Acts of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, Nicaea II (787)

The Fifth Session

Opening of the Fifth Session

In the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, our True God. In the reign of our most pious and Christ loving Sovereigns Constantine and Irene his mother, in the eighth year of their consulship, on the fourth of the nones of October (October 4), of the eleventh indiction, the holy Ecumenical Council assembled by the grace of God and decree of the same divinely-protected Sovereigns in the splendid city of Nicaea metropolis of the Eparchy of Bithynia — that is, Peter the Arch-presbyter and Peter Monk and Abbot of St. Sabbas at Rome Legates of Adrian most holy Pope of Old Rome; Tarasius Patriarch of Constantinople — that is, New Rome; John and Thomas Vicars and Legates of the Apostolic Sees of the Eastern Dioceses; together with the Bishops, the Archimandrites, Abbots, and all the fulness of the Monastic Order, held their Session before the most sacred pulpit of the most holy Church of St. Sophia, in the presence of Petronas and John Officers of the Imperial household. And after that the Holy and Immaculate Gospels had been set in the midst,

Tarasius said: “God, who, by His Prophet, hath declared beforehand that which shall hereafter come to pass, hath, by Jeremiah the Prophet, declared, concerning all those who make innovations in the Catholic Church, ‘that they have committed two evils: they have left Me, the fountain of living water, and have hewn out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, which can hold no water’ (Jerem. ii. 13). The broken cistern is heretical reasoning, from which source the promoters of the heresy of the Christianity-detractors have drawn and have made the more simple to drink the deadly poison (Hab. ii. 15), against whom a woe is denounced by the voice of the Prophet; for, in their endeavour to take away the right of venerable images (a custom which has been handed down from old times in the holy Catholic Church of God), they have imitated Jews and Saracens, Pagans and Samaritans, and also Manichaeans, Docetae, and Theopaschites, as shall be proved by reading the books now before you”

Constantine Bishop of Constantia: “Let them be read for the confutation and exposure of that, their Christianity-detracting and Pseudo-synodical conventicle.”

Leontius the Royal Secretary said: “At the request of your holy Council, we have brought hither the holy books which it will be necessary to read; and besides, we have brought certain others, written by false heretics, who, in former ages, rejected images.”

Passages from Heretics and the Holy Fathers

Cosmas the Deacon reads from the Second Catechetical Lecture of St. Cyril Bishop of Jerusalem, which begins:

“Sin is a dreadful thing, and transgression is a most cruel disease of the soul.” And, after other things towards the close, he adds — “What think you of Nebuchadnezzar? Have you not heard from the Scriptures that he was fierce in his manner, having a lion-like temper of mind? Have you not heard that he exhumated the bones of the Kings? Know you not that he led the people into captivity? Have you not heard that he put out the eyes of the King, having first shewn him his children slaughtered? Have you not heard that he laid his hand on the Cherubim? — I mean not the spiritual and the heavenly, but those which were made for the temple — which were about the mercy-seat of the ark, from the midst of which the Lord spake.”

Tarasius: “Let us consider how greatly Nebuchadnezzar is here censured for destroying those Cherubim and what retributory punishment he endured.”

The Holy Council said: “Great was his fault — great his punishment.”

Tarasius: “Therefore, everyone who casts that which is sacred out of the Church and destroys it is obnoxious to the same vengeance.”

Petronas the Patrician said: “Truly great was the punishment of Nebuchadnezzar, for he was driven from the kingdom and remained seven years in the wilderness eating grass like an ox” (Dan. iv. 33, et seq.).

Cosmas Deacon Notary and Chamberlain read the “Fifth Epistle of St. Symeon Stylites of the Wonderful Mount to the Emperor Justin the Younger”:

“Who, my ever-venerable my most gracious lord, will give to my eyes fountains of tears, that I may weep and lament most bitterly and inconsolably all the days of my wretched life; because, notwithstanding the divine zeal of your God-crowned and most Christian imperial sway, such inconceivably audacious impieties have been perpetrated by those atheistic, impure beyond all impurity, and abominable Samaritans, who inhabit the district named Castra, near the city of Porphyreon, in the venerable house which your God-pleasing Sovereignty was pleased to give command to be built in that place. All which your God-preserved Serenity may fully understand from the communications made to our humility by Paul the most holy Bishop of this same city Porphyreon, and which have been forwarded to us by the most holy Patriarch of the East, who himself was most deeply afflicted on the same account. And how could it be otherwise, O most gracious Sovereign, since impieties such as those which the aforesaid most holy high Priest saw with his own eyes would cause the very stones to cry out; for it appeared to our humility worse than death and destruction even to hear of the exceeding outrageous and blasphemous atrocities which they have perpetrated against the Divine Word who became incarnate for us — against the immaculate glorious Mother of God — against the venerable and precious Cross and against the Saints. We would, therefore, venture to suggest to your divine ears that, if the most pious laws of your victorious imperial rule demand that when the image of the Emperor is abused they who have dared this venturous deed should be delivered over to the utmost extremity of the law, of how much more severe a doom unto death are they worthy who have dared, against the images of the Son of God and of the holy glorious Mother of God, with a shamelessness and an impiety hitherto unheard of, such things as those which, from their excessive atrocity, I cannot describe, putting them quite beyond the reach of mercy or compassion? We, therefore, entreat your most victorious Sovereignty to have no mercy on those who have dared to do this nor to spare them, nor to receive any supplication from them or to admit any defence on their behalf, that they may not again do anything of this kind; for I have discovered indications of this sort, which I signified in the month of August to our most holy and God honoured Patriarch, hinting to him that in the meantime he should keep my communication to himself, for God hath not concealed their plots from us.

“Wherefore I feel assured, my ever-venerable rulers, that your hearts fixed on God, resplendent with their own greatness, can never tolerate these outrageously disgraceful proceedings of theirs; the like to which neither we nor, perhaps, any other Christian even to this time ever heard of before. But, my lord, I adjure you, by the Emmanuel of the Most High God, not to delay even for a moment the vengeance which is their due; but give instant command that enquiry be made as to that which was done in the secret cave by their exceedingly outrageous abominations, according to the tenor of the epistle which has been addressed to our humility. Nor let your most gracious Highness delay, lest, by any means, some should insinuate unseasonable words, as if they had the sanction of your imperial Highness, especially since it is to you that God, who has been so impiously insulted by them, has committed the power; that thus the rest of them may spend all the days of their accursed and schismatical existence in fear, whom also their cognate darkness will receive to the vengeance of that future unquenchable and dark fire which shall consume them forever! And the Holy Almighty Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ, which proceedeth from the Father, shall accurse them to the lowest depths of the abyss, to destroy them with a never-ending destruction.

“This zeal if, O ye victors crowned in God, ye display towards Him who reigns together with your piety, God, the only begotten, ye shall be accepted even above the sacrifice of Abraham by the all-seeing Deity, and your most Christian reign shall be blessed and magnified in the power of its strength above all former reigns; for to him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Tarasius: “Perceive ye what was the mind of this father?”

Basil Bishop of Ancyra: “He judged them unworthy of any indulgence.”

John Legate of the East: “This is evident to all, that the Samaritans are worse than other heretics, and their heresy is exceeding abominable and base, and alien from grace; and from this history we may infer that they who subvert holy images are as bad as these — wherefore they may well be styled Samaritans.”

Constantine Bishop of Constantia: “I indeed consider the Iconoclasts to be far worse than the Samaritans; for they being unacquainted with Christianity did this in ignorance, but the others knew what they were doing, and therefore are unworthy of defence: for as it is written, ‘He who knew the will of his Lord and did it not shall be beaten with many stripes’” (Luke xii. 47).

Nicolas Bishop of Cyzicus: “I, the least of you all, present this book of our Father John Bishop of Thessalonica, and I request that it may be read.”

The Holy Council said: “Let it be read.”

Demetrius the Deacon read from the “Discourse of John Bishop of Thessalonica,” which begins, “Even now the enemy continues to tempt our Lord and God Jesus Christ in the desert.” And shortly after he continues thus:

“The Gentile said, ‘Do ye not make images for your Saints in your churches and worship them? — and not only for the Saints, but for God Himself? In the same way we would have you consider that when we do homage to our images, we worship not them, but the incorporeal powers which are served in and by them.’ The Saint replied, ‘But we make images of those who once were men — namely, of those who were holy servants of God, and had bodies like ourselves, to recall them to mind and to do them honour; and we do nothing absurd, for we represent them such as they were; and we do not invent forms after your fashion, nor do we exhibit bodily appearances of things which have no body at all. And when we worship we honour not the image as you say, but those who are presented to us by the picture; and these again we worship not as gods (God forbid), but as genuine servants and friends of God, and who have confidence to intercede for us. We make also images of God — I mean of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ — depicting Him as He was seen upon earth, and as He was conversant among men, and not in the nature of His Godhead. For what is the likeness or what the form of the Word of the Father, who is without body and without form? For God — (that is, the Nature of the holy consubstantial Trinity) — is a Spirit, as it is written. But since, through the good will of our God and Father, His only begotten Son, God the Word, came down from heaven, and for our salvation was incarnate of the Holy Ghost and the immaculate Virgin Mary the Mother of God, we paint His humanity though not His incorporeal Godhead.’ The Gentile said again — ‘Let it be so: ye make pictures of the Son of God because He was incarnate: now what say ye concerning Angels; for ye paint them as men, and worship them though they are not men; but are, and are called, intellectual and incorporeal? So think that the gods we worship are, in like manner, served by means of images, and that we are guilty of no greater absurdity than are ye in respect of the Angels which ye paint.’ The Saint replies — ‘Concerning Angels, Arch-Angels, and other holy powers superior to these, and I will add also the souls of us men, the Catholic Church acknowledges them to be intellectual; but not altogether incorporeal or invisible as ye Gentiles say. For they have spiritualised bodies, both of air and of fire, as it is written — ‘He maketh His Angels wind, and His ministers a flame of fire.’ And in this sentiment we find many of our holy fathers to agree, among whom are Basil the Great, Athanasius of holy memory, the illustrious Methodius and their companions. For, indeed, God alone is incorporeal and uncircumscribable, but intellectual creatures are not altogether incorporeal or invisible, as is the Deity; wherefore, as they are in particular places, they must also be circumscribable. Whenever, therefore, you find that Angels or devils or souls are styled incorporeal, understand it as meant to signify that they are not compounded of any of the four material elements; and that they have not gross material bodies such as those with which we are clothed; for, in fact, it is only as compared with us that they are invisible, for they have oftentimes been sensibly apparent to many in the form of their own proper bodies; for they have been seen by those whose eyes the Lord hath opened. And further, as being circumscribed in place, they are proved not to be altogether incorporeal as is the divine nature. We, therefore, in painting Angels and worshipping them, not as gods, but as intelligent creatures and ministers of God, and not absolutely incorporeal, do not err. We paint them moreover in the human form, because that they have constantly appeared in that form to those to whom they were sent by the only God.”

Tarasius: “Let the words of the father meet with due attention; for, as in a former citation we found that Samaritans had subverted the images of our Lord and Saviour and of His immaculate Mother, so in this extract we find Pagans would do the same. The father has proved that it behoves us to paint Angels because they are circumscribed and have appeared to many in the human figure.”

The Holy Council replied: “Very true, my lord.”

Stephen the Monk read from the “Dispute between the Jew and the Christian.” The Jew says:

“I am convinced in every respect, and I believe in Christ Jesus who was crucified that He is the Son of the living God; but I am scandalized at you Christians because ye worship images, for Scripture everywhere commands us not to make to ourselves any graven image or likeness.”

The Christian replies:

“The Scriptures command you not to worship any new God, nor to worship any image as God; but the images which you behold some of them are painted for the memorial of the philanthropic and benevolent salvation of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and signify to us the form of His humanity; while those of the Saints are intended to signify of each one of them their conflicts with the devil, their victories, and their crowns. Neither, as you imagine, do Christians make gods of their images and worship them; but, filled with zeal and faith, they gaze upon the images of the Saints, recalling to mind how they worshipped God; and then worshipping they invoke the God of Saints, saying, ‘Blessed be the God of this Saint and of all Saints, who granted to them patience, and hast accounted them worthy of thy kingdom: make us partakers with them, and save us by their prayers.’ And also when we contemplate and reverence the image of the Saviour with spiritual eyes, the eyes of the heart, we give thanks to God the Lord of all, who condescended to take upon Him our nature in the form of a servant in order to save the world, and to be made like us in all things, sin only excepted. We do not therefore worship and adore the wooden or painted image, but we give glory thereby to the Lord of all. Moreover, my brother, I will shew you how that Moses has actually in the law ordained like things; for he was commanded (as it is written) , and in consequence made two Cherubim of carved work, with their wings stretched out above the ark of the testimony, one on this side the other on that side, where it was not lawful for anyone to enter except the high Priest, who went in once a-year into the holiest of all to offer incense: and in like manner, having made a serpent of molten brass, and having hung it up in the midst of the camp, he said , Whoever has been bitten by serpents let him look upon this brazen serpent, and let him believe that this serpent is able to heal him, and he shall be healed. See you, how Moses himself, who gave command not to make an image, did make an image.”

John Legate of the East: “See how our most holy fathers most clearly affirm that they who deny the incarnate dispensation of the Saviour have rejected holy images — such as, for instance, the Hebrews and the Samaritans: therefore all who reject holy images are like to these.”

The Holy Council said: “They are like.”

Epiphanius Deacon and Legate of Thomas Bishop of Sardinia reads from the pretended “Itinerary of the Holy Apostles:”

“The painter on the first day, having sketched him in outline, ceased: on the following day he filled up the picture with the colouring, and gave the image to the joyful Lycomedes, which having placed in his own bedchamber he set a crown upon it; which when John afterwards knew he said to him, ‘My beloved son, what meaning have you in thus going from the bath to your bedchamber by yourself? Am not I to pray with you and the rest of your brethren; or would you shut us out!’ Having said this in a sportive manner he entered with him into his bed-chamber, and he saw there the image of an old man crowned, and tapers and altars set before it, on which he addressed him thus — ‘Lycomedes, what have you to do with this image? Which of your gods is it that is painted here? I see you still live like an heathen!’ And Lycomedes answered him — ‘He alone is my God who hath rescued me and my wife from death; but if after God we may call men who have done good to us gods, then thou art the god who is represented in that picture, whom therefore I crown, and love, and reverence, as having been a good guide to me in the way.’ But John, never as yet having seen his own face, said to him, ‘My son, you are mocking me: am I so superior to my Lord in form? How can you make me believe that this picture is like to me?’ On which Lycomedes brought a mirror, and John having looked at himself in the mirror, and having steadfastly examined the image, said, ‘May the Lord Jesus Christ live: the image is like, but you have done amiss in making it.’”

Epiphanius went on to read from the same book where it begins, “At one time wishing to lay hold of Jesus.” And shortly after:

“They laid hands on a gross material body, but at other times when I felt Him, that which I touched was immaterial, incorporeal, and as though nothing at all was there. And when at any time being invited by some Pharisee He accepted the invitation, we went together with Him, and each of us received the appointed loaf from those who had invited us. And among the rest He also received one which, having blessed, He divided amongst us all, and from the very small portion which each received he was satisfied: our own loaves were in this way preserved entire, so that those who invited Him were much astonished. I oftentimes, when walking with Him, wished to see if any mark of His footsteps appeared; but, though I saw Him raise Himself up from the ground, yet never did I see any footsteps. These things I now relate to you, my brethren, as it were for the sake of your encouragement in the faith; but of His great things, of His wonderful things, let deep silence be preserved, since they are unspeakable — such as could not be uttered, could not be heard. For before He was seized by the lawless Jews — they who had received their law from the lawless serpent — He assembled us together and said, ‘Before that I am delivered up to them let us sing a hymn to the Father, and so let us enter on that which is ordained.’ When He had commanded us to make a circle round Him by holding each other’s hands, He Himself being in the midst. He said this, ‘Amen, obey me.’ He began to sing a hymn and to say, ‘Glory to thee, O Father,’ and we who were around Him answered the ‘Amen — glory to thee, O Word: glory to thee, O Grace: Amen — glory to thee, O Spirit: glory to thee, O Holy One: glory to thy glory: Amen — we praise thee, O Father; we give thanks to thee: the Light with whom darkness does not dwell (Amen), in which also we give thanks, saith I wish to be saved and I wish to save: Amen — I wish to be bound and I wish to loose: Amen — I wish to be wounded and I wish to wound: Amen — I wish to eat and I wish to be eaten: Amen — I wish to hear and I wish to be heard: Amen — I wish to be understood being altogether Mind: Amen — I wish to be washed and I wish to wash: Amen — grace leads the dance, I would play the lute, dance ye all: Amen — I wish to be lamented, lament ye all: Amen.’” And after other things it is continued thus: “In this manner the Lord having, my beloved, joined in the dance with us went out, and we as in a maze or in a dream fled some one way some another. But I, seeing Him suffering, could not endure to behold His passion, but fled to the Mount of Olives, weeping at that which had taken place. And when the command was given, ‘Raise up,’ He was suspended thereon about the sixth hour of the day, and darkness was over all the land. But my Lord having stood up in the midst of the cave, and having shed light round about me, said, ‘John, by that rabble beneath I am crucified at Jerusalem; I am wounded with spears and reeds; I am made to drink vinegar and gall; but it is I that speak to thee, and that which I speak hear thou. It was I that suggested to thee to ascend into this mountain, that thou mightest hear that which it becomes the scholar to learn from his teacher, a man from God.’ Having said this, He showed me a cross of light, fixed, and around the cross a great multitude not having one form, but on the cross was one form and a like similitude: above the cross I perceived the Lord, not having any form but only a voice — a voice, not that which was ordinary with Him, but one that was truly sweet and delightful, and indeed of God Himself, saying unto me, ‘John, it was necessary that one of you should hear these words from me. I would have one to hear of that should come. The cross of light is for your sakes called by me at one time the Word, at another Mind, at another Christ, at another the Door, at another the Way, at another Bread, at another Seed, at another resurrection, at another Jesus, at another the Father, at another the Spirit, at another Life, at another Truth, at another Faith, at another Grace.’”

Tarasius: “See how the whole of this writing contradicts the Gospel!”

The Holy Council: “Yes, my lord, it affirms the incarnation to be mere appearance.”

Tarasius: “In the ‘Itinerary’ it is written that He neither eat nor drank, nor walked on the earth with His feet, just as the Phantasiasts teach; but in the Gospel it is written of Christ that He did both eat and drink, and that the Jews said concerning Him, ‘Behold a gluttonous man and a wine. Bibber’ (Matt. xi. 19). Again — if, as they fable, He did not touch the earth with His feet, how is it written in the Gospel, ‘Jesus being weary with His journey sat thus on the well?’ (John iv. 6.)

Constantine Bishop of Constantia: “And this, forsooth, is the book which confirmed that false conventicle.”

Tarasius: “Really, the whole of it is quite ridiculous.”

Theodore Bishop of Catana: “See the book which overthrew the beauty of the Catholic Church.”

Euthymius Bishop of Sardis: “It became that conventicle of mischief to have its support from such a book.”

Constantine Bishop of Constantia: “What blasphemy to assert that John the Apostle took refuge in a cave at the hour of the crucifixion, when the Gospel expressly declares that John ‘went in with Him into the hall of Caiaphas’ (John xviii. 15), and that ‘he was standing by the cross of Christ with His holy Mother’” (John xix. 25).

The Holy Council: “Every heresy seems connected with that book.”

Tarasius: “Alas, alas! by what heretical books do they confirm their heresy.”

Gregory Bishop of Neocaesarea: “This book is worthy of all pollution and disgrace; and yet from this we have their testimony against images in this history of Lycomedes.”

John Legate of the East: “He introduces Lycomedes crowning the image of the Apostle just as the Heathens crown their idols.”

Basil Bishop of Ancyra: “God forbid that St. John the Divine should say anything contrary to the Gospel.”

Tarasius: “Are the sentiments which have been read to you those of the Gospel?”

The Holy Council: “God forbid! We receive neither that which precedes, nor that which follows, about Lycomedes.”

Tarasius: “He who receives that which comes last must admit that which goes before, just as did that false Conventicle.”

The Holy Council: “Anathema be to it from the beginning to the end.”

John Legate of the East: “Behold, most blessed fathers, it has been clearly proved that the patrons of this Christianity-detracting heresy are partakers with Nebuchadnezzar and the Samaritans, with Jews and Pagans; and, not only so, but furthermore with the atheistic and accursed Manichaeans, a testimony from whom they have here brought forward; for these things are spoken by those who maintain the incarnate dispensation of God the Word to be mere appearance; but anathema be to them and to their writings.”

The Holy Council, said: “Let them be anathema.”

Petronas the Patrician said to Tarasius: “My lord, if it is your pleasure, let us ask the Bishops of Ammorium and Neocaesarea, were the books themselves read at that false Conventicle?”

Gregory Bishop of Neocaesarea and Theodosius Bishop of Ammorium answered: “No, by the Lord, no book was brought forward there, but by false extracts they deceived us.”

Tarasius: “Following their own private views, they brought forward whatever suited their purpose.”

Petronas: “And, moreover, they did everything with the imperial suffrage.”

Gregory Bishop of Neocaesarea: “I have often said it, and I repeat it again, that no book or writing of the fathers appeared in our Assembly: nought but false extracts were brought forward; and so this same story about Lycomedes defiled our ears.”

John Legate of the East: “If it seem good to this Holy and Ecumenical Council, let there be an injunction restraining all henceforth from making any copy of this cursed book.”

The Holy Council said: “Let it be no more transcribed. Nor is this all — we furthermore decree that the present copy shall be committed to the flames.”

Peter the Reader cites St. Amphilochius “on the False Inscriptions of the Heretics,” which begins:

“We account it right to expose in its true colours all their impiety and to publish abroad their deceit, especially as they put forward certain books having the superscriptions of the Apostles, by which they deceive the more simple.” And, shortly after, he continues — “But we will prove that these books, which the Apostates from our Church bring forward, are not the work of the Apostles, but the writings of Devils.” And, after other matters, he continues “These things the Apostle John would not have said, having written in the Gospel that the Lord said from the cross, ‘Behold thy Son’ (John xix. 26, 27): so that from that hour the holy John took Mary to his own house. How, then, could he say that he was not present? But this is not to be wondered at; for, as the Lord is truth, so is the devil a liar; for he is a liar and the father of it, and when he speaketh of a lie he speaketh of his own’ (John vii . 24). Thus far concerning their falsities.”

Tarasius: “Our Father Amphilochius is great, and we shall attend to his words concerning this pretended “Itinerary,” and, therefore, need not be swayed by its title.”

Basil Bishop of Ancyra: “Nothing can be more opposed to the Gospel than is this impious compilation. Very fitting was it that such a book should hold opinions contrary to holy images.”

Tarasius: “The father clearly exposes over the disgraceful and vain prating of this volume.”

The Holy Council: “He does, indeed, my lord.”

Nicephorus Bishop of Dyrrachium: “My lord, this ought to have been read for the full satisfaction of all; but not the other, for it contaminates our ears.”

The Holy Council: “Yet, by way of warning, it was not amiss that even this should be read.”

Tarasius: “They who were so garrulous against holy images have brought Eusebius forward in their favour in a letter which he wrote to Constantia the wife of Licinius. Now, let us see what were the sentiments of this Eusebius.”

Stephen the Monk reads “the Letter of Eusebius Pamphilus to Euphration,” which begins:

“I confess all things to my Lord.” And, after other remarks, he continues — “We say that the Son was not co-existent with the Father, and that the Father existed before the Son; for, if they were both co-existent, how can the Father be the Father, or the Son the Son? How can the one be the First, the other the Second; the one Begotten, the other Unbegotten? For if the Two Persons were to be considered equally, in like manner, co-existent und equal in honour, then , as I said before, both must be Unbegotten or both Begotten; but neither of these is true, that both were Unbegotten or that both were Begotten: it follows that the First be accounted superior in dignity and in rank to the Second, as having been the cause of existence to the Second, and of His existence in such a manner.”

Tarasius put the question: “Can we admit this?”

The Holy Council: “By no means, my lord: this man is more hateful than themselves.”

Basil Bishop of Ancyra: “Far be it from any Christian man to speak thus.”

Stephen read from the same “Epistle:”

“He teaches that the same is the only true God in that he saith, ‘That they might know thee, the only true God’ (John xvii. 2); not as if there were only one God, but only one true God — only one with that most emphatic addition of the epithet true; for the Son Himself is God, but not the true God. There is one only true God, for that none existed before Him; and, moreover, as the Son Himself is true and as He is the image of God, He must also be God; as it is said, ‘The Word was God,’ and yet not such as the only true God.”

Christopher Bishop of Saint Cyriaca: “Most holy lord and all this holy and sacred Assembly, as on our side are the divinely-written books of the Apostles, Prophets, and other Saints, so it was but consistent that their false Conventicle should have works of this kind for their testimony and support.”

The Holy Council: “Anathema to such books and to all who make use of them.”

Peter and Peter Legates of Adrian, Pope of Old Rome, said: “That which has been read proves that his inclination was Arian; but this book of Eusebius has also other blasphemies which this Council could never endure to hear.”

Tarasius: “We reject the writings of this man.”

The Holy Council: “We reject and anathematize them.”

Stephen the Monk read “The First Book of the Confutation of Eusebius’s Defence of Origen, by Antipater Bishop of Bostra,” which begins:

“I, indeed, thought that I had written sufficiently, and that which fully came up to the injunctions of your Holiness, O most beloved in God, most holy father John.” And shortly after he continues: “As he was a man well versed in history, and had searched and enquired into all the books and writings of the ancients, and had set forth the opinions of almost all of them, and had left behind him many books written in his lifetime, of which some are worthy of the reception of all, they endeavour to entrap certain by making use of the opinion of this man, in this manner: Surely Eusebius would never have been of this mind unless he had known that all the ancients admitted the same. Now, I agree with them and confess thus much, that he was a man well versed in history, and that no work of those older authors escaped his notice; for, using the imperial authority, he could easily make collections of this kind from every quarter. Still, I affirm that he never attained to any accuracy of doctrine, whence, though we must concede to him the praise of great learning, still we cannot allow that he possessed the knowledge of doctrine: on the contrary, we well know how deficient he was in accuracy on this head.” And shortly afterwards he continues: “So that without intending any direct attack on a man about whom it is not our concern at present to speak, we shall, in examining carefully the apology which is presented to us, prove both to be heretics — namely, he who makes the apology and he also for whom the apology is made.” Again, after other remarks, he continues: “Show us one plain and unambiguous passage of any of the illustrious Doctors of the Church which expressly defines that the souls of men had any previous existence, and do not attempt to foist in certain sophistries of your own for the proof of this. But that you should have laboured hard to prove the subjection of the Son to the Father no less than did Origen himself, first, we say that we are not surprised at it, for this opinion belongs to thee, and to such as thou art; and then that in our present discourse we need not touch upon this point, as it has already been canvassed and condemned by an Ecumenical Council. Neither need we yield obedience thereto, nor make enquiry into it, for their sake for whom these things have been proposed to us. But to lay any charge to the simple expression, περὶ ἀρχῶν, was never heard to have been done by any even to the present time, O thou indefatigable Advocate of the perversities of Origen.”

Tarasius: “The writings of Eusebius, by the voice of this father, are proved to be alien from the Catholic Church.”

Demetrius Deacon and Keeper of the Sacred Wessels read from the “Ecclesiastical History of Theodorus Lector:”

“There was a certain Persian named Xenaias (Philoxenus) [Monophysite], whom, when Calendion [the Chalcedonian Patriarch of Antioch], in the time of his sacerdotal sway, discovered to be adulterating the doctrines of the Church, and perverting the country people, he expelled from his diocese. Concerning whom, having carefully enquired into the many things which I had heard from a variety of persons, I will relate somewhat. Having run away from his own master in the land of Persia” — and, shortly after, he adds: “This man, Peter [the Fuller] appoints Bishop of Hierapolis instead of Cyrus. No long time after, the Bishops from Persia charged him with having been a domestic slave, and as never having partaken of the divine baptism; which when Peter knew, not caring to do what was proper, he made reply, that the ordination of the Bishop would in his case supply the place of the divine sacrament.”

Stephen Deacon and Notary reads from the “Ecclesiastical History of John the Separated” (Διακρινομένου):

“Philoxenus said that it was not lawful to make bodies for Angels, since they are without body — that is, we ought not to make corporeal representations of them in the form of men. Nor ought we to think this, that any image made by the art of the painter could bring either glory or honour to Christ; for that he was assured that nought but the worship which is in spirit and in truth was acceptable to Him.” And, after other things, it is added: “He said also that he felt assured of this — that it was childish to represent, under the image of a dove, the all-holy and adorable Spirit; for, indeed, the holy Gospels have never taught that the Holy Spirit became a dove, but that He was once seen in the form of a dove: because He, therefore, once appeared in this way, according to the divine plan, and not in His essence, this can never make it right for the pious to represent Him in a bodily form. Philoxenus having taught such things as these acted quite in accordance with His teaching; for oftentimes, having taken down the images of Angels, he would obliterate them from the canvass, while, if he discovered any pictures of Christ, he would conceal them in secret places.”

Tarasius: “Hear, ye sacred men, what kind of persons they are who have refused to admit holy images — unbaptized persons! — Manichaeans! — they who teach that the dispensation of Christ was mere appearance! And it was from such polluted sources as these that the patrons of the Christianity-detracting heresy took its origin.”

Sabbas Abbot of the Monastery of Studium: “Let us give thanks to God, and the kind consideration of our good Sovereigns, that we have obtained the victory over the lying promoters of this lying Conventicle, together with the heretics who favour them.”

The Holy Council said: “Anathema to them.”

Constantine Reader of the most holy great Church read from the “Life of our Holy Father Sabbas:”

“After that the Patriarchs, Flavian and Elias, who were at Sidon, had, by means of letters to the King — at the same time complimentary to him and serviceable to themselves — procured the disannulling of the Sidonian Conventicle which had been convened against the Orthodox faith, and had returned to their sees — the party of Soterichus and Philoxenus, being highly indignant, stirred up the King to unbridled fury, insinuating that he had been deceived by the craft and duplicity of these Patriarchs. Having taken, therefore, what forces they desired, and sufficient money wherewith to bribe the Antiochian populace, after that in various ways they had afflicted Flavian and well nigh strangled him, in order to force him to anathematize the Council of Chalcedon, they concluded by deposing him from his Bishopric and sending him into exile. When the King knew of this, being much pleased, he appointed Severus, head of the Acephali, to the Bishopric of Antioch.”

Antony a Monk read from the “Petition of the Clergy and the Monks of Antioch, the Great City of the Holy Church of God, which was presented to the Holy Council which was assembled in this Royal City, against Severus the Heretic and Head of the Acephali,” which begins:

“Now if ever it is time, O ye most holy.” And, shortly after, it continues — “With the fame of his atrocious deeds at the fountains of Daphne, how then he made use of magic arts and with accursed incantations worshipped demons, all that city resounds. Nor hath he spared either the sacred altars or the holy vessels: the former he scraped as if they were profane things: the latter he melted down and appropriated to himself and his comrades; and, further, O ye most blessed men, he has dared even this — to take for his own the gold and silver doves which were suspended over the divine fonts and altars, saying that doves ought not to be called the Holy Ghost.”

Tarasius: “If the fathers allowed these doves to be suspended in the name of the Holy Ghost, how much more would they have allowed images of the Word who was incarnate and was seen by us? But could ye believe it — Anastasius, who presided at Constantinople, appropriated to his own use gold and silver images, as did Severus before him.”

Stephen the Deacon read from the “Life and Conversation of Severus the Heresiarch,” written by John Bishop of Gabala, which begins:

“If Severus was desirous even of the same life.” And, shortly after, he adds — “Neither did he leave the honour of Angels uninjured; for constantly when he stood on the bema he would hold long arguments about them; and often even in the very chapel of the most holy Michael he would endeavour to persuade the people that not purple but white garments became Angels; not but that he knew well enough that the sacred powers have no care about garments, but he wished to create schisms on this point also, and to make the many who entertained various opinions on this subject to dispute and contend with each other.”

Tarasius: “Let us consider, in addition to other charges, this also was brought against him, that he affirmed that not purple but white garments became Angels.”

Demetrius Deacon and Keeper of the Records said: “On searching into the library of the great church of Constantinople, of which I have been appointed Keeper of the Rolls, I found two books which had been adorned with silver images deficient, and, on enquiry, I discovered that the Heretics had thrown them into the fire and burnt them. I found also another book, written by Constantine Keeper of the Records, which treated on holy images; and the deceivers had actually cut out all the leaves on which anything was written relative to images. This book I have now in my hands, and I exhibit it before your holy Council.” On which Demetrius opened the book and showed to all where the leaves had been cut out.

Leontius the Secretary: “But there is another thing about this book worthy of remark. Observe how its covers are of silver; and each of them is everywhere adorned with images of the Saints; and so, while they have suffered the things themselves to remain — that is, the images — they cut out that which was written about them [a laugh] — the very acme of absurdity!”

The Holy Council said: “Anathema to those who cut out and to those who falsify.”

Leo Bishop of Phocia: “This book has lost some of its leaves; but, in the city where I live, more than thirty volumes have been burnt in the fire.”

Sabbas Abbot of Studium: “My lords, it is the manner of blind men not to look to the light, and, therefore, these being blind in soul have continued in darkness.”

Demetrius Deacon and Keeper of the Records read, “The Discourse of Constantine Deacon and Keeper of the Records of the most holy great church of God in Constantinople on all the holy Martyrs,” which begins:

“The festivals of Christ.” And, after other matter, it continues “‘And can ye think (said the Judges) that we put our trust in brass and in stones, and that we do not look to some providing, some protecting, powers, by whose aid all things may be ordered for the best to us?’ ‘Why, then (replied the Martyrs), do your artizans and statuaries make such crowds of images, fashioning them in various forms, and fixing them up in your temples? And why do ye honour these things with sacrifices, expecting from them deliverance out of your difficulties?’ ‘What is your own custom (rejoined the tyrants): Do not ye depict that which ye style the Divinity? Wherefore do ye reproach us, when yourselves are still more superstitious in the same practices?’ The Martyrs replied — ‘Since, O ye Judges! ye make your attack on our painting of images with such groundless censures, allow us to set you free from all error and doubt on this point. We do not assimilate the Divinity, which is simple and incomprehensible, to any form or shape; nor have learned to honour in wood or wax the Essence which is supersubstantial and without beginning. As the first man was overcome by the transgression, and as the apostatical power which had overthrown him became bold, his nature needed one who should renew it. Now, it was not likely that the Nature, which had before been vanquished, should be able to renew the contest and recover the defeat, now that the enemy had been made superior by the fall; nor was it at all more likely that the tyrant would be deprived of the fruits of his victory, except by a second contest. He, therefore, the Framer of His own work, one of the sacred Trinity, even God the Word, as before in the formation of this nature, He had employed no subordinate agent — so now, when He was about to renew the perishing image, He would not entrust that renewal to any other than Himself. Making use, therefore, of His own creative power, He entered on the contest for us in the nature of man; and this was necessary that He might enter on the conflict on equal terms with the adversary. For every one who enters in any contest endeavours to obtain the victory in one of these three ways — by deceit, by law, or by arbitrary authority. Two of these our Champion dismissed at once as unsuitable and improper for Himself and devoid of benefit or advantage in behalf of those for whom the contest was undertaken. Deceit has but a vain pretense to victory — the adversary having never fairly been overcome. Arbitrary authority prevails by irrational violence and does not engage the enemy on equal terms. Disapproving of these, He comes to the contest according to law. Wherefore, having taken flesh of our fallen mass, endued with a soul and that also intelligent, still remaining where He was and never having left His dignity, He became in all things (sin only excepted) just as man now is, and did not take on Him a body in appearance only.’” And, shortly after, he continues thus — “‘This Person, therefore, in the form in which He appeared and was conversant amongst us, we represent in pictures, making the sacred image as a memorial of the salvation which is by Him; but we do not, after your custom, imagine and carve out various forms and shapes after our own fancy.’”

Tarasius: “The Pagans condemned the Martyrs on account of their own idols, and said to them — Wherefore do ye contend with us, or find fault with our images, when ye yourselves have similar images The Saints answered — We make no idolatrous forms of devils, but we make images of God the Word who became man, and of His Saints: neither do we make Gods of these.”

Cosmas the Deacon and Chamberlain said: “The book which I have here from the Patriarchal Library is the Old Testament with accompanying scholia, and it had a scholium in defence of images; but they who lay wait against truth have erased it. Behold it, for it still appears though faintly — behold it, venerable fathers!” Cosmas then opened the book and handed it round to all who were present, pointing out the place of the erasure, after which he read as follows, for it was still apparent:

“Thou shalt have no other gods but me. Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, nor the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the water that is under the earth: thou shalt not worship them, neither shalt thou serve them.

Scholium. — “If we make images of men who served God, it is not that we should worship them as gods, but that looking upon them we may learn to imitate them; and if we make an image of Christ, it is not that we should worship the image, but that our minds by looking thereon may ascend on high. We do not worship the corruptible image of corruptible men; but, because God has condescended to become man inconvertibly (ἀτρέπτως), we make His image as man: and, although we know Him to be God by nature, we do not call the image itself God, but we acknowledge Him to be God who is represented in the picture, whose likeness the picture hath: but the Gentiles, having erred, glorify their images as gods, to which also they sacrifice.”

On this another book was brought containing the interpretation of Scripture, in which the scholium was found entire, which Gregory Bishop of Neocaesarea beloved in God, having received, read that which was written and that which had been erased from the former copy.

Tarasius said: This is the work of those who were called Patriarchs — the heretics Anastasius, Constantine, and Nicetas.”

Theodore Bishop of Myra: “Oh, had this treasure been open to us at that time, not one of us would have been injured; but God requites those who concealed the truth in that day.”

Theodore Bishop of Catana: “These men deserve the anathema who have falsified the truth and belied the fathers; while they, whom they presumed to anathematize, are deserving of high honour.”

The Holy Council said: “Woe to their souls for having concealed the truth!”

Peter Bishop of Germia: “Let their names be wiped out of the book of the living, and not be written amongst the righteous” (Psalm lxix. 28).

Constantine Bishop of Constantia: “Blessed be God, who, notwithstanding all this burning, mutilation, and erasure, hath preserved these things to us.”

Theodore Bishop of Myra: “They who acted thus, my lord, put their candle under a bushel; but, blessed be God, who hath shed the light of salvation on those who were in darkness.”

Cosmas the Deacon and Chamberlain: “We have found also this book in the archives of the sacred oratory of the Patriarchate: it contained the conflicts of various Martyrs, and besides, some account of the image of Camuliana, not made with hands; but all that related to the image they have cut out, and here it is for you to look for yourselves.”

Michael Bishop of Synada: “Pastillas, my most holy lord, was pleased to say anathema to those who pervert and belie the holy Scriptures.”

Tarasius: “Their mischief shall fall upon their own heads” (Psalm vii . 16).

John Legate of the East: “To say the truth, the malevolence of these book-burning Iconoclasts has made the truth more resplendent.”

Tarasius: “They have not only made away with holy pictures, but also the Gospel and other holy things; but thus it is: truth hath ever shone the more brightly after persecution.”

Stephen a Monk said: “We have here another book mutilated by these Christianity-detractors; and, if ye please, I will show it to you all.”

The Holy Council said: “Let it be shown.” On which the book was exhibited to the Council, having two pages blotted out.

Gregory Presbyter and Abbot of the Monastery of Hyacinthus: “My lords, I have another copy of the same work; and, if it be your pleasure, let it be read.”

Stephen a Monk having taken the fourth book read from the “Ecclesiastical History of Evagrius.”

“For when Chosroes attempted to take this city, after innumerable assaults — after having made an enormous embankment so as to out-top the walls of the city, and having tried many other warlike engines against it — he was forced to make his retreat without having accomplished his purpose. How this came to pass I will now declare. Chosroes commanded his men to collect a vast pile of wood, whatever might come first to hand, for the siege: this order being executed almost as soon as given, he had some of it arranged over against the walls in a circle, the middle of which was filled up with earth: on this he placed another and another circle of wood, filling the interior as before with earth; and thus he raised it, close to the city, to such an height as to over-top the walls, so that from above they could pierce with their darts those who were on the walls hazarding their lives in defence of the city. When the besieged saw that this enormous embankment, like to a walking mountain, was making such close approach to their walls, and that the enemy seemed likely to enter the city on foot, as early as possible they contrived to dig a counter mine — that which the Romans call ‘Agesta’ — underneath this mount, in which they kindled a fire, in order that the wood being consumed in the flames, the whole structure might be levelled with the ground. They succeeded in completing their preparations; but, when they would have set fire to the pile, they failed in their purpose, because that the fire had no vent, by which, on admitting the air, it might lay hold on the super-incumbent mass. Being now in the greatest perplexity, they bring the image made by God, and not by the hands of man, which Christ our God sent to Abgarus, when he desired to see him. This immaculate image they now brought into the mine which they had made: having poured water upon it, they took of this water and applied it to the pile of wood; and, as the divine power accompanied their faith, that which before seemed impossible was now accomplished forthwith; for immediately the wood was in a blaze, and the burning ashes in a moment communicated the fire to the upper stories, so that the whole was soon enveloped in flame.”

Leo Reader of the great Church of Constantinople said: “When I, your unworthy servant, was last at Edessa, with the Royal Secretaries, I saw that this holy image, which was not made with hands, was honoured and worshipped by the people.”

Tarasius: “Yesterday, the very Reverend the Abbot of St. Maximin laid before us the ‘Limonarium,’ and it was read to your Assembly. Now, we have found in our library a copy of this work, which has had all those leaves cut out which relate to the matter of images.”

Christopher Bishop of Saint Cyriaca: “Most holy lord, I, your unworthy servant, am about to take on me to speak in the presence of this holy, sacred, and Ecumenical Assembly. The word of prophecy declares, that ‘The wicked is entrapped in the work of his own hands’ (Psalm ix. 16). For what, when leagued together in their false conventicle, they aimed to accomplish against us, this has come upon themselves. Thus, some writings they mutilated and some they falsified, that so their impiety might be made more glaring when the truth appeared.”

Stephen Monk and Librarian said: “The book given to us by the Abbot of Maximinus contains the discourse which was cut out of the other book concerning images. After saying which he read from the same,

“Theodore Abbot, of Aelia, said there was a certain recluse in the Mount of Olives a perfect champion. This man was sorely assaulted by the demon of fornication. One day, when the demon was more than usually hard upon him, the old man began to lament and to cry out to the demon, ‘Why wilt thou not spare me — leave me for the future: thou hast grown old with me. On which the demon, having made himself visible, said to him, ‘Swear to me that thou wilt tell no man that which I am now about to say unto thee, and I will trouble thee no more.’ And the old man swore to him, saying, ‘By Him who dwells above, never will I tell to any what now you may declare to me.’ Then the demon said to him, ‘Worship that image no more, and I will no more contend with thee.’ Now, he had there a picture representing our Lady, the holy Mary, Mother of God, bearing in her arms our Lord Jesus Christ. The recluse gave answer to the demon, ‘Go, and I will consider of it. On the morrow he revealed the whole matter to Theodore Abbot, of Aeliota, then living in the Laura of Pharan, for the Abbot came to him and he told him all. And the aged man said to the recluse, ‘Verily, father, have you been so imposed upon as to swear to a demon? However, you have done well to consult me about it; for it were better for you not to pass by a single brothel in yon city without entering into it, than that you should refuse to worship our Lord and God Jesus Christ with His own Mother represented in a picture.’ Having confirmed and strengthened him with many other exhortations the aged man went to his own abode. Again the demon appears to the recluse and says to him, What now, thou aged sinner, didst thou not swear to me that thou wouldst tell no man? How hast thou dared to tell all to him who came to thee? I tell thee, thou vile old man, thou shalt for this be judged in the day of judgment as a perjurer. The recluse answered him, saying, ‘What I have sworn, I have sworn; and that I have foresworn myself I know; but I have not foresworn my Lord and Maker; and, therefore, for thee I care not.’”

Stephen read further from the same “Spiritual Meadow:” 

“The same fathers related to us the following: saying, ‘That a certain Christ loving woman in the region of Apamaea, dug a well; and, though she had been at great expense and had dug to a great depth, she found no water. The woman was greatly distressed on account of the labour and cost which had been expended. One night, however, she saw in a dream a certain woman coming to her, and saying to her — ‘Send and procure the image of the Abbot Theodosius, who lives in Scopelus, and God will give thee water.’ And the woman sent two of her servants and procured the picture, which, when she had let down into the well, immediately the water sprang up and half filled it! And they gave us of the same water, and we drank thereof and praised God!” [He read also]: From the same “Spiritual Meadow:” “Dionysius Presbyter, of the Church of Ascalon, gave us the following account of John the Anchoret: ‘This man (said he) was great in this present generation, and as a proof of the favour in which he stands with his Maker take the following miracle. The old man (he continued) had his abode in a cave in the region of Soccho, about twenty miles from Jerusalem. Now, the old man had in his cave an image of our holy immaculate Lady, Mary the Mother of God, and ever a Virgin, having in her arms Christ our God. As often , therefore, as he wished to be absent, whether on a journey into the wilderness or to Jerusalem to worship the holy Cross and the holy places, or to Mount Sinai to pray in that place, or to the shrines of the Martyrs who lived at a greater or lesser distance from Jerusalem — (for the old man was a very great lover of Martyrs, and at one time would visit Saint John at Ephesus, at another Saint Theodore of Euchaita, at another Saint Thecla at Seleucia, at another Saint Sergius at Araphae) — he made ready his candle and lighted it, as was his usual custom; and then, standing as a suppliant that his journey might be prosperous, he thus addressed our Lady, waiting before her image: ‘Holy mistress, Mother of God, since I have a long distance to travel, likely to occupy many days, take charge of thy own taper, and keep it according to my desire unextinguished, for I am going away relying on thy gracious aid as my fellow-traveler’ and when he had said this he set off on his journey. Whenever, therefore, having completed his proposed expedition, he came back again, after a month’s absence, or after two or three months or even five or six months, he always found his taper in order and burning just as when he set out upon his journey; nor did he ever find that his taper was extinguished, either when he awoke up from sleep or when he came back from the wilderness into the cave.”

Basil Bishop of Ancyra: “It has been abundantly proved that the usage of worshipping holy images is an ancient tradition.”

Tarasius: “We have now had abundant testimonies from the fathers, and we are certified that the setting up of holy images is an ancient tradition. We are, therefore, followers of the holy fathers.”

The Holy Council: “We follow them: we are concordant with them.”

Stephen a Monk said: “We have still fifteen more books on the subject of holy images, and we wait your pleasure therein.”

Tarasius: “We have had enough and are satisfied.”

The Holy Council said: “And we also are satisfied.”

Tarasius: “Since, in the course of our present enquiry, it has been made manifest that it is by Jews, by Heathens, by Samaritans, Manichaeans, and Docetae, that the Church has been accused on account of venerable images in times past, and we have agreed in this, it will now be right for us to hear our brother and beloved Lord John Legate from the Apostolic Thrones of the East; for he has with him a writing which will explain how the subversion of images commenced on the present occasion.”

The Holy Council said: “We should like much, my lord, to hear about this.”

John the Legate of the East read from his Roll:

“I, your unworthy brother and humblest of you all, am desirous of laying before this your holy and sacred Council, with all truth, how, when, and where, this vilest and most God-detested heresy of the Christianity-detractors and Iconoclasts had its rise; and being anxious to use what brevity I could, I have determined to read to you from a written document, that so, at the same time, I might make no mistake or omission in my account. The Caliph or Ruler of the Atheistic Arabians, whose name was Soliman, being dead, Omar succeeded him: he, when he came to the throne, encountered and drove out of the country Anascaphus Masalman our inveterate foe, who, by the grace of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of her who begat Him, the holy Mother of God, was forced to return with disgrace and the entire loss of his own army of Saracens to Syria, having utterly failed in all his plans. On the death of Omar, Jezid succeeded him — a man of a weak and frivolous turn of mind. There was at the same time in Tiberias a ringleader of the abandoned Jews, a wizard, an instrument of soul-destroying devils, whose name was Tessaracontapechys, a bitter enemy of the Church of God. Having been made acquainted with the weakness of character which was in the tyrant Jezid, this atrocious Hebrew began to practice upon him with predictions and charms. When, by this means, he had paved the way to frequent and easy access to the tyrant, he said to him — ‘O Caliph, out of the regard I bear towards thee, I am anxious to suggest to thee a method very easily and speedily accomplished by which length of life shall be added to thee, and thou shalt remain thirty years in thy kingdom if thou wilt but give ear to my words.’ And that senseless tyrant being quite beside himself from his desire of long life (for he was luxurious and dissolute) answered — ‘Whatever you may suggest to me that I am ready to do, and, if I obtain my desire, I will recompense you with highest honours.’ On which the Hebrew wizard said to him — ‘Give orders that without any demur or delay a circular epistle be written and sent throughout all thy dominions, which shall enjoin the taking away and utter destruction of all kinds of images and pictures, whether on canvas, in mosaics, on walls, or on sacred vessels, and altar coverings, and everything of this kind which may be found in the churches of Christians, and in like manner everything of the same kind set up for the ornament and decoration of the forums of the various cities in your empire.’ Now, the false prophet with Satanic cunning added this ‘every image,’ contriving thereby to display his hatred against us without being suspected. The abandoned tyrant gave very easy credence to this man: wherefore he sent and destroyed in every province holy images, and all other things of the same kind. And in this manner he, for the sake of this Jewish wizard, unsparingly desecrated all the churches which were under his power before that the evil reached this land at all. But since Christians, as being most dear to God, themselves could not be brought to lay hands on holy images, certain Ammorites who were commissioned for that purpose compelled the God-hated Jews and vile Arabians to undertake this service: and they burnt the venerable pictures which they found; and, in respect to the churches, the walls of some they scraped, of others they daubed over. Now, when the false Bishop of Nacolia and his party heard of these proceedings, they, too, in imitation of lawless Jews and impious Arabians, desecrated the churches of God. But I think it worthy the attention of your sacred audience to mark the end of the wretched Monarch and the Hebrew Magician. After that the Caliph Jezid had done this he lived not more than two or three years: then he died and went into everlasting fire, while the images were restored to their accustomed place and honour; and Walid his son, being angry with the magician, caused him to be put to death in the most disgraceful manner, as having been the murderer of his own father. Thus was he made to reap a worthy reward for his lying prophecies.”

The Bishop of Messana said: “I was then a lad living in Syria when the Caliph of the Saracens destroyed the images.”

Sabbas Abbot of Studium: “My lord, we unworthy servants of your holiness entreat that sacred images may be set up in their usual places, according to the former usage, that pious Christians may celebrate their Litanies with them.”

Tarasius: “And what say ye, my venerable Brethren?”

The Holy Council said: “We all agree in this.”

Peter the most holy Archpresbyter and Legate of the most holy Bishop of Old Rome then read from his Roll as follows:

“To Tarasius most holy Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, and Ecumenical Patriarch, and to this Holy and Ecumenical Council, Peter Archpresbyter of the most holy Church, of the holy and illustrious Apostle Peter, and Peter Presbyter and Abbot of the Monastery of Saint Sabbas, both of us Legates of Adrian most holy Pope of Old Rome — We think it right to propose that, in accordance with the common sentiment of us all, or rather in accordance with the ancient tradition of the Catholic Church, as we are taught by all our holy fathers, a venerable image be brought in the midst of us, and that we pay it due reverence; and do ye, O holy men, declare how far this is agreeable to your wishes.

“We have yet another proposition to make, that all treatises written against holy images be destroyed with anathemas or delivered to the flames: concerning this also, we entreat your holy Council to declare themselves as it may appear to them.”

The Holy Council said: “Let it be brought: so let it be done.”

Peter Archpresbyter Legate from Rome said: “Then, if it please your holy Council, tomorrow let the image be set up, and let us pay our reverence to it.”

The Holy Council said: “So be it! — so be it!”

John Legate of the East: “Blessed be God, who has glorified this Christ-loving city of the Nicaeans, in the days of our most Christian Sovereigns Constantine and Irene. Blessed be God, who has counted the same worthy of double honour, for here it was at first that Christ made clear the faith concerning Himself; and now, by this holy Council, He has made manifest the symbols of His dispensation to all. Here was the infamous Arius deposed — here also the heresy of the God-hating Iconoclasts has been annihilated. Blessed be God who, by His Apostle John, declared, I am Alpha and Omega. Blessed be God, who here at the first, and here also in these last days, has confirmed the Orthodox faith.”

The Holy Council shouted (repeating each sentence thrice): “The doctrines of the divine-tongued fathers have corrected us; drawing from these, we have drank in the truth: following these, we have banished falsehood; taught by these, we embrace holy images; guided by these, we pay them the worship of honour. The fathers preach — We are the children of obedience, and we glory in the face of our Mother in the tradition of the Catholic Church. Believing in One God to be praised in a Trinity of Persons, we embrace venerable images. Let those who think not thus be anathema: let those who differ be drawn far from the Church. We follow the ancient rule of the Catholic Church: we keep to the laws of the fathers: we anathematize alike those who add, and those who take away, anything from the holy Church: we receive holy images: we anathematize this newly-introduced innovation of the Iconoclasts: we overwhelm with our anathema all who think otherwise. Anathema to the Christianity-detractors — that is, the Iconoclasts: anathema to those who apply the words of the divine Scripture spoken against idols to venerable images: anathema to those who call holy and venerable images idols: anathema to those who say that Christians approach their images as if they were gods: anathema to those who, with knowledge, communicate with those who insult and dishonour holy images: anathema to those who ascribe deliverance from idolatry to any other than to Christ: anathema to those who presume to say that the Catholic Church hath ever admitted idols. Long live our Sovereigns: long live Constantine and Irene, those illustrious rulers, our absolute Sovereigns: long live our peace-making Sovereigns. O, Lord, strengthen the subverters of this newly-introduced innovation: grant them, O Lord, a life of piety.”

Source: Mendham, John, trans. 1850. The Seventh General Council, the Second of Nicaea, Held A.D. 787, in Which the Worship of Images Was Established. London: William Edward Painter. Pages 256-301.