Sunday, on the fiftieth day after Easter, Orthodox Christians celebrate Holy Trinity Day – the most important celebration of the descent of the Holy spirit on the disciples of Christ. The Holy Spirit is the Third Person, Third Person, Third Essence is one and Indivisible God. So, when the Holy Spirit came to earth, and the world was manifest the Trinity – all Three persons of the Godhead, hence the name. The main icon of the celebration of the feast of the Holy Trinity stand in the center of the temple – the famous “old Testament Trinity” by Andrei Rublev. Because in 2020 due to quarantine not everyone will be able to go to the temple, it’s time to figure out what is encrypted in the childhood we all familiar masterpiece.
let’s Start with the story of the icon. For the first time that God exists in three persons, the people had in old Testament times, when Abraham and his wife Sarah, the Lord appeared “by the oaks of Mamre”. “Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in years”, – stated in the first book of the Bible, in the Book of Genesis. Then the Bible tells how it happened phenomenon that Abraham “lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold three men stood by him”. So, the “three men” appeared to Abraham by the Lord. Abraham met these “three men”, cooked them lunch, and then They asked Abraham “Where is Sarah, thy wife?”, he replied: “Here in the tent.” “And one of them said (the phrase “one of them” in the text of the Bible is highlighted, underlining the fact that the Lord appeared in three persons): “I’m going to visit you this time next year, and will have a son Sarah your wife”. Sarah heard these words of the Lord, “laughed within herself, saying, “I know, when I am old and have this pleasure?””. “And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh? …Is anything too hard for the Lord?”” And indeed, Abraham and Sarah at the appointed time a son, Isaac, from whom, as it promised Abraham God, was a great nation and then to Isaac’s seed Jesus Christ was born.
“the Holy Trinity” just portrays the phenomenon of the Holy Trinity to Abraham and Sarah have Mariiskogo oak. And the oak we see behind the Central angel.
the Rublev “Trinity” is called theology in color. Because over the fine form of the genius of the icon tells us in the language of the artistic image on naselennosti and indivisibility of the Three Hypostases of the Holy Trinity – God the Father, God the son and God the Holy spirit, their oneness. The feast of the Trinity believers to remember that in this world appeared to us the fullness of all the Three Hypostases of the Creator. And the main icon of the holiday in some incredible way opens for us, it is often theologically unenlightened, the most difficult postulate of the indivisibility and at the same time naselennosti all Three Persons of God.
But as this achieves Andrei Rublev? Here he writes about academician Boris Rauschenbach, the Creator of systems of orientation of space satellites and, at the Sam��but the author of the work “In the Holy Trinity”, the researcher of ancient Russian icons. “In the turbulent time preceding the time of all the icons of the Trinity was written by a guy known as “the Hospitality of Abraham.” Here depicted not only the Trinity, but Abraham and Sarah, treat our dear guests, and sometimes to slaughter the bull lad. This immediately reduced the resulting image to bring it to everyday earthly life – he has provided is not heavenly peace, but earthly world, which, however, was visited by the God. It should be noted here that the composition depicting the Trinity as three Angels, existed before Rublev, but the absence in them of Abraham and Sarah is explained quite simply: they do not have enough space… once the sacred image is increased, in the field of view necessarily had Abraham and Sarah”.
And then academician Rauschenbach makes a very important conclusion: “the Emergence in the fifteenth century “Trinity” Rublev was not the result of gradual development, it was a leap, something explosive. With astonishing boldness, the artist completely eliminates the scene of hospitality, removes all Dalnee. The table is no longer full of “Cutlery” in the number of eating persons – it is not a common meal, which can unite members of a single partnership, and the Eucharist that unites not in the partnership and to the Church. Rublev manages to do so, that contemplates the icon to see the full Trinitarian dogma. In doublescore time when icons, relatively speaking, had to stand the commentator, who explained would complement depicted as their contents from the point of view of the incarnation dogma was always incomplete. Here a commentator for the first time turned out to be unnecessary”.
Remember the phrase Rauschenbach that the appearance of the “Trinity” Rublev was not the result of gradual development, that it was a jump (an act of insight?), and make the first conclusion. From Rublev there is nothing superfluous, it all works to elevate the image icon from the specific situation – the phenomenon of the Three Angels to Abraham and Sarah at the oak of Mamre in the art of penetration into the Mystery. The mystery of pre-eternal God. The Mystery Of The Trinity Of God. The three sit at the table and lead a silent conversation. Unity binds Them: They are three, but at the same time They are one. It is inconceivable, but at the same time, and absolutely true, of course.
Now let’s try to examine the icon. Let’s start with the obvious observation: three of the angel depicted are quite similar. Between them there is no visible difference – so we have a sense of what theologians describe as the “unity of the three Hypostases, three Persons of God”, their naselennosti, and inseparability.
But now we turn to composition. It is very interesting. See the composition of the icon is based on the principle of the circle, and the thought of looking into Trinity is also moving in a circle, or rather, if we can not ��of got to go out beyond it. This circle brings together the three Angels in the indivisible in the Trinity.
“The light (originally gold) background depicts three angels seated around a table on which stood a bowl. The average angel stands over the others, behind him is depicted the tree, the right Angel is the mountain behind the left – chamber. The Angels ‘ heads bowed in silent conversation. Their faces are similar – if shows the same face three options. The whole composition is inscribed in a system of concentric circles that can be made on the halos, the outlines of wings, the movement of angel’s hand, and all these circles converge at the epicentre of the icon, which depicts the bowl, and the bowl – head of a calf a sign of sacrifice.
we are not just a meal, but a Eucharistic meal, which is made atoning sacrifice. The average angel blesses the Cup sitting on the right hand it takes her, the angel, located on the left from the middle, like move the Cup to the one who in front of him. The main point of the image transparent – in the depths of the Holy Trinity is about redemption,” says art historian Irina yazykova.
And that’s what we and theologian Professor Leonid Ouspensky: “If the tilt of heads and figures of two Angels directed to the side of the third, combines them with each other, the gestures of their hands, directed to the standing on the white table as on the throne, the Eucharistic chalice with the head of a sacrificial animal… she pulls the hand movements”. Sacrificial chalice – semantic and compositional center of the icon – one for all three Angels.
And then – be careful! is an amazing thing. Usually the icon of one of the figures necessarily look at the prayer: for example, if the infant looks at the mother of God, that Mary Herself will not look at His Son, and we, the faithful, answering our prayer directed at Her look. This is the principle of iconography: the icon involves praying in your space. From Rublev this law is violated. Why? Why?
All the Angels Rublev “Trinity” facing each other for a reason. The closed circle, when the Angels are inclined to each other and often, even when their views form a circle… So coming before the icon of the man is drawn in the icon, and his eyes involuntarily focused on the bowl – the bowl of the victim. She is the center. It is the main thing. And we, looking at the icon, it opens another mystery of God the mystery of the infinite divine Love for us. Because it is out of love for us God sends His only begotten Son to our world – sacrifice to redeem humanity, the victim reacquires the humanity from the captivity of sin. Of course, to see such depth in the way the Rublev “Trinity”, is necessary at least to know shaped system of iconography. But the next opening will be able to make anyone who is attentive to their feelings. Because everyone who has ever fixed his eyes ��a “Trinity” unwittingly noted a sense of peace, sense of touch to eternity, administi image. It is also not accidental. It illustrates the fact that the three Persons of the Trinity are ever present illustration of the thesis of eternity.
“But “always” is the category of time, and transfer time means at the disposal of fine art, is extremely difficult. There are only indirect methods, – says Boris Rauschenbach. Rublev is very thin and makes good use of the opportunity. Turning to all available means (composition, line, color), he creates a sense of stillness and stopping of time. This contributes to the fact that the Angels are silent conversation. After the usual conversation requires pronunciation of words, requires time, and portray Rublev a conversation, the time I went to the icon. If a silent conversation is an exchange of images and emotions, not words. Because emotions can occur instantly and indefinitely.
no Wonder there was such thing as “love at first sight” or “eternal love.” Similar images of: people are able to imagine beautiful scenery. If you try to Express love or landscape words, then this will be required time and words to adequately convey such subtle feelings, like love, is impossible. The way and emotions will always in this sense, richer and brighter words. As a result of the aggregate used Ruble means think that the three angels sit and talk already as long as long will continue to sit here. They are out hustling and bustling world of people – they’re in eternity. But in eternity time does not flow, it is her. In eternity is indeed becoming ever-unending existing always,” concludes academician.
of Course, the icon is not enough just to consider gaze the idle lover of painting, the gaze of the art critic. Anticipation only a prayer can bring us closer to this great mystery, which once, by the grace of God opened the Holy iconographer Andrew Rublev.
