For the first time in 300 years, there is an emperor of the "East" and an emperor of the "West". The Emperor Leo III (who ruled 717−741) had privately favoured iconoclasm, and publicly adopted it after 726 ─ according to one story, because a huge underwater volcanic eruption and a tidal wave in that year persuaded him of God's judgment against icons. In 815, the second wave of iconoclasm struck the Empire, when Leo V reintroduced iconoclasm as imperial policy. After this initial iconoclastic propaganda storm, a synod was called in 754, in the palace of Hiereia. . In 787, however, the empress Irene convoked the seventh ecumenical council at Nicaea at which Iconoclasm was condemned and the use of images was reestablished. 610. With Irene the first wave of iconoclasm ended. Leo responded to the rioting harshly, though “none were executed” among this initial iconophile resistance (Martin, p. 32). Excellent overview and great information. Thank you! A third bastion of pre-Leo iconoclasm was the Nestorian church, though their relative exclusion from the Roman (Byzantine) Empire make them unlikely candidates for influencing Leo. In the year 728 Leo III started a campaign against the uses of the Icons. Muslims attack Constantinople. St. John presented the Orthodox position so clearly and thoroughly that “every subsequent writer repeated his arguments and authorities” (Martin, p. 35). Soon the imminence of a massive Muslim offensive and the determination of the Byzantine commander in the Anatolikon theme gave Theodosius the chance to abdicate and Leo became emperor … Leo’s son, Emperor Constantine V Copronymus, carried iconoclasm to a new level. Opposition to such practices became particularly strong in Asia Minor. So religion has often erupted into social conflicts and civil unrest. Icons are religious images used by Eastern Christians to aid their prayers. Perhaps one of the strongest sources of Leo’s iconoclasm was the Paulician sect, a strongly iconoclastic group which flourished “in the very region of South-Eastern Asia Minor from which Leo’s family sprung” (Martin, p. 24). Notice how the idols were restored by two women, females who acceded to the throne. Icons are restored. A number of monastic leaders were invited, but they protested any attempt to reverse the decision of Nicea II. Leo, however, was not a theological trailblazer. Reminiscent of the heretical Second Council of Ephesus held in 449, Hieria’s claims to ecumenicity were groundless assertions lacking any substantial evidence. People protested. He replaced him with a married layman named Theodotus, who inaugurated his Patriarchate with “games, laughter, quips, and buffoonery”, and also with a banquet where he encouraged bishops and monks to violate the canons by consuming flesh meat (Martin, p. 170). Corrections? Hussey, The Orthodox Church in the Byzantine Empire, p. 34). In 726, Emperor Leo III made a public declaration of his opposition to icons. However, among the Assyrian Church of the East and the Armenian Apostolic Church, there is a much different sentiment, if I recall, refusing to call Mary “Theotokos” even. I love the way it was laid out. Leo's iconoclastic position may have been influenced by Khalifa Omar II (717-20), who was unsuccessful in trying to convert the emperor to Islam but probably convinced him that pictures and images are idols, but he was also convinced of this by Christian opponents of icons who gained his ear. All the events are represented on the interactive timeline and can be visualized. Notably, many of the bishops in attendance at the synod of Hieria later recanted, and supported Nicea II. In the violent opposition, we should try to persevere and hold our faith firmly for the battle belongs to God. To the contrary, the Church condemned him as a heretic. Over the next year, she set the stage for another local council, which overturned iconoclasm for good, and upheld the decision of Nicea II. Leo III, byname Leo The Isaurian, (born c. 675, –680, Germanicia, Commagene, Syria—died June 18, 741, Constantinople), Byzantine emperor (717–741), who founded the Isaurian, or Syrian, dynasty, successfully resisted Arab invasions, and engendered a century of conflict within the empire by banning the use of religious images (icons). The Seventh Council was “the logical sequel to Chalcedon” (Martin. The Iconoclasts regained power in 814 after Leo V’s accession, and the use of icons was again forbidden at a council in 815. Icons are religious images used by Eastern Christians to aid their prayers. Emperor Leo thought that with the icons people would begin to worship them. Officially, it was in the year 726 that “Leo III introduced iconoclasm” (Andrew Louth, Greek East and Latin West, p. 82). 843: The use of Icons is restored. According to the traditional view, Byzantine Iconocl… Over the remainder of Leo’s reign, the theological polemic matured on both sides. And in the late 6th century, the case of Serenus of Marseilles provided examples of icon-destruction which fueled the controversy-to-come over a century later.” And during the iconoclastic controversy itself, many of the chief iconoclastic leaders were Monophysites, including Constantine V “Copronymus”, and John the Grammarian. He put an end to the Twenty Years' Anarchy, a period of great instability in the Byzantine Empire between 695 and 717, marked by the rapid succession of several emperors to the throne. The use of icons nevertheless steadily gained in popularity, especially in the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. While I believe that their errant Christology helped fuel their iconoclasm, I agree that not all Monophysites are iconoclasts. St. Cyril was not a Monophysite. In the early church, the making and veneration of portraits of Christ and the saints were consistently opposed. I really found this article incite-full! …the 8th century, but full-fledged Iconoclasm (or destruction of the images) emerged as an imperial policy only when Leo III issued his... …the 8th century, but full-fledged Iconoclasm (or destruction of the images) emerged as an imperial policy only when Leo III issued his decrees of 730. The Iconoclastic Controversy was fueled by the refusal of many Christian residents outside the Byzantine Empire, including many Christians living in the Islamic Caliphate, to accept the emperor's theological arguments. But they refuse to accept Chalcedon. Regardless of whether they are “Monophysites” or “Miaphysites”, they are still not Orthodox. Charlemagne, king of the Franks, is crowned "Emperor of the Romans. Abstract To understand the confrontation and fierce feelings expressed, pro and con, concerning the iconoclastic actions of the Isaurian emperors, one must first understand what an icon is. What are the characteristics that define the holy icons, the ayies eikones, which "are regarded by members of the Orthodox Christian Church as sacramental? “The see of Constantinople was vacant,” and the patriarchs from Alexandria, Jerusalem, Antioch, and Rome were “not present either in person or by deputy” (Martin, p. 46). Iconoclastic Controversy, a dispute over the use of religious images (icons) in the Byzantine Empire in the 8th and 9th centuries. The charge of idolatry, as well as the utter prohibition of images, had been discarded. 843: The use of Icons is restored. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Theodora, the Empress-mother, acceded the throne. He also successfully defended the Empire against the invading Umayyads and forbade the veneration of icons. Some biographers acknowledge that by deterring icons, the Commander attempted to put together Muslim and Jewish civilizations. Empire that was not the case and Emperor Leo III really drove that home. 917: Bulgars under Symeon overrun Thrace. 800. Cyril and Severus? We have seen that from the starting of the Constantine Emperors played active roles in the affairs of the church. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). Leo V eventually deposed the Patriarch, as well. Churches compete for converts. Byzantine Iconoclasm (Greek: Εἰκονομαχία, romanized: Eikonomachía, literally, "image struggle" or "war on icons") refers to two periods in the history of the Byzantine Empire when the use of religious images or icons was opposed by religious and imperial authorities within the Orthodox Churchand the temporal imperial hierarchy. To this day, we celebrate this “Sunday of Orthodoxy” every year, in remembrance of Orthodoxy’s triumph over the iconoclastic heresy. Theodotus was so odious to the clergy that he was soon deposed. And yes, to be truly Orthodox, one must accept all the ecumenical councils, from the first to the seventh. Emperor Leo III the Isaurian (reigned 717–741) banned the use of icons of Jesus, Mary, and the saints and commanded the destruction of these images in 730. And I greatly venerate St John of Damascus, too! 843: The use of Icons is restored. The Empress Irene “wrote to the Pope requesting a General Council” (Martin. Emperor Leo III took his religious role very seriously. If you desire to be fit for heaven, you must live the Orthodox life. - Emperor Constantine V "Copronymus" - His "lust confounded the eternal distinction of sex and species, and he seemed to extract some unnatural delight from the objects most offensive to human sense." And in the late 6th century, the case of Serenus of Marseilles provided examples of icon-destruction which fueled the controversy-to-come over a century later. In 726 the Byzantine emperor Leo III took a public stand against the perceived worship of icons, and in 730 their use was officially prohibited. p. 49). Even though Jewish synagogues were covered with icons of saints and angels, they denied the Incarnation of Christ, and they were therefore opposed to making any images of the Deity. 726: Emperor Leo III bans the use of Icons. 800: Charlemagne, king of the Franks, is crowned "Emperor of the Romans" by Pope Leo III in Rome. And Rome had two delegates in attendance as well. He proposed to “remove the pictures in positions low enough to permit gross acts of adoration, accepting those in higher positions as useful illustrations of Christianity” (Martin, p. 165). Germany and Western Europe. ~740 AD - A coin showing Emperor Leo III with his wife. The ideology of iconoclasm may be likened to a number of isolated muddy streams, converging into a river of heresy. This became a controversial issue because not all Byzantines agreed with the ban. In 812, Michael acceded to the throne, only to be deposed the following year by Leo V “the Armenian”. He became Patriarch on Christmas day, 784. He circulated among the bishops a number of theological papers called “Inquiries” or “Peuseis” (Louth, p. 55). 726: Emperor Leo III bans the use of Icons. As Dr. Martin notes, “[Constantine’s] Christology . Thus the Seventh Ecumenical Council was far removed from the synod of Hieria, which had enjoyed no Patriarchal support whatsoever. 800: Charlemagne, king of the Franks, is crowned "Emperor of the Romans" by Pope Leo III in Rome. The oldest existing panel icons, at the Greek monastery of St. Catherine on Mount Sinai in Egypt, date from the sixth century. Toward the end of the 6th century and in the 7th, icons became the object of an officially encouraged cult, often implying a superstitious belief in their animation. Her pinnacle came in 787, with the convocation of the Seventh Ecumenical Council in the city of Nicea. Pingback: An Overview of the Iconoclastic Controversy « Fathernathanael's Blog, Pingback: Cardinals Break from History with Bold Papal Election | History's Shadow, Pingback: It’s Who I Am | The Orthodox Life. Irene means “peace”, and Theodora means “gift of God”. Icons had became a concern to the emperor and others. In 726 the Byzantine emperor Leo III took a public stand against the perceived worship of icons, and in 730 their use was officially prohibited. 726. Icons were removed from churches and public places in the capitol. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). ( Log Out /  All of these influences, whether Muslim, Monophysite, Nestorian, Paulician or puritanical, to a greater or lesser extent, coalesced to form a heretical underground zeitgeist which eventually came to a head in the infamous Isaurian Emperor, Leo III. Those who are ruled by women are cursed. After encountering consistent resistance from the iconodules, the Emperor forbade the monks to meet together, and he ordered them to stop preaching. After his replacement was enthroned, a new local church council was called. If being Miaphysites truly made them Orthodox, then they would accept Chalcedon, and the schism would be healed. After years of iconoclastic decline, the Emperor Theophilus died in 842, leaving behind his three-year-old son, Michael. Pope Gregory III excommunicated Emperor Leo III. Question #1: In what year did Leo III prohibit the use of icons? Emperor Leo III bans the use of Icons. LEO III AND ICONOCLASMI by J. ATKINSON Theodosius was thrust onto the imperial throne in 715 against his wishes. The Second Iconoclasm was between 814 and 842. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Leo III the Isaurian (Greek: Λέων ὁ Ἴσαυρος, romanized: Leōn ho Isauros; c. 685 – 18 June 741), also known as the Syrian, was Byzantine Emperor from 717 until his death in 741 and founder of the Isaurian dynasty. A notable example of this pressure came from the caliph Iezid II (720-724), who “ordered the destruction of all pictures in Christian churches within his dominions” (Edward James Martin, A History of the Iconoclastic Controversy, p. 23). Feb 1, 800. Nine years later, Michael was succeeded by Theophilus. Well done! What happened as a result of Emperor Leo III banning icons. They decorate Orthodox churches and act as visual gospels (Boyce). In the 8th century, the religion of Islam supplied one of the major forces in favor of iconoclasm. In 730, the Byzantine emperor Leo III banned the use of icons. Episcopal examples of this iconoclastic tendency were Constantine of Nacolia in Phrygia, and Thomas, bishop of Claudiopolis, both of whom were reprimanded by the Patriarch in the early 8th century. It was very detailed and it went into a lot of depth. in 726. In 811, Nikephoros was killed in the Bulgar campaign. Pingback: Going to Narni – An Adventuremental Blog. This is a point often overlooked by iconoclastic Protestants, who too quickly assume that their reservations regarding the second commandment were shared by most 8th/9th century Iconoclasts … when in fact even many Iconoclasts largely bent under the force of St. John’s arguments. She had been a fervent iconodule for years, and had taught all of her children accordingly. To identify the sources of the iconoclastic outbreak, we must look a little deeper. If the latter, then how fascinating for it to become associated with iconoclasm amongst the Greeks! The Council determined that icon veneration was not merely permissible, but was in fact mandated for all. Also read about the godly exploits of righteous Queen Esther. He thought they would do that instead of worshiping God so he banned them from the people. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Orthodox Christology had won the day. I… This puritanical section of the Church exemplified a thread of thinking which had various adherents ever since early Christianity had severed its ties with Judaism. 917: Bulgars under Symeon overrun Thrace. 726: Emperor Leo III bans the use of Icons. Saints Irene and Theodora fit into the same category. For the most part, the theological acumen of the Iconoclasts was vastly lower during the second wave of iconoclasm, than it had been during the first wave. This ignited a religious conflict that led to priests being killed for protecting icons. I believe this is proof that their Christology is still errant, and that there is still a significant gulf between Coptics and the Orthodox. is Monophysite, sublimating Christ” (Martin, p. 43). By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. This opened a persecution of icon venerators that was severe in the reign of Leo’s successor, Constantine V (741–775). The iconoclasm began with Byzantine Emperor Leo III, who issued a series of edicts between 726 and 730 against the veneration of images. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Byzantine Empire: The age of Iconoclasm: 717–867. Coptics and Ethiopians are not Monophysite, so we shouldn’t expect to find Iconoclasm among them (being Miaphysites, a position recognized as Orthodox by the Church today). He supported the growing movement for iconoclasm, the intentional... See full answer below. While he was a political official who propagated iconoclasm throughout the empire, he was not the formulator of iconoclastic ideology. p. 108). Updates? This is a very interesting post. in the first image is leo and his son, not his wife. This development was significant, because prior to the 8th century, “the Christological argument for and against icons was not really developed” (J.M. And consider the exalted Queen in Revelation 12. Athaliah of old was the same. And the same issue raged in the Church’s anticipation of the Seventh. The notable exception was John the Grammarian, who was an avid iconoclastic apologist. They are indeed portals into Heaven! This opened a persecution of icon venerators that was severe in the reign of Leo’s successor, Constantine V (741–775). It is not enough to have Orthodox beliefs. Previous Emperors had not only tolerated, but actually promoted the icons to their subjects as an aid in Orthodox Christian worship. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. God’s people were ruled by Deborah. The Byzantine Empire lifted the ban in 834 C.E./A.D., but the split had become created. Additional evidence of Constantine’s faulty Christology is his rejection of the word “Theotokos” (Martin. Both empresses lived up to their holy names. And Severus was not a saint. The Iconoclasts (those who rejected images) objected to icon veneration for several reasons, including the Old Testament prohibition against images in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:4) and the possibility of idolatry. An additional source of iconoclastic tendencies was found within a puritanical section of the Orthodox Church itself, among clergy who anticipated the iconoclastic controversy’s second-commandment objection against icons-as-idols. 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