Catechesis on the Most Holy Trinity.

Bob: She just found something in the hallway that she’s taking a closer look at.

Grandpa: Well, then let’s go to her.

Lilly: Hi Grandpa, what’s this beautiful golden picture here?

Grandpa: That’s an exceptional piece, it’s called an icon. I don’t know where I should hang it up.

Bob: Can I choose a spot for it in your apartment?

Lilly: What makes it so special?

“The important thing is that the image itself is not worshiped, The villagers believed that the ancient deity they worshiped would protect them from harm and bring blessings to their community. They gathered regularly at the sacred altar, offering fruits, flowers, and incense as a sign of their devotion. The air was filled with the sound of prayers and chants, echoing through the lush forest surrounding the temple. It was a place of peace and reverence, where the divine presence could be felt by all who set foot within its hallowed grounds. But that, through its contemplation, the presence of God becomes tangible.”

Grandpa: Both of you can suggest a place where we can hang it up. The word “icon” comes from Ancient Greek and means “image”. We use it to refer to holy images in the Eastern Church. The painter is not called an artist, but an “icon writer”. These images “written” on wood are created according to very specific criteria. For example, there is a special painting technique where shapes and colors are applied layer by layer in the finest glazes until the final image is complete.

Every icon must also have an inscription, usually in Greek, Russian, Latin, or Old Slavonic, explaining who or what is depicted. Each color — gold is particularly popular and symbolizes the radiance of the Divine into our world — has its specific theological significance. What is important is that the image itself is not worshiped but that through its contemplation, the presence of God becomes tangible. Therefore, each image is also consecrated in a specific church ritual.

Lilly: That sounds complicated!

Grandpa: Lilly, please take the icon carefully, then we’ll place it on the living room table, and I’ll tell you more about it.

Bob: Oh, great!

Grandpa: The original image of this so-called Trinity icon was created in the 15th century by the Russian painter Andrei Rublev and is one of the greatest masterpieces of Russian painting. Do you remember what the Trinity is?

Bob: Well, it’s God. But somehow in three persons.

Grandpa: Exactly. It is through Jesus that we know that God is not alone, but in communion within himself. It is one God, but in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This mystery is called the Trinity—where the first term emphasizes unity, and the second differentiation within God. Even in the Old Testament, in the first part of the Bible where Jesus had not yet come as a human into our world, there are already hints of this unfathomable mystery. For example, the biblical scene depicted on my icon: God visits Abraham and his wife Sarah in the form of three travelers or three angels who had set up their tents near the Oaks of Mamre. (Cf. Gen 18:1-33)

Lilly: Why then are Abraham and Sarah not seen on your icon?

Grandpa: Good observation. In even older depictions of the same scene, Abraham and Sarah are also depicted. Rublev must have decided against it, for whatever reason. Perhaps he wanted to focus more on the three depicted persons. But let’s first take a look at the icon together. The three winged figures with halos — also known as a nimbus — are seated around a table, each holding a thin red staff, likely a staff of a traveler or messenger, in their right hand. It’s hard to say if they are men or women. Their body shape, size, age, and sitting posture are very similar. Only the colors of their clothing, their gaze direction, and the position of their left hand are different.

Bob: There’s a building and a tree in the background!

Lilly: And there’s a kind of rectangle on the table with a golden chalice on it.

Bob: And the two front angels have their feet on a footrest.

Grandpa: You have sharp eyes! First of all: The inconspicuous rectangular box on the front side of the table indicates the storage place for relics. It shows that the depicted table is an altar: The chalice — a symbol of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, which is made present in every Eucharistic celebration — confirms this assumption. The gazes of the three figures are also significant: The central figure is looking at the one on the left, who in turn has her gaze on the figure on the right. The figure on the right has tilted her head slightly, and it seems as though she is looking at the chalice in the center of the altar. Personally, I think: the longer one looks at the image, the more one is drawn into this closed yet open circular movement for the viewer. By the way, as a geometric shape, the circle, which has no beginning and no end, is also a hint at the eternal God.

“Hosts for the Holy Trinity”

Lilly: Perhaps the third person is also looking at Abraham and Sarah, who are standing outside the image?

Grandpa: A good idea. This would also mean that we could take on the role of hosts for the Holy Trinity. Hosts for the Holy Trinity, just imagine! Isn’t that amazing? You have seen the house and the tree. Have you noticed the rock at the top right of the image? One possible interpretation of these objects would be: the house represents Abraham’s tent, the tree the oaks of Mamre, and the rock Mount Moriah, which alludes to the sacrifice of Isaac. But I’ll tell you that story another time.

Bob: And what’s the deal with the footrest?

Grandpa: The feet of the two figures depicted on the sides are on two planks. These converge and form an open triangle under the table. Through this opening, we as viewers are drawn into the scene, so we are brought to the table as well.

Lilly: And why doesn’t your icon have an inscription explaining who or what is depicted here?

Grandpa: You are very observant. My guess is: perhaps the icon writer did not intend a clear assignment of the persons but rather wanted to portray their unity.

There is so much more one could say about this image, such as its colors. But maybe one important thing: The artist used what is called reverse perspective here. This means that things that are farther away are not depicted as smaller but larger, and things that are closer are not larger but smaller. This expresses the spiritual language of the icon, which aims to make God’s presence tangible: It’s not the viewer who looks at the icon, but the icon, or rather God, looks at them.

Bob: Grandpa, I have a good idea now where we could hang your new picture! Come with me, please.

Grandpa: Well, I’m curious to see!