Thread by @Reach4ACopsGun

The most unusual and rare icons of the “Holy Trinity” are mixed-hypostatic. (thread)

The word hypostasis means the essence of being or form, the way of its manifestation. The name “mixed-hypostatic” is given because the faces of God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit on the icon do not differ from each other. All the faces are brought together into one.

The eyes of the central face belong simultaneously to two more, located on the right and left. The unknown icon painter strove in this way to express the unity and indivisibility of the Holy Trinity.

The mixed-hypostatic are a great rarity, although this was not always the case. Those that have survived to this day date back to the 17-18 centuries. In the 18th century, the Holy Synod (the government body of the church) banned such images, and many were destroyed.

"according to the decree of the Holy Synod on June 11, 1764, it is prescribed" that in icon images, strange and ridiculous obscenities (an image depicting the Holy Trinity with 3 faces and 4 eyes in the likeness of the Hellenic gods was brought up), all of course were suppressed"

As a result of this ban, the icons that were preserved were the ones kept far from the capitals.

But not only the Trinity was three-faced. Depictions of devils could have three faces too.

Also, worth note that other religions also depict a three-headed deity, in fact, it is such a common theme you could lose hours researching it all. Here is Lord Brahma from Hinduism.

The same could be said for Shiva as well, often portrayed with three heads.

The Etruscans had a three-headed demon.

The Celtic deity of Lugas

The Pagans

Slavic god Triglav

African masks

one could take a Freiduan perspective on this too, the three-headed deities representing the Id, Ego and Superego

also very interesting that this is a common theme in psychedelic art, especially portraying the DMT experience