What does Andrei Rublev's Trinity icon mean, according to Martin Palmer on In Our Time?

Martin Palmer reads Andrei Rublev's icon, which shows the three angels who visited Abraham and Sarah seated at a table, as an invitation. Orthodox icons have no shadows because the viewer is being watched by the figures rather than looking in, and the table has an open fourth side where the viewer joins the meal. He contrasts this with a Western picture of approaching God on one's knees to be rescued.

• Graham Ward says the three figures lean in towards each other, pointing to the idea later called perichoresis.
• Janet Soskice notes the icon dates from the 15th century and that some Orthodox purists dispute it as a picture of the Trinity.

▸In their words

“There is a fourth side to the table.” Martin Palmer · at 34:45 — open in the transcript →

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on In Our Time (2026-10-08). Read the whole episode summary →

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