Icon of the Holy Trinity that tone. "Old Testament Trinity": description of the icon

Most believers choose shrines of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary for home veneration. However, in Christianity there are other relics designed to show the Orthodox the visible face of God, His amazing and powerful essence. It belongs to them. The meaning, what the image helps with - you can learn all this from our article.

Theological meaning of the relic - what does the “Holy Trinity” mean?

The dogma that the Lord is one in three persons is the essence of Orthodox teaching, but it is quite difficult to comprehend this position.

Often Christians limit themselves to recognizing such mysteries as incomprehensible, but this does not help cope with the inquisitiveness of the mind. And although faith is not expected to pose logical difficulties - it rather helps to understand what a person is doing in this world, why he came here and what is the purpose of all his actions - those who sincerely seek God try to answer such questions.

Anyone who has at least once tried to understand the surrounding universe, people and himself knows how many mysteries and secrets the Universe holds. This understatement is the bridge connecting the Creator and the world He created. And the more closely, carefully and attentively a Christian looks at such things, the more harmony, wisdom and beauty he will notice. Such patterns are too perfect to arise as a result of a simple coincidence of circumstances. Realizing this is the first step on the path to the Lord.

The Church Fathers believe that the two main properties of the Holy Trinity are completeness and love. Therefore, the Lord grants every Christian free will, without needing either his good deeds or the observance of rites and rituals. However, the Creator is able and willing to embrace the human race with His kindness and mercy - for this He sacrificed His Only Begotten Son. And, although people cannot offer anything to God, they are able to feel their involvement in Him, responding with the same love and devotion.

Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov claims that the dogma of the unity of the Creator is best understood through comparison with the human soul. So, looking at this photo - the image depicted on it is poured out of Polesie amber in accordance with all Orthodox canons - you can imagine God the Father as mind, God the Son as thought and word, and God the Holy Spirit as the human spirit. If mind, thoughts and spirit reside in people at the same time, then the three faces of the Lord can form one being without mixing with each other. And here is how St. sang the Creator. Ioannikis: “My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son, my protection is the Holy Spirit: Holy Trinity, glory to Thee!”

Icon “Holy Trinity” - what does it protect against?

This image is unique in its iconography and symbolism. It allows you to appeal to the Primary Source of all things, to the powerful and perfect God, whose love and mercy protect the believer from any troubles, problems and troubles. The relic bestows special grace on Christians, giving them strength to change spiritually, choose the righteous path, strengthen their faith, and get rid of doubts, temptations and anxieties. In addition, she reminds that every person carries a piece of the Lord's secret within himself - which means that he must be treated with love and respect. Understanding this is the main guarantee of the salvation of the soul, standing above any prayer exercises.

Before this image, both petitionary and thanksgiving prayers are offered. First, you should read an akathist dedicated to all three faces of the Creator, and then separate psalms and praises for God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Where to hang the Holy Trinity icon in the house? It is best to place it in the eastern (“red”) corner, opposite the front door. Then the first glance of every member of the household and guest will be turned to the divine faces, overshadowing Christians with their grace and protection. Another important nuance is that this relic is located above other works, even if it is the image of Jesus Christ. Thus you pay tribute to the power, incomprehensibility and omnipotence of the Lord. And when commemorating the shrine (it is celebrated on the Feast of Pentecost, on the 50th day after the Resurrection of the Son of God), it is decorated with green tree branches, flowers and aromatic herbs. This tradition symbolizes the new hope that has come to people with the Holy Spirit.

How does the icon of the Holy Trinity help? It is often used as a confessional - it is believed that such prayers are addressed to the Lord himself and are no less effective than those offered in the temple. In addition, the relic is called upon in the most hopeless, dramatic and difficult situations - it miraculously contributes to their resolution, saving people from any dangers, disasters and diseases. Therefore, a shrine made with love and care from natural solar gems will be an excellent gift for any Christian and a wonderful addition to your home iconostasis. And ours will help you buy it

Some time ago I was in the Moscow Tretyakov Gallery.
The hall I most desired to visit was hall Old Russian icon painting.

And so, leaving behind the classics, the Wanderers and abstractionists, I ended up in the coveted section of the Tretyakov Gallery. With an interest that seemed suspicious to the grandmother guards, so that just in case they did not move away from the panic button, I examined the magnificent Byzantine and Old Russian icons.

Consciousness sadly recorded: our parishioners do not understand and do not like the traditional canonical icon precisely because of the bad fakes “of the canonical icon” that often hang in our churches. Everything seems to be in place, but there is no life, internal energy, or fire in such an icon...

Whereas a real icon contains so many layers of meaning, such theology, such religious poetry...

A real icon simply fascinates, makes you stop and mentally touch the Mystery that it radiates.

However, now we won’t talk about icons at all.

I am interested in only one icon, namely icon of the Rev. Andrey Rublev "Trinity". This is one of the most beautiful icons created by man, and, according to a number of theologians and art historians, in general the most beautiful icon of all known to us.

Having stopped in front of her, I could not move away for fifteen minutes. He left, then returned and still stood and absorbed the radiance, peace, wisdom emanating from her. The icon was simply amazing. The faces are at the same time calm, at the same time thoughtful and tragic... Poses that express both the idea of ​​​​Divine power and hidden strength, as well as peace, the absolute consistency of all plans and actions between the characters. And what color is the icon! The icon is written on an almost white (slightly yellowish) background. This is the color of Divine radiance, the light of Tabor, the light of Divine presence. The paints were applied in layers: another was superimposed on one, and the next on top of it. Then again and again. With this technique, the master achieved that from under one layer of painting another would shine through and the icon acquired volume and became as if alive. And note how few unnecessary details there are... The icon is not overloaded even a milligram. I mean other Trinity icons of this type. They show Abraham meeting travelers, Sarah, a bull, and something else. Not so with Rublev. An absolute minimum of characters and items. Asceticism, forcing all attention to be focused on the figures that seem to float on it in calm, strength, love and harmony. (By the way, the figures are inscribed in an invisible circle, which subconsciously introduces us to some special rhythm and mode of perception of the icon.) And pay attention to the table in front of which the Angels are sitting. It looks like a coffin, the coffin in which Christ was laid after death . However, this coffin is filled with light. Why? It shines with the Easter light of the Resurrection.

And... however, let's stop.

This icon is truly a window into another world, from which something sparkled for us, sinners. And, having sparkled, it did not go out, but by the hand of the ascetic and prayer book Rev. Andrey turned out to be recorded and left to us.

Photography is allowed in the Tretyakov Gallery (without flash). This allowed me to take interesting pictures, which I have already shared with you. So today, in addition to several other photographs of icons, I am pleased to present you the Rublevsky icon of the Trinity in good resolution. In such a resolution that you can zoom in and see some details...

Today I want to talk to you about this wonderful icon. Let's try to unravel its main mystery, namely: let's try to determine Who is Who on the icon. After all, if the three depicted Angels show us the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, then Andrei knew which of the Angels he meant by the Father, which by the Son, which by the Holy Spirit, right?

…Once, when I was serving in the Kazan Cathedral of St. Petersburg, I witnessed an unusual dispute. There, a copy of Rublev’s “Trinity” hangs near the altar. And then one day a dispute broke out among the priests: which of the Angels depicted on the icon, according to Andrei Rublev’s plan, is the Father, which is the Son, and which is the Holy Spirit. We agreed that no one could say anything definitely about this. " Since Andrei Rublev did not write down who is who, he thereby gave a hint: any Angel can be interpreted as any of the Persons of the Holy Trinity" said one priest. After a pause, they agreed with him. What to do, there is no other answer...

Is there really no answer? Or do we just not know him?

But before we think about this, I would like to ask you to carefully look at the icon and think about this: Which of the Persons depicted on this icon is the Father? Who is the Son? Who is the Holy Spirit?

Now let's talk about it.

When I stood in front of the icon and thought about this, I was amazed at how the features of the Son were recognized by me in one Angel or another. What's the matter? Surely we cannot have two or three Sons of God?

The icons that depict the plot of the appearance of the Three Angels (and in fact, the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity) to Abraham were known both before Andrei Rublev and after. But inscriptions above the halos (that is, explanations of where the Father is, where the Son is, and where the Holy Spirit is) are extremely rare. These are isolated cases. Not a single real master has such an inscription, because it contradicts theology. As a revelation of the indescribable Trinity God, the appearance to Abraham can only be conveyed symbolically, in the form of three impersonal Angels.

At the Stoglav Moscow Council of 1551 this was confirmed by the following words: “ At the Holy Trinity they write crosshairs (in the halos): some for the middle one, and others for all three. And in ancient icons and in Greek they sign “Holy Trinity,” but no one writes crosshairs. And some sign the middle one “IC XC Holy Trinity.” So, we command: Painters should paint icons from ancient models, as Greek painters painted and as Andrei Rublev and others wrote, and sign “Holy Trinity.” And do nothing about your plan"(Russian translation)

Let me remind you that the crosshair is a “crossed halo”. It is written only on icons of Jesus Christ.

The Council document cited states that a cross halo can be painted either on the central Angel or on all three. That is, it turns out that Jesus Christ, in addition to Himself, reveals both the Father and the Spirit.
But it is impossible to indicate separately: Father or Spirit. The entire Mystery of the Persons of the Holy Trinity is revealed to us only by the Son - the Lord Jesus Christ.

All this is true, “...and yet in the Rublev icon these Persons, symbolized by the Angels, seem to strive for Their personal manifestation: Their images are not devoid of a certain, albeit “hidden”, concreteness in the expression of hypostatic relationships and therefore can be “defined” if not as an unambiguous religious “God-visionary” given, which, of course, is impossible, then at least as an artistic and symbolic given. Apophathically recognizing in general any conventionality of any image of the Holy Trinity, the human soul, so to speak, on a cataphatic level, still strives to at least touch – through the revelation of the “artistic vision of God” – the Divine-Personal mystery of the Trinitarian God...” ( diak. G. Malkov)

This is true. So I, standing in the Tretyakov Gallery in front of the icon of the Trinity, tried to guess: Which of these Angels, according to the plan of the Rev. Andrei Rublev, portrays the Father? Who is the Son? And Who is the Holy Spirit?

Briefly, the options for attempts at such identification of Persons (with an indication of supporters of certain options) can be presented as follows (specialists who carry out research on this issue, or authoritative theologians are listed):

1st option:to the left (from the viewer) is God the Son, in the center is God the Father, to the right is the Holy Spirit (This version was adhered to by: Yu.A. Olsufiev, V. Zander, who fully agreed with him, and D.V. Ainalov, towards the end of his scientific career, N.M. Tarabukin, P. Evdokimov, N.A. Demina, A. Vanzhe, G.I. Vzdornov);

2nd option: to the left (from the viewer) is God the Father, in the center is God the Son, to the right is the Holy Spirit (N. Malitsky, V.N. Lazarev, M.V. Alpatov, V.I. Antonova, monk-icon painter Gregory (Circle), L.A. Uspensky and V.N. Lossky, K. Onash, G. von Hebler, prot. A. Saltykov, E.S.

3rd option: on the left is God the Father, in the center is the Holy Spirit, on the right is God the Son (Archbishop Sergius (Golubtsov), L. Küppers, Archpriest I. Tsvetkov);

4th option: on the left is the Holy Spirit, in the center is God the Father, on the right is God the Son (Archbishop Sergius (Golubtsov), L. Muller).

The last two interpretations (3rd and 4th options) are extremely subjective and do not withstand serious criticism: behind them, in fact, there are no generally accepted traditions - neither theological nor iconographic.

In general, the question boils down to this (if you decide to ask it) - who is depicted St. Andrew (according to the icon painter’s plan) in the center of the icon: God the Father or God the Son?

By determining Who is in the center, we may have a clue as to Who is to the right and Who is to the left of the central figure.
The secret is that the ancient icon painters (Andrei Rublev and others), indeed, when depicting the Father or the Holy Spirit, depicted Them through the prism of the image of the Son of God.

We remember the famous words: “ No one has ever seen God; The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He revealed"(John 1:18). Or another thing: to the request of the Apostle Philip to show him the Father, Jesus replied: “ He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how do you say: show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in Me?"(John 14:9-10).

That is why the Angel who portrayed the Father was depicted with the features of the Son, the Son reveals the Father to us... So much for the ancient Russian darkness and simplicity, as we sometimes hear...

The Angel of Rublev’s “Trinity” to the right of the viewer is undoubtedly the Holy Spirit. Most icon researchers agree with this.

“In the center (and symbolically this is completely justified) the image of the Father is shown to us, but His image is artistically chastely “replaced” and represented by the “angel-like” image of the Son: therefore, the central Angel is depicted in the canonical robe of the Savior for icon painting - in a cherry tunic and a blue himation .

But at the same time this symbolically revealed Angel - as the Father Himself implied by the image of the Son - blesses the sacrificial cup of the Son with the Holy Lamb (for The Son is the Bringer and the Bringer"- in accordance with the words of the secret prayer of the Cherubic Song at the Liturgy of the Faithful). Moreover, this Angel is addressed, as it were, in a questioning and inviting manner to the Angel located on his right shoulder, that is, to the actual image of the Son, “co-throne” with the Father. And here it would be quite appropriate to remember the words of the Psalmist: “Sit at my right hand (that is, on the right) until I make Your enemies Your footstool.” (Ps. 109:1), or, for example, a kind of variation on the same theme by the Apostle Paul - his words about the Son, Who “sat down at the right hand of the throne” (Heb.1:3).

The Son is the Bringer and the Bringer. It is necessary to explain what these words mean. There were disputes in Byzantium: To which of the Persons of the Most Holy Trinity is the Eucharistic Sacrifice offered during the Liturgy? Is it only God the Father or, for example, also God the Son? The theologians answered this way: and to God the Son too. How so? Is He really sacrificing Himself? Yes. And this is exactly what the prayer read by the priest secretly while singing the Cherubic song speaks about: “Thou art the one who offers and the one who is offered...” That is, You are both the One who brings and the One to whom this Sacrifice is offered.

This left Angel, directly representing the Son, “before all ages” agrees in everything with the will of the Father (or rather, the entire Holy Trinity) about the need to sacrifice Himself for the fallen human race, restrainedly - reverently, cautiously and submissively - also blesses the redemptive Eucharistic cup, thereby expressing His readiness to suffer “for the life of the world”..." (Deacon G. Malkov)

This reflection alone on the mystery of the icon of the Holy Trinity reveals a huge layer of Orthodox theology:

A. Christ voluntarily sacrifices himself for the salvation of humanity.

B. He offers Himself to the whole Trinity and to Himself as the Second Person of the Holy Trinity.

IN. His Sacrifice is the fulfillment of the will of the Father. However, the Son Himself has power over His Life. As He said: " I have the power to lay down my life, and I have the power to take it up again.» (John 10:17–18). Thus, His sacrifice is a voluntary act. In this sense, we can say that He, together with the Father, blesses His own sacrificial death. ( In the icon we see that the Angel sitting to the left of the viewer, and we determined that this is the Son, folded the fingers of his right hand in a blessing gesture.)

What left (towards the viewer) Angel is the Son of God, can also be understood by His clothing, which is, in essence, scarlet, the clothing of a martyr. This scarlet glows with heavenly light, because He who suffered and died for us was also Risen and transformed.

G. The work of redemption accomplished by the Son is not just a particular fact of history - it is the work of fulfilling God’s Plan for the world, what the holy fathers, following St. Paul, called the Economy of our salvation. The fact that the Son fulfilled the work of God's economy is hinted at by the house located behind him.

Much more could be said, but let's end here. Look also at the beautiful icon of St. Andrei Rublev. Now you and I know which of the Angels in the icon represents the Father, which represents the Son and which represents the Holy Spirit.

Priest Konstantin Parkhomenko

One of the founding fathers of ancient philosophy, and with it the entire European civilization, the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle said: “Philosophy begins with wonder.” The same can be said about Christian dogma - it cannot but cause surprise. The worlds of Tolkien, Ende and Lewis with all their fabulous mysteries do not even touch the shadow of the mysterious and paradoxical world of Christian theology.

Christianity begins with the great mystery of the Most Holy Trinity - the mystery of God's Love, revealed in this one incomprehensible unity. V. Lossky wrote that in the Trinity we see the unity in which the Church abides. Just as the Persons of the Trinity remain unmerged, but constitute One, we are all gathered into the single Body of Christ - and this is not a metaphor, not a symbol, but the same reality as the reality of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist.

How to depict a mystery? Only through another secret. The joyful mystery of the Incarnation made it possible to depict the Indescribable. The icon is a symbolic text about God and holiness, revealed in time and space and abiding in eternity, just as the fairy-tale forest from Michael Ende’s “The NeverEnding Story”, created in the imagination of the protagonist, begins to exist without end and beginning.

We can comprehend this eternity thanks to one more mystery, far from the last in the world of Christian theology: God Himself enlightens every Christian, following the Apostles, by bestowing Himself - the Holy Spirit. We receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation, and He permeates the whole world, thanks to which this world exists.

So, the Holy Spirit reveals to us the mystery of the Trinity. And that is why we call the day of Pentecost - the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles - “The Day of the Holy Trinity”.

“The Hospitality of Abraham” - the plot of the icon of the Life-Giving Trinity

The indescribable can be depicted only to the extent that it has been revealed to us. On this basis, the Church does not allow the depiction of God the Father. And the most correct image of the Trinity is the iconographic canon “Hospitality of Abraham,” which sends the viewer to distant Old Testament times:

And the Lord appeared to him at the oak grove of Mamre, when he was sitting at the entrance to [his] tent, during the heat of the day.

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 to [his] 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 [on your way]; as you pass by your servant. They said: do as you say.

And Abraham hurried to Sarah’s tent and said to [her], “quickly knead three sati 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.

The story of a hospitable old man who recognized God in three men is in itself touching and instructive for any believer: if you serve your neighbor, you serve the Lord. We meet the image of this event very early.

Mosaic on the triumphal arch of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome created in the 5th century. The image is visually divided into two parts. At the top, Abraham runs out to meet three men (one of them is surrounded by radiance, symbolizing the glory of the Divine). In the lower part, the guests are already sitting at the set table, and Abraham is serving them. Sarah stands behind Abraham. The artist conveys the movement by depicting the old man twice: here he is giving instructions to his wife, and here he turns around to bring a new dish to the table.

By the 14th century, the canon “Hospitality of Abraham” was already fully formed. Icon "Trinity of Zyryansk", which, according to legend, belonged to the brush of St. Stefan of Perm is a slightly modified version of it. Three angels are seated at a table, a calf lies under it, and Abraham and Sarah stand at the bottom left. In the background there is a building with a turret (the house of Abraham) and a tree (the Oak of Mamre).

The images may change, but the set of symbols and characters remains the same: three angels, a couple serving them, below - a calf (sometimes with a youth slaughtering it), an oak tree, the chambers of Abraham. 1580, icon " Holy Trinity in existence”, surrounded by stamps depicting events associated with the apparitions of the Trinity. An interesting detail: Abraham and Sarah here not only serve at the table, but also sit at it. The icon is located in the Solvychegodsk Historical and Art Museum:

More typical, for example, is a 16th-century icon from the Trinity-Gerasimov Church in Vologda. Angels are in the center of the composition, followed by Abraham and Sarah.

The icon is considered the pinnacle of Russian icon painting Trinity, written by Rev. Andrei Rublev. Minimum symbols: three angels (Trinity), a cup (Atoning sacrifice), a table (the Lord's Table, the Eucharist), a reverse perspective - “expanding” from the viewer (the space of the icon, describing the heavenly world, is immeasurably larger than the world below). Among the recognizable realities - an oak tree (Mamre), a mountain (here is the sacrifice of Isaac, and Golgotha) and a building (Abraham's house? Church?..).

This image will become a classic image for the Russian icon, although some discrepancies in details are possible. For example, sometimes the middle angel has a cross on his halo - this is how Christ is depicted on icons.

Another example: Simon Ushakov depicts the meal in more detail.

The canon “Hospitality of Abraham” is optimal for depicting the Holy Trinity: it emphasizes the unity of essence (three angels) and the difference of hypostases (angels are present in the space of the icon “autonomously” from each other).

Therefore, a similar canon is used when depicting the appearance of the Trinity to saints. One of the most famous images is Appearance of the Holy Trinity to Saint Alexander of Svirsky:

Non-canonical images

However, there have been attempts to portray God in the Trinity in other ways.

It is extremely rare in Western European and Russian temple painting to come across an image used in the iconography of the Renaissance, where three faces are combined in one body. It did not take root in church painting because of its obvious heresy (mixing of Hypostases), and in secular painting because it was unaesthetic.

But the image " Trinity New Testament"occurs often, although it contains the other extreme - the division of the Essence of the Divine.

The most famous icon of this canon is “ Fatherland» Novgorod school (XIV century). The Father sits on the throne in the form of a gray-haired old man, on his knees is the Youth Jesus, holding a circle with the image of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. Around the throne are seraphim and cherubim, closer to the frame are saints.

No less common is the image of the New Testament Trinity in the form of the Elder-Father, on the right hand - Christ the King (or Christ holding the Cross), and in the middle - the Holy Spirit, also in the form of a dove.

How did the canon of the “New Testament Trinity” appear if the image of God the Father, Whom no one has seen, is prohibited by the council? The answer is simple: by mistake. The book of the prophet Daniel mentions the Old Denmi - God:

The Ancient of Days sat down; His robe was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. (Dan.7:9).

It was believed that Daniel saw the Father. In fact, the Apostle John saw Christ in exactly the same way:

I turned to see whose voice was speaking to me; and turning, he saw seven golden lampstands and, in the midst of the seven lampstands, one like the Son of Man, clothed in a robe and girded around the chest with a golden belt: His head and hair were as white as white wool, like snow...

(Rev.1:12-14).

The image of the “Old Day” exists on its own, but is an image of the Savior, not the Trinity. For example, on the fresco of Dionysius in the Ferapontov Monastery, a halo with a Cross, with which the Savior is always depicted, is clearly visible.

The Virgin Mary in images of the Trinity

Two more interesting images of the “New Testament Trinity” came from the Catholic Church. They are rarely used, but also deserve attention.

"Adoration of the Holy Trinity" by Albrecht Durer(the painting is kept in the Vienna Museum of Art History): at the top of the composition is the Father, below Him is Christ on the Cross, and above them is the Spirit as a dove. The Trinity is worshiped by the Heavenly Church (angels and all saints with the Mother of God) and the Earthly Church - the bearers of secular (emperor) and ecclesiastical (pope) power, priests and laity.

Image " Coronation of the Mother of God“is associated with the Mother of God dogmas of the Catholic Church, but due to the deep veneration of the Most Pure Virgin by all Christians, it also became widespread in Orthodoxy.

In the center of the composition is the Virgin Mary, the Father and the Son holding a crown over Her head, and a dove depicting the Holy Spirit hovers above them.

Icon of the Holy Trinity by Andrei Rublev and Fyodor Ushakov

The holy face plays a very important role for Christian believers, because this icon shows all of humanity what a strong connection can be when you really sincerely believe in it. This icon is found only in Orthodoxy. It depicts the three Holy Spirits, who are represented as three travelers who met Abraham.

This image was painted with one purpose, so that any Christian could clearly see Orthodoxy, which contains the three-solar world. Christian believers, looking at this icon, will be able to understand all the efforts and power of the Lord. After reading this article you will become familiar with: The meaning of the image, in what cases prayers are offered to it, in which churches it is kept, and so on.

The emergence of an icon

This icon is painted based on a plot taken from the Book of Genesis. In this sacred scripture, in the eighteenth section, the acquaintance of three travelers with Abraham, who personify the three natures of the Almighty, is described. At first, the main plot of this image was taken from stories taken from the book of Genesis, that is, travelers, Abraham and his wife and various images of their worldly life. It is thanks to this that the image received the second name “A warm welcome from Abraham.”

A few years later, incidents from reality on the icon began to be understood in a completely different way - allegories, in which the Holy Spirits (travelers) began to be revered as an image of the Triple Essence of the Almighty, and their meeting with Abraham entered Orthodoxy as the appearance of the Holy Trinity.
This became the basis for the creation of a couple of main variants of the image: In one of the variants of images, the three Holy Spirits are depicted as identical, and in the other, an angel stands out, which is depicted in the middle, he is depicted with a large halo on his head, or the symbol of God is written above him.

Before the miraculous image, confessional prayers can be said, because these prayers will be immediately heard by those to whom the person directly makes confession in the temple. In addition, believers turn to the icon when it is necessary to find a way out of difficult, tragic and serious situations.

How does the holy image help?

Prayers read before the icon can help a Christian believer find the true path, cope with various life obstacles, and much more;
the icon of the Holy Trinity will also help you see the much-needed light of faith, and will calm down unnecessary worries;
For believers who sincerely believe the miraculous face will help in solving various issues;
Among other things, near this icon you can receive forgiveness of sin or cleansing from negative energy, but only on the condition that the person asking prays from a pure heart and with sincere faith.

Miracles of the Trinity Icon

The divine image has been known since ancient times for its miraculous influence, which has historical confirmation, one of which is associated with the Russian ruler Ivan the Terrible:

On the eve of his departure to war with the Kazan kingdom, Ivan the Terrible went to the miraculous face, which was located in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. From the surviving evidence, it became known that Ivan the Terrible asked for a very long time and sincerely in prayer before the icon for the granting of protection and blessing for victory in a military campaign.

In that campaign, Ivan the Terrible actually won a victory, and when he returned home, the king again headed to the Lavra, where he spent a long time offering thanks in prayer to the Almighty for help and protection.

Where is the divine face placed?

As church ministers recommend, this icon must be hung in a certain place in the house, and you can place the shrine alone, or you can place it together with a whole red corner.
In the Christian faith, it is recommended to say a prayer while turning to the east, and based on this, the divine face in the apartment must be hung on the eastern wall. In addition, more space needs to be freed up in front of the icon. All this is explained by the feeling of complete comfort and immersion of the believer while reading a prayer in front of the miraculous icon, so that the person praying does not feel any inconvenience when communicating with the Lord.
It is also necessary to say that there is another place where you can place the shrine; it can be hung above your head by the bed. Thus, the divine face will become a heavenly intercessor for the believer.
But in most Christian homes, the shrine is located on the opposite wall of the entrance to the apartment in order to protect one’s home from various negativity. But the location of the icon in the house is not so important, because how often and how pure the thoughts of the person who turns to the Holy Face plays a big role.

You can not only place it on the wall, but also make a special shelf for the Shrine. When you have a couple of miraculous icons in the red corner of your home, in this case it is advised to place them a little higher than the other images. There is a legend that says that if holy images are placed in the right order, they can open a person’s path to the kindest and happiest future.

In which temples is the face kept?

The icon of the icon painter Andrei Rublev is kept in the city of Tolmachevo in the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker;
Another no less revered copy of the miraculous icon is kept in the Kremlin in the Patriarchal Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
Also in Ostankino there is the Cathedral of the Life-Giving Trinity, which houses the church’s holy face.

Days of veneration and holiday dates

Honoring in memory of the three Divine pilgrims (angels) occurs on the fiftieth day of the Ascension of Jesus Christ, and in Orthodoxy it is called “Pentecost”, an event that took place over twenty centuries ago. It was then, fifty days after the Resurrection of Christ, that the Holy Spirit appeared to the Apostles. And then the New Testament was created, which over time influenced the formation of the Christian faith.

Prayer before the icon

“Life-giving Trinity, the one-essential State, the Creator of all earthly miracles, we thank You for everything that You have sent down to sinners and despised us so far, we live in the world with faith, for everything that You give to each of us every single day, and for the fact that prepared for a bright future for everyone! For such blessings, for all miracles and values, we thank You not only in words, but also in deeds, who keep and fulfill Your covenants: we, however, will reject the Christian teaching from the countless sins and iniquities of those who lived in our youth. And for the sake of this, so that unworthy and sinners do not appear shamelessly before Your Most Holy Image, but not to desecrate Your Most Holy Name, which has prevailed over us, and even as You Yourself deigned, to our happiness, to announce how the pure and righteous are shown mercy, and the unworthy You have mercy on those who repent and accept them favorably. Hear, O Mighty and Holy Trinity, from your Holy Kingdom of Heaven us, unworthy, and accept our pious prayer, instead of good deeds; and send us a feeling of true repentance, and hating any sinful act, in truth and in faith, until the end of our worldly life, fulfilling Your holy command and glorifying Your most holy and magnificent name with good thoughts and good deeds. Amen."

12 biblical symbols encrypted in Andrei Rublev's "Trinity"

Improvisation is a risky business: they can even be accused of heresy. However, “Trinity” is a vivid example of a violation of church canons. Instead of the traditional multi-figure scene of a meal in Abraham's house, Andrei Rublev depicted a conversation between three angels about how to save the world. Now the icon is considered a masterpiece, and its author canonized

1 BOWL. This is the center of the composition - a symbol of the suffering of Christ, to which he will go to atone for the sins of mankind (the blood of Jesus crucified on the cross will be collected in the chalice). The contours of the figures of the side angels also form the outline of the bowl.
2 HEAD OF TAURUS. Symbol of the sacrifice of God the Son.
3 GOD THE FATHER. According to the German art critic Ludolf Müller, “The Father, as the “beginning and cause of everything,” as the first among equals, bears the signs of power: in addition to the central position, this is the purple color of his clothes and a gold stripe over his right shoulder.” Tilting his head towards the left angel, the Holy Spirit, God the Father seems to be asking the question that the prophet Isaiah heard in his revelation: “Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us [to make an atoning sacrifice]?” At the same time, he brings two fingers to the cup, folded in a sign of blessing.
4 AZURE CLOTHES. A symbol of the unearthly essence of God the Father (as well as the other persons of the Trinity).
5 SCEPTER. A symbol of power (everyone sitting at the table has it).
6 TREE. In traditional iconography, this was the Oak of Mamre, under which Abraham rested. In Rublev, the oak tree turns into the tree of life, which God planted in Eden.
7 GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT. In response to God the Father’s question, the Holy Spirit directs his gaze and raises his right hand towards the angel sitting opposite, that is, towards God the Son. It is both a gesture of blessing and a gesture of command. As Metropolitan Hilarion wrote in his Confession of Faith (11th century), the Holy Spirit wants the Son to follow the path of suffering, and at the same time blesses this path.
8 SCARLET CLOTHES. This is an allusion to the biblical story, when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles in the form of tongues of fire.
9 BUILDING symbolizes the Christian church, called the house of the Holy Spirit.
10 GOD THE SON. His humbly lowered head and gaze directed at the sacrificial cup indicate his readiness to fulfill the assigned mission. The right hand of Christ is already raised to take the cup of suffering. “In the position of his legs,” says culturologist Vadim Lankin, “one can notice a hint of the dynamics of standing up: the cloak is gathered together, and its lower edge rises slightly, tucks up, revealing readiness to stand up and go out into the world.”
11 GREEN HIMATIA(a cape over a tunic) - a symbol of the earthly world where Christ will descend. The combination of azure and green in the clothes of God the Son symbolizes his dual nature: divine and human.
12 MOUNTAIN. This is a symbol of the redemption of the fallen world, a prototype of Golgotha, which Jesus is destined to ascend.

In the Old Testament there is a story about how the forefather Abraham received the Lord. In the midday heat, ninety-nine-year-old Abraham sat near his tent under the greenery of the Mamre oak grove. Suddenly he saw three travelers, whom he quickly recognized as the Almighty and two angels. The owner invited the wanderers to rest and refresh themselves. The servants washed the guests' feet, and Abraham's wife Sarah baked bread. The owner of the house himself chose the best calf and ordered it to be slaughtered. At the meal, the Lord predicted to Abraham that in a year he would have a son, from whom the Jewish people would come - “great and strong.”
In Christianity, this plot, called “Hospitality of Abraham,” was interpreted somewhat differently: not only the Lord Yahweh (Judaism does not know a trinitarian deity) appeared to Abraham, accompanied by two companions, but the entire Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit , - and not in the form of wanderers, but in the form of angels. Therefore, Christians also call the meal in the house of Abraham the “Old Testament Trinity.”

This plot was very popular among medieval icon painters: three angels, figures of Abraham and Sarah, a set table, a servant cutting a calf - in general, an illustration of the biblical text. At the beginning of the 15th century, Andrei Rublev also turned to the topic: he was asked to paint an image for the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery (the icon is currently kept in the Tretyakov Gallery). However, something completely special came out of the brush.
Rublev abandoned the depiction of everyday details and focused on the figures of angels, personifying the three divine faces. The artist depicted them talking: the world is mired in evil, who will we send to suffer in order to atone for human sins? This question is asked by the central angel (God the Father) to the left angel (the Holy Spirit). “I will go,” answers the right angel, Christ. This is how the scene of blessing for the atoning sacrifice for the sake of people unfolds before our eyes. St. Petersburg art historian Vladimir Frolov is sure that Rublev wanted to reveal the eternal law of the universe - the sacrifice of divine love. “The lack of additional details,” says the scientist, “reveals the intention and does not allow one to be distracted by the plot of the biblical event.”