Homily for the First Sunday of the Holy and Great Fast
(The Sunday of Orthodoxy)
On the Veneration of the Holy icons
By St. Cleopa of Sihastria
(The Sunday of Orthodoxy)
On the Veneration of the Holy icons
By St. Cleopa of Sihastria
“And you shall make two cherubim of beaten gold, and you shall place them on the two ends of the mercy seat. There I will make Myself known to you, and I will speak with you from between the two cherubim.” (Exodus 25:18–22)
Beloved faithful,
Today the Orthodox Church of Christ celebrates a great apostolic and synodal institution — namely, the veneration of the holy icons. This was established by the decision of the Holy and Great Seventh Ecumenical Synod held at Nicaea in the year 787, in which participated three hundred sixty-seven Holy Fathers and one hundred thirty-six archimandrites and abbots of monasteries.
The Synod was presided over, on behalf of the Orthodox Church of the East, by Saint Tarasios, Patriarch of Constantinople. Representing the Western Church was Peter, Archbishop of Rome, accompanied by Peter, presbyter and abbot of the Monastery of Saint Savvas in Rome, as representatives of Pope Adrian.
All these Holy Fathers decreed the veneration of the Holy Icons and pronounced anathema upon all the heretical icon-fighters, from whom many saints suffered severe persecutions and death for nearly two centuries — from Leo the Isaurian, the first opponent of the holy icons, until Theophilos, the last.
After the death of Theophilos, through the zeal of Empress Theodora and the Holy Fathers, the true faith and the veneration of the Holy Icons were restored, just as they had existed in the time of the Savior and of the Holy Apostles. For Jesus Christ Himself, by a miracle not made by hands, imprinted the image of His face upon a cloth and sent it to Abgar, king of Edessa (Combatting Sects, Chișinău, 1929, pp. 510–532).
According to apostolic tradition, the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, being a great painter, portrayed the image of the Mother of God holding the Child Jesus in her arms while she was still alive.
This great truth was also confirmed by the Seventh Ecumenical Synod, which declared:
“We preserve the traditions of the Church, whether written or unwritten. One of these commands that painted representations of icons be made, since this, in harmony with the history of the Gospel, serves as confirmation that God the Word truly became man and not merely in appearance, and it is for our benefit. Therefore, walking the royal path and following the teaching of our divinely inspired Holy Fathers and the traditions of the Ecumenical Church — for we know that in her dwells the Holy Spirit — we decree with all diligence and care that the Holy Icons be set forth in the same manner as the representation of the honorable and life-giving Cross, whether made with colors, mosaic, or any other material, provided only that they be made fittingly.” (ibid., pp. 532–533)
Saint John of Damascus, who suffered greatly for the Holy Icons, writes concerning them:
“In every matter one must know what in it is true or false and what its purpose is, good or evil.”
Likewise, when speaking about the Holy Icons, we must examine whether they are true and for what purpose they are made. If they are true and serve for the glory of God and His Saints, to encourage good deeds, moral correction, and the salvation of souls, then we must receive and venerate them — yet not otherwise than as representations, as examples, as teachings, as books for the people, as memorials (ibid., p. 537).
Because not all people know how to read or can occupy themselves with reading, the Fathers judged that all the glorious deeds of Christ should be depicted in icons, which serve as brief reminders.
Often we do not reflect upon the sufferings of the Savior, but as soon as we see the icon of Christ’s Crucifixion, we remember His saving Passion; we fall down and venerate not the material, but Him who is depicted, just as we venerate not the material from which the Gospel book or the Cross is made, but that which is represented through them, namely the power of the Holy Spirit that proceeds from them.
We do not worship the material from which icons are made. If the icon of the Lord stands before us, we pray, saying:
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, help us and save us!”
If we stand before the icon of the Mother of God:
“Be our protector before your Son, our true God, for the salvation of our souls!”
If it is the icon of a martyr — for example Stephen — we say:
“Holy Protomartyr Stephen, who shed your blood for Christ and have boldness before God, be our protector!”
And thus we address every saint. This is where our prayers are directed through the help of the Holy Icons.
When the iconoclast emperor, like the sectarians of our own time, falsely claimed that there had been no icons at the first six Ecumenical Synods and that nothing had been said about them, Pope Gregory wrote to him:
“Emperor, see that nothing was said either about bread or water, nor that one must eat or drink; yet you know from tradition that these are necessary for life. So also with icons — their use was known through Tradition. Bishops themselves brought icons to the Synod, and no Christ-loving person sets out on a journey without icons. Thus act those who perform good works and are pleasing to God.”
Leontios of Neapolis, refuting the Jews who accused Christians because of the veneration of icons, replied:
“We venerate the people depicted in icons and the representations of the saints, not as God. For if we worshiped the wood of the icon as God, we would worship every piece of wood. And if the image on an icon becomes erased, we burn it, as we often do. We Christians, kissing with bodily lips the image of Christ, the Apostle, or the martyr, with soul and mind kiss Christ and His saints.”
Saint Gregory of Nyssa speaks about the depiction of Abraham offering Isaac as a sacrifice, an icon upon which, when he looked, tears of compunction flowed from his eyes. He also speaks about the icon of the Holy Great Martyr Theodore the Tiro and about an icon of Christ.
Saint Ambrose of Milan, describing visions he had before the discovery of the relics of the Holy Martyrs Gervasios and Protasios, testified that the Apostle Paul appeared to him just as he is depicted in the icon (Letter 35).
Saint Athanasios the Great writes concerning the veneration of icons:
“We believers venerate icons not as God, as the pagans do — no! Rather, we show reverent honor and love toward the person depicted in the icon. Therefore, when the image upon it fades, we burn it as something no longer useful.”
Just as Jacob, before his death, bowed over the staff of Joseph and thereby honored not the staff but the one who held it, so we believers venerate and kiss icons not for any other reason than as we kiss our children or our parents, thereby showing our spiritual love, or just as the Jews venerated the Tablets of the Law and the two cherubim cast of gold, honoring not stone or gold, but God Himself who commanded these things to be made.
Testimonies concerning Holy Icons exist from very ancient times. Thus Saint Methodios of Patara, who lived in the third century, writes:
“We make representations of the angels of God in gold — of principalities and powers — for the honor and glory of God.”
Clement of Alexandria and Tertullian, who lived in the second and third centuries, also wrote about icons.
Holy Tradition likewise speaks of the image not made by hands given by the Savior to Abgar, king of Edessa. Concerning this image not made by human hands wrote the Church historian Eusebius, who lived in the third/fourth century.
Finally, the very earth itself speaks against the sectarian opponents of icons. Even today icons, crosses, and Christian symbols are discovered in excavations of the Roman catacombs — the caves where the first Christians hid during pagan persecutions and where they celebrated divine services and buried the holy martyrs.
I visited the catacombs of Rome in the autumn of 1977 and saw there the most ancient icons of the Savior and images of the Holy Cross. Among the oldest icons discovered by archaeologists in the underground Roman catacombs are: the icon of the Savior in the Catacomb of Saint Callistus and the Last Supper from the end of the second century; the Adoration of the Magi; the miracle of the changing of water into wine; the healing of the man born blind; and others, also found in the Catacomb of Saint Callistus.
In the catacombs of Domitilla and Priscilla were discovered icons of the Holy Family, the Annunciation, the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, the Patriarchs and Prophets of the Old Testament, and martyrs of the New Testament, dating likewise from the end of the second century and the beginning of the third.
But the most ancient icon, which scholars attribute to the first century of Christianity, is the image of the Mother of God holding in her arms the Pre-eternal Child, with a star above the icon.
All these representations discovered in the catacombs and in excavations of ancient underground churches compel us, with undeniable evidence, to accept and believe that the Holy Icons were venerated from the earliest times of Christianity.
Thus, in defense of the Holy Icons speak Holy Scripture, Holy Tradition, and even the earth itself, which has preserved many of them from the first centuries of Christianity. In their defense also speak our mind and our heart.
Beloved faithful,
Until now we have brought forward many testimonies from Holy Scripture, from Holy Tradition, from the Holy Fathers, and from the history of the Christian Church concerning the veneration of the Holy Icons. Now we shall show what the icon is and what the idol is.
Know that the Holy Icon is the image of the true God, Who truly exists, while the idol or graven image is the image of false gods, imagined by human minds, which in reality do not exist. Therefore it is also said that an idol is nothing in the world (1 Cor. 8:4).
Between idols and the Holy Icons there is as great a difference as between day and night, between light and darkness. For, as the great Apostle Paul says: “What agreement has the Church of God with idols?” (2 Cor. 6:15–16).
The veneration of the Holy Icons, as taught by the Holy and Great Seventh Ecumenical Synod, consists in this: that we do not consider the icon to be God, but only His likeness (portrait, representation). And when we venerate the icon, we do not venerate the wood or the colors, but Him Who is depicted on the icon — namely God, the holy angels, the Most Pure Mother of God, and the saints who are friends of God.
Do we not show special honor to the image of our patriarch? And when we see his portrait, do we not feel as though we see him himself? Therefore, when we see in the icon the image of God, ought we not also to honor Him?
Idolatry appears when people consider carved images themselves to be gods. Hear what divine Scripture says:
“They quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them; they made for themselves a molten calf, worshiped it and sacrificed to it, saying: ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.’” (Exodus 32:8; cf. 3 Kingdoms 12:28–30)
Thus we must understand that the difference between the veneration of Holy Icons and the worship of idols is as between light and darkness. Just as the blind man does not distinguish light from darkness — for him everything is darkness — so also the foolish and erring man does not distinguish the icon from the idol; for him every image is an idol, even if it were the portrait of his own father.
Yet the word of God commands us to distinguish between what is holy and what is unholy, between the pure and the impure (Lev. 10:9–10).
Why do we need Holy Icons?
First, because they strengthen faith and piety and awaken the conscience.
Second, because they remind us of the great works of God (Deut. 6:7–9) and of His saints, so that, looking upon their images, we may imitate their lives (Heb. 13:7).
The Holy Icons also help us express our love toward God. If from love we carry with us the portraits of relatives and beloved persons, how much more should we keep with reverence the icons of the Savior, of the Mother of God, and of the saints of God.
For the unlearned and for children, Holy Icons are like Scripture itself. What is written in letters in the Bible is painted in colors upon icons. Thus one who cannot read cannot learn from Scripture about the sufferings of the Savior; yet by looking at the icons of Christ’s Passion he understands with his mind what is depicted and is moved to greater devotion.
Beloved faithful,
Man cannot see God in His essence, because He is Spirit; yet he can see Him in forms, images, and manifestations known to mankind. People have indeed seen God — though indirectly and symbolically.
Thus:
God appeared to Abraham in the form of three men (Gen. 18:1–6).
Jacob saw God and named that place “Vision of God” (Gen. 32:30).
Moses saw God, for “the Lord spoke with Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend” (Ex. 33:11).
The Lord said: “If there is a prophet among you, I make Myself known to him in visions… but with My servant Moses I speak mouth to mouth… and he beholds the form of the Lord” (Num. 12:6–8).
Isaiah saw the Lord (Isa. 6:1–5).
Daniel saw God the Father and the Son.
Micaiah also saw the Lord (3 Kingdoms 22:19).
The disciples likewise saw our Lord Jesus Christ both in humility and in glory while He lived among them on earth (John 1:14; 6:36).
The Apostle John testifies:
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have touched concerning the Word of Life… we proclaim also to you” (1 John 1:1–3).
And the Gospel says:
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory” (John 1:14).
The Apostle Paul also saw Christ after the Ascension (1 Cor. 15:8; Acts 9:3–4), and the Holy Protomartyr Stephen saw Him while being stoned, saying:
“Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:56)
The Holy Spirit was seen at the Baptism of the Lord in the form of a dove, and again at Pentecost in the form of tongues of fire (Luke 3:22; Acts 2:1–4).
Therefore, since God has been seen in manifestations, He may also be depicted for the strengthening and instruction of faith. Hence those sectarians who claim that God cannot be represented in Holy Icons have no right understanding.
Beloved faithful,
Today is the first Sunday of Great Lent, called the Sunday of Orthodoxy, or the Sunday of the Holy Icons. For this reason we have spoken at length about the veneration of the Holy Icons, since in our times many sects have arisen which blaspheme the icons, the Cross, the Church, the priesthood, and the Orthodox apostolic teaching, leading many into deception and eternal loss.
We therefore exhort you:
Venerate the Holy Icons with faith and reverence. Keep them in your homes and carry them with you on your journeys, that through them you may be protected from dangers, knowing that the honor shown to the icon passes to the one depicted.
Pray before the icons. Read akathists before them. Visit wonderworking icons and the relics of the saints, and you will receive consolation and help in life’s trials.
Honor also the Holy Cross — the shield of faith — for through it demons are driven away and the blasphemers of God are put to silence.
The first week of the Holy Fast has now passed. We rejoice that the churches have again been filled with believers, that you have fasted, and that with faith and devotion you hasten toward God, our Savior and hope.
I exhort you, brethren: continue the fast; pray; read as much as you can; practice mercy according to your strength — and you will see the peace and joy that will come into your souls.
Above all, confess to your spiritual fathers twice during this fast — now and again toward its end — and those who have blessing should also receive Holy Communion.
Pious Christians — mothers, children, the elderly, and the sick — are bound to confess and commune during this Holy Fast.
Strive toward Christ. He calls you, awaits you, and gives Himself freely to those who keep His commandments.
Let us pray to the Son of God to strengthen the true faith and Orthodox piety, that by His power we may overcome demons, unbelief, and error, and may live eternally in the joy and love of God. Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.