Icon of the holy trinity that tone. Icon of the Holy Trinity

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

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

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

Who does not know the icons of the Holy Trinity? Andrei Rublev immediately comes to mind, although, of course, there are other canon images.

For example, the Zyryansk icon of the Trinity. It was created in the 14th century by Komi-Zyryan masters. And the inscriptions on the canvas are made in the ancient Permian language. The photo of the icon shows that a plant is depicted on top of the Holy Trinity - this is a symbol of Abraham's oak.

And where is the oak? This is discussed in detail in the next section.

Old Testament Trinity 16th century

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Old Testament Trinity 16-17 centuries

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

Icon "Trinity" by Simon Ushakov

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

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

Holy Trinity in Being

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

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

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

Old Testament Trinity with walking

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

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

This image reflects the famous story of how Abraham almost stabbed his own son, whom God demanded to be offered as a sacrifice. Abraham almost obeyed this order, but the angel stopped him in time.

Thus, the Lord tested the faithfulness of his servant - and the result was beyond all expectations. And then, as a sacrifice, they killed the very ram on which the depicted Isaac sits.

Icon Trinity - 14th century

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

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

Trinity of Andrei Rublev

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

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

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

Trinity in salary (icon)

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

The idea came to Ivan the Terrible, who did not want the shrine to be accessible to the eyes of even the closest circle. Interestingly, shortly after the death of the tsar, his successor Boris Godunov ordered to cover the image with another layer of gold, as well as diamonds and sapphires.

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

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

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

Holy Trinity - Titian

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

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

Trinity: Renaissance

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

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

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

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

It was then that her coronation took place. And this event is somehow reflected in church calendar... Orthodox Christians, for example, celebrate the Dormition of the Theotokos. This happens every year on 28 August in a new style.

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

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

Worship of the Holy Trinity

And this is no longer just a photo of the Holy Trinity, but a real panorama, which, without exaggeration, can be looked at for hours. The creation of Albrecht Dürer, created by him in 1511, is today kept in the famous Vienna Museum of Art History.

On the main plane is the crucifixion of Christ. A little further - the Father, who, by great mercy, himself gave the Son as a sacrifice for the salvation of all mankind. Higher still, in the heavens, the Holy Spirit soars in the form of a dove. It evokes a sense of serenity and freedom. There, in the heavens, we can see numerous angels.

Well, just below, on two tiers, there are people worshiping the Trinity. These are the saved souls who remained in heaven after the Last Judgment - now they will eternally bliss and glorify the triune God.

Fresco Masaccio "Trinity"

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

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

Icon "Trinity" by Jerome Kosido

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

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

The tradition of drawing three faces in one person was laid by the master of the late Renaissance, Hieronymus Cosido. Such pictures were intended to show the triune nature of God and how to explain to unbelievers this most important position of the Christian faith.

However, this style never took root. Of course, everyone's tastes are different, but in this case, you can feel a clear dissonance.

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

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

Andrei Rublev's icon "Trinity" is the pinnacle of Russian icon painting, and according to some experts, it has no equal in the entire world of fine arts. Either way, its artistic value is undeniable. As for the content, then, perhaps, there is no more mysterious icon. We are talking about solving the simplest question at first glance: who is depicted on it? There are three hypotheses in the research literature on this score. Let's consider the arguments "for" and "against", based on probable assumptions about the worldview of Andrei Rublev, about the theological program that he could be guided by when creating this icon.

And then we propose our own fourth hypothesis.

HYPOTHESIS ONE
The icon directly depicts three persons of the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Its inconclusiveness is obvious. A disciple of Theophanes the Greek, brought up in the strict traditions of Byzantine theology, Andrei Rublev could not even think about the possibility of directly depicting the hypostases (persons) of the “triune God”. A retreat on this issue was all the more unacceptable because heretics - antitrinitarians highlighted the teaching of the Holy Scriptures about the invisibility and inconceivability of the deity. On this basis, they argued that there can be no icons depicting God at all.

HYPOTHESIS SECOND
The icon depicts Jesus Christ "according to deity" accompanied by two angels.

This hypothesis corresponds to the most traditional interpretation of this iconographic plot in the 15th century. According to the Bible (Gen. Chapter 18), Abraham and Sarah, who lived in the oak forest of Mamre, were visited by three pilgrims. After the meal and the announcement to them of the imminent birth of their son, the two pilgrims went to the nearby cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which were subject to destruction for their extreme depravity, and the third stayed with Abraham. Church historian Eusebius of Caesarea (IV century) described an icon that was in his time near the legendary oak tree in Mamre. It depicted a meal of three pilgrims served by Abraham and Sarah (hence this plot was called "Abraham's hospitality"). Explaining why the central figure of the wanderer is larger than the other two, Eusebius wrote:

"This is the Lord who appeared to us, our Savior Himself ... The Son of God revealed to the forefather Abraham what He is, and gave him knowledge about the Father."

One of the greatest teachers of the church, John Chrysostom (end of the 4th century), confirms this interpretation:
“In Abraham's booth there appeared together both the angels and their Lord; but then the angels, as ministers, were sent to destroy those cities, and the Lord remained to talk with the righteous, as a friend talks to another, about what he intended to do. "

By this special advantageous position of one of the pilgrims, Chrysostom explains Abraham's appeal to them in the singular:
“Master! if I have found favor in Your eyes ... ”Gen. 18: 3.

The most widespread, especially in the Christian East, iconographic type of the "Trinity" corresponded to just such an interpretation. It is also implied in the Byzantine depiction that is the closest predecessor of the Rublev-type Trinity: in the double portrait of John Cantacuzin, where he is represented both as Emperor and as a monk he became after losing the throne. Together with Patriarch Philotheus (Kokkin) and theologian Gregory Palamas, he actively introduced the "hesychast" tradition in Byzantine society: the deification of the soul and body with the blessed energies of the Holy Trinity.
Here the middle figure is depicted with a cross halo, which serves as an indication of Jesus Christ, and the figure to the right of us is noticeably enlarged - an indication that it symbolizes God the Father, "at the right hand" (ie on the right hand) of which Christ sits.

Arguments in favor of Hypothesis 2:
a. Andrei Rublev, by virtue of his implied theological "traditionalism", could not deviate from the generally accepted Byzantine canon.

b. The side angels are depicted as if in readiness to move (they are going to go to punish Sodom and Gomorrah), while the middle angel, unlike them, is at rest (it remains to talk with Abraham).

C. The light stripe, the so-called "clav", on the chiton of the middle character is a sign of his special dignity, distinguishing Jesus Christ from the angels.

Objections to the arguments in favor of Hypothesis 2:
a. Andrei Rublev, without going beyond the Byzantine tradition, managed to fill it with new semantic content.

The icon "Trinity" by Andrei Rublev differs sharply from the monuments that preceded it, - considers one of the modern researchers of Rublev's creativity GI Vzdornov."It has a polemical content and, undoubtedly, was directed against heretical interpretations of dogma."

This statement is only partially true. It is known that Rublev in his theological "innovations" relied on the authority of Sergius of Radonezh - "the seer of the Holy Trinity", as he is called by the hagiographic chronicle. The image of the Trinity on the main hallmark of the icon "Archangel Michael with Acts" 10-15 years earlier than Rublev's "Trinity" shows that the direction of the spiritual search has already been set. Rublev completes it, with ingenious perfection realizing a plan that was born before him and is well known to him.

b. As M.V. Alpatov, the middle angel is not distinguished in the sense of lack of movement: his right knee is raised, that is, like the lateral angels, he is ready to stand up. Harmonious combination rest and movement is typical for all three figures and for the composition of the icon as a whole.

v. Despite the blurred image, a green clav is also visible on the chiton of the right angel. True, on the left sleeve, and not on the right, like the middle angel.

Additional objections to Hypothesis 2:

G. Abraham and Sarah are absent from the icon. By this, the icon painter makes it clear that the content of the icon is not tied to the biblical episode of "Abraham's hospitality."

etc. If the middle angel depicted Jesus Christ, then, in accordance with the iconographic tradition, his halo would be octagonal or cross-shaped. A simple round halo is characteristic of images of angels or saints.

e. The halo of the middle angel is noticeably smaller than the halo of the lateral angels, which clearly contradicts the assumption of his higher hierarchical position. The idea of ​​art critic AA Saltykov that the reduced size of the average angel's halo serves to create the impression of “depth” and, consequently, the significance of the figure of the average angel is not at all convincing. In the icon of Andrei Rublev, in accordance with the iconographic tradition of the era, not a direct, but a reverse perspective is applied, that is, distant objects are depicted larger than those close to them. If the icon painter wanted to create an impression of “depth” for the middle figure, he would have made his halo larger! Moreover, this would emphasize the superiority of Jesus Christ over the angels. On other icons of that time, the nimbus of the middle figure was depicted either of the same size or larger than the nimbus of the other two figures.

HYPOTHESIS THREE
The icon depicts three angels, understood as the "image and likeness" of the Holy Trinity.

Most church theologians and some art critics adhere to this hypothesis. As A.A. Saltykov writes, for example:
"In this work, the artist depicted, of course, not the hypostases themselves, but angels, in whose actions and attributes they (hypostases) are manifested."

Arguments for Hypothesis 3:
a. The main theological and polemical task of Rublev consisted in a visual depiction of the "equanimity" of the three persons of the Holy Trinity; this is possible only if all three figures on the icon are creatures of the same nature, in this case, angelic.

In the early iconography of the Trinity, the idea of ​​equality was expressed in the so-called "isocephalous" type of icons, which had spread in the West since the 4th century. and met in Russia in the era of Rublev. In accordance with this task, the three figures were of the same size and were located side by side at the same level. Rublev's idea of ​​"equality" is expressed by the same size and spherically symmetrical arrangement of figures.

b. The angelic nature of the figures on the icon is indicated by wings and round simple halos.

v. The "detachment" of the image to the biblical episode allows you to change the position of the figures symbolizing the faces of the Holy Trinity. The average angel can be understood as the image of God the Father: his central position in this case corresponds to the theological teaching about the Holy Trinity as a "council of equal persons" and at the same time as "the monarchy of the Father." Such a point of view was adhered, for example, by such an authoritative art critic as N.A. Demina.

However, most researchers (V.N. Lazarev and others) believe that Rublev placed the image of the Father to the left of us, i.e. to the right of the central figure symbolizing the Son. Ultimate argument: the commanding gesture of the left angel's hand, expressing the idea of ​​the "Father's monarchy."

The original version of the identification of persons was proposed by Archbishop Sergius (Golubtsov), who emphasized that, according to the Creed, the Son should sit “at the right hand” of the Father, that is, on the right hand of Him. If the image of the Son is in the center, then the angel symbolizing the Father should be located along left hand from Him, that is, to the right of us.

Objections to Hypothesis 3:
a. At the time of Rublev (as well as before him) there was no stable church tradition that singled out three angels, equal in importance. In liturgical and biblical texts, in iconography and church legends, not three, but two higher archangels - Michael and Gabriel - are clearly distinguished. It is difficult to put any third angelic name in line with them. Taking into account the peculiar "concreteness" of theological thinking of that era, it is difficult to imagine that Rublev, depicting three angels as the image of the Holy Trinity, did not ask the question - what kind of angels can serve as Her symbol?

In this regard, it inevitably got up more principle issue: Can a cathedral of three angels of any rank at all bear the fullness of the image of the Holy Trinity? Of course, this could not be about the completeness of the image in the sense of perfection (no "creature of God", neither man, nor angels could claim this), but only in the sense of the internal structure, the very principle of trinity.

b. The wings in the iconography of the Rublev era cannot be regarded as an unambiguous indication of the angelic nature. So, among the Byzantine and Russian icons of the XIV-XV centuries. you can often find the plot "John the Baptist - the angel of the desert", where the prophet John is depicted with wings.

On some icons (in particular, on the icon "The Last Judgment" or "Apocalypse") monks are often depicted with wings. Thus, wings in iconography are a general symbol of spirituality; they can belong to both angels and saints who have reached a special degree of spiritualization of their human nature.

v. With any method of identifying faces, the reduced size of the average angel's nimbus is still incomprehensible. If he were in the image of the Son or, even more so, of the Father, such a "belittling" of him in comparison with the other two angels would be in no way justified.
G. The chalice with the head of a calf on the throne is undoubtedly a symbol of the Eucharist, that is, the "communion of the body and blood" of Jesus Christ as a person. If Andrei Rublev wanted to portray exactly angels, then it is not clear why he emphasizes the Eucharistic character of the meal. Within the framework of the church tradition, the idea of ​​communion with the angels of the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ seems completely unacceptable, since the angels themselves do not have flesh and blood. Of course, the biblical description of "Abraham's hospitality" indicates that the pilgrims ate and drank, but this episode does not explicitly emphasize the angelic nature of the pilgrims.

The Bible text says that "three men" came to Abraham, so Abraham has no doubt that these are three people for whom a meal should be prepared. In another episode, the inhabitants of Sodom do not recognize the angels in the two pilgrims and take them for ordinary people. Only thanks to prophetic insight, Abraham realizes that the Lord appeared to him, accompanied by two angels who took human form: in some legends it is stated that these were Michael and Gabriel. One of the possibilities of the theological understanding of this episode was that the angels temporarily "settled" in some specific people who lived under Abraham.

Since all the stated hypotheses meet with serious objections, we will allow ourselves to state one more, and try to substantiate it.

HYPOTHESIS FOUR
Andrei Rublev's icon depicts three people representing the image of the Holy Trinity.

Arguments in favor of Hypothesis 4:
a. According to the texts of Holy Scripture and the teaching of the Church, among all created beings, the fullness of the image of God belongs exclusively to man.

"And God said," the Bible tells us, "let us create man in our image, and in our likeness ... And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him ...".
Gen. 1: 26-27.

As for the angels, it is said:
"They are ministering spirits sent into ministry for those who are to inherit salvation." Heb. 1:14.

According to the teachings of the church fathers, God, desiring to unite with his creation, became a man, and not an angel, precisely because only man bears in himself the fullness of the image of God and is the "crown of creation."

It is quite reliable to assume that for Andrei Rublev, three people who find unity in spiritual love seemed to be the most perfect and complete image of the hypostatic unity of the Holy Trinity. One of the most important New Testament texts, the so-called "high priestly prayer" of Jesus Christ during the "Last Supper", where he first celebrates the Eucharist and communes the disciples (John Chapters 13-17), had to convince him of this. Addressing the Father with the words:
"You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You,"

Jesus asks the Father for disciples:
"May they be one as We are one" Jn. 17: 21-22.

Thus, Rublev's icon served as a visible expression of the New Testament definition of God:
“God is Love” 1 Jn. 4: 8.

b. The biographer of Sergius of Radonezh Epiphanius the Wise reports that Sergius called

"By looking at the unity of the Holy Trinity to conquer the fear of the hated discord of this world."

The unity of the Holy Trinity was for Sergius a symbol of the gathering together of all the people of the Russian land. The same Epiphanius indicates that Andrei Rublev wrote his famous icon "Trinity" "in praise of Sergius", by order of the hegumen Nikon, the closest disciple of Sergius of Radonezh. It can be argued that in a circle Saint Sergius a certain way of thinking arose, distinctive style theology, and that Andrei Rublev was one of the spokesmen in the language of the icon of the theological program that took shape in this circle. The conviction that human love, human catholic unity is the highest embodiment of the Holy Trinity, should have imparted special inspiration and effectiveness to the sermons of Sergius of Radonezh and his followers.

v. The Eucharistic bowl, which forms the spiritual and compositional center of the icon, receives a natural explanation. Depicting the hypostatic, personal unity in love, Rublev complements this spiritual unity with a symbolic image of bodily unity, achieved through the sacrament. Through the sacrament, the apostle Paul affirms,“We who are many are one body in Christ” Rom. 12: 5.

G. The icon of the Trinity of the late 14th century, unique in its theological content, is known, the so-called "Zyryanskaya" icon, with a number of features characteristic of Rublev's icon: three figures at the table have the same dimensions; in the center of the table is a Eucharistic bowl; the tree is located directly behind the middle figure, and does not grow out of the mountain as usual. In addition, this icon has two remarkable features.

Firstly, each of the characters has a cross-shaped nimbus, and, secondly, there are inscriptions in the Zyryan language next to them: the left (from us) has "Son", the central has "Father", and the right has "Spirit"!

The identity of the halos indicates the identity of the nature of the three depicted persons. Since the cross-shaped halo by tradition designated Jesus Christ as a man, it can be concluded from this that the "Son" is the man Jesus, while the "father" and "spirit" are two other, "equal" people to him! This is also indicated by the inscription "Father", "son" and "spirit" instead of "God the Father" "Son of God" and "Holy Spirit".

This icon is not an artistic masterpiece, but its fundamental significance is determined by the fact that it was created in the region, where at that time was Bishop Stephen of Perm, the famous "Zyryan Enlightener", the closest colleague and friend of Sergius of Radonezh. The icon was found among Stephen's personal belongings and, of course, was written by his order, if not by himself: the inscription in Zyryansk served the purpose of his preaching. It can be argued with some certainty that the author of the "Zyryanskaya Trinity", like Andrei Rublev, was guided by the theological ideas of Sergius of Radonezh.

etc. Working together with Daniil Cherny in 1408 in Vladimir on the painting of the Assumption Cathedral, Andrei Rublev had the opportunity to get acquainted with the fresco of the Vladimir Dmitrovsky Cathedral at the end of the 12th century: "Abraham, Isaac, Jacob in Paradise." This fresco depicts the forefather Abraham in the center, on the right hand - his son Isaac, on the left - the son of Isaac, Jacob, who, according to the Bible, became the ancestor of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Daniel and Andrew, repeating this fresco, change the position of the figures: on the right hand of Isaac is Jacob, so that each is on the right hand of his father. Since the Bible often uses the term "God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob", cited by the teachers of the church as proof of the Trinity of the deity, this image carried an important theological load. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob - three people who are the image of the Holy Trinity.

The central position of Abraham on the fresco of the Dmitrov Cathedral corresponded to the main idea of ​​the theological Orthodox teaching about God the Father as the "source" of the Holy Trinity (the Father "gives birth" to the Son, the Holy Spirit "proceeds" from the Father). The arrangement of the figures on the fresco by Daniel Cherny and Rublev underlines another theological statement: that the Son of God "sits at the right hand of the Father." Both of these provisions are expressed in the Nicene-Constantinople ("baptismal") creed, which the faithful repeat during each liturgy.

In these frescoes, Andrei Rublev dealt with an authoritative church tradition, according to which three people, connected by deep personal and tribal unity, were viewed as a living image of the Holy Trinity.

Development of Hypothesis 4:
If Rublev's icon depicts three people, then the question inevitably arises: are three saints depicted here in general, or three specific persons? In an attempt to answer this question, we enter the realm of the most controversial assumptions, but at the same time the most interesting and important ...

Our assumption is that Andrei Rublev depicted three persons, which he should have considered the highest in the hierarchy of human hypostases. The very existence of such a hierarchy could not raise doubts among the theologian of that era.

“The glory of the sun is different,” the apostle Paul writes, “the glory of the moon is different, the stars are different; and star differs from star in glory. " “So it is written,” continues Paul, “the first man Adam became a living soul, and the last Adam is a life-giving spirit ... The first man from the earth, earthy; the second person is the Lord from heaven. " 1 Cor. 15: 41-47.

This text could become key for Andrei Rublev.

So, "first man" - forefather Adam, who, undoubtedly, among the entire human race had the greatest reasons to be considered as the hypostatic image of God the Father."Second man", "Lord from heaven" - this, of course, is Jesus Christ, who, according to the Christological dogma, being God, served as the prototype of himself as a person. Who then"Third man" - "last Adam" ? Let's hesitate to answer this question - let's consider the topic first."Adam-Jesus" in the context of the Rublev icon.

The parallel between the "old man" Adam and the "new man" Jesus is often found in the texts of the New Testament, in dogmatic and liturgical texts, in the writings of the "church fathers" and church hymns.

In iconography, the man Jesus Christ is depicted next to Adam in a very important and widespread plot in the Middle Ages - in the icon of the "resurrection of Christ", which is otherwise called "the descent into hell." The first thing that Jesus Christ does by breaking the "gates of hell" is that he takes out his forefather Adam (together with Eve and a number of the Old Testament righteous). In those days, it was widely believed that this "exodus from hell" also meant the bodily resurrection, together with Christ, of a whole galaxy of Old Testament righteous people. Adam and Eve, although they sinned, were considered righteous because of their sincere repentance. This opinion was confirmed by the text from the Gospel of Matthew, describing the events after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ:
“And the coffins were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many. " Mt. 27: 52-5.

According to medieval legend, Mount Golgotha, on which Jesus was crucified, was the burial place of Adam. This is reflected in the widespread iconographic plot: the head (skull) of Adam under the cross of Calvary. According to church tradition, drops of Jesus' blood, absorbed into the ground, reached the bones of Adam and resurrected him. Like all his contemporaries, unconditionally believing this legend, Andrei Rublev had to imagine Adam already redeemed from sin, bodily resurrected and abiding in heaven at the throne of God.

So, Andrei Rublev had enough grounds in the church tradition to put Jesus and Adam next to each other (more precisely, to sit at the same meal). The parallel drawn in the New Testament between these two persons pointed to their human "equanimity", to the equality of "scales" in the conciliar hierarchy of the human race. Of course, Jesus Christ "according to deity" was thought to be infinitely superior not only to Adam, but also to himself as a person. Jesus and Adam are depicted on the icon in their resurrected, spiritualized bodies, which is emphasized by the presence of wings as a symbol of the spiritualized nature. It is possible that, depicting the wings, Rublev also had in mind the text of the Gospel of Luke about the resurrected people:
"And they can no longer die, for they are equal to the Angels ..." Lk. 20:36.

The proposed interpretation allows one to give an easy explanation to a number of symbols in the icon of Rublev.

Additional arguments in favor of Hypothesis 4:
a. A diminished halo above Adam's head serves as a reminder of original sin; this, as it were, "compensates" for the central and dominant position of Adam in relation to Jesus. Of course, here is shown the image of the relationship of God the Father to God the Son, and Jesus Himself, according to legend, showed filial piety even to the adoptive father Joseph, especially to the forefather Adam ... And at the same time, for the Christian consciousness of Andrei Rublev, the need somehow “Belittling” Adam before Jesus must have seemed obvious.

b. The stone chambers over the head of Jesus symbolize the church and himself as the "steward" and the head of the church. Some researchers see in the arrangement of the columns the anagram IH, that is, Jesus of Nazareth is a name that emphasizes that Jesus is depicted here as a man, and not as God.

v. The tree above Adam's head most likely reflects the favorite theme of Russian icon painters of that era: "the tree of Jesse." At the base of the tree, Adam was always depicted, on its branches were the Old Testament righteous. Sometimes the "tree of Jesse" was thought of as the genealogy of Jesus, going back to Adam. It is also possible that it is at the same time a symbol of the heavenly "tree of life",
also related directly to Adam.

G. An explanation of the color symbolism of the icon can be given. The reddish-brown color of Adam's tunic (undergarment) symbolizes "the dust of the earth", from which, according to the Bible, God created Adam:
“And the Lord God created man from the dust of the earth and breathed into his face the breath of life; and man became a living soul. " Gen. 2: 7.

The name Adam in patristic interpretations was often translated from Hebrew as "red earth", which could serve as the basis for choosing the color of Adam's tunic. The clav on the right sleeve of the tunic, which has the same color as the wings, may indicate the "breath of life" that inspired the "dust of the earth."

The blue color of Jesus' tunic symbolizes his human nature as the nature of the “new man”. According to church teaching, Jesus the man is by his mother a descendant ("son") of Adam; at the same time, being conceived “not from the seed of a husband,” but from the Holy Spirit, Jesus was conceived as the founder of a “new mankind”, of which the sons of Adam enter through the sacrament of the “body and blood” of Jesus Christ. The origin of Jesus from Adam is symbolized by the color of the sacrificial calf (this calf is Jesus Christ as the Sacrifice) in the Eucharistic bowl, which coincides with the color of Adam's tunic. The blue color of Adam's himation (outer garment) indicates his belonging, through communion, to the “new humanity” of Jesus Christ. The golden color of the himation of Jesus symbolizes his divine nature: according to the Chalcedonian dogma, Jesus Christ was understood not just as a man, but as God, who, while remaining God, also became a man. The most difficult thing remains for us: to give an interpretation to the third person depicted in the icon of Andrei Rublev "Trinity". But that is the topic of the next article.

We advise you to read:

DEMINA N.A. "Trinity" by Andrei Rublev. M. 1963.
V. N. LAZAREV Andrey Rublev and his school. M. 1966.
M. V. ALPATOV Andrey Rublev. M. 1972.
Liberius VORONOV (professor-archpriest). Andrey Rublev is great
artist of Ancient Russia. Theological works No. 14. M. 1975. S. 77-95.
A. VETELEV (professor-archpriest). Theological content of the icon
"Holy Trinity" by Andrei Rublev. Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate 1972.
No. 8. S. 63-75; No. 10. S. 62-65.
Archbishop SERGY (Golubtsov). The embodiment of theological ideas in creativity
Rev. Andrei Rublev. Theological works No. 22. M. 1983. S. 3-67.
G. I. VZDORNOV The newly discovered Trinity icon from the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and
"Trinity" by Andrei Rublev. Old Russian art. Artistic
culture of Moscow and adjacent principalities. XIV-XVI centuries M. 1970.
S. 115-154.
Ilyin M.A. The art of Moscow Russia in the era of Theophanes the Greek and Andrey
Rublev. Problems, hypotheses, research. M. 1976.
A. A. SALTYKOV Iconography of the "Trinity" by Andrei Rublev. Old Russian
art of the XIV-XV centuries. M. 1984.S. 77-85.

Andrey Chernov. WHAT IS TRUE? THE SECRET IN THE TRINITY OF ANDREY RUBLEV. http://chernov-trezin.narod.ru/TROICA.htm
A. Chernov, following N.A. Demina, accepts the same interpretation of the figures as in the Zyryansk Trinity, and analyzes in detail the monogram IН. Unfortunately, I only recently learned about this most valuable article, published back in 1989 by the LR 2011.

Orthodoxy is perhaps the only Christian denomination in which icon veneration is very developed. Moreover, if Catholics respect sacred images, then numerous Protestant churches unanimously accuse the Orthodox of almost idolatry.

In fact, the icon for the believer is not an idol at all, but a reminder of the other world, of the saints and God. The phrase "to worship an icon" carries a slightly different meaning than "to worship God." The icon can be compared to a photograph of a loved one, which is carefully stored in or hung on the wall. No one considers a photo to be an idol or a substitute for the original, even if a lot of attention is paid to it.

In many religions there are no icons, and any images are prohibited for a completely reasonable reason: no one has seen God, and never, so how can you depict the inconceivable?

Orthodox icon painters also do not invent anything, and, according to the rules, only what was material is depicted on the icons.

But what about the icon "Holy Trinity", after all, no one has ever seen God! This is not entirely true. We saw our God in human form. Jesus Christ is God and man. So at least the second Person can be portrayed. Had some incarnation and the Holy Spirit. He appeared several times in the form of a white dove. It was not a real dove, of course, but It can be written like that.

So, the two Persons of the Trinity are depicted, but God the Father is lacking for completeness. The “Holy Trinity” icon cannot exist without the Father.

Icon painters found several ways out of this situation - more or less successful. For example, there is an icon of the Holy Trinity, a photo or reproduction of which is in every prayer corner. On it, God the Son sits on a throne, above Him is God the Holy Spirit, and is indicated by a certain icon of pouring grace. There is another option, which is usually called Catholic, where God the Father is depicted arbitrarily as an old man, and God the Holy Spirit is a dove. Everyone admits that it is non-canonical, that is, it does not correspond to the Orthodox rules of icon painting, but it was widely used in the 19th century.

The most famous icon "Holy Trinity" was painted by Rublev.

Here is a moment from the Old Testament story when three angels came to Abraham. According to the interpretation, this was God, or maybe Andrei Rublev used only an image. In any case, the icon is a unique work not only of icon painting, but also of theological thought. Rublev's icon "Holy Trinity" is not only that moment at the tent of Abraham, but also an eternal advice. This idea is suggested by the contents of the bowl on the table. In it (according to many interpreters) is the sacrament, that is, the Blood of Jesus Christ. This is the moment of a certain prophecy about the future, about the incarnation of the Son of God and about His suffering. It is this mysterious meeting that is called the eternal council.

The icon "Holy Trinity" is mysterious, it has a huge number of symbolic details, by which it can be determined that Andrei Rublev designated a certain Person of the Holy Trinity with each Angel. Discussions about it continue to this day. This image is now kept in the church at the Tretyakov Gallery. Here he is under guard, but you can kiss him, pray to God and light a candle.

“And the Lord appeared to him at the oak grove of Mamre, when he was sitting at the entrance to his tent, in the heat of the day. 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 [his] and bowed to the ground, and said: Master! if I have found favor in Thy sight, do not pass by Thy servant; and they will bring a little 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 walk past your servant. They said: do as you say. And Abraham hastened<…>And he took the butter and milk and the calf that had been cooked, and set it before them, and he himself stood beside them under the 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 great and strong people will surely 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 righteousness and judgment. "

Many theologians were convinced that in this place Old Testament it speaks of the prototype of the Most Holy and Consubstantial Trinity. Blessed Augustine (On the City of God, Book 26) writes: “Abraham meets three, worships one. Having beheld the three, he understood the mystery of the Trinity, and having bowed as if to one, he confessed the One God in Three Persons. " Abraham, having gone out to meet the three pilgrims, bows to them and addresses them with the word "Master!" in the singular.

So the righteous Abraham and Sarah learned that they were visited by God himself in the form of one indivisible Trinity. The image of this plot in icon painting began to be called the Old Testament Trinity.

About the icon "Holy Trinity" by Andrei Rublev

The icon painter Yuri Kuznetsov took the Rublev 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, painted in light, floating, airy, like lightweight fabric, tones to this day personifies the idea of ​​the unity of the Trinity, indivisible Being of God, where God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit are three hypostases of God, inalienable and inseparable, represent the whole meaning and beauty of Christianity.

The bright personality of the icon painter of the XXI century, who performed this Most Pure, Blessed image in unique, shining colors, does not contradict the silvery glow of the Rublev letter, but continues the tradition of the spiritual and philosophical idea of ​​Andrei Rublev and his friend Daniil Cherny about light, unity, humility and peace inside and outside 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, through 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 pilgrims and visitors to the contemplation and worship of its iconographic and architectural treasures from Russia, but also from all over the world.

And in the XIV-XV centuries, Radonezh, a small town in the inheritance of the Moscow princes, arose along the Page River. Now you can get to that place from the station Semkhoz Moskovskaya railroad by bus or by bus - from the station of Sergiev Posad. In the chronicle source of the 17th century, the sitrik found information about "Andrei of Radonezh, an 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, possibly even during the last years of the life of St. Sergius himself.

This icon glorified the Monk Sergius and became the starting point in the study of the entire heritage of Rublev and his friend Daniel the Black, which was not limited to the Trinity. The frescoes of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir, the creation of the unique Zvenigorod rite of the temple painting, the decoration of the Khitrovo Gospel - provide us with significant information about the Rublev heritage.

Saint Nikon, who inherited the management of the monastery founded by the Monk Sergius, passed away in 1427, but since the icon, by his command, was to be painted during his lifetime, the birth of the icon can also be designated by this time. The icon was painted for the Trinity Cathedral, erected by Nikon in 1422 on the site of the discovery of the relics of St. Sergius. But the lands of those places were drained of blood by the invasion of Khan Edigey in 1408, and, to the great sadness, the monasteries had meager funds. In these conditions, Nikon of Radonezh called for the creation of the decoration of the Trinity Cathedral erected at his command - frescoes and icons - by icon painters Andrei Rublev and others, also, possibly, his friend Daniil Cherny, who were at that time in Moscow, in the Andronikov Monastery, although about 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 in about 1360, died in 1430, but his creative powers, by the grace of God, were so great that before he died, he, along with his old friend Daniel, happened after the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius laurels to create icon-painting decoration of the Savior Cathedral in the Andronikov Monastery.

Where did he get such unique images, such tones, such compositions? Certainly - from the Primary Source, from the Holy Spirit, who guides with 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 Daniel Cherny on Easter and 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 constantly exude on us faces. This quiet prayer anticipation gave them both strength and was an endless source of inspiration.

Rublevskaya style, which distinguishes his writing from all others, and became the basis of the Zvenigorod rank. It bears the signs of Byzantine art, originating in the Greek style of Christian iconography and the religious literary monuments of Byzantium, thanks to which the current Orthodox worship has developed. Combining with the worldview of the Old Russian Slavic tradition, it gave a unique alloy from which all Russian iconography grew, and in it - the Rublev school, which has no equal.

As time went on, most of the Rublev creations were recorded in the later icon painting, 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 setting that almost completely covered the image, and when it was removed, and then three layers of strata were removed, the last of which turned out to be the usual Palekh painting of the 18th century, then a true revelation of Russian iconographic art was revealed to everyone.

The icon was finally freed from renovations only in 1919. Then Andrei Rublev's "Trinity" appeared in its original form. From now on, according to its artistic and iconographic features, the Moscow icon-painting school was determined, 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 Oycumene. Andrei Rublev's Trinity 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 "The Holy Trinity" managed to achieve the highest degree of disclosure of the spiritual essence of the Most Holy Trinity, to embody the main dogma of Christianity. According to theological tradition, the Trinity expresses the idea of ​​God, the essence of which is one, but being is a personal relationship of three hypostases. In Orthodox teaching, the Trinity is called Consubstantial, Indivisible, Life-Giving and Holy.

Earlier, in the Trinity icons depicting the well-known Old Testament story from the book of Genesis, icon painters, as a rule, conveyed only an everyday 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, the youth slaughtering the calf, all sorts of attributes of the meal. This depiction of this event was named "The Hospitality of Abraham."

Unlike them, Andrei Rublev refused 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 - the symbol of the sacrifice. This is no longer a meal - the sacrament of the atoning sacrifice is performed in front of people. Of all the details in the upper part of the "Trinity" remained the house of Abraham in the form of a structure decorated with columns, a stocky Mamre oak like a branch and an overhanging rock - the designation of the desert from which the pilgrims came.

The main part of the space of the icon is occupied by three angels sitting at the table. The consubstantiation in Rublev's icon is conveyed by the fact that the figures of angels are painted completely of 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 authority. But at the same time, angels are not the same: they have different postures, different clothes.

Quite naturally, the question arises: which Person of the Holy Trinity with which angel should be identified? The opinions are very different. Here I would like to quote the words of a deep connoisseur of icon painting, academician Boris Rauschenbach: “There is no doubt, however, that the problem of identifying angels and faces is of a secondary nature. After all, no matter how the question of the correspondence between angels and Persons is decided, the Trinity continues to be only a Trinity. Only the interpretation of gestures changes, but not the cardinal quality of the icon, which is natural to consider the fullness of the expression of the dogmatic doctrine of the Trinity. "

The second opinion 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 average angel. Supporters of this opinion support their reasoning by interpreting the details depicted in the icon. Among them are the color and details of the central angel's clothing, indicating that he is a messenger for the salvation of the world, the symbolic "Tree of Life" behind his back, a repetition of the contours of the sacrificial bowl formed by the silhouettes of lateral 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 guise one can read the fatherly authority. His head is not tilted, his gaze is turned to other angels. The other two angels bowed their heads in silent reverence. His direct gesture blessing the cup is distinguished by authority, while the “reverse” gesture, which accepts the gesture of the average angel, expresses obedience to the will of God the Father and his willingness 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 an outer garment of a smoky green color, emphasizing the hypostasis of the Holy Spirit, called the Life-giving. Since ancient times, church tradition has assigned green to the third hypostasis of the Holy Trinity. This color in iconographic 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 an order consistent with 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 Stoglav Cathedral that the icons of the Holy Trinity should be painted according to the old Greek models and the model of Rublev, that is, without distinguishing between hypostases, signing only the Holy Trinity.

At the Seventh Ecumenical Council, the right was approved to depict the Savior Jesus Christ as incarnate God on the icons, and therefore, the rule was approved about the impossibility of depicting God the Father as not incarnate and still invisible and indescribable. The Fathers of the Stoglava Cathedral, forbidding to mark 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 (images of God the Father, which cannot be depicted).

The composition of the icon by Andrei Rublev indicates an aspiration for the Eucharistic cup, 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 indivisibility of the Holy Trinity. The bowl is the semantic center of the icon. The three angels seem to be in a secret silent conversation about the fate of the human race. Andrei Rublev does not denote the faces of the Divine Trinity, there are no inscriptions on the icon, there is no cross on the nimbus of Christ, which creates an image of an indissoluble union that warms and saves lives.

All the lines in the icon "Holy Trinity" - 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, the highest harmony, and unity.

The meaning of the icon

In addition to many prayers created in different centuries for the glory of the Holy Trinity, the main dogma of the Holy Trinity is reflected in the most important creation - the Creed, compiled at the First (Nicene Council) in 325 and finally approved as a single document at the Council of Constantinople in 381.

Now in the Niko-Constantinople Symbol, which is read during all divine services and sacraments, the idea of ​​the Christian dogma of the Most Holy Trinity, Consubstantial and Indivisible, is laid. In the verses of the Symbol of Faith, 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, God is true from God, true, born, not created, consubstantial with the Father, Who is all.
3. For us, for the sake of man and for our salvation, he came down from heaven and incarnated from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man.
4. 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 he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
7. And packs coming with glory to judge the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end.
8. And in the Holy Spirit, the Life-giving Lord, Who is from the Father who proceeds, Who is worshiped and glorified with the Father and the Son, who spoke the prophets.
9. In one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
10. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.
11. Tea of ​​the resurrection of the dead.
12. And the life of the century to come. Amen.

However, even in the impulse of prayer, the human mind cannot grasp the great meaning of the Trinity, and man is given 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 (we usually call the unspoken word thought) is the image of the Son; spirit - the image of the Holy Spirit, - teaches St. Ignatius Brianchaninov. - As in the Trinity-God the three Persons are non-merged and inseparably constitute one Divine Being, so in the Trinity-man three persons make up one being, without mixing with each other, without merging into one person, without dividing into three beings. Our mind has given 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 it remains born, intimate in the mind. Mind cannot exist without thought, and thought is without mind. The beginning of the one is certainly the beginning of the other; the existence of the mind is necessarily the existence of thought. In the same way, our spirit proceeds from the mind and cooperates with 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 inevitably accompanied by the existence of the other. In the existence of both, the existence of the mind is. "

In the creation of the Monk Andrei Rublev, in addition to the highest theological truths, people also saw a call for spiritual unity, mutual love, the unification of the country. Art critic, deeply religious person I.K. Yazykova in her book “Theology of the Icon” writes: “The image of the Holy Trinity is, first of all, the image of unity - the image given for us to heal (“ heal ”- from the word“ whole ”). The Savior prayed on the eve of His passions: “... may all be one, as You, Father, in Me, and I in You, so they also, may they be one in us, that the world may believe that You sent Me” ”(John 17.21 ). And so be it.

One of the founding fathers of ancient philosophy, and with it the entire European civilization 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 fairy-tale mysteries do not even pull into 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 are unmixed, 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 portray a mystery? Only through another secret. The joyful secret of the Incarnation made it possible to depict the Invisible. The icon is a symbolic text about God and holiness, manifested in time and space and residing in eternity, just like the fairy forest from Michael Ende's "Endless Story", created in the imagination of the protagonist, begins to exist without end and beginning.

We can comprehend this eternity thanks to yet another mystery, far from the last in the world of Christian theology: God Himself enlightens every Christian following the Apostles, granting Himself - the Holy Spirit. We receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation, He pervades 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 the day of Pentecost - the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles - we call the "Day of the Holy Trinity."

"The hospitality of Abraham" - the plot of the icon of the Life-Giving Trinity

It is possible to depict the inconceivable only to the extent that it is revealed to us. On this basis, the Church does not permit the depiction of God the Father. And the most correct image of the Trinity is the iconographic canon "The Hospitality of Abraham", which sends the viewer back to the 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, in the heat of the day.

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 [his] and bowed to the ground, and said: Master! if I have found favor in Thy sight, do not pass by Thy servant; and they will bring a little 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 walk past your servant. They said: do as you say.

And Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said [to her]: 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 lad, and he hastened to prepare it.

And he took the butter and milk and the calf that had been cooked, and set it before them, and he himself stood beside them under the tree. And they ate.

The plot about a hospitable elder 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 a radiance symbolizing the glory of the Divine). At the bottom - 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 elder twice: here he gives instructions to his wife, but he turned around to serve a new dish on the table.

By the XIV century, the canon "The Hospitality of Abraham" was already fully formed. Icon "Trinity Zyryanskaya", which, according to legend, belonged to the brush of St. Stefan Permsky is a slightly modified version of it. Three angels are seated at the table, a calf lies under it, and Abraham and Sarah are standing at the bottom left. In the background there is a building with a turret (Abraham's house) and a tree (Mamre oak).

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 who slaughters him), an oak, the chambers of Abraham. 1580, the icon Holy Trinity in Being", Surrounded by hallmarks with images of events related to the phenomena of the Trinity. An interesting detail: Abraham and Sarah are not only serving at the table here, but also sitting at it. The icon is located in the Solvychegodsk Museum of History and Art:

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

The pinnacle of Russian icon painting is the icon Trinity, written by the Monk Andrei Rublev... Minimum symbols: three angels (Trinity), chalice (atoning sacrifice), table (Lord's meal, Eucharist), reverse perspective - "expanding" from the viewer (the space of the icon describing the heavenly world is immeasurable more peace long). From recognizable realities - an oak (Mamre), a mountain (here is the sacrifice of Isaac, and Golgotha) and a building (the house of Abraham? Church? ..).

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

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

The canon "The Hospitality of Abraham" is optimal for depicting the Holy Trinity: it emphasizes the unity of essence (three angels) and the difference in 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 the saints. One of the most famous images - apparition of the Holy Trinity to the Monk Alexander Svirsky:

Non-canon images

However, there have been attempts to portray God in the Trinity and in a different way.

It is extremely rare in Western European and Russian temple painting to come across an image used in Renaissance iconography, where three faces are combined in one body. In church painting, it did not take root because of the obvious hereticalness (confusion of hypostases), and in secular painting - because of unaestheticness.

But the image " Trinity New Testament"Occurs often, although there is another extreme in it - the division of the Essence of the Divine.

The most famous icon of this canon is “ Fatherland»Of the Novgorod school (XIV century). The Father sits on the throne in the form of a gray-haired old man, on his knees is the Boy 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 conciliarly prohibited? The answer is simple: by mistake. The Old Denmi - God is mentioned in the book of the prophet Daniel:

Settled Ancient of days; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like a pure wave. (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 spoke to me; And turning, he saw seven golden lamps and, in the midst of the seven lamps, like the Son of Man, clothed in a podir and girded with a golden belt around the feathers: His head and hair were white, like a white wave, like snow ...

(Rev. 1: 12-14).

The Old Denmi image exists by itself, but it is an image of the Savior, not the Trinity. For example, on the fresco of Dionysius in the Ferapont Monastery, a halo with the Cross is clearly visible, with which the Savior is always depicted.

The Mother of God in the images of the Trinity

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

"Adoration of the Holy Trinity" by Albrecht Durer(the picture is kept in the Vienna Museum of Art History): the Father is depicted in the upper part of the composition, under Him is Christ on the Cross, and above them is the Spirit like a dove. The worship of the Trinity is rendered by the Heavenly Church (angels and all the saints with the Mother of God) and the Earthly Church - bearers of secular (emperor) and ecclesiastical (pope) power, priests and laity.

Image " Coronation Mother of God "Associated with the Theotokos dogmas Catholic Church, but due to the deep veneration of the Blessed Virgin by all Christians, it also became widespread in Orthodoxy.

The Mother of God is depicted in the center of the composition, the Father and the Son are holding a crown over Her head, and a dove hovers above them, depicting the Holy Spirit.