Having the oldest surviving inscription in the Komi-Zyryan language, made in the Old Perm script.

Description

The icon is a vertical board, glued together in three parts, with traces of two overlay dowels. The Ark is missing. The painting layer is tempera on gesso and pavolok.

At the bottom of the center of the icon, on a white background, there is an inscription in the Komi-Zyryan language, written in the Old Perm script. Contrary to tradition, images of angels have signatures in the Komi-Zyryan language.

Iconography and style

The Zyryan Trinity icon represents a unique interpretation of the traditional Late Palaiologan iconography of the Hospitality of Abraham.

The icon depicts three angels (Old Testament Trinity) seated at a table on a large bench-altar. On the left (from the viewer) is the “Son”, in the middle - the “Father”, on the right - the “Spirit”. At the bottom left are Abraham and Sarah, at the bottom is a calf, in the background is a building with a turret (the chambers of Abraham) and a tree (the Mamre oak).

The choice of subject for this icon and for the icon of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, located in the same church and now lost, which also had an inscription in the Komi-Zyryan language, reflects the missionary ideas of St. Stephen of Perm, who came to the pagans to bring the news of the one God, and preached in the Zyryan language.

The special place given to the image of the Mamre oak on the icon makes us recall the legend of the “spiritual birch” - the totem of the Zyryans, cut by Saint Stephen. The three large branches of the oak tree symbolically and artistically relate to the idea of ​​the Trinity. The chalice on the altar, covered with a white cloth, symbolizes the Eucharistic sacrifice.

Story

• The last quarter of the 14th century (after 1379) - the creation of the icon. The icon was a temple image of the Trinity Church of the Vozhem churchyard in the Yarensky district of the Vologda province;
• 1778 - the icon was discovered by the Ustyug staff doctor, academician Yakov Friz, who draws attention to the text;
• 1790 - the text was published in the Almanac of the Academy of Sciences, the icon entered scientific circulation;
• 1796-1801 - the icon was transported to St. Sophia Cathedral (Vologda);
• 1827 - widespread veneration, the icon is decorated with a rich silver robe;
• 1830s - kept in the altar of the cathedral among dilapidated utensils, the frame was sold;
• 1841 - located in the office of Bishop Innokenty (Borisov) at the Bishop's Courtyard;
• 1847 - the icon was renewed by local icon painter A.P. Povarov, a peasant of the village of Korovnichye, the estate of the Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery, installed in the refectory of the Resurrection Cathedral;
• 1928 - entered the Vologda State Museum-Reserve;
• 1985 - is on display of ancient Russian art in the art department of the Vologda State Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve.

Authorship

Not reliably established. Information about the authorship of St. Stephen of Perm dates back to the end of the 18th century, and was recorded by Jacob Friz from the words of rural parishioners. In the detailed Life of the saint, written a year after his repose in 1396 by Hierodeacon Epiphanius the Wise, who personally knew the saint, there is no information that the saint was engaged in icon painting. There were no pilgrimages to the icon while it was in the Trinity Church. Saint Stephen of Perm was credited with the authorship of several icons and crosses with Zyryansk inscriptions, some of which were of reliably later origin.

Some researchers suggest that the icon was painted by a Veliky Ustyug master. However, the absence of other icons of this period with reliable Ustyug origin speaks against this hypothesis. Some stylistic features (for example, color) may indicate the Rostov tradition.

Restoration and current state of the icon

There is no exact information about the restoration of the icon in the 1930s-1940s; perhaps trial clearings were made at that time. According to N.I. Fedyshin, the disclosure was carried out extremely carelessly by one of A.I. Bryagin’s students after 1945. In 1968-1973, the icon was restored at the All-Russian Central Scientific Research Center by E. M. Christie.

Due to the fragility of the foundation, the “Zyryan Trinity” was exhibited outside the museum only once - at the exhibition “Painting of the Vologda Lands” at the Central Museum of Ancient Russian Culture and Art named after Andrei Rublev in 1976.

The government of the Komi Republic has repeatedly appealed to VGIAHMZ with requests to transfer the icon for permanent storage to the National Museum of the Republic, but these requests were rejected due to the special significance of the icon for Vologda culture.

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Notes

Literature

• Glebova A. A., Maymasov S. B., Petrova T. G. Ancient Russian art in the collection of the Vologda Museum-Reserve. Exhibition guide. - M., Northern Pilgrim, 2004. - Page. 11, 20-22, ill. 11, 12.
• Evgeniy (Bolkhovitinov), bishop. About the antiquities of Vologda and Zyryansk. Bulletin of Europe. 1814. No. 15, 16;
• Rybakov A. A. Artistic monuments of Vologda XIII - early XX centuries. L., 1980. P. 12, ill. 4, 5, 228-230.
• Rybakov A. A. Vologda icon. M., 1995. P. 343, ill. 228-230.
• Vinogradova E. A. On the history of the icon “Holy Trinity of Zyryansk” in Vologda // Bulletin of Church History. 2007. No. 4(8). pp. 61-72.

Excerpt characterizing the Zyryan Trinity

“By order of his Excellency, to Mr. Governor,” answered Alpatych, proudly raising his head and putting his hand in his bosom, which he always did when he mentioned the prince... “They deigned to order to inquire about the state of affairs,” he said.
“Well, just find out,” shouted the landowner, “they brought it to me, no cart, no nothing!.. Here she is, do you hear? - he said, pointing to the side where the shots were heard.
- They brought everyone to perish... robbers! - he said again and walked off the porch.
Alpatych shook his head and went up the stairs. In the reception room there were merchants, women, and officials, silently exchanging glances among themselves. The office door opened, everyone stood up and moved forward. An official ran out of the door, talked something with the merchant, called behind him a fat official with a cross on his neck and disappeared again through the door, apparently avoiding all the looks and questions addressed to him. Alpatych moved forward and the next time the official exited, putting his hand in his buttoned coat, he turned to the official, handing him two letters.
“To Mr. Baron Asch from General Chief Prince Bolkonsky,” he proclaimed so solemnly and significantly that the official turned to him and took his letter. A few minutes later the governor received Alpatych and hastily told him:
- Report to the prince and princess that I didn’t know anything: I acted according to the highest orders - so...
He gave the paper to Alpatych.
- However, since the prince is unwell, my advice to them is to go to Moscow. I'm on my way now. Report... - But the governor didn’t finish: a dusty and sweaty officer ran through the door and began to say something in French. The governor's face showed horror.
“Go,” he said, nodding his head to Alpatych, and began asking the officer something. Greedy, frightened, helpless glances turned to Alpatych as he left the governor’s office. Unwittingly now listening to the nearby and increasingly intensifying shots, Alpatych hurried to the inn. The paper that the governor gave to Alpatych was as follows:
“I assure you that the city of Smolensk does not yet face the slightest danger, and it is incredible that it will be threatened by it. I am on one side, and Prince Bagration on the other side, we are going to unite in front of Smolensk, which will take place on the 22nd, and both armies with their combined forces will defend their compatriots in the province entrusted to you, until their efforts remove the enemies of the fatherland from them or until they are exterminated in their brave ranks to the last warrior. You see from this that you have every right to reassure the inhabitants of Smolensk, for whoever is protected by two such brave troops can be confident of their victory.” (Instruction from Barclay de Tolly to the Smolensk civil governor, Baron Asch, 1812.)
People were moving restlessly through the streets.
Carts loaded with household utensils, chairs, and cabinets continually drove out of the gates of houses and drove through the streets. In the neighboring house of Ferapontov there were carts and, saying goodbye, the women howled and said sentences. The mongrel dog was barking and spinning around in front of the stalled horses.
Alpatych, with a more hasty step than he usually walked, entered the yard and went straight under the barn to his horses and cart. The coachman was sleeping; he woke him up, ordered him to lay him to bed and entered the hallway. In the master's room one could hear the crying of a child, the wracking sobs of a woman, and the angry, hoarse cry of Ferapontov. The cook, like a frightened chicken, fluttered in the hallway as soon as Alpatych entered.
- He killed her to death - he beat the owner!.. He beat her like that, she dragged her like that!..
- For what? – asked Alpatych.
- I asked to go. It's a woman's business! Take me away, he says, don’t destroy me and my little children; the people, he says, have all left, what, he says, are we? How he started beating. He hit me like that, he dragged me like that!
Alpatych seemed to nod his head approvingly at these words and, not wanting to know anything more, went to the opposite - the master's door of the room in which his purchases remained.
“You are a villain, a destroyer,” shouted at that time a thin, pale woman with a child in her arms and a scarf torn from her head, bursting out of the door and running down the stairs to the courtyard. Ferapontov followed her and, seeing Alpatych, straightened his vest and hair, yawned and entered the room behind Alpatych.
- Do you really want to go? - he asked.
Without answering the question and without looking back at the owner, looking through his purchases, Alpatych asked how long the owner was supposed to stay.
- We'll count! Well, did the governor have one? – Ferapontov asked. – What was the solution?
Alpatych replied that the governor did not tell him anything decisive.
- Are we going to leave on our business? - said Ferapontov. - Give me seven rubles per cart to Dorogobuzh. And I say: there is no cross on them! - he said.
“Selivanov, he got in on Thursday and sold flour to the army for nine rubles a sack.” Well, will you drink tea? - he added. While the horses were being pawned, Alpatych and Ferapontov drank tea and talked about the price of grain, the harvest and favorable weather for harvesting.
“However, it began to calm down,” said Ferapontov, drinking three cups of tea and getting up, “ours must have taken over.” They said they won't let me in. This means strength... And after all, they said, Matvey Ivanovich Platov drove them into the Marina River, drowned eighteen thousand, or something, in one day.
Alpatych collected his purchases, handed them over to the coachman who came in, and settled accounts with the owner. At the gate there was the sound of wheels, hooves and bells of a car leaving.
It was already well after noon; half the street was in the shade, the other was brightly lit by the sun. Alpatych looked out the window and went to the door. Suddenly a strange sound of a distant whistle and blow was heard, and after that there was a merging roar of cannon fire, which made the windows tremble.
Alpatych went out into the street; two people ran down the street towards the bridge. From different sides we heard whistles, impacts of cannonballs and the bursting of grenades falling in the city. But these sounds were almost inaudible and did not attract the attention of residents in comparison with the sounds of gunfire heard outside the city. It was a bombardment, which at five o'clock Napoleon ordered to open on the city, from one hundred and thirty guns. At first the people did not understand the significance of this bombing.
The sounds of falling grenades and cannonballs aroused at first only curiosity. Ferapontov’s wife, who had never stopped howling under the barn, fell silent and, with the child in her arms, went out to the gate, silently looking at the people and listening to the sounds.
The cook and the shopkeeper came out to the gate. Everyone with cheerful curiosity tried to see the shells flying over their heads. Several people came out from around the corner, talking animatedly.
- That’s power! - said one. “Both the lid and the ceiling were smashed into splinters.”
“It tore up the earth like a pig,” said another. - That’s so important, that’s how I encouraged you! – he said laughing. “Thank you, I jumped back, otherwise she would have smeared you.”
The people turned to these people. They paused and told how they got into the house near their core. Meanwhile, other shells, now with a quick, gloomy whistle - cannonballs, now with a pleasant whistling - grenades, did not stop flying over the heads of the people; but not a single shell fell close, everything was carried over. Alpatych sat down in the tent. The owner stood at the gate.
- What haven’t you seen! - he shouted at the cook, who, with her sleeves rolled up, in a red skirt, swaying with her bare elbows, came to the corner to listen to what was being said.
“What a miracle,” she said, but, hearing the owner’s voice, she returned, tugging at her tucked skirt.

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

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

And also on the canvases of immortal paintings 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 doesn't know the icon of the Holy Trinity? Andrei Rublev immediately comes to mind, although, of course, there are other iconic images.

Here, for example, is the Zyryan icon of the Trinity. It was created back in the 14th century by Komi-Zyryan craftsmen. And the inscriptions on the canvas are made in the ancient Perm language. The photo of the icon shows that a plant is depicted on top of the Holy Trinity - this is a symbol of the oak of Abraham.

And what does oak have to do with it? 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 is 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 family’s first child was finally born.

And exactly a 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 messengers of God.

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

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

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

On the left and right, as you might guess, are Abraham and Sarah. They were called to serve the Lord, because he performed a great miracle for them - at such a respectable 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 on 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 icon painter Simon Ushakov, dated 1671. Nowadays the painting is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Icon "Trinity" by Simon Ushakov

It is not difficult 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 existence

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

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

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

This image reflects the famous story of how Abraham nearly stabbed his own son, whom God demanded to be sacrificed. Abraham almost carried out this order, but an angel stopped him in time.

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

Trinity Icon - 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 14th century creation is kept in the Hermitage.

Trinity of Andrey Rublev

So, it’s clear who is depicted in the Holy Trinity icon, but what does it mean? The answer can be found in 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 makes you 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 a deep meaning: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are the triune God. One is like three, and three is like one - here it is, the incomprehensible essence of the divine nature.

Trinity in frame (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 the mind of Ivan the Terrible, who did not want the shrine to be visible to the eyes of even his immediate circle. It is interesting that soon 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 sediment was removed by the restorer Vasily Guryanov, and then the very Trinity that many people know today, even those who are far from religion, appeared to 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, pathetic images of the Trinity - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are seated in heaven, in their hands they hold symbols of power - a scepter and an orb. The painting was painted almost 500 years ago.

Trinity: Renaissance

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

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 - a harmonious spectacle that puts you in a peaceful mood.

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

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

It was then that her coronation took place. And this event is one way or another reflected in the church calendar. Orthodox Christians, for example, celebrate the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. This happens every year on August 28th according to a new style.

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

And Ridolfo Ghirlandaio depicted Christ himself crowning the Virgin Mary 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 that, without exaggeration, you can look at for hours. The work of Albrecht Dürer, created by him in 1511, is today kept in the famous Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum.

In the main plan is the crucifixion of Christ. A little further is the Father, who, out of great mercy, himself gave the Son as a sacrifice for the salvation of all mankind. Even higher, in the heavens, the Holy Spirit hovers in the form of a dove. It evokes a feeling of serenity and freedom. There, in heaven, we can see numerous angels.

Well, a little lower on two tiers there are people who worship the Trinity. These are the saved souls who remained in heaven after the Last Judgment - now they will forever be blissful and glorify the triune God.

Fresco by 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 stop him from perpetuating his memory in the form of priceless masterpieces of world painting.

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

Icon of the Trinity by Hieronymus Cocido

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

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

The tradition of painting three faces in one person was started by the late Renaissance master Hieronymus Cocido. Such pictures were intended to show the triune nature of God and, as it were, to explain to non-believing people this most important position of the Christian faith.

However, this style never caught on. Of course, everyone has different tastes, but in this case you can feel a clear dissonance.

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

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

Description

The icon is a vertical board, glued together in three parts, with traces of two overlay dowels. The Ark is missing. The painting layer is tempera on gesso and pavolok.

At the bottom of the center of the icon, on a white background, there is an inscription in the Komi-Zyryan language, written in the Old Perm script. Contrary to tradition, images of angels have signatures in the Komi-Zyryan language.

Iconography and style

The Zyryan Trinity icon represents a unique interpretation of the traditional Late Palaiologan iconography of the Hospitality of Abraham.

The icon depicts three angels (Old Testament Trinity) seated at a table on a large bench-altar. On the left (from the viewer) is the “Son”, in the middle - the “Father”, on the right - the “Spirit”. At the bottom left are Abraham and Sarah, at the bottom is a calf, in the background is a building with a turret (the chambers of Abraham) and a tree (the Mamre oak).

The choice of subject for this icon and for the icon of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, located in the same church and now lost, which also had an inscription in the Komi-Zyryan language, reflects the missionary ideas of St. Stephen of Perm, who came to the pagans to bring the news of the one God, and preached in the Zyryan language.

The special place given to the image of the Mamre oak on the icon makes us recall the legend of the “spiritual birch” - the totem of the Zyryans, cut by Saint Stephen. The three large branches of the oak tree symbolically and artistically relate to the idea of ​​the Trinity. The chalice on the altar, covered with a white cloth, symbolizes the Eucharistic sacrifice.

Story

• The last quarter of the 14th century (after 1379) - the creation of the icon. The icon was a temple image of the Trinity Church of the Vozhem churchyard in the Yarensky district of the Vologda province;
• 1778 - the icon was discovered by the Ustyug staff doctor, academician Yakov Friz, who draws attention to the text;
• 1790 - the text was published in the Almanac of the Academy of Sciences, the icon entered scientific circulation;
• 1796-1801 - the icon was transported to St. Sophia Cathedral (Vologda);
• 1827 - widespread veneration, the icon is decorated with a rich silver robe;
• 1830s - kept in the altar of the cathedral among dilapidated utensils, the frame was sold;
• 1841 - located in the office of Bishop Innokenty (Borisov) at the Bishop's Courtyard;
• 1847 - the icon was renewed by local icon painter A.P. Povarov, a peasant of the village of Korovnichye, the estate of the Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery, installed in the refectory of the Resurrection Cathedral;
• 1928 - entered the Vologda State Museum-Reserve;
• 1985 - is on display of ancient Russian art in the art department of the Vologda State Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve.

Authorship

Not reliably established. Information about the authorship of St. Stephen of Perm dates back to the end of the 18th century, and was recorded by Jacob Friz from the words of rural parishioners. In the detailed Life of the saint, written a year after his repose in 1396 by Hierodeacon Epiphanius the Wise, who personally knew the saint, there is no information that the saint was engaged in icon painting. There were no pilgrimages to the icon while it was in the Trinity Church. Saint Stephen of Perm was credited with the authorship of several icons and crosses with Zyryansk inscriptions, some of which were of reliably later origin.

Some researchers suggest that the icon was painted by a Veliky Ustyug master. However, the absence of other icons of this period with reliable Ustyug origin speaks against this hypothesis. Some stylistic features (for example, color) may indicate the Rostov tradition.

Restoration and current state of the icon

There is no exact information about the restoration of the icon in the 1930s-1940s; perhaps trial clearings were made at that time. According to the message

Literature

• Glebova A. A., Maymasov S. B., Petrova T. G. Ancient Russian art in the collection of the Vologda Museum-Reserve. Exhibition guide. - M., Northern Pilgrim, 2004. - Page. 11, 20-22, ill. 11, 12.
• Evgeniy (Bolkhovitinov), bishop. About the antiquities of Vologda and Zyryansk. Bulletin of Europe. 1814. No. 15, 16;
• Rybakov A. A. Artistic monuments of Vologda XIII - early XX centuries. L., 1980. P. 12, ill. 4, 5, 228-230.
• Rybakov A. A. Vologda icon. M., 1995. P. 343, ill. 228-230.
• Vinogradova E. A. On the history of the icon “Holy Trinity of Zyryansk” in Vologda // Bulletin of Church History. 2007. No. 4(8). pp. 61-72.

Andrei Rublev, "Trinity", 15th century

Stefan of Perm, "Zyryan Trinity", XIV century

Everyone knows Rublev's "Trinity", which is recognized as a world masterpiece. But this icon has a predecessor, the icon “Zyryanskaya Trinity”, painted a century earlier by Stefan of Perm, which includes the oldest inscription in the Komi language, written in the ancient Perm script.

I won’t go into detail about all the many historical and artistic aspects. Those interested can read the relevant articles on Wikipedia, as well as familiarize themselves with any other literature abundantly posted on the Internet.

I will only tell you about my own impressions of these works. I have seen Rublev’s famous “Trinity” many times, both in reproductions and in the original, in the Tretyakov Gallery. I admit, it makes a strong aesthetic impression on me. The author conveyed to us an amazing feeling of beauty, peace and mystery through the centuries.

I became acquainted with the “Zyryan Trinity” much later; it is not so famous. The original icon is kept in Vologda, and a copy (list) can be seen in Syktyvakar, in the church under the Diocese.

The similarity of the composition of both icons is impressive. Undoubtedly, Rublev saw “Zyryanskaya” and remembered it when he painted his famous icon - the oak tree is located in the same way in the center of the background, the basilica (the royal house of characteristic architecture) is also located on the left, and there is a sacrificial bowl in the center of the table. The figures of three angels are located around the set table in a similar way, and the table itself is located on a raised platform like a dostarkhan. The most important elements of the composition seem to have been copied from the icon painted by St. Stephen.

But there are also very significant differences, exceptions to the plot. In order to somehow appreciate them, we need to remember the biblical story itself. To do this, it is best to turn to the original source. The following is a direct quote from the Bible, Genesis, ch. 18 (syndal translation):

CHAPTER 18

1 And the Lord appeared to him by the oak grove of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day.
2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood against him. When he saw them, he ran towards them from the entrance to the tent and bowed to the ground,
3 and said: Master! If I have found favor in Your sight, do not pass by Your servant;
4 And they will bring some water and wash your feet; and rest under this tree,
5 And I will bring bread, and you will refresh your hearts; then go; as you pass by your servant. They said: do as you say.
6 And Abraham hurried to Sarah’s tent and said, “Knead three sacks of fine flour quickly and make unleavened bread.”
7 And Abraham ran to the herd, and took a tender and good calf, and gave it to the lad, and he hastened to prepare it.
8 And he took the butter and the milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set it before them, and he stood by them under the tree. And they ate.
9 And they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He answered: here, in the tent.
10 And he said one of them: I will be with you again at this time, and Sarah your wife will have a son. And Sarah listened at the entrance to the tent, behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and advanced in years, and the custom among women ceased with Sarah.
12 Sarah laughed inwardly, saying, “Should I, now that I am old, have this consolation?” and my lord is old.
13 And the Lord said to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, “Can I really give birth now that I am old?”
14 Is there anything difficult for the Lord? At the appointed time I will be with you next year, and with Sarah will son.
15 But Sarah did not confess, but said, “I did not laugh.” Because she was afraid. But He said: no, you laughed.
16 And those men arose and went from there to Sodom; Abraham went with them to see them off.
17 And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I want to do?
18 From Abraham will surely come a great and strong nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed,
19 For I have chosen him to command his sons and his household after him to walk in the way of the Lord, doing righteousness and justice; and the Lord will fulfill on Abraham what he said about him.
20 And the Lord said, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and their sin is very grievous;
21 I will go down and see whether they do exactly what is the cry that rises up to Me or not; I'll find out.
22 And the men turned from there and went to Sodom; Abraham still stood before the Lord.
23 And Abraham came and said, “Will You destroy the righteous with the wicked?”
24 Perhaps there are fifty righteous people in this city? Will You really destroy and not spare this place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?
25 It is not possible that You should act in such a way that You should destroy the righteous with the wicked, so that the same thing would happen to the righteous as to the wicked; cannot be from You! Will the judge of all the earth act unjustly?
26 The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, then for their sake I will spare this whole place.”
27 Abraham answered: Behold, I have decided to speak to the Master, I, dust and ashes:
28 Perhaps five righteous people will not be enough to reach fifty; is it really possible for disadvantage five Will you destroy the whole city? He said: I will not destroy if I find forty-five there.
29 Abraham continued to talk to Him and said: Perhaps there will be forty there? He said: I won't Togo and for the sake of forty.
30 And he said Abraham: May the Lord not be angry that I say: maybe there will be thirty there? He said: I won’t do it if there are thirty there.
31 Abraham said: Behold, I decided to tell the Lord: maybe there will be twenty there? He said: I will not destroy for the sake of twenty.
32 Abraham said: May the Lord not be angry, what will I say one more time: maybe there will be ten there? He said: I will not destroy for the sake of ten.
33 And the Lord went away, ceasing to speak with Abraham; Abraham returned to his place.

God appears to Abraham in the form of three angels, to whom Abraham shows hospitality. In gratitude for this, God helps the elderly couple conceive an heir (hussars, keep quiet!). At the end of the meal, two of the three angels leave to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, mired in sins and debauchery. The angel who remained with Abraham conducts a long conversation with him on the topics of sin and retribution for sin. Perhaps the conversation lasted more than one day. It is even possible that the venerable old man asked one question per day. The translation of the Bible is slightly different from the icons; in particular, the text mentions a tent, while on the icons we see a three-story basilica, where Sarah, Abraham’s wife, lives.

On the icon of St. Stephen, we see the figures of the housewife Sarah, talking with the angel of Abraham, we see a slaughtered but not beheaded calf near the dostarkhan, a cup filled with something on the table. But on the icon by Rublev, these figures are absent, and in the bowl you can see the head of the sacrificial calf. It is impossible to unambiguously judge Rublev’s plan, but it can be assumed that his “Trinity” is the central part of the triptych, and the side boards with the remaining figures were lost. There are many professional art historians' interpretations of the plot, but my own version is closer to me.

The Old Testament trinity of angels, personifying the divine essence, became the prototype of the New Testament Holy Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity is controversial and is the subject of debate among Christian churches. But the very idea of ​​the trinity of the divine essence came to us from ancient, Old Testament times. The human essence is dual, binary, we are eternally between Good and Evil. The Divine is more complex and higher than us. And it is given to the divine to mercifully judge the human.

We often make mistakes in our thoughts and actions, but the Lord forgives us a lot...

Errare humanum est, ignoscere divinum

Magazine number:

The great does not arise by chance and is not a capricious flash: it is a word to which countless threads that have long been outlined in history converge. The great is the synthesis of that which in parts shimmered phosphorescently throughout the whole people; it would not have become great if it had not resolved the creative yearning of the entire people 1 .

Pavel Florensky

IN 1929, ANDREY RUBLEV’S “TRINITY” ICON, RIGHTLY CONSIDERED THE HIGHEST CREATION OF RUSSIAN CULTURE, WAS TRANSFERRED FROM THE ZAGORSK MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND ART TO THE STATE TRETYAKOV GALLERY OH FAMOUS RUSSIAN ICON. SINCE THEN, THE ICON HAS BEEN CAREFULLY KEPT WITHIN THE WALLS OF THE MUSEUM: IT IS UNDER CONSTANT SUPERVISION BY KEEPERS AND RESTORERS. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT RELIGIONS, PROFESSIONS, AND AGES COME TO RUBLEV’S “TRINITY”, UNITED IN THEIR DESIRE TO ACCESS IDEAL BEAUTY AND GENUINE SPIRITUALITY.

A conversation about any work of art, be it secular art or ecclesiastical art, especially about such a famous icon as the “Trinity,” begins with the questions “where?” (place, locus), “when?” (time, tempus), “who?” (personality, persona), “why?” (active cause, causa activa), “for what?” (final reason, causa finalis). When answering the question: “Where was the icon of the Holy Trinity created?” - there are practically no disagreements between specialists; everyone is unanimous in the opinion that Andrei Rublev wrote it in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. There were only discrepancies regarding the location of the icon inside the monastery. Previously, it was believed that the icon was located as the main local image in the first tier of the iconostasis of the Holy Trinity Cathedral on the right side of the Royal Doors 2. But V. Antonova proved that the icon was originally located at the feet of the tomb of St. Sergius, serving, as it were, as an “altarpiece” in relation to the saint’s shrine 3. In the 16th century, a copy was made from the Rublev icon 4. In 1600, Boris Godunov decorated the icon with a golden robe with precious stones 5. Around 1626, it was moved to a designated place for the main temple icon (perhaps as a result of its miraculous glorification) 6. a copy was placed in second place to the left of the royal doors (immediately behind the icon of the Mother of God “Hodegetria”). For almost five hundred years, the icon was in the Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and was renewed several times. In 1904-1905, on the initiative of the famous artist, collector and trustee of the Tretyakov Gallery I.S. Ostroukhov, under the supervision of the Moscow Archaeological Society and with the permission of the Lavra authorities, icon painter-restorer V.P. Guryanov together with V.A. Tyulin and A.I. Izrattsov cleared the icon from the upper layers. Immediately after the clearing, they took a photograph of the surviving original image 7. In 1918-1919, the department of the Central State Restoration Workshops at the Zagorsk History and Art Museum (TSGRM at ZIHM) carried out the final clearing of the “Trinity” icon 8. After clearing, it was declared unacceptable to cover the “only” with a frame , according to its significance, a work of art in the world”, belonging to the brush of Andrei Rublev 9.

There is a generally accepted answer to the question: “When was the icon of the Holy Trinity created?” - Not yet. Proponents of early dating believe that the “Trinity” was created for the wooden Trinity Cathedral, erected in 1411, and was later transferred to a stone church. Another point of view is that the icon was painted simultaneously with the iconostasis in 1425-1427 for the new stone Trinity Cathedral, decorated by an artel of masters led by Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny. Today, the scientific assessment of the dating problem sounds like this: “Question. can only be resolved after conducting a comprehensive study of all icons associated with the work of Andrei Rublev" 10 .

Complete unanimity is observed when answering the question: “Who is the author of the icon of the Holy Trinity?” It was created by Andrey Rublev. In fairness, it should still be noted that there were attempts to doubt this. So, back in the second half of the 19th century D.A. Rovinsky, who considered this icon to be the work of an Italian master, argued that, probably, only the news of the Klintsovsky original, repeated in the life of St. Sergius of Radonezh, “gave occasion to I.M. Snegirev to attribute the icon of the Holy Trinity to Rublev” 11. However, Metropolitan of Moscow Philaret (Drozdov) considered it necessary to firmly refute this opinion, saying that “in the Sergius Lavra there is a constant tradition that this image was painted by Andrei Rublev under St. Nikon” 12. After restoration work was carried out works by N.P. Likhachev wrote that “observations made by Guryanov confirm the assumption that the icon of the Holy Trinity belongs to Rublev’s letter” 13.

As for the actual reason that prompted Andrei Rublev to paint the Trinity icon, it can be divided into direct and indirect. The immediate is clear and understandable - this is an order on the part of the reverend. Nikon of Radonezh, which is confirmed by the words from the iconographic original: “He [Rev. Nikon] commanded to write an image of the Most Holy Trinity with him, in praise of his father, Saint Sergius the Wonderworker. “14. P. Florensky pointed out an indirect reason in his time: “But if the temple was dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity, then there should have been a temple icon of the Most Holy Trinity in it, expressing the spiritual essence of the temple itself - so to speak, the name of the temple realized in colors. It is difficult to imagine that a disciple of the disciple of St. Sergius, so to speak, his spiritual grandson, almost contemporary with him, who worked during his lifetime and probably knew him personally, would dare to replace the composition of the Trinity Icon, which was with the Rev. and approved by him, with an unauthorized one composition of the same prototype. The miniatures of Epiphanius' Life represent the icon of the Trinity in the cell of St. Sergius not from the very beginning, but only from the middle of his life, i.e. testify to its emergence precisely among the activities of the Reverend. In the “Trinity” icon, Andrei Rublev was not an independent creator, but only a brilliant implementer of the creative plan and main composition given by St. Sergius” 15.

Now we should clarify the most difficult thing - the main reason for the creation of the icon of the Holy Trinity, its task, its significance for “this world.” Every icon has a dogmatic meaning, a moral and ideological message, and pictorial and artistic features.

The dogmatic meaning is based on the fact that “the presence of an image in the world is a matter of God’s predestination, for in God’s unchanging eternal Council, as if in an idea, there are images and samples of those things that have to come from Him” 16. Moral and ideological preaching is spoken of in the acts of the Seventh Ecumenical Council: “Let the hand of the most skillful painter fill the temple with the stories of the Old and New Testaments, so that those who do not know literacy and cannot read the Divine Scriptures, looking at the picturesque images, bring to mind the courageous deeds of those who sincerely served the true God and are excited to competition of illustrious and ever-memorable virtues" 17. Pictorial and artistic techniques are revealed during a careful analysis of the work, and at the same time, in the case of church art, it should be remembered that "speaking about the forms of embodiment of the image, the holy fathers do not so much focus on the question of character, but rather the living , direct transmission of the prototype, through the real transmission of reality" 18.

The disclosure of the dogmatic meaning of the icon of the Holy Trinity, which belongs to the iconographic type of the Old Testament Trinity, begins with the original source of the story. In the 18th chapter of the book of Genesis we read about how the Lord appeared to Abraham at the oak grove of Mamre. Seeing the three men, Abraham ran to meet them, bowed and said: “Lord, if I have found favor in Your sight, do not pass by Your servant” (Genesis 18:3). The following is about Abraham and Sarah preparing a meal. During the meal, a conversation takes place between the Lord and Abraham, in which the birth of Abraham and Sarah's son Isaac is predicted. At the end of the meal, Abraham sees off the three men as they set off for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Both at the meal and on the way, Abraham receives notification from the Lord about the destruction of the inhabitants of these cities, mired in wickedness. During the conversation, two companions get ahead of them, and Abraham is left alone with the Lord. After Abraham’s request to spare the inhabitants under a certain condition, the Lord departs from him, and Abraham returns to his home. If you trace that long and complex path that leads from the very oak forest of the Mamvrian and Roman catacombs through Ravenna, Patmos, Sicily, Cappadocia and Constantinople to Ancient Rus', Kyiv, Vladimir-Suzdal, Novgorod and, finally, to the Moscow lands, to the monastery of St. Sergius, then this will allow us to establish how, when and where the image “Hospitality of Abraham” began to be perceived as the “Old Testament Trinity” 19. Let us remember that God appears to Abraham, who sees three husbands, and then recognizes the Lord in them, accompanied by two persons, about whom it is first said that they are men, and a little further that they are angels. None of the holy fathers and teachers of the Church doubted that this story contained one of the Epiphanies that happened to Abraham. However, there were disagreements: did the Lord appear to Abraham with two angels, or were they three angels who served as a means of externally revealing the Divinity through them, or were they all three Persons of the Holy Trinity in the form of angels 20 .

Summarizing all of the above, priest A. Lebedev writes: “When comparing all these views, one must come to the conclusion that, although one of those who appeared to Abraham, like Jehovah, is clearly different from the Angels sent to Sodom, nevertheless the very number “three” is undoubtedly indicates the trinity of Persons in God” 21. Saint Philaret of Moscow is also inclined to the same opinion. “The custom of the Church,” he says, “to represent on icons the mystery of the Holy Trinity in the image of three Angels who appeared to Abraham, shows that pious antiquity precisely included the symbol of the Holy Trinity among these Angels” 22.

So, at first the Church, apparently, was dominated by the understanding of the indicated biblical text in the sense of the Epiphany to Abraham of the Lord and two angels. Gradually, from a direct interpretation, a relative desire is formed to see in this Epiphany three angels, with their number “three” symbolically expressing the trinity of the Divine. The most departing from the direct understanding of the biblical text should be considered the view of this Epiphany as the appearance to Abraham of all the Persons of the Holy Trinity in the form of three wanderers. It was this understanding that became dominant in Rus', and its disclosure in pictorial form is the dogmatic meaning of the icon of the Holy Trinity. Moreover, it was precisely this dogmatic dominant in the Russian church consciousness, which was the result of the feat of St. Sergius and the creativity of Andrei Rublev, saved Rus' from the temptation of Union and helped firmly defend theological positions on the issue of filioque.

By what iconographic and pictorial methods did Andrei Rublev manage to achieve such a dogmatic semantic load in the “Trinity” icon? We will be guided by the motto of Fr. George Florovsky: “The right path of theology is revealed only in a historical perspective” 23. Even in the time of Eusebius of Caesarea (IV century), near the Mamvrian oak there was a painting depicting the appearance of three strangers to Abraham 24. As Eusebius testifies, the figures depicted on it “reclined "according to the custom of the Hellenistic world. Eusebius further writes: “Two, one on each of the two sides, and in the middle - a more powerful one, superior in rank. Shown to us in the middle is the Lord our Savior himself. He, having assumed both human appearance and form, revealed Himself, as He is, to the pious forefather Abraham and also conveyed to him the knowledge of His Father." 25. Julius Africanus also mentioned a similar image at the oak of Mamre. Constantine the Great in 314 of the pagan altar in Palestine at the oak of Mamre, standing in front of the picture of the appearance of angels to Abraham 27. After the Second Ecumenical Council, which approved the dogma of the Holy Trinity, the image of the “Old Testament Trinity” is found quite often. In the mosaic of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome (5th century), three figures sitting in a row have triangular loaves of bread in front of them. In this image, the middle figure has a cross-shaped halo, which indicates that in ancient times the Church maintained the opinion of the appearance of Christ and two angels to Abraham 28. All three figures have wings in the miniature of the Cotton Bible (5th century) 29. The appearance to Abraham is also depicted on the mosaic of the Church of St. Vitaly in Ravenna (VI century) 30 and in the Greek manuscript of the book of Genesis by Di Filippi, attributed by Teschendorff to the 5th century. In the miniature in the “Octateuch” in the Vatican (XI-XII centuries), three Divine guests are depicted without wings, while the middle one has a cross-shaped halo. In this case, the characters are no longer placed according to the principle of isokephaly (in a straight line), but in a semicircle. This arrangement is gaining ground in the eastern provinces and possibly in Syria. Most likely, the isokephal type of composition is early Christian and Western, since such an arrangement meant equal dignity, which directly followed from the teachings of Bl. Augustine and other Western fathers 31. In the East, provincial schools affirmed a different understanding of the plot, iconographically inclined towards the interpretation of the Epiphany as Christ and two angels, which later resulted in the composition “Holy Trinity”. This iconographic plot penetrates into Rus' (although there are rare examples of isokephaly - the “Old Testament Trinity” from Pskov). Subsequently, in circular images we find details that indicate that the icon painters wanted to show not the appearance of Christ and two angels, but all three Persons of the Holy Trinity. So on the fresco in Charakilissa (11th century) all three figures have cross-shaped halos. Halos of this kind are depicted in the icon “Fatherland” (14th century, Tretyakov Gallery). The further evolution of the circular composition of the Holy Trinity increasingly reveals the idea of ​​the trinity of God. So, for example, if in early circular images the table was depicted as semicircular in order to highlight the central figure, then in the Palaiologan era, which was characterized by a tendency to inscribe many compositions in circles, the table was depicted straight, and in such a way that all three angels were aligned with each other. Andrei Rublev achieves the same goal in the icon, depicting the head of the central angel bowed (in early images only the side angels bowed their heads), which gives rise to the effect of circular movement, that vital movement that leads to an understanding of the unity of the Divine essence, and not to highlighting the character of each of the three persons of the Holy Trinity. Three are depicted in unity, not three. Luminous coloring using gold, shining ocher, delicate shades of green, pink and lilac, heavenly (Rublevsky) cabbage roll, subtle rhythm of lines in unity with a perfect composition give rise to an image of unearthly beauty, heavenly harmony. Different opinions of researchers about the identification of each figure in the icon of Andrei Rublev indicate that the icon painter managed to achieve his goal: to depict the trinity of God, and not three hypostases. This is the dogmatic meaning of the icon as a figurative expression of the dogma of the Holy Trinity, embodied by ideal artistic means. The conciliar consciousness of the Church consolidated the “iconographic dogma” of the Rublev icon in the middle of the 16th century, when the Stoglavy Cathedral “raised it into a universal model, ordering the painting of the image of the “Holy Trinity” as Andrei Rublev and the “notorious Greek painters” wrote” 32.

The era of the late XIV - early XV centuries, in which Andrei Rublev lived and worked, was outstanding in its exceptional significance in the history of the Russian state. It marked the revival of national culture in connection with the desire that had matured in the hearts of the Russian people to unite all of Rus' to overthrow the Mongol-Tatar yoke 33. “At this time, the Russian Church plays a major role in the creation of Russian statehood and national unification. Its head - the Metropolitan - moves from Vladimir to Moscow and thereby emphasizes the importance of Moscow not only as a state capital, but also as a church capital." 34. In such a historical context, Andrei Rublev creates the icon of the Holy Trinity. P. Florensky says: “What touches, amazes and almost burns us in Rublev’s work is not the plot, not the number “three”, not the cup at the table or the krill, but the veil of the noumenal world suddenly pulled back before us. Among the rushing circumstances of the time, among discord, internecine strife, general savagery and Tatar raids, among this deep peacelessness. an endless, imperturbable, indestructible world, the “supreme world” of the heavenly world, opened to the spiritual gaze. The enmity and hatred that reigns in the lower world was contrasted with mutual love, flowing in eternal harmony, in eternal silent conversation, in the eternal unity of the heavenly spheres." 35. From these statements the conclusion follows: the icon of the Holy Trinity, on the one hand, was the result of spiritual and historical life of the Russian people, and on the other hand, it set the goal of spiritual and historical aspirations for unity, mutual love, and the predominance of mountain values ​​over the valley. In the 14th century, it became clear that the future state would be multinational (suffice it to recall the activities of St. Stephen of Perm to educate the Zyryans). But peoples never live together just like that, they always live together for something. The living and creative principle that guides the entire course of unity is the project of living together. There is no nation without tradition, without past, without memory. But this is not enough - nations are formed and live only insofar as they embody the desire to implement a common program for the future, to achieve a common goal. The greatness of the moral and ideological significance of Andrei Rublev’s work lies in the fact that the image of the Holy Trinity united the past of the people, their spiritual experience and the future as a common national-state goal setting. During the canonization of Andrei Rublev in 1988, the conciliar consciousness of the Russian Orthodox Church confirmed the enormous significance of the image of the Holy Trinity for Russia and the entire Orthodox world by the fact that on the icon of St. Andrei Rublev is depicted holding an icon of the Holy Trinity in his hands, and the troparion says:

“Illustrated by the rays of Divine Light, Reverend Andrew, you knew Christ - God’s Wisdom and Power and with the icon of the Holy Trinity you preached Unity in the Holy Trinity to the whole world, but we cry out to you with surprise and joy: have boldness towards the Most Holy Trinity, pray to enlighten our souls.” .

1 Florensky P. Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius and Russia. T. 2. M. 1996. P. 360.

2 Golubinsky E. St. Sergius of Radonezh and the Trinity Lavra created by him. M. 1909. P. 185. The same work shows an image of the iconostasis.

3 Antonova V. About the original place of Andrei Rublev’s “Trinity” // State. Tretyakov Gallery. Materials and research. Vol. 1. M. 1956. Perhaps this, according to Antonova, is indicated by the words “in praise. Sergius the Wonderworker." The excerpt from which these words are taken is from the Stroganov icon painting original (late 16th century) and it reads like this: “Reverend Father Andrei of Radonezh, an icon painter, with the nickname Rublev, painted many holy icons, all miraculous. and before that he lived in obedience to the venerable father Nikon of Radonezh. He commanded that an image of the Most Holy Trinity be painted with him, in praise of his father, Saint Sergius the Wonderworker. "(see Buslaev F.I. Historical essays on Russian folk literature and art. T. 2. M. 1861. P. 379-380). In some studies, the Stroganov original is called the “Klintsovsky original”, since it was in the Klintsovsky Posad (former Novgorod-Seversky governorate) that an ancient manuscript was found, which only later began to belong to Count Stroganov. On the basis of this manuscript, the “Life of St. Nikon of Radonezh” was first published in 1786. The same manuscript also contains the original icon painting.

4 Guryanov V.P. Two local icons of the Holy Trinity in the Trinity Cathedral of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra and their restoration. M. 1906. P. 5.

5 Kondakov N.P. Russian treasures. Study of antiquities of the Grand Duke's period. T. 1. M. 1896. P. 175.

6 Golubinsky E. Decree. op. pp. 185-186. Indeed, already in the inventory of the monastery in 1641 the icon is called “miraculous.”

7 Guryanov V.P. Decree op. Table 1, fig. 2.

8 Clearing was carried out by G.O. Chirikov (cleared the faces), I.I. Suslov, E.I. Bryagin, V.A. Tyulin. In 1926 E.I. Bryagin made an additional selection of records and restoration tintings (see the dictionary of Russian icon painters of the 11th-17th centuries. M. 2003. P. 543).

9 Olsufiev Yu.A. Inventory of icons of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Sergiev, 1920. P. 15.

10 Dictionary of Russian icon painters of the 11th-16th centuries. 2003. P. 544.

11 Quoted. by: Voronov L. prof. archpriest. Andrei Rublev - the great artist of Ancient Rus' // Theological works. 1975. No. 14. P. 86. Link given to: Rovinsky D.A. Review of icon painting in Russia until the end of the 17th century. St. Petersburg 1903. P. 40.

12 Collection of opinions and reviews of Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, on educational and church-state issues. St. Petersburg 1887. Add. t. P. 331-342.

13 Likhachev N.P. The writing style of Andrei Rublev. St. Petersburg 1907. P. 104.

14 Golubinsky E. Decree op. pp. 185-186.

15 Florensky P. Decree op. pp. 362-364.

16 St. John of Damascus. Three words of defense against those who condemn holy icons or images. St. Petersburg 1893. P. 8.

18 Sergius, Archbishop. Theological ideas in the works of Andrei Rublev // Theological works. 1981. No. 22. P. 5.

19 Such a study was carried out in the work: Ozolin N. “Trinity” or “Pentecost”? // Philosophy of Russian religious art. Vol. 1. M. 1993. pp. 375-384.

20 For example, Procopius of Gaza in the 6th century. states the existence of three parallel opinions: “As for the three men [who appeared to Abraham],” he writes, “some claim that they were three angels; others that one of the three is God, and the rest are His angels; and still others, that it is said here about the prototype of the most holy and consubstantial Trinity” (PG, t. 87, 363).

21 Lebedev A. priest. Old Testament doctrine in the time of the patriarchs. Vol. 2. St. Petersburg. 1886. P. 122.

22 Ibid. P. 128.

23 Florovsky G. Archpriest. Paths of Russian theology. Paris, 1937. P. 508.

24 St. John of Damascus. Decree. op. P. 127.

26 Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Digest of articles. Sergiev Posad, 1919. P. 127.

27 Garrucci R. Storia. T. I, p. 437; Ainalov D.V. mosaics of the 4th and 5th centuries. St. Petersburg 1895. P. 112.

28 Ainalov D.V. Decree. op. P. 111.

29 Alpatov M. “Trinity” in the art of Byzantium and in the icon of Rublev. M.; Sudak, 1923-1926. Il. 6 (in French).

32 Life of St. Andrei Rublev // Canonization of saints. Trinity-Sergius Lavra, 1988. P. 58.

33 Likhachev D.S. Culture of Rus' during the formation of the Russian national state. OGIZ. 1946. P. 15, 33.

34 Sergius, Archbishop. Decree. op. P. 9.