Christian dogmas are deeply rooted in scripture, history, and tradition, and the mystery of the Trinity is no exception.

Indeed, numerous passages in the Gospels reveal the Trinitarian nature of God. But what does it mean that God is Trinitarian? Pope Francis, on the Feast of the Holy Trinity in 2021, succinctly encapsulates this profound dogma. He taught:

“God, though one and only, is not solitude but communion between Father and Son and the Holy Spirit. For love is essentially self-giving, in its original and infinite reality.”

As Christians, we firmly believe that Jesus is God, based on numerous miracles, the Resurrection, and, above all, His own words. Yet, how can one comprehend the distinction between Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit?

To delve into this profound question, we consulted theologian Fr. Giuseppe Caruso, President of the Augustinian Patristic Pontifical Institute.

“The fact that Jesus prays to the Father. If he were the Father in disguise, he would not pray to himself. So, it means this, that in God, although there is only one God, there is a plurality of Persons, and a Person of this Trinity has entered history and met humanity on the roads where men and women walk,” he explained.

Nestled in the lush valleys of the Apennines and the Simbruini mountains, not far from Rome, stands an ancient shrine—one of the few in Italy dedicated to the Holy Trinity.

Fr. Alberto Ponzi, the rector of the Holy Trinity Shrine in Vallepietra, unveils the rich history of this sacred place and how devotion to the Holy Trinity has endured from the earliest Christians to the present day.

“This shrine,” he said, “probably arose around the 9th-10th century due to the presence of Basilian monks who settled here from the East. This is attested by the fresco of the Trinity.”

This fresco is unique because it depicts the Trinity as three figures of Christ, following the tradition of early Eastern Christians.

“The three divine Persons, all three on the same plane, all three have the open book in their left hand. All three with their right hand stand at the blessing form in the Greek manner. If it is depicted this way, it is because the reference point for all of us is Christ Jesus,” Fr. Ponzi noted.

Confirming the importance of this shrine, a very special pilgrim arrived in October 2000 to honor the Holy Trinity.

Fr. Ponzi recalled, “The great gift we received was the visit of St. John Paul II on October 3, 2000. He showed up here as a Pilgrim. It was a Tuesday and it was something extraordinary for us. It was the year of the Trinity, the year 2000.”

But what does the Trinity imply for us as Christians?

Fr. Caruso explained, “We do not believe in a God who simply made himself known, sending prophets, sending messengers. We believe in a God who sent his Son, that is, a divine Person to experience what we experience.”

As proclaimed in the Creed, Jesus is true God, consubstantial with the Father. However, it is crucial to remember that Christ also possesses a human nature.

“If Jesus is not a man like us,” Fr. Caruso emphasized, “God did not walk in our steps, did not know what we know. And instead, the central point of faith that unites Trinitarianism and Christology is this: a divine Person came to experience everything we experience, even fear, even anguish.”

The Trinity of God is a profound mystery that unveils His love for us. This divine love is freely offered to all who seek it, with the only requirement being the acceptance of His only Son, who became incarnate and sacrificed Himself for our redemption and salvation.

Adapted by Jacob Stein