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christian-customsfeatured in 4 works

Veneration of Icons & Holy Images

Bow, kiss, and cense the holy image — yet worship belongs to God alone

Christians who venerate icons show honor to sacred images by bowing, kissing them, lighting lamps, and offering incense, while reserving worship itself for God alone. The Second Council of Nicaea (787) and John of Damascus defended the practice. Traditions differ: it is central to Orthodox identity and kept by Catholics and Oriental churches, treated moderately by Lutherans and Anglicans, but rejected as idolatry in the Reformed tradition.

How it traveled

  1. Selected Epistles of Gregory the Great
    Rome · 604
    explains
  2. The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext Council
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 692
    applies
  3. The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice
    Nicaea · 787
    explains
  4. Book First. of the Knowledge of God the Creator
    Geneva · 1564
    challenges

Key passages(20)

Book First. of the Knowledge of God the Creator — CHAPTER 11. - IMPIETY OF ATTRIBUTING A VISIBLE FORM TO GOD.—THE SETTING UP OF IDOLS A DEFECTION FROM THE TRUE GOD. — part 3↗challenges

Book First. of the Knowledge of God the Creator · John Calvin

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Very high
The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice — Extracts from the Acts. Session IV.↗explains

The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice · The Ecumenical Councils

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Very high
The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice — The Letter of the Synod to the Emperor and Empress. — part 2↗explains

The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice · The Ecumenical Councils

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Very high
Book First. of the Knowledge of God the Creator — CHAPTER 11. - IMPIETY OF ATTRIBUTING A VISIBLE FORM TO GOD.—THE SETTING UP OF IDOLS A DEFECTION FROM THE TRUE GOD. — part 6↗challenges

Book First. of the Knowledge of God the Creator · John Calvin

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Very high
Selected Epistles of Gregory the Great — Book XI. — To Serenus, Bishop of Massilia (Marseilles).↗challenges

Selected Epistles of Gregory the Great · Pope Gregory the Great

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Very high
The Death of Pilate, Who Condemned Jesus.↗explains

The Death of Pilate, Who Condemned Jesus. · Apocrypha of the New Testament

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Very high
The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext Council — The Canons of the Council in Trullo. — Canon LXXXII.↗applies

The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext Council · The Ecumenical Councils

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Very high
The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice — Extracts from the Acts. Session VI.↗explains

The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice · The Ecumenical Councils

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Very high
The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice — The Canons of the Holy and Ecumenical Seventh Council. — Canon IX.↗explains

The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice · The Ecumenical Councils

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Very high
Selected Epistles of Gregory the Great — Book IX. — To Serenus Bishop of Massilia (Marseilles).↗explains

Selected Epistles of Gregory the Great · Pope Gregory the Great

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High
John of Damascus: Exposition of the Orthodox Faith — An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith. — Book IV — part 6↗explains

John of Damascus: Exposition of the Orthodox Faith · John of Damascus

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High
Selected Epistles of Gregory the Great — Book IX. — To Januarius, Bishop of Caralis (Cagliari). (#4)↗applies

Selected Epistles of Gregory the Great · Pope Gregory the Great

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High
The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext Council — The Canons of the Council in Trullo. — Canon LXXIII.↗applies

The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext Council · The Ecumenical Councils

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High
The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice — Extracts from the Acts. Session III.↗applies

The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice · The Ecumenical Councils

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High
The Octavius of Minucius Felix., Argument:  The Arrival of Octavius at Rome During the Time of the Public Holidays Was Very Agreeable to Minucius.  Both of Them Were Desirous of Going to the Marine Baths of Ostia, with Cæcilius Associated with Them as a Companion of Minucius.  On Their Way Together to the Sea, Cæcillus, Seeing an Image of Serapis, Raises His Hand to His Mouth, and Worships It.↗applies

The Octavius of Minucius Felix. · Minucius Felix

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High
Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church — CHAPTER 10. - OF THE POWER OF MAKING LAWS. THE CRUELTY OF THE POPE AND HIS ADHERENTS, IN THIS RESPECT, IN TYRANNICALLY OPPRESSING AND DESTROYING SOULS. — part 5↗challenges

Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin

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High
The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice — The Canons of the Holy and Ecumenical Seventh Council. — Canon VII.↗applies

The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice · The Ecumenical Councils

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High
On the Morals of the Catholic Church — The Church is Not to Be Blamed for the Conduct of Bad Christians, Worshippers of Tombs and Pictures.↗challenges

On the Morals of the Catholic Church · Augustine of Hippo

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Moderate
The Ecclesiastical History of Sozomen — Book V — Of the Statue of Christ in Paneas which Julian overthrew and made Valueless; he erected his own Statue; this was overthrown by a Thunder-Bolt and destroyed. Fountain of Emmaus in which Christ washed his Feet. Concerning the Tree Persis, which worshiped Christ in Egypt, and the Wonders wrought through it.↗applies

The Ecclesiastical History of Sozomen · Sozomen

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Moderate
The Ecclesiastical History of Sozomen — Book II — The Discovery of the Life-Bringing Cross and of the Holy Nails.↗applies

The Ecclesiastical History of Sozomen · Sozomen

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Moderate