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An
“Iconoclast” means, literally, “image breaker.” The Iconoclastic Controversy
concerned the veneration of holy Icons that greatly disturbed the Eastern Orthodox Church during the years of 725
to 842.
Several
influences hostile to the veneration of Icons began to disrupt the Byzantine Empire towards the end of the 7th and
the beginning of the 8th centuries. The Monophysite heresy minimized
the human side of the Incarnate God and the Policians believed that all matter was evil.
It was also likely that there was Islamic influence as well.
Emperor
Leo Ii, the Isaurian, [717 - 740] was responsible for the outbreak of this devastating heresy because he was influence
by the Policians and thought the use of Icons, having become excessive, was the chief obstacle to the conversion of
Jews and Moslems to Christianity.
His
motives were mainly political, aiming at a general reorganisation of the Church along lines that would give greater
influence to the state. He issued an Edict in 726 declaring that all
Icons were idols and ordered their immediate destruction.
Serious
disturbances soon broke out all over the Empire and Patriarch Germanos, who appealed to the Roman Pope for support
against this heresy, was deposed in 730. A systematic persecution began
with particular attention to Monks who were the most zealous defenders of Holy Icons.
This
was when St John of Damascus wrote his famous Apology against the Iconoclasts and Pope Gregory III held two Synods
at Rome condemning Emperor Leo and his supporters in 731.
Emperor
Leo’s son, Constantine V, continued his father’s iconoclastic policy and in 753 he called the Synod of Hieria that,
however, was not attended by the Patriarchs of Antioch, Jerusalem and Alexandria, or the Pope of Rome.
It was alleged that the “Icon worshippers” divided the unity of Christ or confused the two Natures of Christ
as the Monophysites did; further, they alleged that the Icons of the Virgin Mary and the Saints were in themselves
idols. So it was decreed that they should all be destroyed.
Persecuting
adherents to Icon veneration created many Martyrs especially among the
Monks of the Church, but during the reign of Leo IV [775 - 780], the persecution was substantially lessened and after
his death, his wife, Empress Irene, in her capacity as Regent for her young son, reversed the policy of iconoclasm
despite the iconoclastic belief of the army.
In
784 when Tarasios became Patriarch of Constantinople, he and Empress Irene opened negotiations with Pope Hadrian I
of Rome, who sent legates to the Seventh Ecumenical Council at Nicea in 787.
The Council completely reversed the decision of the Synod of Hieria, defined the degree and nature of veneration
to be paid to Holy Icons, and ordered their restoration throughout the Empire.
However,
in 814, there was another outbreak of iconoclasm under Emperor Leo V, the Armenian, who had been a General in the
Byzantine army. [The army had made him the Emperor.]
He began to remove Icons again from the churches and public buildings.
Patriarch Nikephoros was deposed and St Theodore of Studion, the principal defender of Icons among the Monks,
was exiled. Many others were imprisoned and martyred.
Emperor
Leo was assassinated in 820 and his successor, Emperor Michael III continued a milder polity of iconoclasm.
His son Theophilos returned to violence as soon as the iconoclastic Patriarch John Hylilos was enthroned in
832.
The
persecution came to an end in 842 when Emperor Theophilos died and his widow Theodora was regent for their young son.
Like Empress Irene, Empress Theodora had the Monk Methodios elected as Patriarch of Constantinople in 843 and
on the first Sunday of Great Lent a feast in honour of the Holy Icons was celebrated with since then is solemnly observed
in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Sunday of Orthodoxy.
Adapted
from A Dictionary of Greek Orthodoxy
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