The Controversial Transfer of Russia’s Iconic Trinity Painting to the Orthodox Church

For almost a century, visitors have come to the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow to admire the perfect harmony of Russia’s most famous icon: the Trinity, painted in the Middle Ages by Andrei Rublev.

The almost 600-year-old work depicting three angels is one of the most recognizable Russian masterpieces in the world.

But last month, President Vladimir Putin handed over the historic icon to the Russian Orthodox Church, the latest sign of a growing alliance between the Kremlin and religious leaders, AFP reports.

The transfer has sparked an outcry from restorers and art history experts, who warn that the extremely fragile medieval icon may not survive outside the walls of the Tretyakov Gallery.

This comes as the Russian offensive in Ukraine continues for the second year, and Patriarch Kirill supports the attack and says that death in Ukraine “washes away all sins”.

Lev Lifshitz, one of the country’s leading experts on art history, warned that the “Trinity” could be destroyed, and said that he believed the decision to hand it over to the church was political.

He compared her condition to that of a sick person.

“If you suddenly took a seriously ill person out of the intensive care unit, what do you think would happen?”

Some political observers argue that Putin’s move is a spiritual decision dictated by the difficult situation on the front line in Ukraine.

“There is still no victory,” says political analyst Georgi Bovt. “All that remains is for Putin to ask God for help.”

As Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine drags on, Russian authorities are increasingly willing to convey a religious aspect to the offensive.

The masterpiece was painted for the current Trinity Lavra of Saint Sergius, located in the town of Sergiev Posad near Moscow.

After the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, the Soviet authorities transferred the work to the Tretyakov Gallery in 1929.

The church announced that the icon will first be displayed in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, after which it will return to the historic monastery in Sergiev Posad. Religious leaders insist they have every means at their disposal to preserve the precious icon.

This is the second transfer of a national treasure to the church in recent weeks.

The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg announced that another Russian monastery will receive the silver sarcophagus of Alexander Nevsky, a medieval prince and national hero.

Hermitage director Mikhail Piotrovsky, who praised the offensive in Ukraine, said it was the right move “at this geopolitical moment.”

“Today, the sacred meaning of the monument is more important than its artistic value,” he told reporters.

In aid of the Russian rulers

In a sign that the church will not tolerate dissent, Patriarch Kirill fired and removed from the priesthood the clergyman who heads the Moscow Patriarchate’s expert council on church art, who said the icon’s safety was paramount.

Speaking to AFP before his dismissal, Archpriest Leonid Kalinin stated that “the rightful place of the icon is where it was painted”.

Standing in an ornate Moscow church, the cleric hailed the fact that Putin, a former KGB spy, “turns to the sacred in difficult and fateful moments.”

By returning the icon to the church, Putin wants to “return Russia to its essence,” he added.

Putin is trying to frame the offensive in Ukraine as a battle against the decadent West and is using religious symbols to drum up support.

The Kremlin said that during his rare visit to occupied southern Ukraine in April, the Russian president presented soldiers with a replica of a historic icon.

Lifshitz stated that the “Trinity” helped the Russian rulers in difficult times.

“Contemplation of Rublev’s Trinity helped Russian princes overcome enmity,” he said.

According to folk legend, Joseph Stalin, the ruthless dictator of the atheistic Soviet Union, also sought divine help in the country’s epic battle against Nazi Germany.

According to one of the popular myths, in an attempt to save Moscow from the approaching German troops in 1941, a plane with an icon flew over the Russian capital. Two years later, Stalin met with religious leaders and blessed cooperation between the church and the Soviet government.

Unjustified risks

Rublev’s most famous work has only left the Tretyakov Gallery a few times, including during World War II when it was evacuated to safety.

In 2022, the icon travels back to the Trinity Lavra of Saint Sergius for religious celebrations.

Art experts say the work suffered significant damage during its temporary move.

Lilia Evseeva, an art critic at the Museum of Russian Icons in Moscow, said that if the icon were to leave the Tretyakov Gallery forever, “future generations will not see it in its current state.”

After the public outcry, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the icon will be displayed in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where experts will decide on its future restoration.

Art experts are adamant that the work should not leave the museum.

Even members of the Russian Academy of Sciences broke their silence, saying the icon should not be moved “even for a short period of time.”

In an open letter to the Minister of Culture, they state that only a museum can guarantee the preservation of Rublev’s “Trinity”.

“Masterpieces of Russian icon painting and national treasures should not be put at undue risk,” the letter warned.