Three Hierarchs (Basil, Gregory, John) icon (1)

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Orthodox icon of Three Hierarchs (Hierarchs) (1): Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom.

Commemorated January 30.

The Icon of the Three Holy Hierarchs shows a meeting together of three of the greatest theologians in the Church's history: Ss Basil the Great, John Chyrstostom, and Gregory the Theologian. The icon show all three in unity vested in there vestments as Bishops. Saint Basil has dark hair with a long, pointed beard; Saint John is recognized by his high forehead and tuft of hair in the centre of his head; Saint Gregory is bearded with white hair.

This celebration stems from a dispute about who was the the greatest of the Orthodox teachers: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom. One night in te midst of this dispute the three holy Hierarchs appeared in a dream to Saint John Mauropus, the Metropolitan of Euchaïta speaking with a single voice, they said: As you see, the three of us are with God and no discord or rivalry divides us. Each of us, according to the circumstances and according to the inspiration that he received from the Holy Spirit, wrote and taught what befits the salvation of mankind.

There is not among us a first, a second or a third, and if you invoke one of us the other two are immediately present with him. Therefore, tell those who are quarreling not to create divisions in the Church because of us, for when we were on earth we spared no effort to re-establish unity and concord in the world. You can conjoin our three commemorations in one feast and compose a service for it, inserting the hymns dedicated to each of us according to the skill and knowledge that God has given you. "

This common feast of these three teachers was instituted a little before the year 1100.

We find this name of our God in two Biblical Books. The first is in the Book of Daniel and it was a vision that Daniel's had: "I kept looking Until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow And the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, Its wheels were a burning fire."A river of fire was flowing And coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The court sat, And the books were opened”.

The second is in the book of Revelation 1/A 12-18: "I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lamp stands and among the lamp stands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades."

In the art of the orthodox iconography, sometimes Christ portrayed as an Elderly, as the “Ancient of the Days”, to symbolically show His existence in eternity and some times like a young “person” to demonstrate His incarnation. This tendency of hagiography appeared in the 6th century AD, especially in the Eastern Byzantine Empire.

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