Gospel in Art: Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

The Trinity (sometimes called 'The Hospitality of Abraham'), by Andrei Rublev. Painted 1411 or 1425-27 © Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Moscow

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 26 May 2024
Matthew 28:16-20

The eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them. When they saw him they fell down before him, though some hesitated. Jesus came up and spoke to them. He said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.'

Reflection on the Russian Icon

Today, the first Sunday after Pentecost, we celebrate the Holy Trinity, the three persons in One God: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The theological formulation of the doctrine of the Trinity took centuries to develop. The early Church Fathers played crucial roles in clarifying this doctrine. Tertullian (c. 155-240 AD) is credited with introducing the term "Trinity" (Latin: trinitas) to describe the three persons of God. Origen (c. 185-254 AD) explored the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, emphasising their unity and distinctiveness. Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria (c. 296-373 AD), defended the divinity of Christ against the Arian heresy and affirmed the equality and con-substantiality of the Son with the Father, which laid the foundation for the Nicene Creed's formulation in 325 AD which we still say every Sunday. The Council of Constantinople in 381 AD further clarified the doctrine of the Trinity. So today's feast of the Most Holy Trinity was established to provide a dedicated occasion for us to reflect on this fundamental mystery of our trinitarian faith.

Artists throughout history have grappled with the challenge of visually representing the Trinity, three distinct persons in one divine essence. Because of the abstract and complex nature of the Trinity, artists have employed various symbolic and allegorical techniques to depict this sacred mystery.

One successful example of illustrating the Trinity is Andrei Rublev's"Holy Trinity", which is sometimes called "The Hospitality of Abraham." This early 15th-century icon portrays three angelic figures seated around a table, representing the three persons of the Trinity. It is inspired by the biblical narrative in Genesis 18, where Abraham welcomes three angelic visitors who are interpreted by Christians as a prefiguration of the Trinity. It says that the biblical Patriarch Abraham 'was sitting at the door of his tent in the heat of the day' by the Oak of Mamre (illustrated in the back of our icon). The three persons are seated around the table in unity.

Though they are not explicitly labeled on the icon, each figure is distinguished by subtle iconographic details and symbols:

The figure on the left represents God the Father. He blesses the cup, yet his hand is painted at a distance from the cup, as if he passes the cup to the central angel.

The central figure represents Jesus Christ, who in turn blesses the cup as well and accepts it with a bow as if saying "My Father, if it is possible, do not give me this cup of suffering. But do what you want, not what I want" (Matthew 26:39). His hand is directly over the cup, accentuating the eucharistic blood and sacrifice.

The figure on the right represents the Holy Spirit. He has both palms of his hands pointing downwards, as if descending onto the viewer who contemplates this icon.

Their faces are identical, accentuating that they are co-equal. The figures gaze into eternity in the state of motionless contemplation. In the background, Rublev painted a house (supposedly Abraham's house), a tree (the Oak of Mamre), and a mountain (Mount Moriah).

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-28-16-20-2024/

and Art and Christianity on Songs of Praise: www.indcatholicnews.com/news/49830