Holy Trinity icon (7)

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Orthodox icon of the Holy Trinity, also know as the Hospitality of Abraham, Philoxenia of Abraham (7). Icon of 15th century, Byzantine Museum, Athens Greece

Commemorated on Pentecost Day, 50 days after Resurrection.

On the book of Genesis 18:1-15 says the story that is commonly known as the Hospitality of Abraham. In this story, three angels appear to Abraham and Sarah. They treat their three visitors with great reverence, and prepare a meal for them. You have probably seen an icon of these three angels seated at the table, but you may have known that this icon is a "type" of the Holy Trinity! A type is a figure or a representation.

The guests are described simply as three men, but when Abraham talks to them, they respond as one ("they said"). The Lord appeared to Abraham, but when he looks to see who is there, he sees three men. Three men speaking as one; the one God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. At other times, only one of the angels speaks to Abraham and he is referred to as "Lord." In the icon, it is most often felt that the angel in the center of the icon is the one referred to as Lord: Jesus Christ.

In iconography, it is traditional for Christ to be depicted wearing a red undergarment, with a blue garment over the top of it (red representing His divinity, and blue His humanity which He "put on").In the icon of the Hospitality, the center angel is also wearing red with blue over the top of it.

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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