By the sixth century of the Common Era, Christian worship had taken on an entire litany of intercession including the use of icons and pilgrimages to places considered sanctified by the presence of Christ or the saints. "Proximity" quickly extended to the us of relics or "icons" - objects, rather than places - considered touched by Christ or the saints. Imagery began taking on spiritual significance and believed to have sacred powers of their own by the reign of Justinian I. This spawned a backlash among those who believed the Old Testament commandment against "graven images" resulting in iconoclasm, the destruction of these increasingly popular icons.
The Iconoclast Controversy, which erupted in the 8th century, had profound effects on the Byzantine Empire, leading to deep divisions within society and the church. It sparked intense theological debates over the use of religious icons, resulting in periods of iconoclasm where images were destroyed and those who venerated them faced persecution. This conflict weakened the unity of the empire, contributing to political instability and strife between different factions, including the clergy and the laity. Ultimately, the controversy shaped Byzantine identity and influenced its relations with both Western Christendom and Islamic states.
Some in the Byzantine Empire opposed the use of religious icons due to a belief in iconoclasm, which held that creating and veneration of images could lead to idolatry and distract from the worship of God. This perspective was influenced by interpretations of the Ten Commandments and a desire to maintain the purity of Christian faith. The Iconoclasts argued that icons could misrepresent the divine and undermine the spiritual essence of worship. Their opposition led to significant theological and political conflict within the empire.
The Eastern Roman Empire after the fall of the Western Roman Empire has been termed Byzantine Empire by historians . Tts art is called Byzantine art. Icons were the most distinctive form of Byzantine art. These were paintings on flat panels, usually made of wood, depicting Christian themes. They were often gilded with golden leaf. The Byzantines developed their own style for mosaics. There was also Byzantine architecture.
Leo III
The iconoclasm controversy, which spanned from the 8th to the 9th centuries, significantly impacted the Byzantine Empire by creating deep divisions within society, particularly between iconoclasts who opposed the veneration of icons and iconodules who supported it. This conflict influenced political alliances, as emperors aligned themselves with either side, leading to instability and power struggles. Additionally, the controversy strained relations with the Western Church, contributing to the growing schism between Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism. Ultimately, the resolution of the conflict reinforced the importance of icons in Byzantine spirituality and culture, shaping the empire's religious identity for centuries.
icons
icons
"Byzantine" art - mosaics, religious icons, domed cathedrals
He forbade the use of icons
Stavros Mihalarias has written: 'The iconof Saint Peter' -- subject(s): Byzantine Icons, Icons, Byzantine
The Eastern Roman Empire after the fall of the Western Roman Empire has been termed Byzantine Empire by historians . Tts art is called Byzantine art. Icons were the most distinctive form of Byzantine art. These were paintings on flat panels, usually made of wood, depicting Christian themes. They were often gilded with golden leaf. The Byzantines developed their own style for mosaics. There was also Byzantine architecture.
: icons.
Icons; Basilica -Apex- :)
Icons. In the Orthodox religion, images of Jesus and the saints are worshipped as if they were Jesus or the saints themselves. At one period in the Byzantine Empire, a group of Emperors opposed this form of worship and moved to have the icons (religious images) destroyed: they were called iconoclasts. However the iconophiles won out, and the icons are still there (well, not in Byzantium but in the Orthodox Churches of Greece and Russia)
Leo III
The iconoclastic controversy was a religious debate which raged for most of the eighth century in the Byzantine Empire. The iconophiles favoured the use of icons--representations of Jesus and the saints--in worship. The iconoclasts opposed the use of icons and tended to have them destroyed. The debate was resoved in favour of the icons under the Empress Irene.
because byzantine thought icons led to idol worship that was forbidden from god