The 15th-century icon was removed from its display at the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius to allow for an inspection of its climate-control chamber.

Andrei Rublev’s historic 'Trinity' icon has been removed from the iconostasis at the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. The move follows reports that the climate-control chamber housing the artwork may require repairs. The Russian Orthodox Church stated that a scheduled verification of the icon's preservation state is currently underway.

Reports of climate control issues

Reports emerged on September 12 suggesting the icon's climate chamber was malfunctioning. Sources cited by religious scholar Ksenia Luchenko and Ekho Moskvy claimed the icon was being kept in 80% humidity, significantly higher than the 50-55% range recommended by specialists. One source alleged that church leadership delayed informing the Tretyakov Gallery about the icon's condition.

Church response and background

A source at the Trinity Lavra told RBC that rumors regarding the icon's poor condition are inaccurate and that its state is not a cause for concern. The icon, painted between 1422 and 1427, was transferred from the Tretyakov Gallery to the Russian Orthodox Church by a 2023 decree from Vladimir Putin. At the time of the transfer, art historians expressed concerns that maintaining proper storage conditions would be difficult.