Holy Trinity Research Articles

Shall we dance? Choreographing hospitality as key to interpersonal transformation

The icon of the Holy Trinity by Andrei Rublev (1425) is a celebration of hospitality. This article contemplates the icon through Henri Nouwen’s eyes, using his methodology, and shows how the spiritual practice of hospitality is key to interpersonal transformation. The article considers Nouwen’s proposition that hospitality involved creating a space of true freedom in which the stranger can become a friend. It discusses Beatrice Bruteau’s view that such a free space required a communion paradigm in interpersonal relations, before investigating Nouwen’s unique metaphor for interpersonal transformation, a movement from hostility to hospitality. Finally, the article formulates principles for the spiritual practice of hospitality for ordinary people in everyday life, by considering the contributions of contemporary spiritual writers, Barbara Brown Taylor and Christine Pohl. Brown Taylor believes that the practice of hospitality began with paying attention, and Pohl warns against the challenges associated with its practice.

“Hardworking and Tireless” Vasyl Hermanovych — Singer and Servant to Four Generations of Princes of Ostroh

Scholars, including music historians, have long been interested in the cultural centers of early modern Ukraine-Rus’. One of these centers located in Ostroh (Volhynian palatinate of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth) existed in the last third of the sixteenth and first half of the seventeenth centuries. Ostroh was famous not only for its mighty fortress, a printing house, the intellectuals circle, and the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy but also for its “singing school,” which introduced a co-called “Ostroh tune.” It is not known for certain when the school was founded and by whom, and in general, very little information has been preserved about the musicians and singers who lived in the city during this “classical period.” This article aims to fill in some gaps and introduce new biographical material related to Vasyl Hermanovych († 1626), who was a court singer of the voivode of Kyiv Prince Vasyl-Kostiantyn Ostrozkyi (1526–1608) and served to several generations of his descendants. Until now, information about Vasyl Hermanovych was limited to mentioning him as Vasyl Spivak in a document of 1621. Thanks to the discovery of other manuscripts, including his will, it has become possible to significantly expand our knowledge about the singer. The article considers the origin of Vasyl Hermanovych and reconstructs his family ties, the conditions of his service, and material support. A particular focus is on the last wishes of the singer, who asked to be buried in the Derman Holy Trinity Monastery and bequeathed all his property to his wife and a close relative, whom he specified as a “grandson” in his will. Vasyl Hermanovych’s will is published in the appendix to the article.

Artifice of Eternity

The Christian doctrine of theosis teaches that the natural end of creatures is union with the Holy Trinity, the supernatural end of nature – both human and non-human. However, through certain developments in modernity, there occurred a separation of the natural and the supernatural, and later a dualism between nature and culture. In this essay, I argue, on the one side, that a secularised transhumanism can be seen as a parody of theosis, now reframed within this modern bifurcation between nature and supernature, replacing teleology with technical efficiency and the beatific vision with an immanentized eschatology. However, on the other side, I also wager that the figure of the transhuman or posthuman does nevertheless challenge the separation of nature and artifice, the human and non-human, and that rather than continuing this unsustainable division we should resource alternative theological traditions that have blended nature and artifice with the aim of articulating a Christian vision of theandric humanism.

The Greek-American Diaspora: A Patient Population in Need of Increased β-Thalassemia Carrier Status Screening and Education

Objective: The true prevalence of β-thalassemia is unknown in the United States. Further, basic community knowledge of the disease and its pathogenesis has gone unexplored. The objective of this study was to assess disease knowledge in an at-risk Central Pennsylvanian community, and to assess self-reported carrier frequencies of β-thalassemia. To our knowledge, this is the first assessment of β-thalassemia disease knowledge in an American diaspora of an at-risk patient population. Methods: Participants were recruited in-person at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Harrisburg, PA. Permission for the on-site study was received from the Cathedral Dean and Parish Council in writing. Voluntary surveys were administered electronically via RedCap on personal devices and were offered in both Greek and English languages. Inclusion criteria were an age of 13 years and older and the ability to read in Greek or English. Participant demographics were summarized using descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 154 surveys were administered. Of those administered, 140 were completed and met inclusion criteria. Participants with (n = 113) and without (n = 27) Greek heritage were polled. Over 50% of the participants surveyed held a bachelor's degree or higher. Over 64% of all participants did not recognize the term β-thalassemia at all. Over 35% of younger participants (ages 13-44 years) and 34% of older participants (45 years and older) were unaware that the disease could be inherited. Around 50% of all responses were, “Not sure” when asked to identify symptoms of β-thalassemia minor. In order to identify how participants have come to know about the disease, participants were asked about educational sources that have influenced their understanding. Word of mouth was selected as the primary source of education (38.27% in older participants), or no source at all (37.28% in younger participants). Less than 10% of participants between ages 13-44 years had ever learned about β-thalassemia from a medical professional. Participants were asked, “How early can a β-thalassemia diagnosis be made?” Answer choices included “During pregnancy”, “During infancy”, “During childhood”, “Adulthood”, and “Not sure.” Around 45% and 56% of younger and older cohorts, respectively, selected “Not sure”. Out of 140 participants surveyed, 12 (8.57%) responded that they were known carriers of β-thalassemia trait or had β-thalassemia. Eleven reported having β-thalassemia minor (7.85%, Fig. 1), while 1 reported having β-thalassemia intermedia (0.7%, data not shown). When prevalence was re-calculated including only those with self-identified Greek heritage (n = 113), the prevalence of β-thalassemia and intermedia rose to 9.73% and 0.88%, respectively. Conclusion: One of the most concerning gaps uncovered is that there are few sources of educational information (i.e. medical professional, formal education) influencing the knowledge of β-thalassemia in this at-risk population. Self-reported prevalence of β-thalassemia in our cohort is comparable to the national prevalence in Greece (~8%). While The Greek National Prevention Program has been in place since 1974, participants in our cohort responded that “word of mouth” is the main contributing source to their disease understanding. This public health issue is relevant beyond Pennsylvania Greek Americans. In 2017, the global number of refugees reached an all-time high of 25.4 million, including people from regions where β-thalassemia is endemic. It has been noted that the prevalence of β-thalassemia is increasing in North America primarily due to migration. Thus, there is an immediate need to identify, to educate with culturally competent methods, and to screen high-risk communities in the United States.

Hygromechanical study of a 16th century painted wooden panel: In-situ experiments to quantify the mechanical effect of the frame and the cradle

In order to prevent damage to painted wooden panels from the cultural heritage sector, curators and conservators must provide the hygroscopic and thermal conditions necessary for their conservation. Furthermore, the design of physical reinforcements such as frames or cradles has to be considered. In this paper, experiments were designed to determine the kinematic response of a painting to hygrometric variations both before and after remedial conservation treatments were undertaken. This study was carried out in the Fabre Museum, Montpellier on the panel painting “La Sainte Trinité couronnant la Vierge” (« The Coronation of the Virgin by the Holy Trinity »), which was placed in a climate-controlled showcase in a museum exhibition space. A glass panel on either side allowed visitors to see both sides of the panel during the experiment. At the same time, two stereoscopic devices allowed us to follow the relief, the shape deformation and surface strain of the panel on its front and back sides. First, the mechanical effect of the frame and cradle was studied. The majority of the deformation was found to be due to the cradle; initially the panel had a complex warp (-5 to 10 mm), decreasing to (-1 to +2 mm) when the cradle was removed. The continuous monitoring (two images per hour) was carrried out to assess the behaviour of the panel during imposed relative humidity (RH) variations of about 13 % RH (between 65 % RH for the maximum and 52 % RH for the minimum) for both the absorption and desorption phases. The global mechanical effect on the curvature was very clear with an opposite direction of deflection between absorption and desorption phases. A comparison of the behaviour of the panel with and without the cradle showed that the change in curvature was about twice as great (4 mm) without the cradle, and its direction moved from an initial slight negative curvature state to a positive one. In terms of strain on both the surfaces, we observed a horizontal shrinkage of about -0.1 % during the desorption phase and a swelling of about +0.1 % during the absorption phase for both the front and back sides of the panel. A further local study allowed us to assess the mechanical phenomenon for each board with the local determination of cupping angles and surface strains. This local study highlighted the change in behaviour of the panel without the cradle. On both sides, the local surface strains were decomposed into the mean strain and the deviation from the mean strain. The study highlighted the fact that the intensity of the mean strain (local swelling or shrinkage due to the hygroscopic changes) was the same for each configuration and was about 0.1 %. Nevertheless, in the case of the panel without the cradle, the imposed variation of relative humidity was smaller (8 % RH instead of 13 % RH), so proportionally the mean strain is higher compared to the case with a cradle. This study over five years has been success in terms of innovative development and multidisciplinary research.

The Antinomic Method of Gregory Palamas : Between Transcendence and Immanence, God’s Essence and Energy, Single and Multiple Trinity

The article examines the theological method of antinomy and the conceptual solution to the problem of the ontological “gap” between transcendence and immanence of the Holy Trinity in the theological thought of the outstanding Byzantine theologian of the 14th century Gregory Palamas. The article analyzes how Palamas, in his patristic teaching on the distinction between the essence and energy of the Holy Trinity, substantiates the unity, trinity, and multiplicity of divine action in the world, and how he interprets this distinction in God’s nature. Particular attention is paid to biblical and patristic analysis and the significance of Palama’s methodological “triangle”: apophatic, cataphatic, antinomy; his understanding of the personal dimension of the energies of the hypostases of the Trinity, and the problem of the “simplicity” of the Triune God.

ASTRAKHAN BROTHERHOOD OF SAINTS CYRIL AND METHODIUS: TO THE HISTORY OF CREATION

This article examines the process of organizing the Cyril and Methodius society of devotees of faith, enlightenment and morality in the spirit of the Holy Orthodox Church in the Astrakhan governorate at the end of the XIX century. The border regions of the country, to which the Astrakhan governorate belonged, were distinguished by confessional heterogeneity. In the region beginning from the XVII century, a significant percentage of the population was made by Old Believers, schismatics, sectarians of various kinds appeared here. Such a state in the region persisted in the XIX century, which was overlaid by new trends in the secularization of society, the spread of atheistic ideas. The intensification of schismatic and sectarian movements in the second half of the XIX century required expanding and deepening the missionary activity on the part of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Astrakhan governorate. For this purpose, the Brotherhood of Saints Cyril and Methodius was established in the region, officially called the “Astrakhan Cyril and Methodius society of devotees of faith, enlightenment and morality in the spirit of the Holy Orthodox Church”.
 
 The main purpose of the presented research is a retrospective and problem-chronological analysis of the main stages in the formation of the Brotherhood of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Astrakhan governorate at the end of the XIX century.
 
 Materials and methods. Based on the analysis of the reports of Cyril and Methodius society of devotees of faith, enlightenment and morality in the spirit of the Holy Orthodox Church and the diocesan papers using historical-genetic, retrospective, problem-chronological methods, the main institutionalisation stages of Cyril and Methodius Society, created to help the diocese for missionary work in the region, are considered.
 
 Study results. Based on the analysis of the source materials in the periodical press and accounting documents, the main milestones in institutionalisation of Cyril and Methodius society of devotees of faith, enlightenment and morality in the spirit of the Holy Orthodox Church at the end of the XIX century in the Astrakhan governorate are investigated. The main reasons and factors that predetermined the need to create the Orthodox Brotherhood are considered, among which the prevalence of Molokanism teachings, schismatics and various religious sects in the Astrakhan Region was predominant. The need to activate the missionary activity of the Russian Orthodox Church in the region for the Orthodox-Christian education of local residents is emphasized. The first steps in the formation of Cyril and Methodius Brotherhood are considered, starting with the opening of a Brotherhood for conducting missionary conversations with Molokans in the town of Tsarev in Astrakhan governorate, the center of concentration of Molokans. The activity of Astrakhan Holy Trinity Brotherhood at the cathedral as an intermediate link in the formation of Cyril and Methodius Brotherhood is studied. The factors of the growth of the Trinity Brotherhood into an organized structure of Cyril and Methodius society of devotees of faith, enlightenment and morality in the spirit of the Holy Orthodox Church are analyzed.
 
 Conclusion. Having passed through several stages of its evolvement, Astrakhan Cyril and Methodius Society became an organized socio-Orthodox structure to help the diocese in missionary activities.

The Spiritual Motherhood in the Light of the Writings of Saint Urszula Ledóchowska

Ursula Ledóchowska addresses the issue of the Christian vocation and tasks of women on many occasions and in various aspects, pointing to Mary as a model to follow. St Ursula’s writings contain a broad vision of the spiritual motherhood, encompassing mothers in the family, all lay women and religious sisters completely dedicated to God. Every Christian woman is called to spiritual motherhood, to guide and support people in their path to God; her mission is the apostolate of quiet, serene love, the apostolate of prayer and the apostolate of sacrifice in the image of Christ. A special task of the mother in the family is to care for the development of the faith of her children. The essence of a nun’s spiritual motherhood is to lead others to Christ by His bride totally devoted to the Holy Trinity.

Cathedral Church of Holy Trinity in Mostar - history of its building and rebuilding

Cathedral Church of Holy Trinity in Mostar - history of its building and rebuilding

Benny Hinn’s Book “Good Morning, Holy Spirit!” in the Light of the Dogmatic Teaching of the Orthodox Church

This article deals with Triadology, Christology, and the ascetical theology of the Charismatic Pentecostals according to Benny Hinn's book "Good Morning, Holy Spirit!" The purpose of this article is not to defame or in any way denigrate the Charismatic movement, but simply to examine the creed of this religious group from the point of view of Orthodox dogmatics. In the Triadology of Benny Hinn, two main theses have been identified. First, the differences between the Persons of the Most Holy Trinity are not limited to the hypostatic properties and what they entail. Second, the author implies that the natural connection between the Son and the Father is not accompanied by direct communication, but that it is the Holy Spirit who carries out the mutual relationship between the Father and the Son. In the Christology of Benny Hinn, three main theses have also been identified. First, his doctrine is characterized by a certain separation of two natures in Jesus, reminiscent of Nestorianism. Second, according to the author's teaching, the Holy Spirit is also "the Father" of Jesus Christ. Third, Jesus Christ was capable of sin. Finally, in Benny Hinn's ascetical theology, two theses were highlighted. First, the victory over sin is not a joint action of man and God but a gift of the Holy Spirit, with no need for human spiritual struggle. Second, to be Christian means not to follow Christ but the Spirit. Undoubtedly, this teaching in no way corresponds to the teaching of the Orthodox Church and may thus be considered heretical from the Orthodox point of view.

The dogma of the Holy Trinity in the Letter of Eznik of Kołb “To the Blessed Archimandrite Mashtots”

The dogma of the Holy Trinity in the Letter of Eznik of Kołb “To the Blessed Archimandrite Mashtots”

Patriarch Iov and the Russian bishops of the last quarter of the 16th – early 17th century

The article deals with the internal factors of the Russian episcopate’s formation in the 16th century. It was established that the belonging to the influential church groups had played the most important role till the last quarter of the 16th century. There were three - the monks’ community of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius monastery, the Kirillo-Belozerskii monastery, the Iosifo-Volockii monastery. The period, when Simon (the monk of the Holy Trinity- St. Sergius monastery) was the metropolitan, was characterized by the increase of the number of the bishops from this monastery (1495-1511). The metropolitan Daniil (1522-1539) who was from the Iosifo-Volockii monastery strengthened the position of this monastery. The metropolitan Makarii (1542-1563) tried to strike a balance between these two groups. The patriarch Iov (1586-1605) didn’t belong to the influential church groups. That’s why their influence on the governing of the Russian church was minimized. The bishops were appointed from about 15 monasteries. It was connected, on the one hand, with the attempt of Iov and his ally the Godunovs to weaken the “aristocratic” monasteries, on another hand - with the death of the last capable representative of the dynasty in 1584. For a long time the dynasty supported these influential monasteries and others.

Sacred Music in a Sacred Space: Performance as Communal Event


 
 
 During the Easter Week of 1999, the composer John Tavener (1944-2013) visited the Holy Trinity Archdiocesan Greek Orthodox Cathedral in New York City, to attend a unique concert, that occured under the auspicies of His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon, featuring Tavener's sacred para- liturgical music, conducted by the late maestro Dino Anagnost (1944-2011). Using this event as a base, regarding its reception and meaning, this paper ventures to compose a theoretical context, in which the performance of sacred works can function in a sacred performance space, while focusing on the composer's understanding of the notion of sacred in composition and in music making in general. Througout the course this research paper, the reader will explore ways in which the systematic application of musicological and theological tools on the complete musical material of the performed works, leads to a provocative analogy of sacred music being performed in a sacred space with a communal event within the church community. Ultimately, this paper suggests that such an occassion is closer to the idea of ecclesial event; an original concept created by the greek philosopher and theologian Christos Yannaras (1936-).
 
 

Supplemental Material for Executive Functions Beyond the “Holy Trinity”: A Scoping Review

Supplemental Material for Executive Functions Beyond the “Holy Trinity”: A Scoping Review

The Holy Trinity of Microanalysis: Standards, K-ratios and Physics.

The Holy Trinity of Microanalysis: Standards, K-ratios and Physics.

Liturgiczna pedagogia wiary w liścia apostolskim papieża Franciszka Desiderio desideravi

The aim of this article is to present the pedagogical dimension of the liturgy, which leads a person to a personal encounter with Christ in a liturgical celebration. The liturgy is first and foremost the work of God the Father, performed by Christ in the Holy Spirit. Hence, it is very important to see the liturgy, and especially the Eucharist, as a representation of the saving action of the Holy Trinity. The process of educating to a mature faith takes place in the liturgy and through the liturgy. In the liturgy, because it makes present God's work and God's infinite love. The liturgy is a great gift of love, which the Church has received gratuitously from God. Through the liturgy, because the entire liturgical celebration, under the cover of signs, introduces man into the mystery of God, who is love. For the liturgy to educate to a mature faith, the mystagogy is needed, that is, the explanation of liturgical signs, so that the faithful know their symbolic meaning, leading to an encounter with God. The second factor of education through the liturgy is ars celebrandi, i.e. the beauty and correctness of celebrating the liturgy and conscious involvement in it. Keywords: liturgy, education, pedagogy, faith, Eucharist, representation, mystery, mystagogy

Photonic Applications for Restoration and Conservation of 19th Century Polychrome Religious Wooden Artworks

The present paper reports the multi-analytical approach for the removal of thick layers of metallic overpaints from a Brancovan iconostasis of the “Holy Trinity” church in Măgureni, România, which was built in 1694. After a restoration procedure at the beginning of the 20th century, the polychrome sculpture of the frame, which was initially gilded with a thin silver foil, was covered with a thick metallic overpaint layer imitating silver and gold. Currently, the conservation project of the church is focused on restoring the original aspect; thus, the overpainting that presented strong oxidation and soiling was removed. The adopted conservation methodology involved physicochemical characterization of the pictorial layers via optical microscopy, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, followed by the removal of the overpaints. The cleaning tests were performed by evaluating several methods in order to find the proper regime that would help preserve as much of the underlying polychrome layers as possible. Based on the tests, it was decided that the best solution was to use laser cleaning for the rough removal of the metallic paint overlayers and finalizing with chemical cleaning.

Movement as a Mode of Being of the Holy Trinity in Nicholas of Methone

Movement as a Mode of Being of the Holy Trinity in Nicholas of Methone

THE SPACE OF SPIRITUAL CORPORATION IN THE HUMAN DIMENSIONAL ASPECT

The article examines the issue of modern understanding of the component space of national culture, as well as the effects of various civilizational systems on the space of human cultural activity. It is noted that the phenomenon of national spirituality is a powerful factor in the self-development of the nation's moral existence, which reproduces the space of national culture (external and internal). 
 The purpose of the work is to determine the various degrees of human perception of the social space and the presence of God in the universe, nature, and philosophical systems.
 The research methodology consists in the use of dialectical and analytical methods to study the philosophical understanding of the spiritual values of a person. The functional-instrumental method is applied in order to identify the features of the progress of philosophical considerations and their impact on a person in modern society.
 Based on the considered concepts, it can be noted that the existence of spatial spiritual characteristics of physicality in the Ukrainian ethnic group are related to the interpretive aspects of creative power (Holy Trinity). Nowadays, the problem of cultural space is determined by a number of solutions to environmental problems, the close interaction of the biosphere and the noosphere. And also the problem of preserving the integrity of the environment, the solution of which is necessary for a person to exist. The priority solution to this problem is that the phenomenon of national spirituality acts as a powerful factor of self-development and moral improvement of the existence of the nation and individual. The solution of the specified problem is connected with many human interests, as well as the creation of civilizational comfort in the functioning of the mechanisms of today's complex philosophical processes. The spiritual aspect of the spatial characteristics of national culture today is due to the need for a philosophical counterbalance in the conditions of modern globalization.

The Choir Screen in the Dominican Church of the Holy Trinity in Cracow: Form and Function

The paper demonstrates how modern metric survey techniques and digital technologies can contribute to traditional methods of art-historical investigation. The original choir screen in the Dominican church in Cracow, spanning the width of the chancel arch, was built in the mid-13th century. An analysis of the laser scanning data of the existing church enabled a construction of a 3D model of the subsequent and larger choir screen, built in the second half of the 14th century, which extended across the nave and both aisles and encased the initial screen. A keystone decorated with a carved boss of unique iconography, interpreted as a symbol of St John the Evangelist, survives from the carved decoration of this screen. The 3D model of the choir screen helps to visualize the original location of particular altars, some tombs and surviving artworks within the screen porch. Its north bay housed the tomb of Hyacinth Odrowąż, the first Polish Dominican friar and future saint. In 1543 the north part of the screen’s loft was cut off with a grille and transformed into a chapel of St Hyacinth, accessible to lay people by stairs running from the north aisle. The most important part of the chapel was a shallow niche which accommodated a new tomb and an altar with Hyacinth’s relics. Construction from 1581 to 1583 of a new and more spacious chapel, located slightly higher than the old one, involved demolition of the choir screen.