Holy Trinity Christian Cross "GOLD" Orthodox Tabernacle

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The Trinity. The “Virgin of the Sign”

The round cross coupled with the circle can be found among the most ancient, at that time pagan, symbols of Russia where it symbolized the sun. A new meaning was given to the ancient symbol after Russia officially adopted Christianity in 988.  In the rays of Christ - “Light of the Truth” and the “Sun of Righteousness” - images of pagan deities withered and turned into a fairy tale, but sun-shaped crosses became widely popular in the country, especially in the Novgorod region.  The composition with the Old Testament Trinity and the icon of the “Virgin of the Sign” on the reverse side is based on those traditions. In the book of Genesis there is a story of three angels who appeared to Abraham and his wife Sarah. God promised Abraham that the Messiah would be born among his descendants to save the world from sin and death and to re-open the gate of paradise. Since time immemorial the Church has believed this event to be a prophecy about the sacrifice of Christ.   “You, Who appeared to Abraham as triune, yet one in nature, have demonstrated the true theology in reality”, - as the troparion “To the Holy Trinity” goes.  The theological and symbolic meaning of the event dates back to the works of the icon-artist Rev. Andrei Rublev (the 14^th - early 15^th centuries).  Having refused to depict “the hospitality of Abraham” on the icon, Rublev created a new composition with just three angels sitting at the table. In a circular motion, endlessly reflecting themselves in one another, the angels represent the triune God as He was recognized by Abraham and contemplated in a vision by the saint martyr Dionysius the Areopagite (1 AD): Without end and beginning, as if eternally rotating: through the good, from the good, in the good and to the good”.  Two angels on the icon bowed their heads before the third one who is blessing the cup.  This is a symbolic depiction of the coming sacrifice of Christ. During the Liturgy, the main worship service of the Church, bread and wine are sanctified, transformed into the true body and blood of Christ “for remission of sins” and offered to believers as the Eucharist in the chalice.  That is why by blessing the cup the Lord symbolically blesses His impending sacrifice, the cup of torment that He will have to drink from for sins of the humankind.  Since the late 14^th century the Trinity has been a feast icon of the Pentecost, a holiday when God demonstrated the works of each of His three personalities 50 days after Christ’s resurrection.  This holiday became known among people as “Trinity Day”.   “Holy God, Holy Strong One, Holy Deathless One, have mercy on us”, – worshippers chant both at their homes and churches.  This holy chant is engraved on the cross’s bars around the image of the Trinity.

The icon called the “Virgin of the Sign” on the reverse side also has a prophetic meaning. On the bosom of Mary who lifted her hands in prayer there is an image of her Divine Baby with his hand in blessing gesture.  He is depicted inside the circle, a symbol of heaven, as if still in His mother’s womb yet remaining the Divine Son, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity.  This iconography follows the words of Isaiah: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).  As an apex of the prophetic promises the “Virgin of the Sign” has been located in the heart of the Prophets Tier since the middle of the 14^th century (when the Russian high iconostasis appeared). It is placed just above the “Trinity”, the central icon of the Prophets Tier.

Another Old Testament story - the battle between Israelites and the troops of Amalek – is very essential in the development of the iconography of the “Virgin of the Sign”.  “And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; And his hands were steady until the going down of the sun”  (Exodus 17:11). Moses prayed for the Jewish nation leading them across the wilderness to the Promised Land.  Our Lady prays to God for all people leading them from the spiritual wilderness to the kingdom of God.  And as long as her hands are held up in prayer nations of the world will be victorious in the invisible fight against the evil forces.