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| St. Gabriel the Fool for Christ and Confessor of Georgia |
A Hinduist doubted the Orthodox doctrine of the Holy Trinity by contrasting it with the Hindu representation of the three persons of the divinity which are in harmony but are not of the same essence.
"You are wrong, my brother," replied Elder Gabriel, "our teaching has nothing to do with that which is human. It is all revealed by God. How can it therefore be wrong? However, because you are unable to understand it, I will give you a tangible example."
Then Elder Gabriel performed a miracle similar to that of Saint Spyridon. He took a loaf of bread and placed it on the table. He blessed it in the name of the Holy Trinity and the bread was divided into its components: water, wheat and fire. He then said:
"Thus is the Holy Trinity, one God in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit."
The Elder then sealed the components with the sign of the Cross, and the water, wheat and fire turned into bread again.
"Just as this bread has one essence with three natures, so do the persons of the Holy Trinity have three different hypostases but are of the same essence."
"You are wrong, my brother," replied Elder Gabriel, "our teaching has nothing to do with that which is human. It is all revealed by God. How can it therefore be wrong? However, because you are unable to understand it, I will give you a tangible example."
Then Elder Gabriel performed a miracle similar to that of Saint Spyridon. He took a loaf of bread and placed it on the table. He blessed it in the name of the Holy Trinity and the bread was divided into its components: water, wheat and fire. He then said:
"Thus is the Holy Trinity, one God in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit."
The Elder then sealed the components with the sign of the Cross, and the water, wheat and fire turned into bread again.
"Just as this bread has one essence with three natures, so do the persons of the Holy Trinity have three different hypostases but are of the same essence."
Source: Ο ΑΓΙΟΣ ΓΑΒΡΙΗΛ Ο ΔΙΑ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΝ ΣΑΛΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΟΜΟΛΟΓΗΤΗΣ σέλ. 253. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
