The icon of the Holy Trinity is its purpose. Orthodox prayers to the Holy Trinity
Most believers choose shrines of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary for home veneration. However, in Christianity there are other relics, designed to reveal to the Orthodox the visible face of God, His amazing and powerful essence. It belongs to them. The meaning of what the image helps in - you can learn all this from our article.
Theological meaning of the relic - what does "Holy Trinity" mean?
The dogma that the Lord is one in three persons is the essence of Orthodox teaching, but it is rather difficult to comprehend this position. Often Christians limit themselves to recognizing such mysteries as incomprehensible, but this does not help to cope with the inquisitiveness of the mind. And although faith is not expected to have 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 keeps. This understatement is a bridge connecting the Creator and the world created by Him. And the closer, more carefully and attentively a Christian will look at such things, the more harmony, wisdom and beauty he will notice. Such regularities are too perfect to arise due to a simple coincidence of circumstances. Realizing this is the first step on the path to the Lord.
However, such insights are only the beginning of knowledge. Reading theological literature, listening to sermons, and, of course, contemplation of holy relics will allow you to move further. Through them, the masters convey to a person a part of heavenly existence, the postulate of unity and love, teach them to show moral firmness, spiritual stamina and moral purity. For example, having learned who is depicted on the icon of the Holy Trinity, you can delve deeper into the mystery of the Creed, feel joy, harmony and grace.
The Church Fathers believe that the two main properties of the Holy Trinity are fullness and love. Therefore, the Lord grants every Christian free will, not needing either his good deeds or the observance of rites and rituals. However, the Creator can and wants 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 asserts that the dogma of the unity of the Creator is best comprehended through comparison with the human soul. So, looking at this photo - captured on it, poured out of Polissya 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 the 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. But how he sang the Creator of St. Ioanniky: “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 from?
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 gives Christians special grace, giving them the strength to change spiritually, choose the righteous path, strengthen their faith, get rid of doubts, temptations and anxieties. In addition, she recalls that any person carries a piece of the Lord's mystery in 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.
Both pleading and thanksgiving prayers are offered before this image. 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 icon "Holy Trinity" in the house? It is best to place it in the eastern (“red”) corner, opposite the front door. Then the first glance of every household and guest will be turned to the divine faces, overshadowing Christians with their grace and patronage. Another important nuance is that this relic is located above other works, even if it is the image of Jesus Christ. So 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 fragrant herbs. This tradition symbolizes the new hope that descended on people with the Holy Spirit.
What helps the icon of the Holy Trinity? 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 invoked in the most hopeless, dramatic and difficult situations - it miraculously contributes to their resolution, saving people from any dangers, disasters and illnesses. Therefore, the 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 our
There are dozens of options that will paint on the boards one significant event - the meeting of three wanderers. The history of the shrine is painted in the 18th chapter of the Book of Genesis and transferred to icons with a symbolic meaning, either depicting scenes with Abraham and his wife, wanderers, or outlining the plot of the appearance of three angels before Abraham.
However, the most famous among all the icons is the icon of the Holy Trinity, representing the Trinity of the Lord, painted by Andrei Rublev.
History of the icon
According to historical research, the first mention of the icon of the Holy Trinity, painted by Andrey Rublev, dates back to 1551, when it was mentioned in an order in the Stoglavy Cathedral. There it was about a certain shrine of the Trinity (members of the Zemstvo church knew about it), which fully corresponded to the canons and could be taken as an example. In addition, information about the shrine is contained in another source, namely, in the “Legend of the Holy Icon Painters”, which refers to the request of Nikon of Radonezh, the second hegumen of the Trinity Monastery, to write the icon of the Trinity in praise of Father Sergei, however, this version raises some doubts, although and is considered generally accepted. In general, the icon of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit has only two possible dates of creation: 1411 and 1425-1427. The first date refers to the construction of a wooden church after the fire, and the second date to the construction of the Trinity Church from stone. Both numbers are based on the construction of cathedrals, so the question of the exact year of the creation of the icon remains open today.
This is where inaccuracies do not arise, so it is with the author of the icon of the Holy Trinity. They are definitely Andrey Rublev. Although once, after the icon was cleansed, some researchers doubted the authorship of the Russian icon painter, seeing Italian motifs in the shrine, but soon this assumption was debunked, and the influence of Byzantine painting turned out to be Italian motifs.
The meaning of the icon of the Holy Trinity
As mentioned earlier, the icon of the Holy Trinity has many symbolic images that form a general idea of the event, and also through the details reveal the power and significance of the shrine for believers.
The central subject of the composition is a bowl. It reflects the suffering, the torment of Jesus Christ, through which He is ready to go in the name of atonement for human sins. The red liquid that will be poured into the vessel marks the blood of God collected after the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross. But even while the cup is not empty, now it contains the head of a calf - the main symbol of sacrifice.
Three angels sit at the table in complete silence, holding a scepter in their hands, denoting power. Their heads are slightly tilted towards each other, and the contours of the figures resemble a key image. Each of them has its own symbol. God the Father in a purple robe in the center blesses, bending two fingers over the bowl. Behind Him grows the Mamvrian oak, which in Andrei Rublev acquires the meaning of the Eden tree of life. On the right side of God the Father sits the Holy Spirit, and behind Him is the Christian church, the so-called house of the Holy Spirit. With a gesture of the hand, He blesses and at the same time directs the Son in an imperative form on the path of suffering. God the Son sits opposite. His head is humbly bowed, and his gaze is full of readiness directed to the bowl. Behind Christ rises a mountain - a symbol of redemption, which He definitely climbs.
What helps the icon of the Holy Trinity
As for help, the icon of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit is powerful in instructing a person on the path of righteousness and in cleansing from sin. The shrine helps those who pray in a difficult period, inspires hope when it is necessary to overcome difficult life trials. The image of the three Saints supports during times of great excitement, experiences, and also helps in making important decisions.
Prayer icon
Similarly, the celebration of the icon of the Three Angels falls on "Pentecost" (the 50th day after the Resurrection of Christ), but believers can read the prayer every day.
Without the need, no one turns to the Saints, and blessing, because it is necessary, is also not worth it. The image of the Trinity will protect and help everyone who truly asks, one has only to say the words of a prayer in front of the icon of the Holy Trinity from a pure heart:
Most Holy Trinity, consubstantial Power, of all the good Wine that we will reward You for everything, even if You rewarded us sinners and unworthy people before, Than we were born into the world, for everything, even if You reward us for all days, and if You have prepared for all of us in the future ! It’s better, for a fraction of good deeds and generosity, to thank You not just words, but more than deeds, keeping and fulfilling Your commandments: we, however, will grow our and evil habits outwardly, into innumerable from youth we will cast down sins and iniquities. For this sake, as if unclean and defiled, not just before Your Trisagion face appear shamelessly, but below the name of Your Most Holy One, speak to us, otherwise You Yourself would deign, to our joy, to proclaim, as if pure and righteous, loving, and sinners repenting, merciful and graciously accept. Look down, O Most Divine Trinity, from the height of Thy Holy Glory on us sinners, and accept our good will, instead of good deeds; and give us the spirit of true repentance, and having hated every sin, in purity and truth, we will live until the end of our days, doing Thy most holy will and glorifying Thy sweetest and most magnificent name with pure thoughts and good deeds. Amen.
The plot of the “Holy Trinity” icon is based on the biblical story (Old Testament, Genesis, 18th chapter) about the appearance of God to the righteous forefather Abraham in the form of three wanderers:
“And the Lord appeared to him at the oaks of Mamre, when he was sitting at the entrance to his tent [his] during the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood before him. Seeing, he ran towards them from the entrance to the tent [his] and bowed to the ground, and said: Lord! 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 refresh your hearts; then go [on your way]; as you pass by your servant. They said: do as you say. And Abraham hastened<…>And he took butter, and milk, and a calf that had been cooked, and set it before them, and he himself stood beside them under a tree. And they ate."
After the meal, the wanderers predicted to the spouses that their dream would come true - they would have a son. Unable to believe this, the old people were embarrassed, but they heard the answer: “Is there anything difficult for the Lord?” A little later, Abraham receives an explanation: “And the Lord said: Will I hide from Abraham [My servant] what I want to do ! A great and strong people will definitely come from Abraham, and all the peoples of the earth will be blessed in him, for I chose him so that he would command his sons and his house after him to walk in the way of the Lord, doing justice and justice.
Many theologians were convinced that this passage in the Old Testament speaks of a prototype of the Most Holy and Consubstantial Trinity. Blessed Augustine (“On the City of God”, book 26) writes: “Abraham meets three, worships one. Seeing the three, he comprehended the mystery of the Trinity, and bowing as if to one, he confessed the One God in Three Persons. Abraham, going out to meet the three strangers, bows to them and addresses them with the word "Lord!" in the singular.
So the righteous Abraham and Sarah learned that they were visited by God himself in the form of a single inseparable Trinity. The depiction of this plot in iconography became known as the Old Testament Trinity.
About the icon "Holy Trinity" by Andrei Rublev
The icon painter Yury Kuznetsov took Rublev's Trinity as the basis for creating his Trinity in the school of Kuznetsov's writing. And how could it be otherwise - only this image, enclosed in a single circular composition, written in light, floating, airy, like a light fabric, tones to this day embodies the idea of the unity of the trinity, indivisible God's Being, where God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit - the three hypostases of God, inalienable and inseparable, represent the whole meaning and beauty of Christianity.
The bright personality of the icon painter of the 21st century, who performed this Most Pure, Most Holy image in unique, shining colors, does not contradict the silvery radiance of Rublev’s painting, but continues the tradition of the spiritual and philosophical idea of Andrei Rublev and his friend Daniil Cherny about light, about unity, about humility and peace within and outside of us...
The village of Radonezh is located near the town of Sergiev Posad, in the Soviet period - Zagorsk. Sergiev Posad grew up around the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, which, thanks to the efforts of Nikon of Radonezh, a friend and faithful disciple of St. Sergius of Radonezh, the ancestor of the monastery, has now become one of the largest territorial shrines of the Russian land, attracting not only pilgrims and visitors to contemplate and worship its iconographic and architectural treasures from Russia, but from all over the world.
And in the XIV-XV centuries, Radonezh arose over the river Pages - a small town in the inheritance of the Moscow princes. Now you can get to that place from the Semkhoz station of the Moscow Railway by bus or by bus - from the Sergiev Posad station. In the chronicle source of the 17th century, the sitriks found information about “Andrew of Radonezh, the icon painter nicknamed Rublev”, who painted the icon “Trinity” by order of the elder Nikon of Radonezh, with whom Andrei Rublev lived as a novice monk, perhaps even during the last years of his life and St. Sergius himself.
This icon glorified St. Sergius and became a milestone in the study of the entire heritage of Rublev and his friend Daniil Cherny, which was not limited to the Trinity. The murals of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir, the creation of the unique Zvenigorod tier of church painting, the design of the Khitrovo Gospel - provide us with significant information about the Rublev heritage.
Saint Nikon, who inherited the management of the monastery founded by St. Sergius, passed away in 1427, but since the icon, according to his command, should have been painted during his lifetime, the birth of the icon can be indicated by this time. The icon was painted for the Trinity Cathedral, arranged by Nikon in 1422 at the site where the relics of St. Sergius were found. But the lands of those places were bled dry by the invasion of Khan Edigey in 1408, and, to great sorrow, the monasteries had meager funds. Under these conditions, Nikon of Radonezh called for the decoration of the Trinity Cathedral erected on his orders - frescoes and icons - by icon painters Andrei Rublev and others, also, it is possible, his friend Daniil Cherny, who were at that time in Moscow, in the Andronikov Monastery, although regarding the latter certainly not known.
These were the years when Andrei Rublev was already in his advanced years. The great icon painter of Holy Russia was born around 1360, died in 1430, but his creative powers, by the grace of God, were so great that before he passed away, he, along with his old friend Daniel, had a chance after the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius laurels to create the icon-painting decoration of the Spassky Cathedral in the Andronikov Monastery.
Where did he draw such unique images, such tones, such compositions? Certainly - from the Primary Source, from the Holy Spirit, which guides the hand of any true icon painter, the creator of otherworldly images of the heavenly world, whose face illuminates and sanctifies our life in the world below? The Monk Joseph of Volokolamsk (September 9/22) in his descriptions testifies that Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny on Easter and on other days free from labor often stood before the icons for a long time in admiration and reverence, filled with the light that the saints incessantly shed on us faces. This quiet prayerful presence gave them both strength and was an endless source of inspiration.
The Rublyov style, which distinguishes his writing from all others, became the basis of the Zvenigorod rank. It bears signs of Byzantine art, originating in the Greek manner of Christian iconography and religious literary monuments of Byzantium, thanks to which the current Orthodox worship has developed. Combining with the worldview of the ancient Russian Slavic tradition, it gave a unique alloy from which all Russian iconography has grown, and in it - the Rublev school, which has no equal.
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Time passed, and most of Rublyov's creations were recorded in later iconography, but the glory of his name still flourished. The famous restorer V.P. Guryanov was the first to open the Trinity, freeing it from later recordings. It was kept in a salary, almost completely covering the image, and when it was removed, and then three layers of layers were removed, the last of which was the usual Palekh painting of the 18th century, the true revelation of Russian iconographic art that struck everyone was revealed to the eyes.
The icon was finally freed from renovations only in 1919. Then the “Trinity” by Andrei Rublev appeared in its initial appearance. From now on, the Moscow icon-painting school was determined by its artistic and iconographic features, where the original Slavic tradition of Russia was combined with the Christian culture of Byzantium, whose origins originate in the ancient Hellenic traditions associated with all the ancient art of the Oikoumene. "Trinity" by Andrei Rublev is kept in the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
Features of the iconography and symbolism of the "Trinity" by Andrei Rublev
The Monk Andrei Rublev in his icon "Holy Trinity" managed to achieve the highest degree of disclosure of the spiritual essence of the Holy Trinity, to embody the main dogma of Christianity. According to the theological tradition, the Trinity expresses the idea of God, whose essence is one, but being is a personal relationship of three hypostases. In Orthodox teaching, the Trinity is called Consubstantial, Indivisible, Life-Giving and Holy.
Previously, in trinity icons depicting a well-known Old Testament story from the book of Genesis, icon painters, as a rule, conveyed only a domestic scene: three angels visiting Abraham and Sarah are sitting at a laid table in the shade of a large oak tree. The icons depicted the figures of Abraham and Sarah, a boy slaughtering a calf, and various attributes of a meal. Such an image of this event was given the name "Hospitality of Abraham".
Unlike them, Andrei Rublev refused to go into details, and everything momentary disappeared from the icon, giving way to the eternal. The figures of Abraham and Sarah disappeared, the rich table setting was replaced by one bowl - a symbol of sacrifice. This is no longer a meal - the sacrament of the atoning sacrifice is performed before people. Of all the details in the upper part of the “Trinity”, there remained the house of Abraham in the form of a structure decorated with columns, a stocky Mamre oak that looked like a branch, and an overhanging rock - the designation of the desert from which the wanderers came.
The main part of the space of the icon is occupied by three angels sitting at the table. The consubstantiality on the Rublev icon is conveyed by the fact that the figures of the angels are written in exactly the same type, and they are all endowed with equal dignity. Each of the angels holds a rod in his hand - in commemoration of Divine power. But at the same time, the angels are not the same: they have different postures, different attire.
Quite naturally, the question arises: which Person of the Holy Trinity should be identified with which angel? Opinions are expressed very different. Here I would like to quote the words of Academician Boris Raushenbakh, a deep connoisseur of icon painting: “Undoubtedly, however, the problem of identifying angels and Persons is of secondary importance. After all, no matter how the question of the correspondence between angels and Persons is resolved, the Trinity continues to remain only the Trinity. Only the interpretation of gestures changes, but not the cardinal quality of the icon, which is natural to consider the completeness of the expression of the dogmatic doctrine of the Trinity.
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According to the first opinion, the central figure is identified with God the Father, on the right hand of Him, at the right hand (for us on the left), God the Son is placed (“And so the Lord, after talking with them, ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God” (Mark 16 :19)). Accordingly, the figure of the right angel is God the Holy Spirit. This interpretation shows the hierarchy of personal relationships within the Holy Trinity. From God the Father, God the Son is eternally born and God the Holy Spirit proceeds. The central place on the icon (conditionally the main one) is thus given to God the Father - "My Father is greater than I" (John 14:28).
The second view is based on the fact that God the Son is central to the salvation of the human race. Religion and each of its representatives are named after him. Accordingly, in this case, the Face of God the Son is assigned to the Face of the middle angel. Supporters of this opinion support their reasoning by interpreting the details depicted on the icon. Among them are the color and details of the clothes of the central angel, indicating that he is a messenger to save the world, the symbolic “Tree of Life” behind his back, the repetition of the contours of the sacrificial bowl formed by the silhouettes of the side angels, inside which is the middle angel, that is, God the Son - Jesus Christ. This interpretation was so widespread that some icon painters began to put an inscription over the head of the middle angel: IC XC (Jesus Christ) and a cross halo, which only the Savior can have.
God the Father, according to this point of view, is depicted on the left, in his appearance paternal authority is read. His head is not tilted, his gaze is turned to other angels. The other two angels bowed their heads to him in silent reverence. His direct gesture blessing the cup is authoritative, while the “reverse”, receiving gesture of the middle angel expresses obedience to the will of God the Father and readiness to sacrifice himself in the name of love for people. Chambers are depicted above the head of God the Father - a symbol of the universe built by the "Creator of heaven and earth." The third angel is depicted in a smoky green outer garment, emphasizing the hypostasis of the Holy Spirit, called the Life-Giving One. Since ancient times, church tradition has assigned the green color to the third hypostasis of the Holy Trinity. This color in icon-painting symbolism means eternal life, it is the color of hope, flowering, spiritual awakening. The mountain depicted above the third angel is a symbol of holiness, a symbol of the mountain world. Adherents of this view say that the angels are located on the icon in the order according to the Creed: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
The general meaning of the third point of view can be expressed by the decision of the Stoglavy Cathedral that the icons of the Holy Trinity should be painted according to the old Greek models and according to the model of Rublev, that is, without distinguishing hypostases, signing only the “Holy Trinity”.
At the Seventh Ecumenical Council, the right to depict the Savior Jesus Christ as God incarnate was approved on icons, and, consequently, the rule was approved about the impossibility of depicting God the Father as not incarnated and still invisible and indescribable. The fathers of the Stoglavy Cathedral, forbidding marking various hypostases on the icon of the Holy Trinity, wanted the icon of the Holy Trinity to be read as a single, common symbol of the entire Holy Trinity, keeping icon painters from violating the canon (the image of God the Father, which we cannot depict).
The composition of the icon by Andrei Rublev indicates the aspiration to the Eucharistic chalice, symbolizing the Great Sacrifice, the readiness of one of the three Persons of the Divine to sacrifice himself for the salvation of the human race, this movement expresses the inseparability of the Holy Trinity. The bowl is the semantic center of the icon. Three angels seem to be in a secret silent conversation about the fate of the human race. Andrei Rublev does not designate the persons of the Divine Trinity, there are no inscriptions on the icon, there is no crosshair on the halo of Christ, which creates an image of an inseparable union that warms and saves lives.
All lines in the Holy Trinity icon - the outlines of figures, halos, wings - are inscribed in a smooth circular motion, creating a feeling of completeness and peace. The circle is a figure in which since ancient times people have seen the personification of the idea of the Universe, peace, higher harmony, unity.
The meaning of the icon
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In addition to many prayers created in different centuries to the glory of the Holy Trinity, the main dogma of the Holy Trinity is reflected in the most important creation - the Creed, drawn up at the First (Nicaean Council) in 325 and finally approved as a single document at the Council of Constantinople in 381.
Now in the Nicene-Tsaregradsky Symbol, which is read during all divine services and sacraments, the idea of the Christian dogma about the Most Holy Trinity is consubstantial and inseparable. In the verses of the Creed, it is laid down everywhere, but its main postulates sound most firmly in verses 1, 2, and 8.
1. I believe in one God the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible.
2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, Whom all was.
3. For us, man, and for our sake, who descended from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin, and became human.
4. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried.
5. And he rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures.
6. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.
7. And the packs of the future with glory to judge the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end.
8. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord of Life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets.
9. Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
10. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.
11. I look forward to the resurrection of the dead.
12. And the life of the future age. Amen.
However, even in a prayerful impulse, the human mind cannot grasp the great meaning of the Trinity, and it is given to man to know only a part of the Divine being. To clarify the mystery of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Fathers pointed to the human soul, which is the image of God. “Our mind is the image of the Father; our word (the unspoken word we usually call thought) is the image of the Son; the spirit is the image of the Holy Spirit, teaches St. Ignatius Brianchaninov. “Just as in the Trinity-God, three Persons inseparably and inseparably form one Divine Being, so in the Trinity-Man, three persons constitute one being, not mixing with each other, not merging into one person, not dividing into three beings. Our mind gave birth and does not cease to give birth to a thought, a thought, having been born, does not cease to be born again and at the same time remains born, hidden in the mind. Mind cannot exist without thought, and thought cannot exist without mind. The beginning of one is certainly the beginning of another; the existence of mind is necessarily the existence of thought. In the same way, our spirit proceeds from the mind and contributes to thought. That is why every thought has its own spirit, every way of thinking has its own separate spirit, every book has its own spirit. Thought cannot be without spirit; the existence of one is necessarily accompanied by the existence of the other. In the existence of both is the existence of the mind.
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In the work of the Monk Andrei Rublev, in addition to the highest theological truths, people also saw a call to spiritual unity, mutual love, and the unification of the country. Art critic, deeply religious person I.K. Yazykova in her book The Theology of the Icon writes: “The image of the Holy Trinity is, first of all, an image of unity - an image given to us in order to heal us (“heal” - from the word “whole”). The Savior prayed on the eve of His Passion: “... that they may all be one, as You, Father, in Me, and I in You, so they too, that they may be one in us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17.21) ). And so be it.
About different icons of the Holy Trinity
Priest Konstantin Parkhomenko
Often people 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 the Incarnate, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove.
I say: “But this icon is non-canonical…”
People are perplexed: “Wait a minute, we bought this in a church shop. What is there, will they sell something non-canonical? .. "
Let's talk today on the topic: how is it permissible to depict the Holy Trinity on icons.
In total there are several types of icons of the Trinity. I'll give you the main ones.
1. The "Old Testament" Trinity
An icon depicting the Trinity in the form of Three Angels who came to the forefather Abraham. This is an episode from the 18th chapter of the book of Genesis. Let me give you a snippet of this story:
And the Lord appeared to him (Abraham) at the oak forest 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 before him. Seeing, he ran towards them from the entrance to the tent and bowed to the ground, and said: Lord! 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 refresh your hearts; then go; as you pass by your servant.
They said: do as you say.
And Abraham hurried to the tent to Sarah and said: quickly knead three sats of the best flour and make unleavened bread. And Abraham ran to the flock, and took a tender and good calf, and gave it to the boy, and he hastened to prepare it. And he took butter, and milk, and a calf that had been cooked, and set it before them, and he himself stood beside them under a 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 the same time, and Sarah your wife will have a son...
And those men got up 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! A great and strong people will certainly come from Abraham, and all the peoples of the earth will be blessed in him, for I chose him so that he would command his sons and his house after him to walk in the way of the Lord, doing justice and judgment; And the Lord will do to Abraham what He said concerning him...
Here, in accordance with this story about the appearance of the Lord, He was often depicted as three strangers, or Three Angels, sitting on a visit to Abraham.
2. The "New Testament" Trinity, or the icon "The Throne"
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"
This is where the storyline comes into play. God the Father sits on the Heavenly Throne. On His knees is the lad Son. The Holy Spirit hovers over them.
4. Icon of God the Father
A very rare image, which is rude, 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 next to it.
Now - a few words about the admissibility of such icons
For us, the program 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 Son of God.
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 this variant that we meet on the icons of the Trinity of the first type (to which Rublev’s “Trinity” belongs). On these icons, all three depicted characters have the features of the Son. In this way, the goal of the icon painter is achieved: to show that The Son revealed to us the entire Mystery of the Holy Trinity. The Son has revealed Himself, the Father, and the Spirit to us.
All other icons, despite their instructive accessibility (the psychology of ordinary believers is perfectly understandable: why guess about secret Trinity, here it is all at a glance), are incorrect from a dogmatic point of view.
Art historians wonder 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 Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helena in Ohrid, Macedonia (mid-15th century).
In Russia, such icons appear at the beginning of the 16th century. The Moscow Cathedral of 1554 asserted the possibility of such images according to Old Testament testimonies, while it is repeatedly emphasized that “painters do not describe God’s Being”, but describe, that is, they depict only the form under which God appeared in the Old Testament.
It must be recalled that, speaking of 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 night visions, behold, with the clouds of heaven, it was as if the Son of man was walking, he reached the Ancient of Days and was brought to Him. And unto him was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom, that all nations, tribes, and tongues should serve him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion that 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 canon of the Great Moscow Cathedral of 1667 says (I will quote the original text without translation):
“We command, therefore, over icon painters, a skilled artist, and a good person (from a spiritual rank) in the elders, that is, to be the head and watchman. May the ignorant not scold the holy icons, Christ and His Mother of God, and His saints, squealing with a bad and absurd letter: and may all unrighteous suicidality cease, which used to write all without witness: that is, the Lord of Sabaoth is an image in various forms [...].
We command, therefore, from now on the Lord of Hosts, the image should not be written in the past: in absurd and indecent visions of the hosts of Hosts (that is, the Father) no one can see when incarnate. Just as Christ is seen in the flesh, so it is depicted, that is, it is imagined according to the flesh: and not according to the Divine: the likeness of the Most Holy Theotokos, and other saints of God [...].
The Lord of Hosts (that is, the Father) is sitting on the breast, and the Only Begotten Son in His womb, writing on icons and a dove between them, it is not absurd and not decent to eat, for someone who has seen the Father, according to the Divine; For the Father has no 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 what likeness will you liken Him? to the drawing of an artist, and to the mind of a man. John of Damascus also says: to whom, invisible and incorporeal and not described and not figurative of God, who can create an imitation; extreme madness and wickedness to form the Divine. Similarity forbids about this and St. Gregory the Dialogist ...
And the Holy Spirit is not a dove in essence, but God is in essence. And no one sees God, as John the Theologian and Evangelist testifies, both if 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. And in another place, those who have understanding will not depict the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. Zane on Mount Favorstey appeared like a cloud, and sometimes, otherwise. Still, Sabaoth is not called the Father, but the Holy Trinity. According to Dionysius the Areopagite, Sabaoth is 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. Even more so, and Daniel the prophet says: as if he saw an old denmi sitting in judgment. And this is not about the Father, of course, but about the Son, hedgehog will be in His Second Coming to judge every tongue with a terrible judgment.
They also write in icons to the Holy Annunciation, also Sabaoth, Who breathes from the mouth, and that breath goes into the womb of the Most Holy Theotokos: and someone saw, or some Holy Scripture testifies to this, and from where did you take it; clearly there is, as if such is the custom, and another like it, from some superstitious, or more than a speech of the wise and insane, will also be customary. For this reason, we command that from now on, let that superstitious and placeless writing cease. Tochi in the Apocalypse of St. John is written out of necessity, and the Father in gray hair, for the sake of the visions there.
Note that the only admission 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 only for the scenes of the Baptism of Christ.
B) The image of God the Father should be left only for the image of the scenes of the Apocalypse, "for the sake of the visions there."
In the Russian Church, therefore, this issue was brought to an end. But the debate about the possibility of writing 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 alleged 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: how to deal 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 and icons of the Holy Trinity. However, this rank specifically indicates 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 forbidden type, therefore, cannot even be consecrated.
The Trinity image 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 backs of the angels and the window in the throne mean? For whom is the fourth place left behind the throne, and how can one “communicate” with this icon? The head of the Department of Christian Culture at the Biblical Theological Institute of St. Apostle Andrew (BBI) and teacher of the Kolomna Theological Seminary, Irina Konstantinovna Yazykova.
How did you first meet Rublev's Trinity? Maybe you have impressions, 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 understood that I wanted to specialize in icon painting. My grandmother was a believer, therefore, since childhood, icons have generally attracted me, like a window into a mysterious world. I sensed a secret behind them. Of course, the university gave me the opportunity to understand this professionally, but the very phenomenon of the icon, as a window to the divine world, remained closed to me, despite the whole complex of my scientific knowledge.
The Trinity icon is one of the most mysterious. It is difficult for me to fix any specific moment of the “meeting”. However, when I began to deal specifically with 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, in the center of my attention. I discovered in this image a whole theological well, 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 in the way that Andrey Rublev "said".
It is known that icon painting is a conciliar art. We love repeating this beautiful phrase, but what does it mean? Rublev's "Trinity" best of all reveals its meaning. The chronicle says that in "the memory and praise of St. Sergius" - I almost literally quote the text - "... hegumen Nikon of Radonezh ordered Andrei Rublev to write the image of the Trinity." So three people directly participated in the creation of this icon.
The first to be mentioned is St. Sergius of Radonezh, who had already died by the time the icon was painted. But during his lifetime he created a special in its depth doctrine of the Holy Trinity, not different from the church, of course, but deeply understood. On it, on its mystical experience, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra was founded. The chronicle and the life of the monk conveyed to us the main testament of St. Sergius: "By looking at the Holy Trinity, overcome the hated strife of this world." We remember when this icon was created - during the years of the Tatar-Mongol yoke, "peace", as the chroniclers wrote then, when hatred reigned between people, the princes betrayed and killed each other. It was during these terrible days that St. Sergius placed 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 turned to and in the image of which he founded his monastery, had to find its embodiment in the icon.
The third figure was the Monk Andrei Rublev himself, who, as an artist, fulfilled the testament of Sergius of Radonezh. His image of the "Trinity" is a teaching about love, about the depth of the unity of the 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 understand Christian dogmas with our minds, we cannot describe how the Holy Trinity works - this is a great mystery. But Andrei Rublev revealed this secret to me personally. This is a “conversation of Angels”, who listen to each other, sit at the same table around the bowl, which the Angel blesses in the middle ... Every gesture, turn of the head, every detail is verified, extremely deep. The icon "Trinity" 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 will open to him that exceeds himself, instilling peace, harmony, love.
Therefore, I cannot point to any particular moment in my communication with Rublev's Trinity. This has been with me for almost my entire adult life. Being engaged in iconography, theology of the icon, I always discover something new in this icon.
What is new in this depiction of the Holy Trinity that was not there before? What is the “breakthrough” of this icon and why was it destined to become canonical? After all, this image has become the property of not only the Russian theological tradition and culture, but also world art. What is this discovery?
The novelty of the icon, first of all, is that Rublev focused all his attention precisely 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 opposite him. Seeing, he ran to meet them from the entrance to the tent and bowed down to the ground ... ”(Book of 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 appeared before Abraham then. And the icon painters depicted three Angels in the same 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 clothes of Christ.
Andrei Rublev, eliminating the everyday details of the plot - Sarah and Abraham, the servant who slaughters the calf, that is, everything that the icon painters wrote before him - introduces us to a 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 the same faces. But before us 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 cup. And on the throne in the middle stands 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, it culminates in the Rublevsky Hall, the heart of which is Trinity. In general, this hall clearly demonstrates how iconography rises higher and higher in the spiritual sense, until it reaches its peak in the Rublev icon, 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, in which a wide variety of comments and interpretations are presented. So, one of the researchers writes the following about this window. In any throne that is in the altar of the temple, there are always the relics of saints. But they are not on the altar 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 answer 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, as it were, conveys God's question: "And 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. A tree is depicted behind the middle Angel. This is the tree of life, which, as the Holy Scripture says, the Lord planted in Paradise. Behind the Angel to our left are the 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 mountainous (spiritual) world. These symbols are directly tied to the Angels and are richer in meaning than in any other icons.
In general, icons always have these three symbols: inanimate nature (mountains), wildlife (trees) and architecture. But in the "Trinity" they are directly tied to each Angel. Andrei Rublev clearly wanted to reveal the relationship of the Angels in this way 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 often asked. They answer it differently. Someone says that Christ is depicted in the center, the Father is to the right of Him, and the Holy Spirit is to the left. 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 “he who has seen Me has seen the Father”, He is depicted in the clothes of Christ, and the Son sits to His right. There are a lot of interpretations.
But this, perhaps, is not the most important thing, oddly enough, in this icon. The Stoglavy Cathedral (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 "crossed halo" - an iconographic technique that points to Christ.
It is interesting that Rublev's "Trinity" has another name - "Eternal Council". It opens the other side of the icon. What is "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 sake of saving people.
Do you see how many theological layers are hidden in the icon? This image is the 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. The fact that the "Trinity" is ranked among the greatest masterpieces of world art is not accidental. At the beginning of the 20th century, the restorer Vasily Guryanov found a way to remove a layer of drying oil from darkened icons. In 1904, he cleared a small fragment of the image of clothes on the Trinity, and everyone saw the amazing, piercing blue color of Rublev. People gasped, and an army of pilgrims rushed to the icon. The monks were afraid that the ancient image could be spoiled, they closed the icon with a salary and forbade further work with it. The process started then was completed only in 1918, unfortunately, when the Lavra was already closed. Then 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 showed through on the clothes. These are the colors of Paradise. The icon, through its artistic perfection, reveals Eden to us. What is Ray? This is the existence of the Holy Trinity, God. Where is the Lord calling us? Not to spiritual comfort, but to where there will be the unity of 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 the place left for Abraham, who was then visited by the Holy Trinity, and the place left for each of us.
- And the one who approaches the icon as if becomes the fourth?
Yes. The icon, as it were, includes its contemplator. On this icon, by the way, it is easiest to demonstrate the famous iconographic principle of reverse perspective. If the lines of the foot of the throne are extended, then they descend where the person stands. And inside the icon itself, these lines diverge, revealing eternity before our eyes.
Now you understand why this icon stands alone among the greatest masterpieces of ancient Russian painting? Everything is concentrated in it: both theological depth, and artistic perfection, and the focus on a person - a dialogue with him. After all, icons are different: there are very closed ones, which are difficult to approach, and there are icons that, on the contrary, attract: Rublev painted the Zvenigorod Savior icon - it is impossible to break 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 him while he was writing it?
Medieval documents hardly mention this. There is only a mention of the customer (Reverend Nikon of Radonezh) and that's it. Nothing more is said about this icon, but we can indirectly reconstruct something. For example, it is known that Rublev was a monk. So he led a life of prayer. Maybe he even took some kind of vow before starting to write the Trinity, but we can’t say anything for sure. Medieval chronicles and documents of that era are extremely stingy with such information. This began to interest people already in the New Age.
Rublev was from a galaxy of disciples of St. Sergius. And it is known about them that they were real ascetics, which means that with a high degree of probability we can say that Rublev was the same. The documents of those times mention many different icon painters. Everyone knows Theophan the Greek - he, by the way, worked together with Andrei Rublev in the Annunciation Cathedral. Someone may remember Daniil Cherny, with whom Rublev worked in Vladimir. There are also less famous 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 to her. 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?
Of course. Tarkovsky's film is very good, but it's more 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 a cauldron of terrible history, where people kill each other, burn cities, where ruin, filth, and poverty are everywhere? And suddenly - "when would you know from what rubbish poetry grows!" That is, from what terrible dirt, the deepest human tragedy, great works of art grow. It is clear that Tarkovsky was not going to create a real, historical image of Rublev. He is more interested in an artist who opposes evil with the depth of art, which 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 they do not have the purification of the human soul behind them. 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 opposes the darkness of the era. The very fact of writing it is a feat.
- Father Pavel Florensky in the book "Iconostasis" has an interesting idea that Rublev's "Trinity" is the only, most convincing proof of the existence of God.
Yes. He even said more deeply: "If there is Rublev's Trinity, then there is God."
- And how to understand this phrase?
For a modern person, this sounds strange, but peering into this icon, we understand that this is a Revelation that exceeds all our ideas. This cannot be imagined. This is not a fantasy. So behind this image is some other reality - divine. A person who lives by faith in God, who painted such an icon, could not devote his whole life to hallucinations.
In the life of Andrei Rublev there is one interesting remark. 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 they were in front of the icons, eating from 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 a self-sufficient reality opens up behind the Trinity. Her man is incapable of inventing.
Why has Andrei Rublev not been mentioned anywhere in the calendar for five hundred years, and why was he 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 Russia. 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. It was always clear to the monks of the Lavra that he was a saint. There was even a legend of the 17th century about the great icon-painting saints, where his name is mentioned. In antiquity, before the so-called Makarievsky cathedrals of the 16th century, there was no fixed list of saints. There were a lot of locally venerated people who were known in one city and not in another. Later, Metropolitan Macarius tried to gather together all the revered saints and include them in one list.
Saint Andrei Rublev was already obvious to his contemporaries. But why he was officially canonized only in the 20th century is understandable. The Council of 1988 canonized those who were already revered by believers. The cathedral only seemed to recognize their holiness officially. It was a kind of "pre-canonization". Just look who was glorified along with Andrei Rublev: Elizaveta Feodorovna, Xenia of Petersburg, Ambrose Optinsky, Ignatiy 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, experiences from her? Maybe there is some important historical event that was associated with this image? It can be said that it lies at the heart of our culture - I want to believe in it, at least ...
Of course have. I read poems that were dedicated to this image. It is impossible, of course, not to recall Tarkovsky. When he conceived his film "Andrei Rublev", he admitted that he had very vague ideas about him. The employees of the Andrei Rublev Museum told me that one day he came to them and simply began to consult, as with experts in ancient Russian art and in general of that era. Then a copy of the "Trinity" was exhibited in the museum. He stood for a long time contemplating her. After this meeting, he had an inner spiritual turn, without which he would not have been able to create a film of this 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 up and a blue sky seems to be peeking 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, upon seeing the Trinity, changed his attitude towards icons. He even wrote a whole book in which he tried to unravel this image, giving his interpretation. He realized that this was not an idol, that a different reality was indeed hidden behind the icons. The man is not even just a believer, but a theologian, a pastor, standing deeply in his position, after meeting with the "Trinity" has changed.
I know that in Soviet times this icon and many others brought people to God. The church was then silent. Many temples were closed. Where could a person hear a living word about Christ, about the Church? People began to take an interest in icons, including the Trinity, and then they picked up the Holy Scriptures and other books and came to the Church. I personally know several people who, after meeting with the image of Rublev, came to faith in the Soviet era.
I remember once on Pentecost I came to the temple in the evening. In the center, on a lectern, lay the icon of the Trinity, naturally a copy of Rublev. And that's when I remember this meeting with her forever. There was a feeling that I was standing - and there was an abyss in front of me. I did not know where to go, what to do with this abyss. Nothing could be done. Only to stand on the very edge ... It was as if for a moment I was lit up 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 a case .. rather the experience of experiencing this icon, very personal. Sometimes I write poetry. I heard the music and wrote about Trinity. Like she… sounds. Through these colors I heard music, which became my poem.