Veneration of Icons & Holy Images
Bow, kiss, and cense the holy image — yet worship belongs to God alone
Christians who venerate icons show honor to sacred images by bowing, kissing them, lighting lamps, and offering incense, while reserving worship itself for God alone. The Second Council of Nicaea (787) and John of Damascus defended the practice. Traditions differ: it is central to Orthodox identity and kept by Catholics and Oriental churches, treated moderately by Lutherans and Anglicans, but rejected as idolatry in the Reformed tradition.
How it traveled
- Selected Epistles of Gregory the GreatRome · c. 604 CEexplains
- The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext CouncilConstantinople (Istanbul) · c. 692 CEapplies
- The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of NiceNicaea · c. 787 CEexplains
- Book First. of the Knowledge of God the CreatorGeneva · c. 1564 CEchallenges
Key passages(20)
Each passage is tagged by what it does with the idea: explains it, applies it in practice, redefines it with a new meaning, or challenges it. Relevance shows how directly the passage is about this idea.
Book First. of the Knowledge of God the Creator · John Calvin
The French is “Pourceque la gloire de sa Divinite est vilipendée en une chose si sotte et lourde comme est un marmouset;”—because the glory of his Divinity is degraded into an object so silly and stup
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The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice · The Ecumenical Councils
Extracts from the Acts. Session IV. [Among numerous passages of the Fathers one was read from a sermon by St. Gregory Nyssen in which he describes a painting representing the sacrifice of Isaac and
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The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice · The Ecumenical Councils
And as the hands and feet are moved in accordance with the directions of the mind, so likewise, we, having received the grace and strength of the Spirit, and having also the assistance and co-operatio
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Book First. of the Knowledge of God the Creator · John Calvin
16. I come now to monstrous impieties, which it is strange they ventured to utter, and twice strange that all men did not protest against with the utmost detestation.Plaudite, the whole thus concludes
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Selected Epistles of Gregory the Great · Pope Gregory the Great
Epistle XIII. To Serenus, Bishop of Massilia (Marseilles) Other epistles to Serenus of Marseilles are VI. 52, IX. 105, XI. 58. In IX. 105 he had already been reproved for his inconsiderate zeal in b
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The Death of Pilate, Who Condemned Jesus. · Apocrypha of the New Testament
The Death of Pilate, Who Condemned Jesus. ———————————— And when Tiberius Cæsar, the emperor of the Romans, was labouring under a grievous disease, and understanding that there was at Jerusalem a cer
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The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext Council · The Ecumenical Councils
Canon LXXXII. In some pictures of the venerable icons, a lamb is painted to which the Precursor points his finger, which is received as a type of grace, indicating beforehand through the Law, our tru
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The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice · The Ecumenical Councils
Extracts from the Acts. Session VI. (Labbe and Cossart, Concilia, Tom. VII., col. 389.) Leo the most renowned secretary said: The holy and blessed Synod know how at the last session we examined div
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The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice · The Ecumenical Councils
Canon IX. That none of the books containing the heresy of the traducers of the Christians are to be hid. All the childish devices and mad ravings which have been falsely written against the venerabl
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Selected Epistles of Gregory the Great · Pope Gregory the Great
Epistle CV. To Serenus Bishop of Massilia (Marseilles). Gregory to Serenus, &c. That we have been so long in sending a letter to your Fraternity attribute not to sluggishness, but to press of busin
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John of Damascus: Exposition of the Orthodox Faith · John of Damascus
The ever-virgin One thus remains even after the birth still virgin, having never at any time up till death consorted with a man. For although it is written, And knew her not till she had brought forth
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Selected Epistles of Gregory the Great · Pope Gregory the Great
Epistle VI. To Januarius, Bishop of Caralis (Cagliari). Gregory to Januarius, &c. The Jews who have come hither from your city have complained to us that Peter, who has been brought by the will of
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The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext Council · The Ecumenical Councils
Canon LXXIII. Since the life-giving cross has shewn to us Salvation, we should be careful that we render due honour to that by which we were saved from the ancient fall. Wherefore, in mind, in word,
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The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice · The Ecumenical Councils
Extracts from the Acts. Session III. (Labbe and Cossart, Concilia, Tom. VII., col. 188.) Constantine, the most holy bishop of Constantia in Cyprus, said: Since I, unworthy that I am, find that the
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The Octavius of Minucius Felix. · Minucius Felix
Chapter II.—Argument: The Arrival of Octavius at Rome During the Time of the Public Holidays Was Very Agreeable to Minucius. Both of Them Were Desirous of Going to the Marine Baths of Ostia, with Cæci
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Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
10. Moreover, the worst of all is, that when once religion begins to be composed of such vain fictions, the perversion is immediately succeeded by the abominable depravity with which our Lord upbraids
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The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice · The Ecumenical Councils
Canon VII. That to churches consecrated without any deposit of the reliques of the Saints, the defect should be made good. Paul the divine Apostle says: “The sins of some are open beforehand, and so
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On the Morals of the Catholic Church · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 34.—The Church is Not to Be Blamed for the Conduct of Bad Christians, Worshippers of Tombs and Pictures. 74. Make objections against these, ye 75. Do not summon against me professors of the
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The Ecclesiastical History of Sozomen · Sozomen
Chapter XXI.— Of the Statue of Christ in Paneas which Julian overthrew and made Valueless; he erected his own Statue; this was overthrown by a Thunder-Bolt and destroyed. Fountain of Emmaus in which C
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The Ecclesiastical History of Sozomen · Sozomen
Book II. Chapter I.—The Discovery of the Life-Bringing Cross and of the Holy Nails. When the business at Nicæa had been transacted as above related, the priests returned home. The emperor rejoiced e
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