of these paths.

What does an icon help with?

They pray to the Icon of the Holy Trinity, wanting to comprehend the full power of God’s grace. This image is able to protect home and family, guide a person who has gone astray onto the right path and show him all the greatness and beauty of divine creations.

They pray to the Icon of the Holy Trinity:

• to receive healing of physical and mental illnesses;
• about restoring justice and protecting from enemies;
• asking for guidance on the right path in life;
• about getting rid of melancholy and sadness.

Prayers to the icon of the Holy Trinity

“Most Holy Trinity, I humbly pray to You: just as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are united into a single force that protects true faith and humility, so the power of love, faith and truth of the Lord will not leave me. May I not fall into the fiery abyss of Gehenna, may I not perish in sin and unbelief. Do not leave me, messengers of God and His fair Judgment. Amen".

“The sacred Trinity, a symbol of the generosity and power of the Lord, with its power it punished the infidels, bringing great joy to the servant of the Lord! I pray to you, do not leave me in sadness and grief, protect my belly and my spirit from all evil. Amen".

This prayer can protect you from danger and physical threat.

The Day of Remembrance of the Icon of the Holy Trinity is celebrated on the 50th day after the Resurrection of Christ. At this time, any prayers to the Lord have special power and can lead you to inner balance and joy. We wish you peace in your soul and strong faith in God. Be happy and don't forget to press the buttons and

02.06.2017 06:07

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About different icons of the Holy Trinity

Priest Konstantin Parkhomenko

People often come to the temple with a request to consecrate an icon, which depicts, as they say, the “New Testament Trinity”: God the Father in the form of an old man, God the Son in the form of Christ Incarnate and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove.
I say: “But this icon is non-canonical...”
People are perplexed: “Wait, we bought this in a church store. What, are they going to sell something non-canonical?..”

Let's talk today about how it is permissible to depict the Holy Trinity on icons.

There are several types of Trinity icons. I will give the main ones.

1. “Old Testament” Trinity

An icon depicting the Trinity in the form of Three Angels coming to the forefather Abraham. This is an episode from the 18th chapter of the book of Genesis. Let me give you a fragment of this story:

And the Lord appeared to him (Abraham) at the oak grove of Mamre, when he was sitting at the entrance to the tent, during the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood against him. Seeing, he ran towards them from the entrance to the tent and bowed to the ground and said: Master! If I have found favor in Your sight, do not pass by Your servant; and they will bring some water and wash your feet; and rest under this tree, and I will bring bread, and you will strengthen your hearts; then go; as you pass by your servant.
They said: do as you say.
And Abraham hurried to Sarah’s tent and said: Quickly knead three sacks of fine flour and make unleavened bread. And Abraham ran to the herd, and took a tender and good calf, and gave it to the lad, and he hastened to prepare it. And he took the butter and the milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set it before them, while he stood beside them under the tree. And they ate.
And they said to him, Where is Sarah your wife? He answered: here, in the tent. And one of them said: I will be with you again at this time, and Sarah your wife will have a son...

And those men arose and went from there to Sodom; Abraham went with them to see them off.

And the Lord said: Shall I hide from Abraham what I want to do? From Abraham will surely come a great and strong nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed, for I chose him so that he would command his sons and his household after him to walk in the way of the Lord, doing righteousness and justice; And the Lord will fulfill on Abraham what he said about him...

In accordance with this story about the appearance of the Lord, He was often depicted as three wanderers, or Three Angels, sitting visiting Abraham.

2. “New Testament” Trinity, or “Co-throne” icon

This is the second type of icon. It depicts the appearance of the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity sitting on the Heavenly Throne.

3. Icon "Fatherland"

The plot here is completely invented. God the Father sits on the Heavenly Throne. On His knees is the youth Son. The Holy Spirit hovers above them.

4. Icon of God the Father

A very rare image that crudely, as if ignoring all the dogmatic logic of the prohibitions of God the Father, depicts Him.

5. Crucifixion in the Bosom of the Father

This icon shows us how the Father holds the Cross with the Crucified Son. The Holy Spirit is placed nearby.

Now - a few words about the admissibility of such icons

For us, programmatic in this regard is the text of the Apostle John the Theologian: “No one has ever seen God” (John 1:18). God the Father, continues the Apostle John, that showed us God's Son.

Thus, the image of God the Father, if possible, is only if He is depicted symbolically, for example, under the guise of the Son. It is precisely this option that we find on the Trinity icons of the first type (to which Rublev’s “Trinity” also belongs). In these icons, all three characters depicted have the characteristics of the Son. In this way the goal of the icon painter is achieved: to show that The Son revealed to us the whole Mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. The Son showed us Himself, the Father, and the Spirit.

All other icons, despite their edifying accessibility (the psychology of ordinary believers is perfectly clear: why guess about secret The Trinity, here it is in full view), are incorrect from a dogmatic point of view.

Art historians speculate about the reasons for the appearance of these icons. Undoubtedly, there is the influence of the West, namely the Roman Catholic Church, where such stories were widely known.
The most ancient Orthodox examples of this kind are not in Russia. This is a fresco in Matejce, in Serbia (1356-1360) and a fresco in the Church of Saints Constantine and Helen Equal to the Apostles in Ohrid, Macedonia (mid-15th century).

In Russia, such icons appear at the beginning of the 16th century. The Moscow Council of 1554 affirmed the possibility of such images based on Old Testament evidence, and it was repeatedly emphasized that “the painters do not describe the Being of God,” but describe, that is, they depict only the form under which God appeared in the Old Testament.

It must be recalled that when speaking about the Old Testament, everyone means the book of the prophet Daniel, where, indeed, a certain old man, the Ancient of Days, appears to the prophet. Here is one of these texts: “I saw in the night visions, behold, with the clouds of heaven came one like the Son of Man, came to the Ancient of Days and was brought to Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom, that all nations, nations, and languages ​​should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and His kingdom will not be destroyed” (Dan. 7:3-14).
If in 1554 permission to paint icons depicting God the Father and God the Spirit was given, then 100 years later another Council banned such images.

The 43rd rule of the Great Moscow Council of 1667 says (I will give the original text without translation):
“We command the icon painters, the skilled artist, and the good man (from the spiritual rank) to be the elders, that is, to be the chief and watchman. Let the ignorant not mock the holy icons, Christ and His Mother of God, and His saints, with thin and absurd writings: and let all unrighteous wisdom cease, which is in the habit of everyone writing untestimonials: that is, the image of the Lord of Hosts in various forms [...].
We command now from the Lord of Hosts not to paint the image in the future: in absurd and indecent visions before the Lord of Hosts (that is, the Father), no one has ever been seen in the flesh. Just as Christ is seen in the flesh, so he is depicted, that is, imagined according to the flesh: and not according to the Divinity: the likeness of the Most Holy Theotokos, and other saints of God [...].
The Lord of hosts (that is, the Father) is gray-haired, and the Only Begotten Son is in His womb, to write on icons and a dove between them, it is very unbecoming and not proper to eat, before someone has seen the Father, according to the Divinity; The Father does not have flesh... For Christ Himself says in the Holy Gospel: no one knows the Father, only the Son. And Isaiah the prophet in chapter 40 says: to whom will you liken the Lord, and to whose likeness will you liken Him?.. Likeness and Saint Paul the Apostle...: for the generation of God is, we must not be without food, to be like the Godhead, gold, or silver, or stone and artistic design and human intelligence. John of Damascus also says: of whom, the invisible and incorporeal and not described and not imaged God, who can create an imitation; It would be extreme madness and wickedness to form a Deity. St. Gregory the Dvoeslov also forbids similarity...

And the Holy Spirit is not the being of a dove, but the being of God. And no one has seen God, as John the Theologian and Evangelist testifies, even in the Jordan at the holy Baptism of Christ, the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove; and for this reason, in that place it is appropriate to write the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. But in other places those who have reason do not depict the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. Zana appeared on Favorstei Mountain like a cloud and sometimes otherwise. Also, Hosts is not called exactly the Father, but the Holy Trinity. According to Dionysius the Areopagite, hosts are interpreted from the Jewish language, the Lord of hosts: behold, the Lord of hosts, the Holy Trinity is, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Moreover, even Daniel the prophet says: for I saw the old day sitting in judgment. And this is not, of course, about the Father, but about the Son, who at His Second Coming will judge every tongue with a terrible judgment.

They also write in the icons of the Holy Annunciation of Hosts, Who breathes from the mouth, and that breath goes into the womb of the Most Holy Theotokos: and someone saw it, or some Holy Scripture testifies about this, and where did it come from; It is clear that this is the custom, and something similar, from some wise people, or even more so from the words of the wise and the foolish, is accepted as a custom. For this reason, we command that from now on, let that vanity and placeless writing cease. Exactly in the Apocalypse of St. John, out of necessity, the Father is written with gray hair, for the sake of the visions there.”

Note that the only permission to write the image of the Father and the Spirit was made:
A) The image of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove is only for scenes of the Baptism of Christ.
B) Leave the image of God the Father only for depicting scenes of the Apocalypse, “for the sake of the visions there.”

In the Russian Church, therefore, this issue was put to rest. But the debate about the possibility of painting such icons did not subside. Another 100 years later, a similar ban was adopted in Greece.
The Holy Synod of the Church of Constantinople in 1776 “conciliarly decided that this supposed icon of the Holy Trinity (that is, the “New Testament Trinity”) is an innovation, alien and not accepted by the Apostolic, Catholic, Orthodox Church. It penetrated into the Orthodox Church from the Latins.”

The last question we need to ask is: what to do with such icons, which can be found even on the shelves of church shops?

An Orthodox Christian should not have such icons in his prayer corner.
As we know, every icon needs consecration. There is a rite of consecration of the icon of the Holy Trinity. However, this rite specifically states which icons of the Trinity can be consecrated. This is an icon depicting the appearance of the Three Angels to Abraham, and three icons that tell about the appearance of the Trinity in the New Testament: the icons of Baptism, Transfiguration and Pentecost.
An icon of a prohibited type, therefore, cannot even be consecrated.

The image of “Trinity” by Andrei Rublev is the most famous and mysterious image of God in the history of Orthodox iconography. Who, besides St. Andrew, was involved in the creation of the icon? What do the symbols behind the angels and the little window in the throne mean? For whom is the fourth place behind the throne reserved, and how can one “communicate” with this icon? The head of the department of Christian culture at the Biblical and Theological Institute of St. tells readers of Thomas about the mysteries of the Trinity. Apostle Andrei (BBI) and teacher of Kolomna Theological Seminary, Irina Konstantinovna Yazykova.

How did you first become acquainted with Rublev’s “Trinity”? Maybe you still have impressions and feelings from this meeting in your memory?

I met Trinity when I was a student. I graduated from Moscow State University, where I studied art history. From the very beginning, I knew that I wanted to specialize in icon painting. My grandmother was a believer, so in general, icons attracted me from childhood as a window into a mysterious world. I felt some mystery behind them. Of course, the university gave me the opportunity to understand this professionally, but the phenomenon of the icon itself, as a window into the divine world, remained closed to me, despite the entire complex of my scientific knowledge.

The Trinity icon is one of the most mysterious. It is difficult for me to capture any specific moment of the “meeting”. However, when I began to study the theology of the icon, and I was always interested not only in the artistic side, but also in the theological meaning hidden in the image, then the “Trinity” was, of course, the center of my attention. I discovered a whole theological treasure in this image, I saw in it a prayer embodied in colors, a whole theological treatise on the Holy Trinity. No one, perhaps, spoke more deeply about the mystery of the Divine Trinity as Andrei Rublev “said.”

It is known that icon painting is a cathedral art. We love to repeat this beautiful phrase, but what does it mean? Rublev's "Trinity" best reveals its meaning. The chronicle says that in “the memory and praise of St. Sergius” - I quote the text almost literally - “... hegumen Nikon of Radonezh ordered the image of the “Trinity” to be painted by Andrei Rublev.” So three people directly participated in the creation of this icon.

First it is necessary to mention St. Sergius of Radonezh, who by the time the icon was painted had already died. But during his lifetime he created a teaching about the Holy Trinity that was special in its depth, not different from the church doctrine, of course, but deeply understood. On it, on its mystical experience, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra was founded. The chronicle and life of the saint brought to us the main testament of St. Sergius: “By looking at the Holy Trinity, conquer the hated discord of this world.” We remember when this icon was created - during the years of the Tatar-Mongol yoke, “pacification,” as chroniclers wrote then, when hatred reigned between people, princes betrayed and killed each other. It was in these terrible days that St. Sergius put the Holy Trinity at the forefront, as an image of love, which alone can defeat the enmity of this world.

The second person was Nikon of Radonezh. A disciple of St. Sergius, who became abbot of the Trinity Monastery after his death. He built the Trinity Cathedral, where he transferred the relics of St. Sergius. Nikon decided to perpetuate the name of his teacher not through his icon, but through the image of the Holy Trinity. What Sergius of Radonezh taught, what he addressed, and in the image of which he founded his monastery, should have been embodied in the icon.

The third figure was the Venerable Andrei Rublev himself, who, as an artist, fulfilled the behest of Sergius of Radonezh. His image of the “Trinity” is a teaching about love, about the depth of unity of spirit and harmony, written down in colors.

And when I began to understand how this icon was painted, what meanings it contained, a whole world opened up for me. We are not able to comprehend Christian dogmas with our minds; we cannot describe how the Holy Trinity works - this is a great mystery. But Andrei Rublev revealed this secret for me personally. This is a “conversation of Angels” who listen to each other, sit at the same table around a bowl, which is blessed by an Angel in the middle... Every gesture, turn of the head, every detail is verified, extremely deep. The Trinity icon makes it possible to stand before God himself, to see the invisible, even if it eludes our mind.

Any person who comes to this icon may not solve his everyday problems, but something greater than himself will be revealed to him, instilling peace, harmony, and love.

Therefore, I cannot point to any specific moment in my communication with Rublev’s Trinity. This accompanies me almost my entire adult life. Studying iconography and the theology of icons, I constantly discover something new in this icon.

What new has appeared in this particular image of the Holy Trinity that was not there before? What was the “breakthrough” of this icon and why was it destined to become canonical? After all, this image has become the property not only of Russian theological tradition and culture, but also of world art. What does this discovery mean?

The novelty of the icon lies primarily in the fact that Rublev focused all his attention on the three Angels. Before him, they mainly depicted the “hospitality of Abraham” - the plot of the 18th chapter of the book of Genesis, when three Angels came to Abraham’s house. “He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood against him. When he saw it, he ran towards them from the entrance of the tent and bowed down to the ground...” (Genesis 18:2). Based on the narrative of this chapter, it becomes clear that God himself appeared to Abraham. Although there is no unity either among the holy fathers or among icon painters in the interpretation of this plot. Someone claimed that the Holy Trinity then appeared before Abraham. And the icon painters depicted three Angels in identical clothes, indicating their unity and equality to each other. Other theologians spoke of the appearance of God accompanied by two angels. Then one of them was depicted in the robes of Christ.

Andrei Rublev, eliminating the everyday details of the plot - Sarah and Abraham, the servant who slaughters the calf, that is, everything that icon painters wrote before him - introduces us to direct contemplation of the mystery of the Trinity itself. In general, this icon is interesting because it is multifaceted - it can be read in different ways several times: and as the appearance of Christ - because the middle Angel is depicted in the clothes of the Savior. It can also be read as an image of the Trinity - all three Angels are written with almost identical faces. But this is not an illustration of God. This icon, as in a theological treatise, reveals what the holy fathers called the “Trinity in Unity” - one God in three Persons or Hypostases. The image also reflects the liturgical aspect. The silhouettes of two Angels sitting on the sides form a bowl. And on the throne in the middle there is a cup - a symbol of the Eucharist, the Sacrifice of Christ.

There is another interesting detail on the icon. If you look closely at the throne, you can see a window in it. You know, when you take a tour of the Tretyakov Gallery, its culmination is the Rublevsky Hall, the heart of which is “Trinity”. In general, this room clearly demonstrates how iconography rises in a spiritual sense higher and higher until it reaches its peak in the icon of Rublev, and then, unfortunately, a gradual decline begins. So usually people, looking at this image, ask: “What is this window?” It is not accidental. I must warn you right away - an incredible amount of literature has been written about the “Trinity”, which presents a wide variety of comments and interpretations. So, one of the researchers writes the following about this window. In any altar that is located in the altar of the temple, there are always the relics of saints. But they are not in the throne on the icon. There is the Sacrifice of Christ, which is symbolically depicted in the form of a cup that stands on the throne, but there is no human response to the height of this sacrifice. What kind of answer is this? This is the feat of martyrs, saints, saints - all saints. Therefore, this window seems to convey God’s question: “What will you answer to the sacrifice of Christ’s love?” I really like this interpretation. I think Andrei Rublev could think like that.

Another symbolic layer is associated with the images that stand behind each of the Angels. Behind the middle Angel is a tree. This is the tree of life, which, as the Holy Scripture says, the Lord planted in Paradise. Behind the Angel to our left are chambers, a symbol of divine economy, an image of the Church. Behind the Angel on the right - usually associated with the Holy Spirit - is a mountain. It symbolizes the ascent to the heavenly (spiritual) world. These symbols are directly tied to the Angels and are more rich in meaning than in any other icons.

Icons in general always contain these three symbols: inanimate nature (mountains), living nature (trees) and architecture. But in the Trinity they are directly tied to each Angel. Andrei Rublev clearly wanted to reveal in this way the relationships of the Angels and the characteristics of each of them.

- Is there a single interpretation of which of the Angels symbolizes God the Father, which God the Son and the Holy Spirit?

This question - extremely difficult for researchers - is asked often. They answer it differently. Someone says that Christ is depicted in the center, to the right of Him is the Father, and to the left is the Holy Spirit. There is an interpretation that the Father is in the center, but since we cannot see him directly, then, relying on the words of the Savior “whoever saw Me, saw the Father,” He is depicted in the robes of Christ, and the Son sits to the right of Him. There are a lot of interpretations.

But this may not be the most important thing, oddly enough, in this icon. The Council of the Hundred Heads (1551) approved the icon of Andrei Rublev as canonical, emphasizing that this is not an image of Divine Persons, but an image of the Divine Trinity. Therefore, the Council forbade the inscription of Angels, thus cutting off any possibility of definitively indicating who is who. Also for this image it was forbidden to depict the so-called “baptized halo” - an iconographic device that points to Christ.

It is interesting that Rublev’s “Trinity” has another name - “The Eternal Council”. It reveals the other side of the icon. What is the “Eternal Council”? This is a mysterious communication within the Holy Trinity about the salvation of mankind - God the Father, with the voluntary consent of God the Son, sends Him into the world for the salvation of people.

Do you see how many theological layers are hidden in the icon? This image is a most complex theological text. The icon itself is closer to a book than to a painting. It does not illustrate, but symbolically points to something hidden and secret.

However, the artistic aspect of this icon is incredibly high. It is no coincidence that “Trinity” is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of world art. At the beginning of the 20th century, restorer Vasily Guryanov found a way to remove the layer of drying oil from darkened icons. In 1904, he cleared a small fragment of the image of clothing on the Trinity, and everyone saw Rublev’s amazing, piercing blue color. People gasped, and an army of pilgrims rushed to the icon. The monks were afraid that the ancient image could be spoiled, they covered the icon with a frame and prohibited further work with it. The process that began then was completed only in 1918, unfortunately, when the Lavra was already closed. At that time, a very good restoration team worked there under the leadership of Igor Emmanuilovich Grabar. When they opened the icon completely, they saw amazing, simply heavenly colors: piercing blue, gold and dark red, almost cherry. In some places there was still a pinkish tint, and greenery appeared on the clothes. These are the colors of Paradise. The icon, through its artistic perfection, reveals Eden to us. What is Paradise? This is the existence of the Holy Trinity, God. Where is the Lord calling us? Not to spiritual comfort, but to a place where there will be unity between man and God. Just look at the icon: three Angels are sitting. They occupy three sides of the quadrangular throne, but the fourth side is free... It seems to attract us. This is both a place left for Abraham, who was then visited by the Holy Trinity, and a place left for each of us.

- And the one who approaches the icon seems to become the fourth?

Yes. The icon, as it were, includes its beholder. By the way, this icon is the easiest way to demonstrate the famous iconographic principle of reverse perspective. If you extend the lines of the foot of the throne, then they come down where the person stands. And inside the icon itself, these lines diverge, opening eternity before our eyes.

Now do you understand why this icon stands apart among the greatest masterpieces of ancient Russian painting? Everything is concentrated in it: theological depth, artistic perfection, and focus on man - a dialogue with him. After all, icons are different: there are very closed ones that are difficult to approach, and there are icons that, on the contrary, attract: Rublev painted the icon “The Savior of Zvenigorod” - it is impossible to tear yourself away from him. I would stand all my life and look at Him. But the “Trinity” is the golden mean of harmony and perfection.

Can professional researchers tell us something about the very process of painting this icon? Perhaps we know how Rublev prepared for it, how he fasted, what happened to himself while he was writing it?

Medieval documents hardly talk about this. There is only a mention of the customer (Reverend Nikon of Radonezh) and that’s all. Nothing more is said about this icon, but we can indirectly reconstruct something. For example, it is known that Rublev was a monk. This means he led a life of prayer. Maybe he even took some kind of vow before starting to write “The Trinity,” but we cannot say anything for sure. Medieval chronicles and documents of that era are extremely stingy with such information. This began to interest people already in modern times.

Rublev was from the galaxy of disciples of St. Sergius. And it is known about them that they were real ascetics, which means with a high degree of probability we can say that Rublev was the same. Documents from those times mention many different icon painters. Everyone knows Theophanes the Greek - by the way, he worked together with Andrei Rublev in the Annunciation Cathedral. Someone may remember Daniil Cherny, with whom Rublev worked in Vladimir. There are also lesser-known names: Isaiah Grechin, Prokhor from Gorodets. However, it was Andrei Rublev who was chosen to paint such an important icon. Such a complex topic could only be entrusted to a person who was congenial with it. Only he can understand its depth and depict it.

But that, unfortunately, is all we can say.

- It turns out that the image of Rublev in Tarkovsky’s film is, for the most part, his personal director’s view?

Certainly. Tarkovsky's film is very good, but it rather tells about a man who finds himself in a very difficult era. In my opinion, the question of the film is this: how can a Christian, especially a monk, survive in the cauldron of terrible history, where people kill each other, burn cities, where ruin, dirt, and poverty are everywhere? And suddenly - “if only you knew from what rubbish poetry grows!” That is, from what terrible dirt, from the deepest human tragedy, great works of art grow. It is clear that Tarkovsky did not intend to create a real, historical image of Rublev. He is more interested in an artist who confronts evil with the depth of art, who testifies that there is something else in the world that stands above its horror. Therefore, this film should first of all be considered not as a strict historical picture, but as an attempt by one artist to understand another. Military exploits have no meaning if behind them there is no purification of the human soul. Therefore, St. Sergius began not with politics, not with war, but with the purification and education of people. And in this sense, the icon is an important artifact that confronts the darkness of the era. The very fact of writing it is a feat.

- Father Pavel Florensky in his book “Iconostasis” has an interesting idea that Rublev’s “Trinity” is the only, most convincing proof of the existence of God.

Yes. He said even more deeply: “If there is Rublev’s “Trinity,” it means there is God.”

- How to understand this phrase?

For a modern person this sounds strange, but looking at this icon, we understand that this is a Revelation that exceeds all our ideas. This cannot be imagined. This is not fantasy. This means that behind this image there is some other reality - divine. A person who lives by faith in God, who painted such an icon, could not devote his entire life to hallucinations.

There is one interesting remark in the life of Andrei Rublev. When he and Daniil Cherny worked together, they sat for a long time and simply contemplated the icons. They did not write, did not pray, but simply looked, as if standing in front of the icons, feeding on them. They wanted to hear the voice of God, to see divine images, which they could then embody in colors. Of course, Father Pavel Florensky, through this thought, pointed out that behind the “Trinity” a self-sufficient reality opens. A person cannot come up with it.

Why is it that for five hundred years Andrei Rublev has not been mentioned anywhere in the calendar, and he was officially canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church only at the end of the last century?

To be more precise, in 1988, at the Local Council in connection with the millennium of the Baptism of Rus'. In fact, Andrei Rublev has always been revered as a saint in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Even icons have been preserved where he is depicted among other Lavra saints. The monks of the Lavra always understood that he was a saint. There was even a 17th century legend about the great icon painter saints where his name is mentioned. In ancient times, before the so-called Makariev Councils of the 16th century, there was no recorded list of saints. There were a lot of locally revered people who were known in one city but not in another. Then Metropolitan Macarius tried to collect all the revered saints and include them in one list.

The holiness of Andrei Rublev was already obvious to his contemporaries. But why he was officially canonized only in the 20th century is understandable. The 1988 Council canonized those who were already revered by the faithful. The Council only seemed to recognize their holiness officially. It was a kind of “pre-canonization”. Just look who was glorified along with Andrei Rublev: Elizaveta Fedorovna, Ksenia of Petersburg, Ambrose Optinsky, Ignatius Brianchaninov. That is, the Council simply stated their veneration and included them in the “saints”.

Turning to the history of the Trinity icon itself, do you know about the meetings of very famous people with this icon? Maybe they left their impressions and experiences from her? Maybe there is some important historical event that was associated with this image? It can be said to lie in the heart of our culture - I would like to believe in it, at least...

Of course have. I read poems that were dedicated to this image. One cannot, of course, help but recall Tarkovsky. When he conceived his film “Andrei Rublev,” he admitted that he had very vague ideas about it. The staff of the Andrei Rublev Museum told me that one day he came to them and simply began to consult with them, as if they were experts in ancient Russian art and that era in general. At that time, a copy of “The Trinity” was exhibited in the museum. He stood for a long time, contemplating her. After this meeting, he experienced an internal spiritual turn, without which he would not have been able to create a film of such a level.

The story of the discovery of the icon at the beginning of the 20th century, which I mentioned, is also very typical. People rushed to look at the emerging beauty that shone from under this black mass. Just imagine: in front of you is a darkened icon - and suddenly a small piece opens and the blue sky seems to peek out from there.

There is another very interesting case. It is known that Protestants in general have a very negative attitude towards icons. They think it's idolatry and so on. But back in the 90s. I was given a book by a Protestant German pastor who, after seeing the Trinity, changed his attitude towards icons. He even wrote an entire book in which he tried to unravel this image, giving his interpretation. He realized that this was not an idol, that behind the icons there really was a different reality hidden. The man is not just a believer, but a theologian, a pastor who stands deeply in his position, and after meeting the “Trinity” he changed.

I know that in Soviet times this icon and many others brought people to God. The church was silent then. Many temples were closed. Where could a person hear a living word about Christ, about the Church? People began to become interested in the icon, including the “Trinity,” and then they picked up the Holy Scriptures and other books and came to Church. I personally know several people who, after meeting the image of Rublev, came to believe in Soviet times.

I remember once on Pentecost I came to the temple in the evening. In the center, on the lectern, lay the Trinity icon, naturally a copy of Rublev. And it was then that I remembered this meeting with her forever. There was a feeling that I was standing and there was an abyss in front of me. I didn’t know where to go, what to do with this abyss. Nothing could be done. Just standing on the very edge... It was as if for one moment I was illuminated by divine lightning. Perhaps you also have your own personal experience of meeting, the experience of touching this icon, not as a professional, but as a believer?

How can I tell you? This is not an accident... rather, the experience of experiencing this icon is very personal. Sometimes I write poetry. I heard the music and wrote about “Trinity”. It's like she... sounds. Through these colors I heard music, which became my poem.

The icon "Old Testament Trinity" was painted by the great Russian icon painter, the venerable one. It depicts three angels who, according to the biblical book of Genesis, appeared to the forefather Abraham, taking the form of wanderers. This was the first revelation to believers about the unity of God in three persons.

Unlike earlier icon painters, Rublev did not depict Abraham’s meeting of tired travelers near his home, as described in the Bible. His icon is “theology in color,” revealing the meaning of the Orthodox teaching about the Trinity. We see only three angels at a meal; on the table there is a single cup symbolizing Holy Communion. The basis of the composition is a circle in which the figures of angels seem to be inscribed; this gives the image the character of grace-filled peace in which God dwells. The poses and faces of the angels reflect the perfect love that binds the faces of the Holy Trinity.

Before the October Revolution, the icon was in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, then it came into the possession of the Commission for the Discovery of Ancient Painting and was restored in 1918-1919. Since 1929 in the State Tretyakov Gallery.

Interesting facts about the Trinity icon by Andrei Rublev

The angels on Rublev’s icon represent the persons of the Holy Trinity. The house in the background, located behind the figure of the left angel, indicates God the Father - the creator of heaven and earth. The middle angel is dressed in a cherry tunic and a blue cloak, in which Christ is traditionally depicted. The right angel is painted against the background of a mountain, symbolizing spiritual ascent and enlightenment by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Rublev's Trinity, soon after its writing, began to be considered a model for other icon painters. At the Council of the Stoglavy, an order was adopted to paint the Holy Trinity “as the Greek icon painters wrote and as Andrei Rublev wrote,” without introducing anything from himself.

Under Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible, the icon was decorated with a gold frame with precious stones, which hid it almost completely: only the hands and faces remained open. The world saw the “Trinity” without the chasuble only in 1904, when it was taken out of its frame for another restoration and photographed. But after that they were placed on salary again - until 1918. Under the frame, the icon quickly darkened and lost the pure and light colors of the original, which were completely restored only during the restoration of 1918.

Until 1918, the icon was renewed several times: under Boris Godunov, in 1635, in 1777, twice in the 19th century and in 1904. The icon was covered with drying oil, and the contours were painted on top, neglecting the details, sometimes even in a different iconographic manner. In order to restore the “Trinity” to its original form, craftsmen under the leadership of the famous restorer Igor Grabar had to remove many layers of drying oil and paint.

Any church holiday is, if you like, a multi-layered pie with a wide variety of fillings. There are all flavor combinations here - from classic to original.

So the holiday of Trinity fits perfectly into these patterns. Church canons, biblical stories and, of course, folk traditions - all this is imprinted in cultural memory.

And also on the canvases of immortal paintings that have survived to this day. Famous photos of the Trinity, legendary icons, masterpieces of world painting - all this can be seen right now.

Who doesn't know the icon of the Holy Trinity? Andrei Rublev immediately comes to mind, although, of course, there are other iconic images.

Here, for example, is the Zyryan icon of the Trinity. It was created back in the 14th century by Komi-Zyryan craftsmen. And the inscriptions on the canvas are made in the ancient Perm language. The photo of the icon shows that a plant is depicted on top of the Holy Trinity - this is a symbol of the oak of Abraham.

And what does oak have to do with it? This is discussed in detail in the next section.

Old Testament Trinity 16th century

It is interesting that the first symbolic meeting with the Trinity is described in the Old Testament, many centuries before the appearance of Christ and the Holy Spirit on earth.

Everyone knows Abraham, the ancestor of the Israeli people. His wife Sarah could not conceive for a long time, although God promised Abraham a huge offspring. This paradox was easily resolved thanks to a miracle: a 90-year-old woman became pregnant by a 100-year-old man, and the family finally had their first child.

And exactly a year before this event, three very unusual travelers came to Abraham. The owner received them very hospitably, although for a long time he did not realize that they were messengers of God.

Everything went according to classical canons - the guests were enjoying the meal, when suddenly one of them said that in a year Abraham would have a son. It was hard to believe, and Sarah, who unwittingly overheard the conversation, even grinned. However, in the end everything happened exactly as the envoys said.

It is believed that these were three angels who were a prototype of the triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These legendary events took place in a sacred oak grove called Mamre.

That is why many icons of the Holy Trinity always depict an oak branch.

On the left and right, as you might guess, are Abraham and Sarah. They were called to serve the Lord, because he performed a great miracle for them - at such a respectable age, the couple had their first (and only) son. And in the center of the canvas we see the image of the triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

If we talk about who is depicted in this icon of the Holy Trinity, then everything corresponds to the church canons: on the left is God the Father (first hypostasis), in the center is God the Son (second hypostasis) and on the right is God the Holy Spirit (third hypostasis).

Old Testament Trinity 16-17 centuries.

Such icons are called Old Testament icons. The images were created by masters in the 16th and 17th centuries. Here, for example, is the creation of icon painter Simon Ushakov, dated 1671. Nowadays the painting is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Icon "Trinity" by Simon Ushakov

It is not difficult to guess what is depicted on the icon of the Holy Trinity - this is the image of the triune God. Moreover, on the icon of Ushakov we see only three faces of the Lord, without other heroes.

Subsequently, this image was subjected to repeated creative rethinking, although the plot and forms remained the same.

Holy Trinity in existence

Since this story is described in the book of Genesis (chapter 18), below is a photo of the icon of the Holy Trinity in Genesis. This is a real canvas, which symbolically depicts an oak tree from the sacred place of Mamre, and the conversation of Abraham and Sarah at the table with the triune God.

But the meaning of this icon with the Trinity in existence is somewhat different. On the canvas we see that same promised son - a boy named Isaac. The Lord fulfilled his vow and performed a miracle.

And today it has not changed at all, which means that miracles happen in our century.

Old Testament Trinity with Walking

This icon with the Holy Trinity, the photo of which is shown below, has a similar meaning. Those legendary travelers obviously came from afar. And after meeting Abraham, they disappeared as quickly as they appeared.

This walk became a good sign, because exactly a year later the long-awaited heir actually appeared in the family. The Old Testament icon of the Trinity with walking (or in walking) conveys this joy well. Moreover, here the plot is complemented by how the son Isaac sacrifices a ram.

This image reflects the famous story of how Abraham nearly stabbed to death his own son, whom God required to be sacrificed. Abraham almost carried out this order, but an angel stopped him in time.

In this way, the Lord tested the loyalty of his servant - and the result was beyond all expectations. And then, as a sacrifice, they slaughtered the very ram on which the depicted Isaac sits.

Trinity Icon - 14th century

The same theme is developed by the icon of the Trinity, the photo of which looks like this.

The scene of the feast itself is well shown here: you can see with what reverence Abraham and Sarah serve the triune God. Today this 14th century creation is kept in the Hermitage.

Trinity of Andrey Rublev

So, it’s clear who is depicted in the Holy Trinity icon, but what does it mean? The answer can be found in the famous painting by Andrei Rublev, which is also known as “The Hospitality of Abraham” (15th century).

This is a classic image, the contemplation of which really makes you think about the eternal. If you look at the icon for a long time, you get the impression that the same face is drawn.

This has a deep meaning: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are the triune God. One is like three, and three is like one - here it is, the incomprehensible essence of the divine nature.

Trinity in frame (icon)

And this image is not even a picture, but a kind of golden case - a frame, under which the well-known icon of Andrei Rublev is hidden. It would seem, who and why needed to hide this work of art under a layer of gold?

The idea came to the mind of Ivan the Terrible, who did not want the shrine to be visible to the eyes of even his immediate circle. It is interesting that soon after the death of the tsar, his successor Boris Godunov ordered to cover the image with another layer of gold, as well as diamonds and sapphires.

It is symbolic that such a “case” lived for more than 4 centuries and largely preserved the classical image from the destructive effects of time. But nevertheless, the shrine itself turned out to be eternal, and not the golden layer.

In 1904, the sediment was removed by the restorer Vasily Guryanov, and then the very Trinity that many people know today, even those who are far from religion, appeared to the eyes of everyone.

Well, “life is short, art is eternal” (lat. “ Vita brevis, ars longa"), as the ancients said.

Holy Trinity - Titian

The Trinity plot was used to create both iconographic images and secular paintings, many of which were included in the golden collection of world painting.

This is one of the most unusual, pathetic images of the Trinity - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are seated in heaven, in their hands they hold symbols of power - a scepter and an orb. The painting was painted almost 500 years ago.

Trinity: Renaissance

This photo of the Holy Trinity Day icon looks very cozy thanks to the abundance of sand and amber colors. The image of the triune God is made quite symbolically: the Son talks with the Father, handing over the crown to him.

And somewhere in the distance, where God points with his finger, the Holy Spirit flies in the form of a dove. Angels in the sky, people on earth - a harmonious spectacle that puts you in a peaceful mood.

Non-canonical images of the Holy Trinity: Coronation of the Mother of God

In general, nothing is said about the coronation of the Virgin Mary, as well as Jesus or the Holy Spirit. However, Our Lady is recognized as a saint by all branches of the Christian religion. And according to the beliefs of believers, she, too, was ascended to heaven immediately after death.

It was then that her coronation took place. And this event is one way or another reflected in the church calendar. Orthodox Christians, for example, celebrate the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. This happens every year on August 28th according to a new style.

The plot of the coronation has been interpreted in different ways. For example, the canvas by Diego Velazquez depicts how Mary is crowned by the Father and the Son.

And Ridolfo Ghirlandaio depicted Christ himself crowning the Virgin Mary in heaven. And in honor of this event, the angels play solemn music.

Worship of the Holy Trinity

And this is no longer just a photo of the Holy Trinity, but a real panorama that, without exaggeration, you can look at for hours. The work of Albrecht Dürer, created by him in 1511, is today kept in the famous Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum.

In the main plan is the crucifixion of Christ. A little further is the Father, who, out of great mercy, himself gave the Son as a sacrifice for the salvation of all mankind. Even higher, in the heavens, the Holy Spirit hovers in the form of a dove. It evokes a feeling of serenity and freedom. There, in heaven, we can see numerous angels.

Well, a little lower on two tiers there are people who worship the Trinity. These are the saved souls who remained in heaven after the Last Judgment - now they will forever be blissful and glorify the triune God.

Fresco by Masaccio "Trinity"

But this fresco is almost 600 years old. It was painted by the famous Florentine artist Masaccio, who was given a very short life - the painter did not live to be 27 years old. However, this did not stop him from perpetuating his memory in the form of priceless masterpieces of world painting.

The fresco depicts Christ crucified, but unlike most such images, we see the Father supporting him in the background.

Icon of the Trinity by Hieronymus Cocido

The Trinity plot was often used by medieval and Renaissance masters to create magnificent paintings. They depicted the faces of the triune God, the crucifixion of Christ, and the service of Abraham to three angels.

These images, of course, do not belong to icons. Moreover, even among secular paintings they can be found much less often than, for example, the coronation of the Virgin Mary.

The tradition of painting three faces in one person was started by the late Renaissance master Hieronymus Cocido. Such pictures were intended to show the triune nature of God and, as it were, to explain to non-believers this most important position of the Christian faith.

However, this style never caught on. Of course, everyone has different tastes, but in this case you can feel a clear dissonance.

Thus, the question of which Saints are depicted on the icon of the Trinity is not entirely correct. After all, the canvases always depict God himself in his three faces - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And Abraham and Sarah are his faithful servants who remained devoted to the Lord to the end.

Therefore, the icon of the Holy Trinity is not only an image of the triune God, but also visible proof that the Almighty fulfills His promises, which means that all our bright desires will come true.