Archpriest Andrei Ovchinnikov
The Seventh Ecumenical Council affirmed that icon painting is a special form of revelation of Divine reality, and through Divine services and the icon, Divine revelation becomes the property of believers. Through the icon, as well as through the Holy Scriptures, we not only learn about God, we know God; through the icons of the holy saints of God, we touch the transfigured person, the partaker of the Divine life; through the icon we receive the all-sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit ...
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In the 8th century, the emperor Leo the Isaurian erected a cruel persecution of St. icons, which continued with his son and grandson. In 787, against this iconoclastic heresy, Queen Irene convened the Seventh Ecumenical Council in the city of Nicea, to which 367 fathers appeared.
Ecumenical Councils (of which there were only seven) gathered to clarify issues of faith, misunderstanding or inaccurate interpretation of which caused confusion and heresy in the Church. Also at the Councils the rules of church life were worked out. At the end of the 8th century, a new heresy emerged in the Church - iconoclasm. The iconoclasts denied the veneration of the earthly holiness of the Mother of God and the holy saints of God and accused the Orthodox of worshiping the created creation - the icon. A fierce struggle arose around the question of the veneration of icons. Many believers rose up to defend the shrine, and were subjected to severe persecution.
All this required giving a complete teaching of the Church about the icon, clearly and clearly defining it, restoring the veneration of icons on a par with the veneration of the Holy Cross and the Holy Gospel.
The Holy Fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council collected the church experience of venerating holy icons from the first times, substantiated it and formulated the dogma of icon veneration for all times and for all peoples who profess the Orthodox faith. The Holy Fathers proclaimed that veneration of icons is the statute and Tradition of the Church, it is directed and inspired by the Holy Spirit living in the Church. The depiction of icons is inseparable from the gospel story. And what the word of the Gospel tells us through hearing, the icon shows the same through the image.
The Seventh Council affirmed that icon painting is a special form of revelation of Divine reality, and through Divine services and the icon, Divine revelation becomes the property of believers. Through the icon, as well as through the Holy Scriptures, we not only learn about God, we know God; through the icons of the holy saints of God, we touch the transfigured person, the partaker of the Divine life; through the icon we receive the all-sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit. Every day the Holy Church glorifies the icons of the Mother of God, celebrates the memory of the holy saints of God. Their icons are placed in front of us on a lectern for worship, and the living religious experience of each of us, the experience of our gradual transformation through them, makes us faithful children of the Holy Orthodox Church. And this is the true embodiment in the world of the works of the holy fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council. That is why, of all the victories over many different heresies, only one victory over iconoclasm and the restoration of icon veneration was proclaimed the Triumph of Orthodoxy. And the faith of the fathers of the Seven Ecumenical Councils is the eternal and immutable foundation of Orthodoxy.
And glorifying the memory of the holy fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council, we must remember that it is to them that we are obliged to give gratitude for the fact that our churches and houses have been consecrated with holy icons, for the fact that the living lights of lamps glow before them, that we bow down before the saints. relics, and the incense of incense lifts our hearts to heaven. And the gratitude of revelation from these shrines filled many and many hearts with love for God and spiritualized a completely dead spirit to life.
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Troparion to the Holy Fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council, Tone 8:
Thou art glorified, Christ our God, our fathers who founded us shone on earth, and by those who instructed us all to the true faith, Glory to Thee with abundant gratification.
Second Troparion to the Holy Fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council, Tone 2
We bow to Thy Most Pure Image, Good One, asking forgiveness of our sins, Christ God: by the will of Thy flesh, I was pleased to climb to the Cross, and save me, I also created Thou from the work of the enemy. With this grateful cry of Ti: you have fulfilled all joy, our Savior, who came to save the world.
Kontakion to the Holy Fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council, Tone 6
Even from the Fathers, having shone forth, the Son inexpressibly from the Wife was born by nature, He who sees, we do not sweep away the sight of the image, but, this piously inscribing, we honor it faithfully. And for this, for the sake of the true faith, the Church holds, kisses the icon of the incarnation of Christ.
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The dogma about veneration of icons
We do not keep everything new, whether by writing or without writing the Church traditions established for us, from them the same is the iconic depiction of the image, as if harmonizing the narrative of the Gospel sermon, and serving us to assure us of the true, and not imaginary, incarnation of God the Word, and to similar benefits. Even more they are indicated to others, undoubtedly, they are also understood by others. By this being, like the royal path, walking, following the God-speaking teaching of the Saints our Fathers and the tradition of the Catholic Church, (we are bo, as this is the Holy Spirit living in it), with all certainty and careful consideration we determine:
Like the image of the honest and life-giving Cross, put in the holy churches of God, on sacred vessels and clothes, on walls and on boards, in houses and on paths, honest and holy icons, painted with paints and from fractional stones and from other substances capable of this, arranged, as icons of the Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ, and our immaculate Lady of our holy Mother of God, as well as honest angels and all saints and reverend men. Eliko bo often through the image on the icons they are visible, the ceiling of those who gaze at them, they are labored to remember and love the primitives, and honor them with a kiss and reverent worship, not true, according to our faith, worship of God, hedgehog befits a single Divine nature, but worship in that image , like the image of the honest and life-giving Cross and the Holy Gospel and other shrines with incense and the lighting of candles, honor is given, the yak and the ancients had a pious custom. For the honor given to the image passes to the primitive, and the one who worships the icon worships the creature depicted on it. This is how the teaching of our Saints is affirmed, our Father, there is the tradition of the Catholic Church, from the end to the end of the earth who received the Gospel.
Three hundred sixty seven Holy Fathers
Seventh Ecumenical Council, Nicene
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Thoughts about the icon
In its definitions, the Seventh Ecumenical Council repeatedly indicates what the veneration of holy icons should be, how an icon can be salvific. The Cathedral believes that the main meaning of veneration of icons is not in veneration and worship of the very matter of the icon, not in veneration of the boards and paints or mosaic tiles themselves, but in the spiritual effort, looking at the image, to raise attention to the very source of the image, the Invisible Prototype God. Such a confession of veneration of icons by the Seventh Ecumenical Council places the sacred image as if on the verge of the visible and tangible world and the spiritual, divine world. The icon becomes, as it were, a visible symbol of the invisible world, its tangible seal, and its meaning is to be the bright gate of ineffable secrets, by way of divine ascent.
The Seventh Ecumenical Council and the Church Fathers, whose creations were of particular importance at the Council, in particular, perhaps, St. John Damascene, emphasize just such a meaning of venerating icons. Mainly for the fathers of the Cathedral, the icon of Christ and the icon of the Mother of God, especially when She is depicted with the Child, is evidence of the non-falsity of the incarnation of Christ. There is another meaning of such inseparability of the icons of Christ and the Mother of God. As L. Uspensky points out, the icon of Christ is the image of the incarnate God, while the icon of the Mother of God is the perfect image of the deified man, on which our salvation rests. The Word became flesh in order to make man share in the Divine.
The icons of the saints are a confirmation and development of the same basis. The image of Christ not made by hands is, as it were, the first seal and the source of every image, and from it every image emanates and is born in it, the source of the river that tends its waters into endless life. These waters are the countless wealth of icons generated and originating from the Image of Christ not made by hands and directing the Church in her tireless movement towards the end of times and the Kingdom of the Future Age.
And I also think that the Image of Christ Not Made by Hands is not only a source of sacred images, but also an image that sheds light and sanctifies both the image and the art that is not churchly. For example, primarily the art of portraiture. In this sense, the icon in its church liturgical life is not separated from external art, but is like a snowy peak that spills streams into the valley, filling it and giving life to everything. There is also another intimate connection between the icon and external, non-church painting. The icon engenders in painting, alien to the Church, quite sometimes earthly, a mysterious thirst to become a church, to change its nature, and the icon in this case is a heavenly leaven, from which the dough sour.
Quoted from:
Gregory Krug, monk. Thoughts about the icon. -M., 2007
The persecution of the worshipers of St. icons lasted 58 years. This period in the life of the Christian Church resembles what is happening in our time on the International of Marx in the occupied lands of the Slavs.
Memory of the Holy Fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council (787)
What are the reasons for iconoclasm? History testifies: this is a matter of the political program of the given time and state considerations. The cruel character of the persecution was facilitated by the character of the main persecutor of the veneration of icons, Emp. Constantine Copronymus, a man of a depraved life, sodomy, cynic and sadist. And since the iconoclasts met the main opposition among the monks, their special enmity and struggle was concentrated on monasticism.
Monasticism itself was declared politically unreliable; not only communication, but also acquaintance with monks was prohibited. On the streets, they were thrown with stones by the servants of the authorities. If a monk appeared on the street of Constantine Grad, he was seized and dragged to the hippodrome and there he was beaten to death with whips.
Thus, Abbot John, who refused to trample on the icon of the Mother of God, was publicly executed after being beaten with batogs. The famous ascetic St. Stephen, who was the rock of monasticism, was locked up with many other monks for many days without food, then released, but not for long. The emperor sent a whole detachment of soldiers after him. Stefan was, on his way to prison, beaten with torture, the monastery was burned down, and the monks were beaten and dispersed.
In prison, after 17 days of bullying, messengers were sent to Stephen to admonish him - to renounce the veneration of icons. And when Stephen, after long useless admonitions, was brought to the emperor, he took a coin from his cowl and asked: “What punishment will I be worthy if I throw this coin with the emperor's image on the ground and begin to trample? From here, you, emperor, can see what punishment those who insult Christ and His Holy Mother on icons deserve. "
At the same time, Stefan threw a coin and trampled on it. For this he was exiled to one of the uninhabited islands, and two years later, in shackles, he was brought to the capital and thrown into prison, where 342 monks were sitting, who suffered for the icons. Many had their noses and ears cut off, others had their eyes gouged out, some had their hands cut off, and many, moreover, had their beards and faces burned, which means they were subjected to torture by fire.
After Stephen turned to veneration of icons of two imperial envoys, soldiers appeared in prison, tied a rope to Stephen's leg and dragged him through the streets, subjecting him to beating. Even schoolchildren were released from school and released into the streets to throw stones at the "villainous criminal."
The bodies of the tortured monks were thrown into the common ditch for the executed criminals. At the same time, 19 high state dignitaries were executed for expressing sympathy to St. Stefan. The monks were flogged, maimed, thrown alive into pits, and there they covered the living with earth.
During the years of persecution, over 50,000 monks fled to Italy alone, fleeing persecution. Monasteries turned into barracks. Fifty-eight years old. Such a duration of the persecution of the Orthodox was partly facilitated by the servility of a certain part of the hierarchy itself, who, by inertia, submitted to the will of the sadist free-thinker-emperor.
The lack of unity among hierarchs, in the very Body of the Church, has always been a terrible ulcer in the life of the Church of Christ. The cruelties of the iconoclasts, however, did not destroy the moral strength of the icon-worshipers who had gone to the catacombs. The church triumphed after 60 years.
So after 60 years of persecution against the Church of Christ, the world-wide boor united in Marxism - called communism, the spiritual strength of believers has not been broken, the moral strength of the Christian people has not been destroyed, and - we believe - the Church of Christ will soon rise from the ashes. Amen.
Bishop Mitrofan (Znosko-Borovskaya), 1978
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For those who have accepted the priestly dignity, the written rules and regulations serve as testimonies and guidance, which we willingly accept, we sing with the God-speaking David, to the Lord God, saying: on the way of Thy testimonies we will delight, as about all riches (Psalm 119: 14). Likewise: Thou hast commanded righteousness, Thy testimonies forever; give me understanding and I will live (Ps. 119: 138, 144). And if the prophetic voice commands us to keep the testimonies of God forever and live in them, which is clearly there, as they remain indestructible and unshakable. For the God-seer Moses also says: to this it is not proper to apply and from these it is not proper to take away (Deut. 12:32). And the Divine Apostle Peter, boasting of them, cries out: Angels want to penetrate into this (1 Pet. 1:12). Likewise, Paul says: if we, or the Angel from heaven, announces more to you, he also announces to you, let it be anathema (Gal. 1: 8). This is still true, and it has been testified to us: then, rejoicing about this, just as someone would gain gain much, Divine rules are acceptable with delight and the whole and unshakable decree of these rules, set forth from the all-praiseworthy Apostles, the holy trumpets of the Spirit, and from the holy Ecumenical Councils , and locally gathering for the issuance of such commandments, and from our holy fathers. For all of them, having been enlightened by the one and the same Spirit, have legalized what is useful. And whom they anathematize, we also anathematize; and those whom we erupt, we also throw out, and whom by excommunication, these we also excommunicate; whoever is subjected to penance, those we also subject. For he who ascended to the third heaven and heard unspeakable verbs, the Divine Apostle Paul clearly cries out: they are not money-lovers in disposition, content with things (Heb. 13: 5).
4 Vsell. one; 6 Vsec. 2; Karf. one
Because we promise God in psalmics: in Thy justification, I will learn, I will not forget Thy words (Psalm 119: 6): then all Christians to preserve this is salutary, especially those who accept the priestly dignity. For this, we determine: everyone who has been elevated to the episcopal degree, certainly know the Psalter, and so and all his clergy instruct them to learn from them. Likewise, to thoroughly test his metropolitan, whether zeal with reflection, and not in passing, read the sacred rules, and the Holy Gospel, and the book of the Divine Apostle, and all the Divine Scriptures, and act according to the commandments of God and teach the people entrusted to him. For the essence of our hierarchy is made up of the Divine words, that is, the true knowledge of the Divine scriptures, as the great Dionysius uttered. If he hesitates and does not zeal to create and teach this way: let him not be ordained. For God is prophetic: you have rejected reason, I will also reject you, so that you will not serve Me (Hosea 4: 6).
Ap. 80; 6 Vsec. nineteen; Laod. 12; Sardic. 10; Karf. 25.
Any election to a bishop, or presbyter, or deacon, made by worldly rulers, may be invalid according to the rule (Ap. 30), which says: if a bishop, having used worldly rulers, through them will receive episcopal power in the church, let him be excommunicated and excommunicated. , and all communicating with him. For he who is ordained to be a bishop must be elected from the bishops, as defined in the rule of the holy fathers (Ap. 4), which says: the bishop should be appointed most decently to all the bishops of these regions; if this is not convenient, either for immediate need, or for the distance of the path, then at least three together will come together, and those who are absent will take part in the election and express consent by means of letters, and then he will make the appointment. To approve such actions in each area befits her metropolitan.
Ap. one; All 4; Antiochus. nineteen
The preacher of truth, the Divine Apostle the great Paul, as a certain rule, laid down the rule for the Ephesian elders, and even more so for the entire priesthood, with the boldness of the rivers: Srebra, or gold, or vestments did not desire: he told you all that it is proper for those who work to help the weak, and to think that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20: 33-35). For this, and we, having learned from him, determine: yes, the bishop does not intend, out of low self-interest, using imaginary sins as an excuse, to demand gold or silver, or something else from the bishops or clergy or monks subordinate to him. For the Apostle says: The unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6: 9). And one more thing: children should not be parents to win possessions, but parents should not (2 Cor. 12:14). For this reason, if it is foreseen that someone, for the sake of receiving gold, or some other thing, or for some of his own passion, forbids the service and excommunicates any of his clergy, or they conclude an honest temple, so there will be no Divine service in it: such, and directing his fury to insensible objects, in truth he is insensible, and must be subject to what he subjected another; and his illness will turn on his head (Ps. 7:17), as a transgressor of God's commandments and apostolic decrees. For Peter the supreme apostle also commands: Feed the hedgehog in you the flock of God that visits not in need, but by the will and according to Bose; lower unrighteous gains, but zealous; not as one possessing a clerk, but form a flock; and when I appear to the Shepherd, you will receive an unfading crown of glory (1 Peter 5: 2-4).
Ap. 29 and 6 Vsec. 22
There is sin leading to death (1 John 5:16), when some who have sinned are in incorrection. It is more bitter than this when the stiff-footed people rise up to piety and truth, preferring riches to obedience before God, and not keeping to His statutes and rules. In such there is no Lord God, If they do not humble themselves, and do not become sober from their fall. It befits them more to approach God, and with a contrite heart to ask for the forgiveness of his sin and forgiveness, and not to be proud of giving to the unrighteous. For the Lord is near with a broken heart (Ps. 33:19). For this reason, if some boast that by the gift of gold they are placed in the church order, and for this evil habit, alienating from God and from all priesthood, they put hope, and from this with a shameless face and open lips, reproachful words, they dishonor the elect from the Holy Spirit for a virtuous life, and the lack of gold of those who were set up, then those who act in this way should be relegated to the last degree of their rank: if they become stagnant in this, they will correct them by penance. If someone turns out to have done this at ordination: then let it be done according to the Apostolic canon, which says (Apostle 29): if anyone is a bishop, or presbyter, or deacon, will receive this dignity in money: let him and the one who appointed him be thrown out, and let him be cut off completely from communion, like Simon the sorcerer Peter. The same is also true according to the second rule of our venerable fathers in Chalcedon, which says: If a bishop ordains for money, and converts unsold grace into a purchase, and for money installs a bishop, or chorebishop, or presbyter, or deacon, or any of the listed in the clergy; or he will produce for money in the economy, or ecdika, or paramonaria, or in general in some church office, for the sake of his vile profit: he who dared to this, having been convicted, must be deprived of his own degree; and the supplied one does not at all use the purchased supply, or production, but may be alien to the dignity or position that he received for money. But if anyone turns out to be a mediator in the event, a bit vile and lawless: this one, if there is a cleric, may be expelled from his degree; if a layman, or a monk, let him be excommunicated from the communion of the church.
4 Abs. 2; 6 Vse. 22; 7 Vse. nineteen; St. Basil Vel. 90; Last Gennady; Last Patr. Tarasia
Because there is a rule that says: twice a year in each region it is appropriate to conduct canonical research, through a meeting of bishops: and the monastic fathers of the sixth council, taking into account the difficulties of the gathering, and the shortcomings required for the journey, determined, without any evasion and apology, once a year to be a council, and to correct the error: then we also renew this rule, and if a certain leader is found denying this, let him be excommunicated. If any of the metropolitans neglects to do this, not out of need and violence, and not for any good reason: he must be subject to penance, according to the rules. When there will be a council on canonical and gospel subjects: then the assembled bishops must be diligent and cared about the preservation of the Divine and life-giving commandments of God. For, always keeping it, reward is great (Ps. 18:12): for the commandment is a lamp, the law of light, and reproof and punishment is the way of life (Prov. 6:23); and the commandment of the Lord is bright, illuminating the eyes (Psalm 18: 9). Let it not be permissible for the metropolitan to demand either cattle or other things from what the bishop brings with him. If he is convicted of such an act, he will reward four times.
Apt. 37; 1 Vsell. five; 4 Abs. nineteen; 6 Vse. eight; Ankir. twenty; Karf. 106.
The Divine Apostle Paul said: some people are presented with the essence of sins, and some will follow. For sins preceding and other sins will follow (1 Tim. 5:24). The impious heresy of the slanderers of Christianity was followed by other impiety. For as the sight of honest icons was taken away from the Church, so they left some other customs, which should be resumed, and so kept according to the written statute. For this reason, if honest churches are consecrated without the holy relics of martyrs, we determine: let the position of the relics be accomplished in them with the usual prayer. If from now on a certain bishop consecrating a church without holy relics is found: let it be ousted, as if he transgressed church traditions.
Because some of the Jewish denomination, wandering, thought to swear at Christ our God, pretending to become Christians, secretly rejecting Him, and secretly Sabbathing, and other Jewish fulfillment: then we determine, these are neither in communion, nor in prayer, nor to church; but clearly to be them, according to their confession, Jews; neither should they baptize their children, nor should they buy a slave, or acquire. If one of them converts with sincere faith, and professes it from the bottom of his heart, solemnly rejecting their Jewish customs and deeds, in order to expose and correct others through this: accept and baptize his children, and confirm them in rejecting Jewish intentions. If they are not like that: do not accept them at all.
All children's fables, and frantic mockery, and false writings, composed against honest icons, must be given to the bishopric of Constantinople, so that they may be placed with other heretical books. If someone who conceals such is found: then the bishop, or the presbyter, or the deacon, may be expelled from his rank, and the layman or monk, may he be excommunicated from the communion of the church.
Ap. 60; 6 Vse. 63; Laod. 59
Because some of the clergy, deviating from the force of the existing in the rules of the decree, leaving their parish, run away to other parishes, especially in this God-saved and reigning city, and they settle down with worldly leaders, sending divine services in their prayer books: these, without their will and The bishop of Constantinople is not allowed to be received, in any house or church. If anyone does this and is persistent in that: let him be cast out. And those who, with the consent of the above-mentioned priests, do this, should not take upon themselves worldly and everyday cares, as it is forbidden by Divine rules to do this. If someone finds himself in a secular position with the verb nobles, either let him leave it, or let him be thrown out. Better then, let him go to teach the youths and household members, reading to them the Divine Scripture: for for this reason he also received the priesthood.
Being obliged to keep all Divine rules, we must also guard the infinitely unchanging and that which commands the economy to be in every church. And if each metropolitan supplies an economist in his church, there is good; If he does not, then it is left to the bishop of Constantinople, by his own authority, to determine the steward in that church. The same is given to the metropolitans, if the bishops subordinate to them do not want to put economists in their churches. The same can be observed in monasteries.
If someone, a bishop, or an abbot, turns out to be any of the lands belonging to the bishopric, or to the monastery, sold into the hands of the authorities, or given to another person: let it be not firmly given, according to the rule of the holy Apostles, which says: let the bishop take care of all church things, and let them order them, as if he was instructing God: but it is not permissible for him to appropriate any of these, or to give to his relatives what belongs to God; If they are the have-nots, let him give them as if to the have-nots, but under this pretext, let him not sell those who belong to the church. If they give it as an excuse that the land causes a loss, and does not deliver any benefit: then in this case, too, do not give the fields to local chiefs, but to clerics or farmers. If they use a crafty turn, and the sovereign buys the land from the cleric, or the farmer: then in this case, the sale will be invalid, and the sold may be returned to the bishopric, or the monastery: and the bishop, or abbot, doing this, may be expelled: the bishop from the bishopric, the abbot from the monastery, as if they were evilly squandering what they did not collect.
Ankh. fifteen; Antiochus. 24-25; Karf. 35 and 42; Kirill Alex. 2.
During the disaster that happened, due to our sins, in the churches, some holy churches, bishops and monasteries were plundered by some people, and became ordinary dwellings. If those who took possession of these want to give them away, and they will be restored as before, then there is good and good; If this is not the case: then we command those who are from the priestly rank to cast out, and to excommunicate the monks, or laity, as if condemned from the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and let them be subdued, where the worm does not die and the fire does not quench (Mr. 9:44). Even before they resist the voice of the Lord, saying: Do not create in the house of my Father with the purchase of the house (John 2:16).
4 Abs. 4 and 24; 6 Vse. 49; Two-way one.
It is clear to everyone, as if the order is not separated from the priesthood, and with precision to preserve the production related to the priesthood is a work pleasing to God. And we see before that, as if some, without the laying on of leadership, in childhood having accepted the ordination of the priest, but not yet receiving the episcopal ordination, are read in the church meeting on the pulpit, and they do this in disagreement with the rules: from now on we command this not to be. This is the same thing to observe in the reasoning of the monks. The ordination of the reader is allowed to be created by every abbot in his own, and only in his monastery, if the abbot himself received ordination from the bishop to the leadership of the abbot, no doubt already being a presbyter. Likewise, chorebishops, according to the ancient custom, with the permission of the bishop, must produce reciters.
From now on, let the cleric not be assigned to the two churches: for this is characteristic of trade and low self-interest and is alien to church custom. For we have heard from the very voice of the Lord that no one can work for two masters: either he will hate one and love the other, or he will hold on to one, but will resent the other (Matt. 6:24). For this, for the sake of everyone, according to the Apostolic word, in him he is called to eat, in that he must abide (1 Cor. 7:20), and be found in one church. For what happens to low self-interest in church affairs, it becomes alien to God. For the needs of this life there are various occupations: and this, if anyone wishes, may acquire what is needed for the body. For the Apostle of the rivers: these hands have ministered to my demand, and to those with me (Acts 20:34). And this should be observed in this God-saved city, and in other places, due to a lack of people, to allow withdrawal
All luxury and adornments of the body are alien to the priestly rank and state. For this sake, bishops or clergy, adorning themselves with light and luxuriant clothes, may correct themselves. If they remain in it, subject them to penance; also those who use fragrant ointments. Since the root of grief stagnate to vegetate (Matthew 12:15), the heresy of Christian blasphemers has become an unclean stain for the Catholic Church, and those who accepted it not only abhorred icons, but also rejected all reverence, hating people who lived honestly and reverently, and what was written in them was fulfilled. : piety is an abomination to sinners (Sirach. 1:25); then, if some are found, who laugh at those who wear a simple and modest garment, let them be corrected by penance. Ponezhe, from ancient times, every sacred man was content with a non-luxurious and modest attire: for everything that is not for need, but for decoration is acceptable, is subject to the accusation of vanity, as Basil the Great says. But clothes of different colors from silk fabrics were not worn, and wax of a different color was not imposed on the edges of the clothes; for they heard from the God-bearing voice: that those who dress in soft clothes in the houses of kings are (Matthew 11: 8).
Some of the monks, wanting to be in charge, and rejecting obedience, leaving their monasteries, will undertake to create houses of prayer, not having the need to do them. If anyone dares to do this, let the local bishop be forbidden to him. If, however, he has a need for completion, then let his intentional come to an end. This is the same for the laity and for the clergy.
4 Abs. 4 and 8; 6 Vse. 41 and 46; Two-way one.
Be impeccable also on the outside, says the Divine Apostle (1 Cor. 10:32). But the stay of wives in bishops, or in monasteries, is the fault of every temptation. For this reason, if it is foreseen that someone either has a slave, or a free one in the bishopric, or in a monastery, entrusting her with any service, let him be subject to penance; he who becomes stagnant in that, let him be cast out. If it happens to the wives to be in country houses, and the bishop or abbot wants to create tamo: then in the presence of the bishop or abbot, let the wife not correct any service at that time, but let her remain in a different place until the departure of the bishop follows, or abbot, let there be no criticism.
The abomination of the love of money only prevailed among the leaders of the churches, as if some of the spoken reverent men and women, having forgotten the Lord's commandments, got lost, and those who enter the sacred rite and the monastic life are accepted for gold. And it happens, as the Great Basil says, everything that is unclean in the beginning is obscene: it is inappropriate to serve God and wealth before. For this reason, if someone is seen doing this: then the bishop, or the abbot, or someone from the priestly rank, or let him cease, or let him be thrown out, according to the second rule of the second Chalcedonian holy council; and let the abbess be expelled from the monastery, and let herself be given over to another monastery in obedience: as well as the abbess, who does not have the ordination of the priest. And about what parents give to children, in the likeness of wine, and about things brought from property, with an announcement from the one who brings them, as if they are dedicated to God, we determined: let them abide according to their promise, whether the one who brought them will remain in the monastery, or will go out, if not. this is the fault of the abbot.
We decide not to be double monasteries from now on, because this is a temptation and stumbling block for many. If, however, some people with relatives want to deny the world, and follow the monastic life: then the husbands should enter the men's monastery, and the wives will enter the women's monastery; for in this God is delighted. And let the double monasteries circulating up to now be governed, according to the rule of our holy father Basil, and according to his commandment, which is based on the law: let monks and nuns not live in a single monastery, because conciliation gives a means to adultery. May a monk not dare to talk to a nun, or a nun to talk to a monk in private. May the monk not sleep in a nunnery, and may the nun not eat alone with the monk. And when things necessary for life are brought from the male side to the nuns: behind the gates, let the abbess accept the female monastery, with some old nun. If it happens that the monk wishes to see a certain relative: then in the presence of the abbess, let him converse with her, not in many and short words, and soon he leaves her.
6 Vse. 47; 7 Vse. 18 and 22
A monk or nun should not leave his monastery and go to another. If this happens, then it is necessary to show him the hospitality, but it is not fitting for him to accept it without the will of the abbot.
Bringing everything to God and not being enslaved by your desires is a great thing. For if the Divine Apostle speaks as if it is good, or if you drink, do everything for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). And Christ our God, in His Gospel, commanded to cut off the beginning of sins. For it is not only adultery that is punished by Him, but the movement of thought towards an attempt at adultery is condemned, according to His word: looking at his wife, even if she lusts, he has already committed fornication with her in his heart (Matthew 5:28). Learning from this, we must purify our thoughts. For if all the years are, but not all for the benefit (1 Cor. 10:23), as the Apostolic word teaches. Every person needs to eat in order to live, and it is not reprehensible for husbands and wives who live in marriage with children, in a worldly state; Let them give thanks only to the Giver of food; but there is with no shameful inventions, or with satanic songs, and with singers and fornication chants, on which the prophetic reproach will fall, saying taco: woe to the harp and singers drinking wine, not looking at the deeds of the Lord. And if there are any such in Christians, let them be corrected: If they do not reform, let the canonically decreed by those who were before us be observed in relation to them. And those whose life is quiet and uniform, as if they made a vow to the Lord God to take upon themselves the yoke of monasticism: let them sit alone and be silent. But even those who have chosen the priestly life are not entirely permissible to eat alone with their wives, but perhaps only with some God-fearing and reverent men and wives, so that this communion of the meal would lead to spiritual edification. The same must be observed in the reasoning of relatives. If it happens to a monk, or a husband of the priestly rank on the journey, does not have what is needed, and out of need he wants to serve in a hotel, or in someone's house: it is allowed to do this, if the need requires it.
Apost 54
Remembering the history of the seven Ecumenical Councils of the Church of Christ
The first centuries of Christianity, like most powerful young religions, were marked by the emergence of numerous heretical teachings. Some of them turned out to be so tenacious that the conciliar thought of theologians and hierarchs of the fullness of the Church was required to fight them. Similar councils in church history have received the name Ecumenical. There were seven of them in total: Nicene, Constantinople, Ephesus, Chalcedonian, Second Constantinople, Third Constantinople and Second Nicene.
325 BC
First Ecumenical Council
Held in 325 at Nicaea during the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great.
Attended by 318 bishops, including St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Bishop of Nizibia Jacob, St. Spyridon of Trimifuntsky, St. Athanasius the Great, who was still in the rank of deacon at that time.
Why was it convened:
to condemn the heresy of Arianism
The Alexandrian priest Arius rejected the Deity and the pre-eternal birth of the second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Son of God, from God the Father and taught that the Son of God is only the highest creation. The Council condemned and rejected the heresy of Arius and approved the immutable truth - the dogma: the Son of God is the true God, born of God the Father before all ages, and is just as eternal as God the Father; He was born, not created, and consubstantial with God the Father.
In order for all Orthodox Christians to know exactly the true doctrine of faith, it was clearly and succinctly stated in the first seven terms of the Creed.
At the same Council, it was decided to celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the first spring full moon, clerics were determined to be married, and many other rules were also established.
381 BC
Second Ecumenical Council
Held in 381 in Constantinople under the Emperor Theodosius the Great.
Attended by 150 bishops, including St. Gregory the Theologian (chairman), Gregory of Nyssa, Meletius of Antioch, Amphilochius of Iconium, Cyril of Jerusalem, etc.
Why was it convened:
to condemn the heresy of the Macedonites
Former Bishop Macedonius of Constantinople, an adherent of Arianism, rejected the Deity of the third Person of the Holy Trinity - the Holy Spirit; he taught that the Holy Spirit is not God, and called Him a creature or created power, and, moreover, serving God the Father and God the Son, just like the angels. At the Council, the heresy of Macedonia was condemned and rejected. The Council approved the dogma of the equality and consubstantiation of God the Holy Spirit with God the Father and God the Son.
The Council also supplemented the Nicene Creed with five members, which set forth the doctrine: about the Holy Spirit, about the Church, about the sacraments, about the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come. Thus, the Nikaotsaregrad Symbol of Faith was compiled, which serves as a guide for the Church for all times.
431 BC
Third Ecumenical Council
Held in 431 in Ephesus under the emperor Theodosius II the Younger.
200 bishops participated.
Why was it convened:
to condemn the heresy of Nestorianism
Archbishop Nestorius of Constantinople impiously taught that the Most Holy Virgin Mary gave birth to a simple man Christ, with whom God later united morally, dwelt in Him, as if in a temple, just as he had previously dwelt in Moses and other prophets. Therefore, Nestorius called the Lord Jesus Christ Himself a God-bearer, and not a God-man, and the Most Holy Virgin - the Mother of God, and not the Mother of God. The Council condemned and rejected the heresy of Nestorius, decided to recognize the union in Jesus Christ from the time of the incarnation (birth from the Virgin Mary) of two natures - Divine and Human - and determined to confess Jesus Christ as a perfect God and a perfect Man, and the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of God.
The Council also approved the Niceotzaregrad Symbol of Faith and strictly forbade any changes or additions to be made in it.
451 BC
Fourth Ecumenical Council
Held in 451 in Chalcedon under the emperor Marcian.
650 bishops participated.
Why was it convened:
to condemn the heresy of Monophysitism
The archimandrite of one of the monasteries of Constantinople, Eutykhios, rejected human nature in the Lord Jesus Christ. Refuting heresy and defending the divine dignity of Jesus Christ, he himself went to extremes and taught that in Christ human nature was completely absorbed by the Divine, why in Him only one divine nature should be recognized. This false doctrine is called Monophysitism, and its followers are called Monophysites (i.e. monophysites). The Council condemned and rejected the false teaching of Eutyches and determined the true teaching of the Church, namely, that our Lord Jesus Christ is true God and true Man: according to the Divine He is eternally born of the Father, according to humanity He was born of the Most Holy Virgin and is similar to us in everything, except sin ... During incarnation, the Divine and humanity were united in Him as in a single Person, invariably and unmerged, inseparable and inseparable.
553 BC
Fifth Ecumenical Council
Held in 553 in Constantinople under Emperor Justinian I.
165 bishops participated.
Why was it convened:
to resolve disputes between the followers of Nestorius and Eutychius
The main subject of controversy was the writings of the three teachers of the Syrian Church, who were famous in their time (Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret of Cyrus and Iva of Edessa), in which Nestorian errors were clearly expressed (at the 4th Ecumenical Council nothing was mentioned about these three writings). In a dispute with the Eutychians (Monophysites), the Nestorians referred to these writings, and the Eutychians found in this a pretext to reject the 4th Ecumenical Council itself and to slander the Ecumenical Orthodox Church, as if it had deviated into Nestorianism. The council condemned all three writings and Theodore of Mopsuestia himself as unrepentant, and with regard to the other two authors, the condemnation was limited only to their Nestorian writings. Theologians themselves renounced their false opinions, were pardoned and died in peace with the Church.
The council confirmed the condemnation of the heresy of Nestorius and Eutychius.
680 BC
Sixth Ecumenical Council
The sixth council took place in 680 in Constantinople under the emperor Constantine Pogonat.
170 bishops participated.
Why was it convened:
to condemn the heresy of Monothelism
Although the Monothelites recognized two natures in Jesus Christ, the Divine and the Human, they saw in Him only the Divine will. The unrest caused by the Monothelites continued after the 5th Ecumenical Council. Emperor Heraclius, desiring reconciliation, decided to persuade the Orthodox to concession to the Monothelites and by the power of his power ordered to recognize in Jesus Christ one will with two natures. The defenders and exponents of the true teaching of the Church were the Jerusalem Patriarch Sophronius and the Constantinople monk Maxim the Confessor, whose tongue was cut out and his hand was cut off for his firmness of faith.
The Sixth Ecumenical Council condemned and rejected the heresy of the Monothelites and determined to recognize in Jesus Christ two natures - Divine and Human - and according to these two natures two wills, but in such a way that the human will in Christ is not opposed, but is submissive to His Divine will.
Eleven years later, the Council reopened meetings in the royal chambers, called Trulli, to resolve issues that primarily relate to ecclesiastical deanery. In this respect, it seems to have supplemented the 5th and 6th Ecumenical Councils, therefore it is called the Fifth-Sixth (sometimes called Trull).
The Council approved the rules by which the Church should be governed, namely: the 85 rules of the holy apostles, the rules of the six Ecumenical and seven Local councils, as well as the rules of the 13 fathers of the Church. These rules were subsequently supplemented by the rules of the 7th Ecumenical Council and two more Local Councils and made up the so-called Nomokanon (Book of Tines), which lies at the basis of the administration of the Orthodox Church.
At this Council, some innovations of the Roman Church were condemned, which did not agree with the spirit of the decrees of the Ecumenical Church, namely: forcing clergy to celibacy, strict fasting on the Sabbath of the Holy Fourties and the image of Christ in the form of a lamb (lamb).
787 BC
Seventh Ecumenical Council
Held in 787 in Nicaea under Empress Irina, widow of Emperor Leo Khozar.
367 bishops participated.
Why was it convened:
to condemn the heresy of iconoclasm
The iconoclastic heresy arose 60 years before the Council under the emperor Leo the Isaurian, who, wishing to convert Mohammedans to Christianity, considered it necessary to abolish the veneration of icons. This heresy continued under his son Constantine Copronymus and grandson Lev Khozar. The Council condemned and rejected the iconoclastic heresy and determined to supply and lay in churches, together with the image of the Honorable and Life-giving Cross of the Lord, holy icons, to honor and worship them, raising the mind and heart to the Lord God, the Mother of God and the saints depicted on them.
After the 7th Ecumenical Council, the persecution of holy icons was again erected by the next three emperors - Leo the Armenian, Mikhail Balba and Theophilus - and for about 25 years the Church worried.
The veneration of icons was finally restored and approved at the Local Council of Constantinople in 842 under Empress Theodore.
reference
Instead of seven, the Roman Catholic Church recognizes more than two dozen Ecumenical Councils, including those that were in the Western Christian world after the Great Schism of 1054, and in the Lutheran tradition, despite the example of the apostles and the recognition of the entire Church of Christ, Ecumenical Councils are not given of the same significance as in the Orthodox Church and Catholicism.
VII Ecumenical Council. Miniature from the Minology of Vasily II.
On the eleventh of October, St. The Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council (If October 11 happens on one of the days of the week, then the service to the Fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council takes place on the next Sunday. - Ed.). The reason for his convocation by the pious Queen Irina and the Patriarch Taras of Constantinople was the so-called heresy of the iconoclasts.
The beginning of this heresy goes back to the times of the emperor Leo the Isaurian, who issued a decree ordering to take holy icons out of churches and houses and burn them on the squares, as well as to destroy the images of the Savior, the Mother of God and the holy saints placed in cities in the open or temples. When the people began to hinder the execution of this decree, then Lev added their zealous admirers to the shrines persecuted by them. Immediately, a command was issued to kill everyone who made up the crowd. And many - especially women - fell that day from the swords of the iconoclasts for their love and zeal for the holy icons. Then the emperor ordered the closure of the higher theological school of Constantinople and then deprive the Orthodox of that victorious weapon in the fight against the iconoclasts, which they were able to extract from the fundamental theological education. Some of the Byzantine historians even say that he burned the rich library that was with her in the same purpose. But the persecutor from everywhere met a sharp contradiction to his orders. From Syria, from Damascus, St. John of Damascus wrote against them. From Rome, after the death of Gregory II, his successor, Pope Gregory III, continued to write. And from the others, they responded to them even with open revolts.
The son and successor of Leo Konstantin Copronym, without departing from the direction taken by his father in relation to the question of the veneration of St. icon, he dared to act mainly on the clergy, because the active opponents of the iconoclasts were everywhere, mainly bishops and monks.
For this purpose, he tried to convene a council, at which the veneration of icons was condemned. The closest consequence of the false ecumenical cathedral was that the icons were thrown out of the churches and for the most part burned, the picturesque and mosaic sacred images on the walls of the temples were wiped with lime. Even the great Blakhernsky Church of the Mother of God, on the walls of which the best artists depicted the whole earthly life of the God-man, all His miracles, all the events of the Gospel history, ending with the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, could not escape such a fate. From persecution of icons Copronym passed to persecution of holy relics; it was okay to throw them away. This was done, for example, with St. relics of the great martyr Euthymias: her relics together with the tomb were thrown out of the temple and thrown into the sea, and the great Chalcedon temple, dedicated to her name, turned into the barracks. Considering the monks to be the main champions of the veneration of icons, Copronym decided to close all the monasteries. Many monasteries of Constantinople, starting from the famous Dalmatian, were turned into barracks or destroyed. Many monks were tortured. At the same time, they usually smashed the heads of the monks on the very icons, in whose defense they acted.
During the reign of Copronymus' successor, Leo IV, icon worshipers could breathe a little more freedom. But the complete triumph of the veneration of icons took place only under the Empress Irina, who, after the infancy of her son Constantine, took the throne of her husband Leo IV after his death. Having taken the throne, she first of all returned from exile all the monks exiled for the veneration of icons, and gave most of the episcopal kahedr to zealous icon-worshipers. Zatum returned St. to the relics of all the honors that were taken away from them by the iconoclasts. But the Empress realized that all this was still not enough for the full restoration of the veneration of icons. It was necessary to convene an ecumenical council, which would condemn the recent council convened by Copronymus and restore the truth of the veneration of icons. Tarasi especially insisted on this during his election to the patriarchal throne.
- "If the empress really pleases," he said, "for Tarasiy to accept the burden of patriarchal rule, then he agrees, but not otherwise, but only under the conditions of the convocation of an Ecumenical Council."
After hearing this explanation of Tarasia, the empress took him out to the senators and clergy, who had gathered in the Matavr palace to elect a patriarch. In a strong and expressive speech, Tarasiy, before the face of this gathering, declared that if they wanted him to accept the patriarchy, then let the Ecumenical Council be convened to approve the veneration of icons. The majority of those present recognized Tarasiy's demand as just, and Tarasiy was dedicated to the patriarchs on the feast of the Nativity of Christ in the 784th year. Soon, on behalf of Empress Irina and her son Constantine, for whose smallness she ruled the state, a message was sent to Pope Adrian with an invitation to the council. To this message he was personally invited by Patriarch Tarasiy. The Pope refused to give up the honor of being present in person at the councilѣ. He sent two legates from himself: Peter, Protopresbyter of the Church of the Holy Apostle Peter in Rome, and Peter, Abbot of the monastery of St. Savvas in Rome. Arrived in Constantinople and representatives from patriarchs Aleksandrіyskago and Antіokhіyskago. These were the elders of their Sinkella: Presbyters Ioann and Ooma. In addition to the powers from their patriarchs, they also brought a message from the Jerusalem patriarch, in whom the last one expressed his consent to the approval of the veneration of icons. The bishops of the Patriarchate of Constantinople were also summoned to the capital. At the beginning, it was supposed to open the cathedral in the summer of 786 in the Constantinople church of St. Apostolov. Everything was already prepared for the opening of cathedral appointments, when suddenly on the eve of their opening in Constantinople a riot broke out among the army, which prevented the cathedral from taking place. The Cathedral opened only in the fall of the next year (September 24) and no longer in Constantinople, but in Nika, close to it, where the first Ecumenical Council took place, in the church of St. Sophia. The number of members of the council has not been established exactly. In any case, there were more than three hundred of them, because under the conciliar acts there is the signature of 307 bishops. The sobor began with the speech of Patriarch Tarasiy, after which the imperial letter was read to the cathedral. After reading it, it was started to analyze the guilt of the bishops, who were ensnared in iconoclasm.
After this, the imperial secretary Leontius reminded the cathedral of the need to hear the message about St. icons of Pope Adrian to the emperor and patriarch. These messages reveal to us the veil of the deepest apostolic antiquity and find out how St. Church. After reading both of these messages, the pope's representatives wished to know: do the patriarch and all members of the council agree with them?
Tarasiy answered that he would accept everything written by the Pope.
“This must be followed,” he said, “to contradict him is to act unwisely. And we ourselves, on the basis of the Scriptures, inferences and proofs, having studied the truth and cognized it on the basis of the scholarship of our fathers, firmly and immutably confessed and will confess, according to the ancient tradition of St. father, picturesque icons, worshiping them with ardent love, as he is in the name of the Lord God and the immaculate Lady of our Holy Theotokos, St. the apostles and all the saints, but we will refer worship and faith to the One True God. "
- "The entire holy council also teaches," came the answer to his words from all the members of the council.
Then the district message of Patriarch Tarasiy, written by him to the bishops and presbyters of Antiochia, Aleksandr and Jerusalem, upon accession to the patriarch's throne, and the letter of the eastern patriarchs were read to him. After reading these messages, the cathedral fathers unanimously declared: "We completely agree with them, with love we accept and venerate the sacred and venerable icons and worship them."
At the beginning of the next appointment, on the advice of Patriarch Tarasiy, it was decided to revise all the places of the Holy Scripture, of the patristic creations and withdrawals of the descriptions of the lives of saints who could serve as the basis for the establishment of icons. Among the latter, a great many stories about the miracles that emanated from St. icons and relics. Here are some of them:
In the description of the martyrdom of St. Anastasia Persianina said that when his relics were transferred to the Palestinian Caesarea, when the people rushed from everywhere to the middle of them, one woman, named Areta, fell into doubt and said:
- "I will not bow to the relics brought from Persia."
After a few days, St. The martyr appeared to Aret in dream and asked:
- "Do you suffer from a pain in the hips?"
No sooner had Aretha told him that she was healthy, when suddenly she felt that an illness had indeed overtaken her. For a long time she languished in her illness, then, feeling a temporary relief from her, she began to ponder why such a disease befell her. She spent four days in this reflection. At the time of the fifth day, St. martyr and says:
- “Go to Tetrapil. Pray to St. Anastasia and you will be healthy. "
Brought to the indicated place, when she saw the icon of St. Martyr, she cried out loudly:
- "This is truly the one I saw in my dreams."
Throwing herself on the platform, she cried for a long time with tears of repentance and got up completely healthy.
After reading the story of the seven miracles at the council, the pope's representatives declared that this icon of St. Anastasia with his honest head is in one of the monasteries of Rome and at the present time, and Bishop Ioann of Tauromenius added to their statement that he knows one woman from Sicily, who, being in Rome, received from the icon of St. martyr healed.
Then Peter, the Bishop of Nicomedia, was informed about the miracle that happened from the icon of the Lord in Berita and the story of the Edessa miracle from the un-made image of the Savior was given from Evagra. The miracle consisted of the following:
Once upon a time Edessa was besieged by Chozra, the king of Persia. Soldiers shot through the city walls at the inhabitants of the city from the huge embankments sacked by his order. The besieged inhabitants decided to undermine the embankment and then burn them. But the fire that they made in the pits, due to the lack of fresh air flow there, every kind of fire was extinguished. Then the people of Edessa took the Not Made with Hands and brought it to the dug ditches. Having sprinkled water on the image, they dripped down on it on the weakly burning fire in the folded wood, and immediately all the wood was engulfed in an extraordinary flame. Having turned them into coal, the flame passed to the upper trees and quickly destroyed all the structures of Khozroi.
While reading this narration, the reader of the great Church of Constantinople said:
- “I myself am an unworthy slave, when I went to Syria with the royal apocrisies, I was in Edessa and saw this image not made by hands; the faithful worship him and worship him. "
Many others, similar to those given, were read from the patristic works of the cathedral. When the fathers of the cathedral, as Patriarch Tarasi put it, “were full of patristic testimonies,” one venerable icon was brought up in the middle of the meeting, and with it all the fathers present at the cathedral, kissing it, uttered twenty-two short sayings from them, repeating each three times. All the main iconoclastic positions in them were condemned and condemned.
The following meetings were devoted to the analysis of the definitions of the pseudo-ecumenical Copronymic Cathedral. This analysis was carried out with the greatest care. It was conducted all the time by means of two persons, as if two sides: one read what was determined by the false council, the other read the refutation of what was false in the definition. The places of the Holy Scripture, falsely interpreted by the Copronymic Cathedral, have now been re-interpreted. For example: from the Old Testament Scripture in defense of their own opinions, the iconoclasts pointed out the prohibition of the Decalogue: do not create yourself a godfather (Ex. 20, 4).
The cathedral fathers answered in this:
- “The sayings spoken to the Israelite people, who served the calf and were not alien to the Egyptian delusions, cannot be transferred to the Divine Christian gathering. God, intending to introduce the Iudeans into the land of habitation, therefore gave them a commandment: do not create yourself a kumir, that there were idolaters who worshiped demons, the sun, and the moon, and stars, and other creatures, and even birds, not worshiping only the Living and True God. When, at the command of the Lord, Moses created the Tabernacle of the Testimony, then, showing that everything serves God, he prepared human-like cherubim from gold, representing the image of intelligent cherubim. "
Also, some places and from patristic creations were misinterpreted by the pseudo-ecumenical council. The iconoclasts brought into their defense, for example, such a place from the works of St. Aѳanasia Aleksandrіyskago:
- “How can one not regret those who worship creation for the reason that the sighted bow to those who do not see and those who are gifted with hearing cannot hear? "The creature will never save the creature."
But the council explained that St. Aѳanasіy in this place meant in the sight of the pagans and directed his rch against them; Christians have never served the creature instead of the One All God, as the iconoclasts accused them. It also turned out that the iconoclasts often quoted the patristic words in fragmentary terms - without their connection with the preceding and following speech - which is why in these words the meaning desired for them could be obtained.
Finally, some of the expressions given by the iconoclastic cathedral turned out to be completely forged.
As soon as it turned out that the foundations, which led the false ecumenical council to justify their own definitions, were false and insufficient, it became clear to everyone that his very definitions, approved on such grounds, were false, and therefore passed from development of its own conciliar European definition. In this final definition, the fathers of the cathedral found it necessary to first mention the reason for the convocation of the cathedral and the work undertaken by him, then - to cite literally the entire Symbol of the Vira and the refutation of all these heresies, which were finally confirmed by the six dogma of the veneration of icons:
- “We determine that holy and honest icons should be offered for worship in the same way as the depiction of the honest and life-giving Cross, whether they will be removed from paints, or mosaic tiles, or some other substance, if only they would be done in a decent way. , and will they be in St. churches of God, on sacred vessels and clothes, on walls and tablets, or in houses and on roads, as well as whether it will be icons of the Lord and God, our Savior Jesus Christ or our Immaculate Lady of the Holy Mother of God, or honest Angels and all saints and righteous men. More often, with the help of icons, they are presented as the subject of our contemplation, the more they gaze at these icons are excited to remember the primitives themselves, they gain more love for them and receive more prompting to give them respect, but not worship which, according to our time, befits only one divine nature. Those who gaze at these icons are excited to bring ѳimiam to the icons and erect candles in their honor, as it was done in antiquity, because the honor given to the icon belongs to its prototype, and the worshiping icon worships the hypostasis depicted on it. " “Those who dare to think or teach differently,” “if they are bishops or clergy,” must be “deposed”, “if there are monks or laity,” must be excommunicated.
The Council ended with the glorification of the Lord by all the bishops, chiefs, military ranks and other citizens of Constantinople, who filled the halls of the palace in countless numbers. Lists of cathedrals were sent by the Pope, the Eastern Patriarchs, the Empress with the Emperor and all the churches of the Constantinople Patriarchate.
So solemnly ended, restoring the truth of the veneration of icons and to this day, the Seventh Ecumenical Council, which is remembered every year on October 11 by the entire Orthodox Eastern Church.
- ← A. N. Muravyov, Letters on the Divine Service of the Eastern Catholic Church (Kiev 1873).
- Archbishop Anthony (Sinkevich), Los Angeles. Love for God and Neighbor. (Word at the All-night Vigil on the day of glorification of the Holy Optina elders) →
