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Apologia of St John Damascene Against those who Decry Holy Images Part I
With the ever-present conviction of my own unworthiness, I ought to have kept silence and confessed my shortcomings before God, but all things are good at the right time. I see the Church which God founded on the Apostles and Prophets, its corner-stone being Christ His Son, tossed on an angry sea, beaten by rushing waves, shaken and troubled by the assaults of evil spirits. I see rents in the seamless robe of Christ, which impious men have sought to part asunder, and His body cut into pieces, that is, the word of God and the ancient tradition of the Church.
Recognising the power
Therefore I have judged it unreasonable to keep silence and to hold my tongue, bearing in mind the Scripture warning:–“If thou withdrawest thyself, my soul shall not delight in thee,” (Heb. 10.38) and “If thou seest the sword coming and dost not warn thy brother, I shall require his blood at thy hand.” (cf. Ez. 33.8) Fear, then, compelled me to speak; the truth was stronger than the majesty of kings. “I bore testimony to Thee before kings,” I heard the royal David saying, “and I was not ashamed.” (Ps. 119.46) No, I was the more incited to speak. The King’s command is all powerful over his subjects. For few men have hitherto been found who, whilst recognising the power of the earthly king to come from above, have resisted his unlawful demands.

In the first place, grasping as a kind of pillar, or foundation, the teaching of the Church, which is our salvation, I have opened out its meaning, giving, as it were, the reins to a well caparisoned charger. For I look upon it as a great calamity that the Church, adorned with her great privileges and the holiest examples of saints in the past, should go back to the first rudiments, and fear where there is no fear.

Apologia of St John Damascene Against those who Decry Holy Images Part 38

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Listen to our Lord’s words: “Ye foolish and blind, whosoever shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth in it; and he that sweareth by heaven sweareth by the...

Apologia of St John Damascene Against those who Decry Holy Images Part 37

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If I worship the image of the Cross, made of whatever wood it may be, shall I not worship the image which shows me the Crucified and my salvation through the Cross? Oh, inhumanity...

Apologia of St John Damascene Against those who Decry Holy Images Part 36

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Why do we adore the Cross? Is it not through tradition? Therefore the holy apostle says: “Brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by our epistle.”...

Apologia of St John Damascene Against those who Decry Holy Images Part 35

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Let us set forth Christ, our King and Lord, not depriving Him of His army. The saints are His army. Let the earthly king strip himself of his army, and then of his own...

Apologia of St John Damascene Against those who Decry Holy Images Part 34

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Behold, then, matter is honoured, and you dishonour it. What is more insignificant than goat’s hair, or colours, and are not violet and purple and scarlet colours? And the likeness of the cherubim are...

Apologia of St John Damascene Against those who Decry Holy Images Part 33

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God took from him his royalty, and gave it to the meek David. (I Sam. 15.27-28) Jezabel pursued Elias, pigs and dogs licked up her blood, (I Kgs. 19.2-3; II Kgs. 9.33ff) and harlots...

Apologia of St John Damascene Against those who Decry Holy Images Part 32

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Be assured that any one wishing to pull down an image erected out of pure zeal for the glory and enduring memory of Christ, or of His holy Mother, or any of the saints,...

Apologia of St John Damascene Against those who Decry Holy Images Part 31

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And because everything told about them is true, and the object in view is the glory of God and the saints whom He has honoured, our salvation, and the shame of the devil, we...

Apologia of St John Damascene Against those who Decry Holy Images Part 30

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Again “Thou shalt not have strange gods in my sight; thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing nor any likeness.” (Deut. 5.7) Again: “Thou shalt not make to thyself gods of metal.”...

Apologia of St John Damascene Against those who Decry Holy Images Part 29

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It is impossible to make an image of God, who is a pure spirit, invisible, boundless, having neither form nor circumscription. How can we make an image of what is invisible? “No man hath...

Colosseum afterward

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Chora Museum

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Treasures of Brusa

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