Orthodox Church commemorating Andrei Rublev

The Russian Orthodox Church is today commemorating Andrei Rublev, a medieval monk and painter who went down in world art history as the author of the icon "The Holy Trinity." He was canonized in 1988.

In Rublev's times, Russian principalities were beginning to unite against the Mongol invaders. There is little historical evidence as to the celebrated monk's life. He is thought to be born in the 1360s and to die in 1430. In his late years, he directed the painting of the Trinity Cathedral in St. Sergius' Monastery. And at the end of his life, he painted the Cathedral of the Savior in the Andronikov Monastery.

According to the Chronicles, Rublev painted the Moscow Kremlin's Annunciation Cathedral in association with Theophanes the Greek in 1405 and Vladimir's Assumption Cathedral together with Daniel the Black in 1408. The earliest of Rublev's works are frescoes in the Assumption Cathedral in Zvenigorod (1400).

Rublev's icons were considered to be miraculous. Regrettably, fires and barbarism have destroyed most of his legacy. Only several icons and fresco details survive to this day.