According The term ''Trinity'' dates back at least to the time of Tertullian. It combines the concepts of tri- (three) and unity (one), and refers to the three Persons of God who are consubstantial (i.e. of one essence or ''[[Sainthomoousios]] [[John '') and coeternal with each other. There never was a time when any of Damascus]], from the last paragaph Persons of the sectionTrinity did not exist, "On Heresies"for God is beyond and before time--though He acts within time, in his both moving and speaking within history thereby revealing Himself.[http[Image://wwwRublev Trinity.archivejpg|left|thumb|175px|The [[Hospitality of Abraham]], an [[Old Testament]] type of the Holy Trinity.org/details/fathersofthechur009511mbp ''THE FOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE'']:]

==Explanation of the Trinity=='''WHAT GOD IS ''NOT'':''' God is ''not'' an impersonal essence nor merely a "higher power."We believe in Father and Son Neither are ''God'' and Holy Spirit;:one Godhead in three hypostases;:one will, one operation, alike in ''Trinity'' simply singular names for what would otherwise be considered three persons;:wisdom incorporeal, uncreated, immortal, incomprehensible, without beginning, unmoved, unaffected, without quantity, without quality, ineffable, immutable, unchangeable, uncontained, equal in glory, equal in power, equal in majesty, equal in might, equal in nature, exceedingly substantial, exceedingly good, thrice radiant, thrice bright, thrice brilliantgods (i.e. terms which would hide polytheism).

'''WHAT GOD ''IS'':Light is the Father, Light the Son, Light the Holy Spirit;''' :Wisdom Though the FatherTrinity is a mystery beyond comprehension, Wisdom two analogies are often used to help explain what ''Trinity'' means. The first references the Sonsun, Wisdom the Holy Spirit;:one God and not three Gods;:one Lord the Holy Trinity discovered in three hypostasessecond references man.

'''The Sun:Father ''' The sun is characterized by three elements.(1) The ball of burning gas is the source of all (like the Father, and unbegotten;).:Son (2) The light is visible to all (like the Son).(3) The heat is felt, begotten and but not unbegotten, for He is from seen (like the Father;:Holy Spirit, not begotten but proceeding, for He is from the Fatheror Comforter).

:There is nothing created, nothing of The sun has never been the first sun without its light and second orderheat, nothing of lord and servant;:but there is unity the light and trinity - there washeat cannot exist without their source. In addition, there is, and there shall be forever while they may co- which is perceived and adored by faith - by faithexist, they do not produce each other in and of themselves. (ex. You can’t read by inquirythe light of a heating pad, nor by searching out, nor by visible manifestation::for the more He is sought out, the more He is unknown, and the more He is investigated, the more He can you count on getting warm wherever it is hiddenbright.)

'''Man:And so''' It is said that each human has been made in the image of God; and, as such, let the faithful adore each human bears similarities to our Trinitarian Lord and God with a :(1) Man's ''nous'' (i.e. complete mind that and heart; including intellect, creativity, feelings, morality, intuition, etc.) is not overcuriouslike the Father.:And believe that He is God in three hypostases, although (2) Man's flesh (both tangible and a temple of the manner in which He is so is beyond mannerHoly Spirit), for God is incomprehensibleakin to the Son who became incarnate and was filled with the Holy Spirit.:Do not ask how the Trinity (3) Man's life (or breath) is Trinity, for akin the Trinity is inscrutableHoly Spirit.

:But, if you are curious about God, first tell me of yourself and the things that pertain to youMan (any human) is all three.:How does your soul have existence?:How is your mind set in motion?:How do you produce your mental concepts?:How There is it never a time that you are both mortal man has existed (or could exist) without all three. For a human nous cannot exist without a body and immortal?:Butlife, if you are ignorant of these things which are within you, then why do you a human body does not shudder exist--at least at the thought of investigating the sublime things of heaven?start--without a nous and life, and a human life cannot exist without a nous and body.

'''The benefit and limitation of analogies:Think ''' Each of the Father as these analogies is good at expressing a spring of life begetting the Son like a river and the Holy Spirit like a sea, for the spring and the river three-ness and the sea are all one nature-ness with no polytheism.:Think of However, according to Saint [[Gregory the Theologian]], trying to go further to comprehend ''unbegotten-ness'' (Father as a root), and of the ''begotten-ness'' (Son as a branch), or ''procession'' (Holy Spirit) leads to insanity. Therefore the Church traditionally approaches God in divine mystery (and of the Spirit as a fruit[[apophatic theology|apophatically]]), content to encounter Him rather than comprehend Him (for the substance in these three it is one.:The Father is a sun with impossible for the Son as rays and created to comprehend the Holy Spirit as heatineffable Creator).

:The Holy Trinity transcends by far every similitude and figure.==Image & Likeness Distinguished==:So, when you hear of an offspring of It should be noted that while each human being is in the Father, do not think ''image'' of a corporeal offspring.:And when you hear that there is a WordGod, do not suppose Him humans were also created to be a corporeal wordin His ''likeness''. St.:And when you hear Ephrem the Syrian often writes of mankind initially being "robed in glory," referring to bearing the Spirit ''likeness'' of God.<ref>St. Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns On Paradise, do not think of wind and breathSt.:RatherVladimir Seminary Press, Crestwood, hold your persuasion with a simple faith aloneNY (1997).:For the concept of the Creator </ref> God is arrived at by analogy from His creaturesgood; and, to be ''like'' God, a person needs to be ''good'' as well.

:Be persuadedThis, moreoverhowever, that is where ''the incarnate dispensation of the Son of Fall'' is evident; for, as St. Ephrem points out, when Adam and Eve looked to themselves to determine right and wrong (daring to become as God was begotten ineffably and without seed of the blessed VirginGod<ref>Clark Carlton, The Life, Regina Orthodox Press, Salisbury, MA (2000), believing Him p. 22.</ref> choosing their own leadership rather than God's by not waiting to be without confusion know all things through and without change both with Him) they became naked--no longer bearing His likeness... no longer "robed in glory." From this point on, we know the tale... in God and man's mercy, who for your sake worked all they departed Eden. (For giving them access to the dispensationTree of Life--immortality--when not in God's likeness--would indeed have been a living hell.)

:And to Him by good works give worship and adoration, and venerate and revere ==The Trinity Explained in the most holy Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary as true Mother of God, and all the saints as His attendants.Creed==

:Doing thus, you will be a right worshiper The primary statement of what the holy and undivided Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, of the one Godhead, Church believes about God is to whom be glory and honor and adoration forever and ever. Amenfound in the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed]]."

Orthodox Christians worship the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit&mdash;the '''Holy Trinity''', the one [[God]]. Following the [[Holy Scriptures]] and the [[Church Fathers]], the Church believes that the Trinity is three divine persons (''[[hypostasis|hypostases]]'') who share one essence (''[[ousia]]''). It is paradoxical to believe thus, but that is how God has revealed himself. All three persons are consubstantial with each other, that is, they are of one essence (''[[homoousios]]'') and coeternal. There never was a time when any of the persons of the Trinity did not exist. God is beyond and before time and yet acts within time, moving and speaking within history.[[ImageCategory:Rublev Trinity.jpg|left|thumb|175px|The [[Hospitality of Abraham]], an [[Old Testament]] type of the Holy Trinity.]]God is not an impersonal essence or mere "higher power," but rather each of the divine persons relates to mankind personally. Neither is God a simple name for three gods (i.e., polytheism), but rather the Orthodox faith is monotheist and yet [[Triadology|Trinitarian]]. The God of the Orthodox Christian Church is the God of [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]], the '''I AM''' who revealed himself to [[Moses]] in the burning bush. The source and unity of the Holy Trinity is the Father, from whom the Son is begotten and also from whom the Spirit proceeds. Thus, the Father is both the ground of unity of the Trinity and also of distinction. To try to comprehend unbegottenness (Father), begottenness (Son), or procession (Holy Spirit) leads to insanity, says the holy [[Gregory the Theologian]], and so the Church approaches God in divine mystery, approaching God [[apophatic theology|apophatically]], being content to encounter God personally and yet realize the inadequacy of the human mind to comprehend Him. The primary statement of what the Church believes about God is to be found in the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan CreedTheology]].