Statues and images
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The venerable and holy images should be set forth in the places of
worship, in houses and by the wayside in order to be honored and revered |
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The
Second Council of Nicaea (787 A.D.) stated the following things about the so
called holy images: ‘We, therefore, following the royal pathway and the
divinely inspired authority of our Holy Fathers and the traditions of the
Catholic Church (for, as we all know, the Holy Spirit indwells her), define
with all certitude and accuracy that just as the figure of the precious and
life-giving Cross, so also the venerable and holy images, as well in painting
and mosaic as of other fit materials, should be set forth in the holy
churches of God, and on the sacred vessels and on the vestments and on
hangings and in pictures both in houses and by the wayside, to wit, the
figure of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, of our spotless Lady, the
Mother of God, of the honourable Angels, of all Saints and of all pious
people. For by so much more frequently as they are seen in artistic
representation, by so much more readily are men lifted up to the memory of
their prototypes, and to a longing after them; and to these should be given
due salutation and honourable reverence (aspasmon kai timhtikhn
proskunh-sin), not indeed that true worship of faith (latreian>) which
pertains alone to the divine nature; but to these, as to the figure of the
precious and life-giving Cross and to the Book of the Gospels and to the
other holy objects, incense and lights may be offered according to ancient
pious custom. For the honour which is paid to the image passes on to that
which the image represents, and he who reveres the image reveres in it the
subject represented. For thus the teaching of our holy Fathers, that is the
tradition of the Catholic Church, which from one end of the earth to the
other hath received the Gospel, is strengthened’ (The Seven Ecumenical
Councils of the Undivided Church, trans H. R. Percival, in Nicene and
Post-Nicene Fathers, 2nd Series, ed. P. Schaff and H. Wace, (repr. |
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Confutation |
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God
forbids us to make for ourselves any graven image, or any likeness of any
thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in
the water under the earth, and also to bow down before them and to serve
them. For it is written: “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or
any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth
beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down
thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and
fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of
them that love me, and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:4-6). |
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Therefore,
in the light of what the Word of God says, the so called holy images spoken
of in the decree of the Council of Nicaea are nothing but idols, and the
honour which is paid to these images is nothing but idolatry. No matter how
is called this honour paid to the images, it is idolatry in the sight of God.
So, brethren, keep yourselves from idols and flee from idolatry, lest you
provoke the Lord to jealousy and to wrath. |
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Do
not become idolaters as many of the children of Israel were in the
wilderness, as it is written: “And when the people saw that Moses delayed to
come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto
Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as
for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot
not what is become of him. And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden
earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your
daughters, and bring them unto me. And all the people brake off the golden
earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. And he
received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he
had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which
brought thee up out of the |
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Hold
fast the Word of God, and continue to worship God in spirit and truth for
“those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John |
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I
conclude by saying this: if you have some so called holy statues and images
in your houses or places of worship I urge you to destroy them. |