A more commonly recognized derivation of this ICON is 'The Holy Trinity' by Andrei Rubliev c. 1425. It depicts the 3 angels without Abraham and Sarah..
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers for by doing that some have entertained Angels without knowing it . Hebrews 13:2.
"Hospitality to strangers: is a key theme of chpter eighteen of the book of Genesis. Andrei Rublev, fifteenth century Russion Iconographer used a similar scen of the Angelic encounter with Abraham and Sarah to portray Christian belief and doctrine about the Divine Trinity. The Trinity Icon was painted in circa 1425 and is a masterpiece of serenity, beauty and theological meaning. The icon or image was painted for the chapel of a Russion monastery dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity. It remains there today and occupies a place in the chapel where it is seen by people who have just received the Eucharist.
Rublev's solution to the challenge of illustrating both the equality and distinction among persons in the Trinity was not only to show the difference between them but rather to demonstrate their spiritual unity and indivisibility -- a point that none of his predecessors was able to make so masterfully. Rublev's imagination prompted him to paint the three enchantingly beautiful figures seated around a table as if for a meal. In this symposium and friendly exchange each figure is a wonderful and spiritual in its own way. The hands are slim and elegant. There is an expression of love and mutual understanding in the angel;s faces. The scene is a harmonious integral whole like a wreath and the circular or octagonal setting symbolizes the rhythm of a musical refrain.
In this visual and tangible form we discern a higher meaning -p the logic of the universe - which implies the highest wisdom attainable by humanity: the three-in-one prototype as the model of the world. In hisimagery Rublev has imployed ancient bu well know object symbols: the wing to dnote flight , the bowl as bitter fate, the mountain as spiritual ascension, the tree as the tree of life and architectural detail as home-building. The placement of these motifs creates a pictorial equation that is completed by viewing the icon and ultimately by participating in it. The image is rich in symbols as well as space and is balanced so as to be pleasing for continuous contemplation. There is an ascent within the image from the particular to the general a transcendent meaning for all humandkind. The object-symbols and ideas do not interfere with the beauty and the charms of the painting as a whole but orchestrate it.
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Right Angel: represents God the Father, the first person of the Trinity |
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Center Angel: represents Christ, the second person of the Trinity. |
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Left Angel: represents the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. |
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The Father's feet both rest firmly on the ground as he is the source of all being |
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The Spirit's foot is less connected to the ground or earthly limitations |
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The Father's hand directly on the table indicating the gnerative power of God |
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Christ's two fingers apart symbolize his two natures: Divine and Human |
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Spirits' hands resemble a dove the biblical bird that represents God's Spirit |
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The Creator Father's outer tunic is green representing the earth |
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The Creator Father's inner garmetn is blue and symbolizes heaven |
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The Son's outer garment is blue which also represents Christ's humanity. |
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Jesus's inner garment is deep read and symbolic of his Divinity |
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The Sprit's garments are more obscure and indefinable and less material |
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Behind the Father is the mountain that represents spritual ascension. |
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The tree behind Christ represents the tree of knowledge and the tree of the cross. |
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The building is the house of God, the church, which the Sprit builds up 1 Cor 5:1. |
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The wings symbolize flight, majesty and power. |
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The bowl is an ancient object-symbol that represents bitter fat e.g. Gethsemane. |
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The contents of the bowl: In Abraham's hospitality to the three strangers he says: let me bring a little bread taht you may refresh yourselves, Gn 18:5. This precedes the feast that will later be served. For Christians it represents the Eucharist the bread that refreshes us on our pilgramage to God. Like Abraham's guests we too only receive a little bread in the celebration of the Eucharist but it is enough to refresh us and it precedes the great heavenly feast. |
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His is an empty place at the table of Divine communion. This is where the Divine hospitality extends intself to humankind who is invited to communion with God in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. Here we are the strangers who are welcomed into the warm company of God: Father, Son and Holyn Sp;irit. In Christ and in the Eucharist we dine with God and experience philoxenia which is love of the stranger, (philo = love and xenia = stranger) |
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The outline of a chalice made by the bodies of the Angels represents the communion of persons that is at the heart of the Trinity and this communion, harmony and love is the source of all human communion, peace and love. Ther otuer chalice calls us to consider all teh areas of human communion: friendship, family life, marriage, church life and society as means to experience Divine commuinion through persons |
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The faces of the Father and the Son are inclicend towards the Spirit who returns their gaze. This symbolizes the creedal statement that the "Holy Spirit", the Lord, the giver of life, proceeds from the Fatgher and the Son. The hand of the Sprirt points back to the Father and Son suggesting the completion of the eternal and infinite generation and cycle of Trinitarian life, love and goodness. In nature and the seasons we glimpse a circle of life but the fullness of the cycle of life we can only grasp through a revelation from God who in Jesus Christ went forth from the Father and was born of the Virgin MAry. As a man Jesus was the total disciple of the Father and sought communion with him through his prayer and ministry. Jesus continues to return to the Father through his passion, death, resurrection and ascension to heaven. Here we see the cuyle of Trinitarian procession worked out in human terms which means that our earthly life can be a real way to participate in God's eternal life. |
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The table itself is sqaure and represents the four cardinal directions or corners of the world. The whole world is meant to be a place of communion, love and sharing. |
13. The Sprit's garments are more obscure and indefinable and less material.
14. Behind the Father is the mountain that represents spritual ascension.
15. The tree behind Christ represents the tree of knowledge and the tree of the cross.
16. The building is the house of God, the church, which the Sprit builds up 1 Cor 5:1.
