Icons in the Church

His Holiness Pope Shenouda opens by speaking about the historic dispute over icons and the emergence of what was called the “Iconoclast Controversy” in the eighth century (year 726) and its recurrence and ideological conflict later with the Protestants in the sixteenth century.

The meaning of the commandment and the spiritual understanding

His Holiness explains that the commandment about not making a carved image should be understood in its spirit, not literally, because the intention is to prevent worship of idols, not to forbid all images; the Scripture itself allowed certain carvings and figures in the Tabernacle and Solomon’s Temple.

The difference between a statue and an idol

He shows that every idol is a statue but not every statue is an idol; the fundamental difference is worship, and that having statues or carvings in sacred places was not intended for worship but for reverence and symbolism.

Biblical examples and symbolism

He reviews examples like the cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant and the bronze serpent in the Old Testament, explaining that they were spiritual symbols pointing to Christ and eternal life, not objects of worship.

The icon versus an ordinary picture

He clarifies that the icon is liturgical and has conditions: it is consecrated with holy oil and incensed and treated with prayerful dedication, whereas the ordinary picture is merely an explanatory tool and is not fit to be hung as an icon in the church unless it meets liturgical conditions.

Conditions of traditional icons

He mentions conditions for the Orthodox icon: a halo of light for a saint or Christ, the Virgin depicted with the Child (Theotokos) with a crown and heavenly symbols, and the placement of icons inside the sanctuary according to a specific rite.

Critique of some contemporary artistic practices

His Holiness criticizes some images that are historically or theologically inaccurate — such as depicting apostles or figures with inappropriate clothes or features, or depicting angels with erroneous bodily traits — and calls for theological and historical education for Christian artists and correction of wrong images.

Practical and liturgical directives

He emphasizes the need to adhere to liturgical order in placing icons, not to insert images of people who are not recognized as saints randomly, and to distinguish between contemplative images and liturgical icons which are consecrated and used in worship and reverence.

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