THE WRITING OF RUBLEV’S TRINITY ICON

SPIRITUALITY, SYNODALITY AND KOINONIA

Abstract

This paper deals with the writing of Rublev’s icon of the Trinity, focusing on spirituality, synodality and koinonia (communion). This consideration is justified by the topicality of the theme and by Pope Francis’ ecclesial understanding of how synodality reveals a servant and community ecclesial modus. The objective of this study is, firstly, to describe the experience of composition (writing) of the icon in the iconocopist process and, secondly, to direct the reflection to the synodal journey proposed by Pope Francis, so evident in the current theological and ecclesial environment and the possible relations of this way of being Church with the icon of the Holy Trinity. This is an inductive-deductive research and bibliographic review. Inductive because it observes a set of knowledge linked to the theme of Iconography focusing on the Trinity of Rublev, hypotheses and explanations are formulated on the question, which culminate in statements that comprise the tradition of the Church; while the opposite path is also traveled – the synodal modus, which belongs to the tradition of the Church, but which has difficulties of application, in view of the hypotheses, which culminate in the work Trinity of Rublev. The inductive and deductive movements occur reciprocally. The empirical method also makes up this work regarding the production of the physical piece of the icon: choice and preparation of the board, choice of materials, use of natural pigments, preparation of egg tempera, prayer, meditation, blessing and anointing of the piece with the oil of chrism. The study showed that the spirituality of icons is a rich path, still little known in the Latin ecclesial universe and that needs to be explored and disseminated. In addition to the theoretical reflection, the study on Rublev’s icon of the Trinity resulted in the elaboration of a physical piece – writing of the icon and its technical process, resulting in the possibility of the concrete writing of an icon in harmony and dialog with the cultural reality of Curitiba. Rublev’s icon of the Trinity is undoubtedly par excellence a reference point for the synodal journey, since it synthesizes the values of communion and selfless availability of Christian life.