This Sunday, 7th June 2020 is Trinity Sunday. Trinity Sunday is the first Sunday after Pentecost in the Western Christian liturgical calendar. Trinity Sunday celebrates the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, the three Persons of God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The triquetra (below) is sometimes used to represent the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is a form of Celtic knot work and is sometimes shown with an interlocking circle, as well, as shown below.
Trinity Sunday is a Principal Feast in the Anglican Church, and marks the start of the second and longest section of "Ordinary Time" in the liturgical year. This period continues up to the first Sunday in Advent. (The first is from Christ's Baptism to Ash Wednesday.) Trinity Sunday is the Sunday following Pentecost, and eight weeks after Easter Sunday. The earliest possible date is May 17 and the latest possible date is June 20.
Green is the liturgical colour for Ordinary Time, although white is used for Trinity Sunday as a Principal Feast. (An interesting topic in its own right, but worth a read if you are preparing for your Gold Award. It's all useful background knowledge!)
History note on Trinity Sunday in the Anglican church
Thomas Becket (1118–70) was consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury on the Sunday after Pentecost (Whitsun), and his first act was to ordain that the day of his consecration should be held as a new festival in honour of the Holy Trinity. This observance spread from Canterbury throughout the whole of western Christendom.
Music for Trinity Sunday
A beautiful piece for Trinity Sunday is Victoria's "Duo Seraphim", you can download the music here. However I absolutely love Geurrero's "Duo Seraphim" which I was fortunate enough to perform in concert a couple of years back. Written for triple choir, this cleverly builds on the text to celebrate the Trinity. The music can be downloaded here.
Duo seraphim clamabant alter ad alterum:
Sanctus Dominus
Deus Saboath.
Plena est omnis terra gloria ejus. (Isaiah 6:3)
Tres sunt, qui testimonium dant in coelo:
Pater, Verbum et Spiritus Sanctus:
et hi tres unum sunt.
Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Plena est omnis terra gloria ejus.
Translation
Two seraphim cried to one another:
Holy is the Lord God of Sabaoth.
The whole earth is full of his glory.
There are three who bear witness in heaven:
the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit:
and these three are one.
Holy is the Lord God of Sabaoth.
The whole earth is full of his glory.
More on Guerrero soon!
Bach cantatas
J.S. Bach composed a number of cantatas for Trinity Sunday. Three of them survive, including O heilges Geist- und Wasserbad, BWV 165, Es ist ein trotzig und verzagt Ding, BWV 176, and Gelobet sei der Herr, mein Gott, BWV 129.
Philip Wilby is a British composer, organist and music director. A graduate of Keble College, Oxford, he joined the staff at the University of Leeds as a Lecturer in the Department of Music in 1972. Many of Wilby's pieces are based on his strong Christian beliefs. He composes for many different instruments and ensembles (piano, organ, voice, chamber ensemble, wind orchestra), but is perhaps best known for his compositions for brass band. (Many of Wilby's works are written especially to be used as test pieces in brass band contests all over the world.)
Last week our choir recorded Wilby's "If ye love me" for Pentecost. Here is the multi tracked result, beautifully sung by our choral scholars and music director.
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