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Introduction
As the Prophets prophesized, as the Apostles taught, as
the Church has received, as the teachers have dogma-
tized, as the Universe has agreed....Let us declare, let us
assert, let us preach in like manner Christ our true God,
and honor His saints in words, in writing.... in Holy
Icons, worshipping Him as God and Lord and honoring
them as His true servants....This is the faith of the
Apostles, this is the faith of the Fathers, this is the faith
of the Orthodox, this is the faith that sustains the
Christian oikoumene.... (Synodikon).
On 11 March 843, the first Sunday in Lent, the rein-
statement of icons was proclaimed in the great Church of
St Sophia and this day has remained in the Churchs mem-
ory as The Triumph of Orthodoxy. Every year on this
Sunday, the Church celebrates its victory over the last of
the great heresies of the first common Christian millenni-
um, namely Iconoclasmwhich lasted for over a hundred
years (717843AD) and falling into two phases. Not dis-
counting the role played by the hierarchy and the
Byzantine state in general, the real credit for the victory of
Orthodoxy belonged to the monks, especially St John of
Damascus and St Theodore the Studite. In overwhelming
numbers, they withstood, and did not submit to the
1. J.M. Hussey, The Orthodox Church in the Byzantine Empire (Oxford:
Clarendon Press, 1986), 39.
oou ouoio koi v tivoi 1o uopotiyo 1mv ovtuo-
mv p oum oquyooyp1mv L0vouo1tpmv!
H typ om koi ovtuovop0m1p (pi yivt1oi
o1i ouykpo1ptvt koi tkkpoioo1ik ouv1t1oytvt
Ooytvtit 1mv `Auoqpv, ouo 1o1t uou 1o oioop-
1o luouio Auoopou Lpvioou (lAL) t ooiovi-
kp ovio koi tuiovp pyovmvti ouo1po1ik k0t ypo-
vo 1 ovooio tktivo op0tv uoi1io1ik qco+|k koi
glendi, ouou uovpyupik ttu1ti(t1oi p Hopooop
1mv Op0ooomv koi oioq0tipov1oi oi ouvtiopoti 1mv
vtmv ov0pmumv.
Lutiop ot 1o tv oym voo|o0pyqpo yivt1oi, uop
1i oioop1upit o, ovo ko0 ookppp 1pv utpiooo
1p M. 1tooopokoo1p ki yi o p tuoyp 1ou ypo-
vou, t 1pv ouou1p ot ouupop koi ovoio0poio 1mv
Aiumo1ikmv koi Hpotvikmv ov1iupoomumv 1p ltvt-
1tipo, otv p1ov ouvo1ov uop v 1o yopok1ppioti p
l. Apyituiokoup o m ok|oq0op 1mv Auoopmv
ouo 1pv Loo!
1ou uopooioout o1pv koivp utpiqpovpop koi o1pv
ootkoo1p kpiop 1ou Otou.
21
and gathered the iconoclastic bishops to help him search
for passages against icons in Biblical and Patristic texts.
Next Constantine tried to obtain synodical approval of his
iconoclastic teaching and therefore summoned an ecu-
menical council to meet in the imperial palace in Hieria
situated on the Asian shore opposite Constantinople. It
commenced on 10 February 754. In this council 338 bish-
ops presided announcing their iconolastic doctrine and
therefore condemning icons. At the close of this council,
saints Germanus, John of Damascus and Gregory of
Cyrpus were excommunicated for not renouncing the
veneration of icons. After this, the Iconoclasts demanded
the destruction of icons claiming that in venerating them,
people were being misled into a type of idolatry. In not
being able to distinguish between the wood upon which
the icon was painted and the person that was represent-
ed on them, the iconoclasts believed that the Orthodox
faithful were worshipping created matter instead of the
Creator. Nevertheless, having procured the approval of
the council, Constantine began putting its decisions vehe-
mently into practice.
During this period many monks suffered as a result of
not renouncing icons. There were spectacular instances of
persecution. The Vita (Life) of Stephen the Younger
2
explicitly stated that Constantine declared war on the
wearers of the idolatrous monastic habit
3
even prior to
the council of Hieria.
4
In this account, Stephen is present-
ed as the principal champion of icons and the leader in the
iconophile monks. His eventual martyrdom was the
result of his persistent refusal to sign the decrees of the
iconoclastic council. In Theophanes there is mention of
other martyrdoms of monks who did not embrace the
teachings of the iconoclasts - Andrew the Calybite and
Peter the Stylite whose heads were pounded by their
own icons.
5
During this time, the Orthodox dogma and theological
thought was being developed and voiced by a monk living
outside the empire, namely St John of Damascus. He is
seen as the classic defender of icons in this period. He
was probably born in the mid seventh century (probably
645) and died before 754. Very little is known about the
life of this man, and what little is known of his personal
history, is mostly obscured by legends. One can guess
however what sort of man he was by his writings which
betray not only his grandeur but also the vigorous
dynamism with which he defended Orthodoxy. As a
theologian, his aim was to address contemporary prob-
lems, hence his involvement in the iconoclastic controver-
sy. He explained and defended the traditional act of
Christian devotion offered to icons. He claimed that those
who refused to worship icons, were in danger of falling
into the heresy of Manichaenismwhich basically believed
that all created matter was evil. Furthermore, he saw in
iconoclasm a lack of feeling for the sacred realism of his-
tory. On a Christological level, he saw in iconoclasm the
heresy of Docetism which had taught that Christ only
appeared to be human but did not really become incarnate
in the full sense of the word. For all these reasons he
fought to uphold icons in Churches and worship in gener-
al.
For St John of Damascus, icons of Christ were a per-
manent witness that the Invisible God had, at a
moment of earthly history, become visible and human.
To deny icons was to diminish the authenticity of the
humanity of Christ.
6
Since God had assumed flesh, it
was possible to depict Him with images. As the Gospel
writers had been able to describe Him in words (koyo-
ypoqc|v) so it was also possible, for iconographers to
write in gold (gpuooypoqc|v) by depicting scenes in
icons. St John of Damascus stressed the change which
resulted in the relationship between the Creator and the
created when God had willed to become visible by assum-
ing a material existence and giving matter a new function
and dignity.
In former times, God without body or form, could in
no way be represented. But today, since God has
appeared in the flesh and lived among men, I can rep-
resent what is visible in God (1o po1ov 1ou Otou). I
do not venerate matter, but I venerate the Creator of
matter, who became matter for my sake, who assumed
life in the flesh, and who, through matter accomplished
my salvation.
7
For St John of Damascus icons were therefore essential
since they witnessed to the fact that Christ had become
fully human taking flesh and was therefore able to be
depicted. Therefore in destroying icons, St John of
Damascus believed that the iconoclasts were not taking
full account of the Incarnation of Christ. He continued to
argue that as a result of the Incarnation everything had
become accessible to sanctification; matter itself had
become a channel of the Grace of the Holy Spirit. Yet no
less significant, was St Johns opposition to the state in
interfering in Church affairs:
it does not belong to the Emperor to legislate for the
Church.
8
Clearly St. John of Damascus occupies an eminent place in
history during the years of the iconoclastic struggle. In this
next issue of the Voice of Orthodoxy the proceedings of
the Seventh Ecumenical Council will be considered along
with the person of St Theodore of Studite who was
involved in upholding the veneration of icons during its
second phase.
(to be continued)
2. Even though the Vita Stephani is a valuable source in examining the role
of the monks in the iconoclastic controversy one must also remember that
it is unreliable in its chronology and at times a stereotyped image is put
forth.
3. S. Gero, Byzantine Iconoclasm and Monachomachy in The Journal of
Ecclesiastical History 28.3(1977): 242.
4. PG, 100, 1116D - 1118A, taken from S. Gero, opt. cit., 242.
5. kefala; d j a[llwn toi iJeroi pivnaxin, ejn oi} twn aJgivwn ta; ejktup-
wvmata ejkecavrakto, dievqrauon paivonte (ed. de Boor, 72, lines 15 - 18),
taken from S. Gero, opt. cit., 243.
6. John of Damascus. De Imag., 2.16. PG 94: 1304.
7. De imag. 1.16. PG 94: 1245A.
8. De imag., 2.12, 335E.
22
ABBA AOPOOLO EQCA ASJGTIJA
llA 1HN MNHllkAklA*
Ej to bibkou Abb Dyqohou Eqca Asjgtij
Lvo ouo 1ou Ho1tpt, o Luypio, tiut o1i oi
ovoyoi otv uptuti v pyi(ov1oi p v o1tvoympouv
kovtvov. Koi ui tiut. Av kuoio yoivoymypoti 1o
0uo, yoivoymyti 1ou ooiovt. Av om iyti vikp0ti
ou ou1o 1o u0o, tivoi 1ttim tvo ouo 1p ovoyi-
kp (mp koi o oyt1ik. 1i oiuov uptuti v uout
tti yi 1ov iou1o o, uou otv o1oo1ot ovo o1o
0uo koi o1pv pyp, o uot qopt q1vout koi
typi 1p vpoikokio, 1i o, uop v utv0poout yi
ou1p 1pv tttivp koi ouv0pmup ko1o1oop o, A
kpo1poout oiuov ypuuvo 1 1io 1p quyp koi
1ou omo1o, ootqoi ou, koi op0poout t1
Otov 1ou iou1ou o, yi v yu1moout ouo 1pv
uikpo ou1ou 1ou ko1oo1ptu1ikou u0ou. lio1i
ouoivti uot qopt v (ti kovti t1voio o1ov
ootqo 1ou o1ov quoik quypov0ouv p o1t-
voympp0ouv t1ou 1ou koi v uopotvti koi t1
1p t1voio uuptvo koi iyov1o oyioou tvov1iov
1ou. Atv uptuti ou1o uou uotit1oi ouo 1ou oyi-
oou v ooioqoppoti yi 1o 0to, o otom v
1ou o1oo1poti. lio1i ou1o tivoi vpoikokio. Koi tivoi
ovykp v upootti t ypuuvp qpov1ioo, v t1o-
vopoti, v oymvio1ti, oum tiuo, yi v pv tivti uou
koipo ou1ou 1ou oyioou koi kivouvtuoti. lio1i t
1o v ti t1voio, oum ouopqmvt1oi ot i
upok1ikp tv1op koi upoompiv ov1it1mui(ti 1o 0to
1p pyp, o otv kvti kovtvo oymvo tvov1iov 1p
vpoikokio. li ou1o koi uopotvti iyov1o 1p uup
tvov1iov 1ou ootqou 1ou. lio1i tivoi o upoyo p
vpoikokio, o p pyp, o o 0uo koi o p
1opoyp. Koi oo tm tvo upotiyo, yi v
ko1ot1t. Au1o uou ovti qm1i, o1pv opyp iyti
iyp 0pko. Opko tivoi o uikpo oyo 1ou ootqou
uou 1ov uupot. At, p 0pko iyti iyp ouvop. lio1i,
1i tivoi i touo 1ou ootqou oou, Av 1pv uuoqt-
pti iopot 1p 0pko. Av om opyioti v oktu1t-
ooi. lio1i ou 1o ut, Koi tym uopm v 1ou
ouov1pom. Av otv p0tt v t o1tvoymppoti, otv 0
ou 1o tyt. Koi, uio1tq1t t, 0 1ov kovoviom tym!
N, i1oi (ti ikp uopkio p kuoio o
upoovoo, oum okpim kvti ou1o uou 0tti v
ovqti qm1i, koi yti(ti 1ov 1ouo t kouvo, uou
tivoi p 1opoyp. 1opoyp tivoi o ovopooo tuo0mv
koi o1k1mv oktqtmv, uou topkmvouv 1pv kopoi koi
1pv kvouv tui0t1ikp ko1 1ou upoiov. Au1p ot p
tui0t1ikp oi0top ko1 1ou ov0pmuou uou o o1t-
voymppot, uot qopt uoipvti koi yopok1ppo
outip1iko, yio1i yivt1oi tkoikp1ikp, oum okpim tiut
o o Mpko. H kokio uou yivt1oi otk1p t 1o