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Chapter 30MogilaPravIsp.3.30

О святых иконах

What is an Icon?

The chapter begins by defining an icon as a likeness or representation, explaining that while it resembles the original, it is distinct from it, lacking the soul's powers or independent life.

First, we'll explain what an icon is; second, why icons are made; third, how many different kinds of icons exist; fourth, what can and cannot be depicted on an icon; and fifth, who first started making icons. Then we'll discuss veneration: first, what veneration is; second, how many kinds of veneration there are; third, which objects, according to Scripture, deserve veneration; fourth, that all veneration must be directed to God, who is inherently worthy of worship; and fifth, that the honor given to an icon transfers to the one depicted on it.12 First, what is an icon? An icon is a likeness, a representation, an image in which the thing depicted can be seen. Still, an image isn't like the original in every respect—that3 is, with what it depicts. For the image is one thing and what it depicts is another: you can't help seeing the difference between them, since the image and the thing depicted aren't one and the same. For example, an image of a person expresses the features of the body but has none of the soul's powers: it's without life, it doesn't think or speak or feel, and there's no movement in its limbs.4 A son is the natural image of his father; yet he differs from him in something: he is the son, not the father.

Why Icons are Made

Icons are made for our benefit and salvation, serving to reveal hidden realities, encourage virtue, and deter vice.

Second, why is an icon made? Every icon is an image, a representation of something hidden.5 That6 is: since a human being has no pure knowledge of invisible things—because his soul is clothed in a body—and none either of what will come after him or of what is distant from him in place, since he is bounded by space and time, images (icons) are made to lead him into knowledge, to display and disclose what is hidden.78 So they're made for our benefit and good, for our salvation—so that from objects drawn and visibly set before us we may come to know what is hidden, so that we may love virtue and follow after it, while what is opposed to it, that9 is, vice—we may hate it and turn away from it.

The Six Kinds of Icons

The text enumerates six kinds of icons: natural images (like the Son of God), divine conceptions (God's eternal counsel), created images (humans in God's image), scriptural images (typology and foreshadowing), memorial images (for remembrance of virtues or vices), and images of the bodiless (angels, God, souls).

Third, how many different kinds of icons are there?10 There are these kinds of images: the first kind is made up of images by nature.11 In anything whatever, the nature has to come first, and only then the image. For example, a person must first exist in his own nature, and only then can there be a likeness of him. So then, the first image by nature—the image perfectly like the invisible God the Father—is the Son, who reveals the Father in Himself.✦ For it is written: "No one has ever seen God" (John✦12 1:18); and again: "Not that anyone has seen the Father" (John✦ 6:46). And that the Son is the image of the Father—of this the Apostle speaks: "He is the image of the invisible God" (Col.✦ 1:15); and in the letter to the Hebrews: "He is the radiance of His glory and the image of His hypostasis" (Heb.13 1:3). And that He shows the Father in Himself is clear from the Gospel of John, where, in answer to Philip's words, "Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us," the Lord replies: "Have I been with you so long, and you still haven't come to know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:8–9). So the Son is the natural image of the Father, in no way different from Him but like Him in every respect, except for being unbegotten and being Father.14 For the Father begets and is not begotten, the Son is begotten and is not the Father; and the Holy Spirit is the image of the Son. "No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:3). So it's through the Holy Spirit that we come to know Christ, the Son of God, and in the Son we behold God the Father: for a thought is naturally expressed through a word, and a word is made audible through breath.15 That's why the Holy Spirit is the image of the Son—completely like him and in no way different—except in his own procession alone; for the Son is begotten, while the Spirit proceeds.16 And the Son, likewise, is always the natural image of the Father. So then, the first kind of icons are the icons of nature itself.17 The second kind of icons is God's conception of those things that are to receive their being from Him — that is, His eternal plan, which never changes. For God does not change, and His counsel has no beginning, and whatever He set within it from eternity is carried out at the time He appointed and in the way He determined beforehand. So God's conceptions of each of the things that are to receive their being from Him are their images, their designs, or, as St. predeterminations.18 For in His counsel the image of every thing is already drawn — everything that is predetermined to be and that certainly will be — even before it exists. We find the third kind of image in what was created according to the image of God — that19 is, in the human being: for how could what is created be the same as what is uncreated, if not by likeness? Just as the Father is mind, the Son is word, and the Holy Spirit is breath, and these are one God, so mind, word, and breath are one human being — who is also the image of God in freedom and in the right to rule.20 For God says, "Let us make man in our image and likeness," and immediately adds, "and let him rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air." And further: "Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air . . and over all the earth.21 . . and have dominion over it" (Gen.22 1:26, 28). The fourth kind of icons is made up of the books of Holy Scripture, which set before us the images, forms, and features of things invisible and bodiless by portraying them in bodily terms, so that we too, however imperfectly, might understand God and the Angels; for without images fitted to our way of understanding we can't contemplate bodiless things, as Dionysius the Areopagite, who is rich in divine knowledge, says.23 And when what has no image is presented in an image, and what has no form in a form, who wouldn't say that the one reason for this is accommodation to us?24 For we can't rise directly to what is seen spiritually, and we have no means of our own, natural to us, for doing so. So if the Word of God, meeting us where we are, gathers means from every side to lift us up, and gives images even to things that are simple and have no form, then why can't it make a likeness of what by its own nature expresses itself, and what we love but can't see because it isn't here before us?25 Gregory the Theologian says that however hard the mind tries to step outside the circle of bodily things, it simply can't; "since the creation of the world God's invisible attributes have been clearly seen, understood through the things he has made" (Rom.✦26 1:20). And in created things, we do see faint images of the Godhead.✦ So, for example, we say we find an image of the Holy Trinity, which has no beginning, in the sun, its light, and its ray; or in a spring, the river that flows from it, and the water's current; or in our mind, our word, and our breath; or in a rose, its color, and its scent.27 Icons of the fifth kind are those that serve as a foreshadowing and a prefiguring of what is to come — for example, the burning bush (Ex. 3:2) and the dew that fell on the fleece (Judg. 6:40) prefigured the Virgin, the Mother of God. Likewise, the rod (Num. 17:10) and the jar (Ex.28 16:33). So too, the bronze serpent (Num. 21:9) pointed ahead to how people would be healed by the Cross from the bite of the serpent who has been evil from the beginning. So too, the sea prefigured the water of Baptism, and the cloud the Spirit who descends on the one being baptized. The sixth type of icon includes images created for remembrance: a depiction of some miracle or virtue, to the glory, honor, and memory of great and distinguished people; or images of vice, intended to disgrace and shame wicked individuals, so that future generations might learn from them.29 e.30 that we might avoid vice and pursue virtue. These images fall into two categories. First, words are written out in books with letters; for a letter is itself an image of a word. This is how God inscribed the Law on the tablets (Ex. 31:18, 32:16) and commanded that the lives of the men he loved be written down. Second, people leave behind some visible image as a memorial. That's why God commanded that the jar and the rod be placed in the Ark as a lasting reminder, and why he commanded that the names of the tribes be engraved on the stones of the ephod (Ex.31 28:21); and why he commanded that twelve stones be taken out of the Jordan, so that they would stand for the priests who carried the Ark (what a truly great mystery this is for the faithful!),32 and the drying up of the water (Josh. 4:3-9). In the same way, we today make a point of depicting on icons the men who became famous for their virtues, so that we'll remember them and stir ourselves up to compete with them.33 So either reject every icon and lay down a law of your own — since that's what opposing the law of the One who commanded this amounts to — or accept each one according to its own meaning and purpose.34 Third: what can be depicted, and how — and what cannot? Bodies can certainly be depicted, because they have a visible appearance, a bodily outline, and color. An angel, a soul, a demon—though they don't have the coarseness of a body—still have a form and limits proper to their own nature; for we believe that, as spiritual beings, they are present and act spiritually in spiritual realms. So they too can be depicted in bodily form, the way Moses depicted the Cherubim, and the way they themselves have appeared to those worthy of it—only, in the bodily image one must see something bodiless and spiritual.✦ The divine nature alone has no outline, no visible appearance, no image, and no limits. Holy Scripture does seem to portray even God in bodily images, but in such a way that, while the depictions are visible, the realities they depict are bodiless.35 For the Prophets, and those to whom such things were revealed, saw them not with bodily eyes but with the eyes of the mind; not everyone was able to see them. In short: we can make images of everything we see and picture in the mind as we have seen it. For although we form concepts with the mind, we arrive at those concepts by rising from things that fall under sight. In the same way, we can use reason to form concepts of whatever we grasp through the senses of smell, taste, and touch.36 So then, we know that God, the soul, and spirit cannot be seen as they are in their own nature; but in an image they can be seen. For God's providence clothes in images and forms those beings that are bodiless, formless, and without material shape, so as to lead us at least to some weak and incomplete knowledge of them, and to keep us from being left in total ignorance of God and of bodiless creatures. God, in His own nature, is entirely bodiless. An angel, a soul, and a demon are bodies when compared with God, who alone is beyond all comparison; but compared with material bodies, they are bodiless.37 And so God, unwilling to leave us in total ignorance of bodiless beings, clothed them in features, images, and forms suited to our nature — in bodily forms, through which they are contemplated by the immaterial eye of the mind. And this is exactly how we picture them and depict them. How else could anyone picture or depict the Cherubim? And Holy Scripture presents even God Himself in forms and images.

Who First Made Icons?

God himself is presented as the first icon-maker, through the generation of the Son, the creation of humanity in His image, and divine appearances to patriarchs and prophets.

Who was the first to make icons? God himself was the first to beget the Only-begotten Son and his Word, his living image, the natural expression of his own eternity that differs from it in nothing; and he also made the human being in his own image and likeness (Gen.38 1:26). And Adam saw God, and heard the sound of him walking at midday; and he hid himself in the middle of Paradise (Gen.39 3:8). In the same way Jacob saw God and wrestled with him (Gen. 32:24–25). Clearly God appeared to him in the form of a man; and Moses saw his back (Ex.40 33:23) — that is, saw him as though he were a man; and Isaiah saw him as a man seated on a throne (Isa. 6:1).41 Daniel saw the likeness of a man, one like the Son of Man, coming to the Ancient of Days (Dan. 7:13). No one has seen the divine nature itself, only the likeness and image of the One who was going to appear on earth.42 For the Son, the invisible Word of God, had to become a real human being, so that He might be united with our nature and appear on earth. All of them worshiped while seeing only the likeness and image of the One who was to come, as the Apostle Paul says in his letter to the Hebrews: "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them from afar off, and embraced them" (Heb.43 11:13). So then, am I really not allowed to make an image of the One who, for my sake, became visible in the nature of flesh?44 So can't I worship and honor Him by honoring and bowing before His image?45 What Abraham saw wasn't the divine nature, for "no one has ever seen God" (John 1:18), but an image of God — "and he fell . . on his face" (Gen. 17:17). What Joshua saw wasn't the angel's nature but an image, since an angel's nature is invisible to bodily eyes — "and . . he fell on his face to the ground and bowed down before him” (Josh.46 5:14). Daniel did the same thing (Dan. 8:18). But an angel isn't God; an angel is a creature who serves God and stands in his presence. So Daniel bowed to him not as God, but as a servant who stands before God.47 So why shouldn't I portray the friends of Christ on icons, and why shouldn't I bow before them — not as gods, but as images of the friends of God? After all, Joshua and Daniel bowed down to the angels who appeared to them, but not as to gods; and I bow before an icon not as before God — rather, through the honor I give to icons and to the saints depicted on them, I offer worship and honor to God. It's for God's sake that I reverence his friends.48 God did not unite himself with the angelic nature but with human nature; God did not become an angel, but a true human being by nature. "For truly he does not take hold of angels, but he takes hold of the seed of Abraham" (Heb.49 2:16). It was not the angelic nature that became the Son of God in the person of Christ, but human nature; angels came to share not in the divine nature but in divine power and grace, while human beings became companions and partakers of the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4) — that is, all who receive the holy Body of Christ and drink his Blood. For this Body is united with the Godhead in the person of Christ, and so in the Body of Christ that we receive, the two natures are joined inseparably with respect to his person.50 That is why we too become partakers of two natures: of the bodily one by the body, and of the divine one by the spirit — that is.51 that is,52 of both, each according to its own character.53 We are one with Christ not in our own person—since we already have our own person before we are united to Him—but through the uniting reception of His Body and Blood.54 So, aren't those who keep this union unbroken by obeying the commandments greater than the angels? Our nature, being mortal and weighed down by the coarseness of the body, is of course lower than the nature of the angels; but because God looked on it with favor and united Himself to it, it has been raised higher than theirs.55 For the angels stand with fear and trembling before human nature in Christ, seated on the throne of glory, and they will stand trembling before it at the judgment as well. Scripture doesn't call them enthroned alongside Him, or sharers in divine glory; instead, it calls them all ministering spirits, sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation (Heb.56 1:14). It doesn't say they will reign with Christ (2 Tim. 2:12); that they will be glorified with Him (Rom. 8:17), and that they will sit at the Father's table (Luke57 22:30); but the saints it does call "children of God" (John 1:12), and sons of the Kingdom (Matt. 13:38), and heirs of God, co-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17).✦ So when I honor the Saints, I glorify them as servants, friends, and co-heirs of Christ: servants by nature, friends by "foreknowledge" (Rom.✦58 8:28), and children and heirs by divine grace, as the Lord says to His Father (John 17:22).

The Nature of Veneration

Veneration is defined as a sign of submission, humility, and love, with various kinds including worship of God, adoration of His glory, thanksgiving, petition, repentance, and veneration of saints.

Now that we've discussed icons, let's talk about venerating them. First, what exactly is veneration?59 Veneration is a sign of submission—that is,6061 —62 of self-abasement and humility.63 And there are many kinds of veneration. How many kinds of veneration are there?64 The first kind of worship is the worship of service, which we offer to the One who by his very nature is worthy of worship: God.65 This kind, too, takes more than one form. And first of all, it can be the worship of a servant: this is how all creatures worship God, the way slaves worship their Master.66 "All things serve you," Scripture says (Ps.67 118:91). And some worship him freely, others against their will; some, having come to know God, worship him gladly — these are the godly; but others, though they know him, worship him reluctantly and against their own will, as the demons do. Those who do not know the true God as he really is also worship him against their will.68 The second kind of worship is the expression of wonder and love: this is how we worship God on account of the glory that is inseparable from His nature. For He alone is glorious, in such a way that He borrows this glory from no one, but is Himself the Source of all glory and all good.69 He is light beyond understanding, sweetness beyond compare, beauty beyond price, an abyss of goodness, unsearchable wisdom, limitless power — He alone, in and of Himself, worthy of wonder, worship, glory, and love.70 The third kind is the worship of thanksgiving for the good things given to us; for every creature owes God thanks and owes him unending worship, since everything that exists has its being from him, and "in him all things hold together" (Col.71 1:17). He pours out his gifts on everyone in abundance, even unasked. He 'wants all people to be saved' (1 Tim. 2:4) and share in his goodness, he bears patiently with us sinners: "he makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Matt.72 5:45). And since the Son of God himself became like us for our sake and made us partakers of the divine nature, so that we too 'shall be like him,' as John the Theologian says in his catholic epistle (1 John.7374 3:2). The fourth way we worship is by recognizing our own poverty and turning to God for his kindness, knowing that without him we can do nothing and have nothing good. We worship him and ask for whatever each of us feels we need and desire—whether it's to be delivered from some evil or to receive some good.7576 The fifth kind of worship consists in repentance and confession. For since we're sinners, we worship God and fall down before Him like well-meaning servants, asking Him to forgive our sins.77 This kind has three forms: one grieves out of love, another out of the fear of losing God's benefits, and another out of dread of punishment. The first form comes from sincere love for God Himself and from a son's disposition toward Him; the second is the hireling's, and the third the slave's.78

Objects of Veneration

Veneration is due to those in whom God rests (Theotokos, saints), things used in salvation (Cross, Holy Sepulcher), things dedicated to God (Gospels, altar), prophetic visions, and foreshadowings.

According to Scripture, what things are worthy of veneration, and how many kinds of veneration are given to created beings?79 First, we venerate those in whom God rests — the one who alone is Holy, and who rests in the saints — that is, the Holy Mother of God and all the saints.✦80 For they have become like God in every way they could: by the working of their own will, by God's dwelling in them, and by His help. They are rightly called gods as well — not by nature, but by sharing in that nature, the way red-hot iron is called fire not by its own nature but because it has taken fire in and been joined to it; for it is said, "Be holy, for I am holy" (Lev.8182 19:2). For this, free willingness is needed first; then God lends His aid to everyone who wants what is good.83 Besides this, it is said, "I will live in them and walk among them" (2 Cor. 6:16; Lev. 26:12).84 It's also said, "You are God's temple, and God's Spirit lives in you" (1 Cor. 3:16). Again, "He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and every sickness" (Matt. 10:1); and: "The works that I do, he will do also, and he will do greater than these" (John 14:12); and again, "As I live, says the Lord, I will honor only those who honor me" (1 Sam.85 2:30). And in another place: "Since we suffer with him, so that we may also be glorified with him" (Rom. 8:17); and finally: "God stood in the assembly of the gods, and in their midst he judges the gods" (Ps.86 81:1). So then, since they really are gods not by nature but by sharing in the divine nature, they're also worthy of veneration not by their own nature but because they have within them the One who by his own nature is worthy of veneration — just as red-hot iron isn't untouchable and doesn't burn by its own nature, but because it has taken fire into itself, and burning is what fire naturally does.87 So we venerate them because God has glorified them, made them fearsome to their enemies and benefactors to those who come to them in faith. We venerate them not as gods or as benefactors by their own nature, but as servants and ministers of God who have confidence before God because of their love for him. We venerate them because a king himself takes the honor as his own when he sees that someone he loves is being honored — not honored as a king, but as an obedient servant and a friend well disposed toward him.88 And those who come to that servant in faith receive what they ask for — whether the servant asks the king about it, or the king accepts the honor and the faith of the one who asks the servant in the king's name. This is how those who came to Christ through the Apostles received healing. This is how the shadow of the Apostles, and their handkerchiefs and aprons, poured out healings (Acts 5:15; 19:12). But those who, with a rebellious and seditious spirit, want to be worshiped like gods deserve not worship but everlasting fire. And those who, harboring arrogant and proud thoughts, refuse to honor God's servants are condemned as vain and haughty, as people who insult God himself.89 The boys who mocked Elisha and were then devoured by she-bears serve as proof of this (2 Kings90 2:23-24). The second kind of veneration is what we give to the things through which, and in which, God accomplished our salvation—both before Christ's coming and after his Incarnation.91 These are such things: Mount Sinai; Nazareth; the manger and the cave at Bethlehem; holy Golgotha; the wood of the Cross; the nails; the sponge; the reed; the sacred and saving spear; the clothing, the tunic, the burial wrappings and the shroud; the Holy Sepulcher — the source of our Resurrection; the stone of the tomb; the holy Mount Zion, and likewise the Mount of Olives; the Sheep Pool; and the Garden of Gethsemane.92 I show reverence to these and similar things, and I venerate them the same way I venerate any holy temple of God and anything by which God's name is glorified—not because these objects are inherently worthy of veneration, but because they served as instruments of God's power, and because through them and in them God was pleased to accomplish our salvation. I also give honor and veneration to angels, to human beings, and to anything in which divine power can be seen and which has served my salvation; and I venerate them because of that divine power working in them. I do not venerate the Jews, for they did not receive divine power into themselves, and they crucified the Lord of glory, my God—not to save me, but out of envy and hatred toward God and Benefactor.93 "Lord, I have loved the beauty of your house," David says, "and the place where your glory dwells" (Ps.94 25:8).95 And likewise: "Worship at the footstool of his feet" (Ps.96 98:5); and again: "worship at his holy mountain" (Ps.97 98:9). The holy living mountain of God is the Holy Mother of God; the spiritual mountains of God are the Apostles: "the mountains skipped like rams, and the hills like lambs of the flock" (Ps.9899 113:4). The third kind of veneration takes place when we venerate things dedicated to God, such as the Holy Gospel and the other books written for the instruction of us, upon whom the last times have come (1 Cor.100 10:11; Rom. 15:4); likewise the diskoi, the chalices, the censers, the candles, and the altar tables.101 Clearly, all these things deserve respect. For look at how God destroyed Belshazzar's kingdom when he ordered the sacred vessels to be used at a banquet (Dan. 5:23–28). The fourth kind of veneration has to do with the visions of the Prophets, who beheld God in images, and with the foreshadowings of things to come — such as Aaron's rod, which figures the mystery of the Virgin, and the jar of manna, and the table.102103 So Jacob bowed in worship over the top of his staff, which stood as an image of the Cross (Heb. 11:21). In the same way, memorials of great events were honored—for example, the Tabernacle, which represented the whole world. For God says to Moses, "See that you make everything according to the pattern I showed you on the mountain" (Ex.104 25:40). So too the Cherubim cast in gold, and the Cherubim woven into the veil. In this same way, we venerate the honorable image of the Cross, and the bodily depiction of the likeness of our God, and of her who bore Him in the flesh, and of all His Saints.105

Veneration in Human Relations and Authority

Veneration also extends to mutual respect among believers, and to civil authorities as appointed by God.

The fifth way to show reverence is through the respect we have for one another, by submitting to each other, and by keeping the law of love (Eph.106 5:21; 1 Pet.107 2:17), since we all share in the divine nature and are created in God's image.108 The sixth way to show reverence is toward rulers and civil authorities.109 For "pay everyone what you owe them," the Apostle commands — "honor to whom honor is due" (Rom.110 13:7). This is how Jacob bowed before his older brother Esau (Gen. 33:3), and before Pharaoh, whom God had placed in authority (Gen. 47:7).

The True Christian's Faith and Practice

The chapter concludes by urging believers to maintain faith, honor God, His Mother, and His saints, and to adhere to Church tradition, warning against doubt and innovation.

The seventh way to show reverence is when servants bow before their masters, and people who need something bow before their benefactors—like Abraham bowing before the sons of Heth when he bought the "double cave" from them (Gen.111112 23:9). In a word: veneration is an expression of fear, love, honor, submission, and humility.113 But divine worship must be given to no one except the one true God; still, everyone should be given the honor due them, for the Lord's sake.114 Consider the strength and divine power given to those who approach holy icons with faith and a clear conscience. So then, brothers, let's stand on the rock of faith and on the tradition of the Church, never crossing the boundaries our holy Fathers set, and never allowing anyone to introduce novelties and tear down what the holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of God has built.✦115 For if anyone who wants to is allowed to attempt this, then little by little the whole body of the Church will fall apart. No, brothers! No, children of the Church who love Christ! Don't shame our mother, don't strip her of her adornment; take her into your love, which she begs of you through me. Listen to what God says about her: "You are altogether beautiful, my love, and there is no flaw in you" (Song of Songs✦116 4:7).✦ Let us bow down and worship the one Creator and Maker, as God, who by his very nature is worthy of worship. Let us also bow before the Holy Theotokos, not as God, but as the Mother of God according to the flesh. And let us bow before the Saints, as the chosen friends of God who have boldness before him.✦117 After all, if people bow before mortal kings—often impious and sinful ones—and likewise before the rulers those kings appoint, and even before their images, following the divine Apostle's words, "Be subject to rulers and authorities" (Titus 3:1),✦ and again, "Pay everyone what you owe them: fear to whom fear is due, honor to whom honor is due" (Rom. 13:7), and following the Lord's word, "Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God" (Matt. 22:21)— 13:7); and following the word of the Lord: "Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God" (Matt.✦ 22:21) — then how much more must we bow before the King of kings, as the one Master by nature, and before his servants and friends, who reigned over their own passions and were appointed rulers over all the earth, as David says: "You will make them princes over all the earth" (Ps.118 44:17) — who were given authority over demons and over diseases (Luke 9:1), who will reign with Christ in the eternal and indestructible Kingdom, and whose shadow alone drove off diseases and demons. So let's not treat icons as more powerless and more worthless than a shadow, when they faithfully represent the original.119 Brothers! A Christian is known by faith. So whoever comes with faith gains great benefit; but “the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind” (Jas. 1:6); such a person will receive nothing—for all the Saints pleased God by faith.

Read the original Russian

Во-первых, скажем, что есть икона; во-вторых, для чего делаются иконы; в-третьих, сколько различных родов икон; в-четвертых, что можно изображать на иконе и чего нельзя; в-пятых, кто первый стал делать иконы. Потом скажем и о поклонении, и, во-первых, что есть поклонение; во-вторых, сколько родов поклонения; в-третьих, какие, по Писанию, предметы достойны поклонения; в-четвертых, о том, что всякое поклонение должно быть относимо к Богу, Который достопоклоняем по естеству Своему; в-пятых, что честь, воздаваемая иконе, относится к тому, кто на ней изображается.

Во-первых, что есть икона?

Икона есть подобие, представление, изображение, в котором виден предмет изображаемый. Впрочем, изображение не во всех отношениях бывает сходно с подлинником, т. е. с тем, что оно изображает. Ибо иное есть образ и иное изображаемое: нельзя не видеть между ними различия; поскольку образ и предмет изображаемый не суть одно и то же. Например, образ человека хотя выражает черты тела, но не имеет душевных сил: ибо он и без жизни, и не размышляет, и не говорит, и не чувствует, и не имеет движения в членах. Сын есть естественный образ отца; однако чем-нибудь различается от него: ибо он есть сын, а не отец.

Во-вторых, для чего делается икона?

Всякая икона есть изображение, представление вещи сокровенной. Т. е. поскольку человек не имеет чистого познания о вещах невидимых, ибо душа его облечена телом, ни о том, что будет после него, ни о том, что отдалено от него по месту, ибо он ограничен пространством и временем, то для введения его в познание, для показания и обнаружения вещей сокровенных делаются изображения (иконы). Следовательно, они делаются для нашей пользы и блага, для нашего спасения, для того, чтобы мы из предметов начертанных и видимо представленных познали сокровенное, чтобы возлюбили добродетель и шли вслед ее, а противное ей, т. е. порок, возненавидели и отвращались от него.

В-третьих, сколько различных родов икон?

Роды икон суть следующие: первый род составляют иконы естества. В каждой вещи сперва должно быть естество, а потом уже образ. Так, например, надобно, чтоб человек прежде существовал по естеству, и тогда может уже быть изображение его. Итак, первый по естеству и совершенно сходный образ невидимого Бога Отца есть Сын, являющий Отца в Самом Себе. Ибо сказано: «Бога никтоже виде нигдеже» (Ин. 1, 18); и еще: «Не яко Отца видел есть кто» (Ин. 6, 46). А что Сын есть образ Отца, о сем говорит Апостол: «Иже есть образ Бога невидимаго» (Кол.

1, 15); и в послании к Евреям: «Иже Сый сияние славы и образ ипостаси Его» (Евр. 1, 3). И что Он в Самом Себе являет Отца, сие видно из Евангелия Иоанна, где на слова Филиппа: «Господи, покажи нам Отца, и довлеет нам», Господь ответствует: «толико время с вами есмь, и не познал еси Мене, Филиппе; видевый Мене виде Отца» (Ин. 14, 8–9). Следовательно, Сын есть естественный образ Отца, нимало не различный, но во всех отношениях сходный с Отцом, кроме нерождения и отчества. Ибо Отец рождает и не рождается, Сын рождается и несть Отец; Дух Святый есть образ Сына. «Никтоже может рещи Господа Иисуса, точию Духом Святым» (1Кор. 12, 3).

Следовательно, чрез Духа Святаго мы познаем Христа, Сына Божия и Бога в Сыне созерцаем Отца: ибо мысль естественным образом выражается чрез слово, а слово обнаруживается чрез дыхание. Посему Дух Святый есть совершенно сходный и нимало не отличный образ Сына, кроме одного Своего исхождения; ибо Сын рождается, а не исходит. Да и всегда Сын есть естественный образ Отца. И так первый род икон суть иконы естества.

Второй род икон суть понятие в Боге о тех вещах, которые имеют принять бытие от Него, т. е. предвечный Его совет, который всегда одинаков. Ибо Бог непременен, и совет Его безначален, и то, что Он от вечности в нем положил, исполняется в предопределенное от Него время и предуставленным образом. Посему понятия Божии о каждой из тех вещей, которые от Него имеют принять бытие свое, суть их образы, чертежи, или, как называет св. Дионисий, предопределения. Ибо в совете Его начертан образ всем вещам, которым предопределено быть, и которые непременно будут, еще до бытия их.

Третий род икон находим в созданном по образу Божию, т. е. в человеке: ибо каким образом сотворенное может быть таково же, как несотворенное, если не по сходству? Как Отец – ум, Сын – слово, и Дух Святый суть един Бог; так ум, слово и дыхание – один человек, который также есть образ Божий по свободе и по праву владычества. Ибо Бог говорит: «сотворим человека по образу Нашему и по подобию», и сряду присовокупляет: «и да обладает рыбами морскими, и птицами небесными». И далее: «обладайте рыбами морскими, и птицами небесными. . .

и всею землею. . . и господствуйте ею» (Быт. 1:26, 28).

Четвертый род икон составляют книги Священного Писания, которые представляют образы, виды, черты вещей невидимых и бестелесных, изображая их телесно, дабы и мы, хотя несовершенно, могли понять Бога и Ангелов; ибо без образов, к нашему понятию приспособленных, мы не можем созерцать вещей бестелесных, как говорит обильный ведения Божественного Дионисий Ареопагит. А что предоставлено необразное в образе, безвидное в виде; то кто не скажет, что единственная сему причина есть приспособление к нам? Ибо мы не можем непосредственно возноситься к созерцаемому духовно, и не имеем к тому собственных и естественных способов. Итак, ежели Слово Божие, сообразуясь с нашим состоянием, отовсюду собирает средства к нашему возвышению, и предметам простым и не имеющим вида дает образы, то почему оно не может делать изображения тому, что по естеству своему само себя выражает, и что мы любим, но чего, по причине отсутствия, видеть не можем? Григорий Богослов говорит, что сколько бы ум ни старался выйти из круга телесности, никак не может; "невидимая Божия от создания мира, твореньми помышляема видима суть» (Рим. 1, 20). И в вещах сотворенных мы видим слабые образы Божества. Так, например, говорим, что находим образ Святыя безначальныя Троицы в солнце, свете и луче, или в истоке, реке, из него истекающей, и в течении воды; или в нашем уме, слове и дыхании, или в розе, ее цвете и запахе.

Иконами пятого рода называются те, которые служат прообразованием и предначертанием будущего, как например: купина (Исх. 3, 2) и роса, падшая на руно (Суд. 6, 40), прообразовали Деву и Богородицу: также жезл (Чис. 17, 10) и стамна (Исх. 16, 33). Так, медный змий (Чис. 21, 9) предуказывал, что люди Крестом исцелены будут от угрызения змия искони лукавого. Так, море прообразовало воду Крещения, а облако – Дух, нисходящий на крещаемого.

Шестой род икон составляют изображения, делаемые для памяти – изображение какого-либо чуда или добродетели, в славу и честь память великих и отличных мужей; или изображения порока к безславию и посрамлению людей порочных, и с тою целию, чтобы из сих изображений после потомство получало себе наставление, т. е. чтобы мы убегали пороков и шли вслед добродетели. Сии изображения бывают двух родов.

Во-первых, слова буквами пишут в книгах; ибо буква есть изображение слова. Так Бог начертал закон на скрижалях (Исх. 31:18, 32:16) и повелел описать жизни возлюбленных Себе мужей.

Во-вторых, оставляют для памяти чувственное какое-нибудь изображение: так Бог повелел положить в Кивоте стамну и жезл, в вечное напоминание; так повелел изваять на камнях нарамника имена колен (Исх. 28, 21); также взять двенадцать камней из Иордана, дабы они означали Священников, несших Кивот (о сколь великое поистине таинство для верных!) , и оскудение воды (Нав. 4, 3–9). Подобным образом и ныне мы стараемся изображать на иконах мужей, прославившихся добродетелями, для воспоминания о них, и возбуждения себя к соревнованию им. И так или всякую икону отвергни, и постанови свой закон, если противишься закону Того, Кто повелел быть сему; или принимай каждую сообразно с значением и целью каждой.

В-третьих, что и как можно изображать, и чего нельзя?

Тела изображать очень можно, потому что они имеют вид, телесное очертание и цвет. Ангел, душа, демон, хотя и не имеют телесной грубости, но также имеют вид и пределы, свойственные своей природе; ибо мы верим, что они, как существа духовные, в духовных областях духовно присутствуют и действуют. Посему и их можно изображать в телесном виде, как изобразил Моисей Херувимов, и как они сами являлись достойным; только надобно видеть в телесном образе нечто безтелесное и духовное. Одно Божеское естество не имеет ни очертания, ни вида, ни образа, ни пределов. Хотя Священное Писание, по-видимому, и Бога изображает в телесных образах, но так, что хотя изображения видимы, а самые образы безтелесны. Ибо Пророки и те, коим они открывались, видели их не телесными, а умными очами; ибо не все могли видеть их. Кратко сказать: мы можем делать изображения всему, что видим, и представляем в уме так, как видели. Ибо хотя мы умом составляем понятия, но к сим понятиям восходим от предметов, подлежащих зрению.

Так о том, что мы понимаем посредством чувств: обоняния, вкуса и осязания, мы можем посредством разума образовать понятия.

Итак, мы знаем, что ни Бога, ни души, ни духа по природе их видеть невозможно; но в изображении видеть их можно. Ибо промысл Божий облекает в образы и виды существа безтелесные, необразные и не имеющие вещественного вида, дабы руководствовать нас хотя к слабому и неполному их познанию, чтоб мы не остались в совершенном неведении о Боге и безтелесных тварях. Бог, по естеству Своему, совершенно безтелесен. Ангел, душа и демон, в сравнении с Богом, единым несравненным, суть тела; а в сравнении с вещественными телами, безтелесны. Итак, Бог, не желая оставить нас в совершенном неведении о безтелесных существах, облек их в черты, образы и виды, свойственные нашей природе, – в виды телесные, чрез которые они созерцаются невещественным оком ума. И сим-то образом мы их представляем и изображаем. Иначе как можно было бы представить и изобразить Херувимов? Священное же Писание представляет в видах и образах и Самого Бога.

Кто первый стал делать иконы?

Сам Бог первый родил Единородного Сына и Слово Свое, живой Свой образ, естественное и ничем не отличное выражение Своей вечности: Он же сотворил и человека по образу Своему и по подобию (Быт. 1, 26). И Адам видел Бога, и слышал глас Его, ходящего по полудни; и скрылся посреди Рая (Быт. 3, 8). Так же и Иаков видел Бога, и боролся с Ним (Быт. 32, 24–25). Очевидно, что Бог явился ему в виде человека: Моисей видел задняя Его (Исх. 33, 23), так, как бы человека; Исаия видел Его, как человека, сидящего на престоле (Ис.

6, 1). Даниил видел подобие человека, и как бы Сына человеческого, пришедшего до Ветхого денми (Дан. 7, 13). Никто не видел естества Божеского, но одно подобие и образ Того, Который имел явиться на земле. Ибо Сын, или невидимое Слово Божие, долженствовал быть истинным человеком, дабы соединиться с естеством нашим и явиться на земле. Все поклонялись, видя одно подобие и образ имевшего приити, как говорит Апостол Павел в послании к Евреям: «По вере умроша сии вси, не приемше обетовании, но издалеча видевше я, и целовавше» (Евр. 11, 13). Итак, ужели я не могу сделать изображения Тому, Который для меня стал видим в естестве плоти?

Ужели не могу поклоняться и почитать Его, почитая и поклоняясь Его образу? Видел Авраам не естество Божие: ибо «Бога никтоже виде нигдеже» (Ин. 1, 18), но образ Божий, «и паде. . . на лице свое» (Быт. 17, 17). Видел Иисус Навин не естество Ангела, но образ: ибо естество Ангела для очей телесных невидимо, «и.

. . паде лицем своим на землю и поклонися ему» (Нав. 5, 14). То же сделал и Даниил (Дан. 8, 18). Но Ангел не Бог, а тварь, служащая и предстоящая Богу; посему он и поклонился ему не как Богу, но как служителю, предстоящему Богу. Почему же мне не изображать на иконах друзей Христовых, и для чего не поклоняться им не как богам, но как изображениям друзей Божиих?

Ибо Иисус и Даниил поклонялись являвшимся им Ангелам не как богам; и я поклоняюсь иконе не как Богу, но чрез поклонение иконам и изображенным на них Святым приношу поклонение и честь Богу; для Бога благоговейно чту и друзей Его. Бог не с естеством Ангельским соединился, но с естеством человеческим; не Ангелом Бог соделался, но истинным человеком по естеству. «Не от Ангел бо когда приемлет, но от семене Авраамова приемлет» (Евр. 2, 16). Не естество Ангельское соделалось Сыном Божиим в лице Христа, но естество человеческое; Ангелы соделались причастны не Божественного естества, но силы и благодати, а человеки – общниками и причастниками Божественного естества (2Пет. 1, 4), все, которые приемлют Святое Тело Христово и пиют Кровь Его. Ибо сие соединено с Божеством в лице Христа, и таким образом в приемлемом нами Теле Христовом соединены два естества нераздельно по отношению к Его лицу. Посему мы и делаемся причастниками двух естеств: телесного по телу, Божественного по духу, т.

е. обоих, смотря по свойству того и другого. Мы едино со Христом не лично (ибо мы прежде имеем свое лицо, нежели соединяемся), но по соединительному приобщению Тела и Крови. Итак, не больше ли Ангелов те, которые соблюдением заповедей сохраняют неразрывно сие соединение? Естество наше, по смертности своей и по грубости тела, конечно, ниже естества Ангелов; но благоволением к нему и соединением с ним Бога, соделалось выше оных. Ибо Ангелы со страхом и трепетом предстоят пред человеческим естеством во Христе, сидящим на престоле славы, и с трепетом будут предстоять на суде.

Писание не называет их совоссидящими, ни участниками в Божеской славе; но называет всех служебными духами, на служение посылаемым за хотящих наследовати спасение (Евр. 1, 14). Оно не говорит, что они будут царствовать со Христом (2Тим. 2, 12); что с Ним прославятся (Рим. 3, 17), и что будут сидеть за трапезою Отца (Лк. 22, 30); а Святых называет и «чадами Божиими» (Ин. 1, 12), и сынами Царствия (Мф. 13, 38), и наследниками Божиими, Христу же сонаследниками (Рим.

8, 17). Итак, я, почитая Святых, прославляю их, как рабов, друзей и сонаследников Христовых: рабов – по естеству, друзей – по «предуведению» (Рим. 8, 28), чад и наследников – по Божественной благодати, как говорит Господь к Отцу Своему (Ин. 17, 22).

Сказав об иконах, скажем и о поклонении им; и во-первых, что есть поклонение?

Поклонение есть знак покорности, т. е. уничижения и смирения. Роды же поклонения многочисленны.

Сколько родов поклонения?

Первый род поклонения есть поклонение служебное, какое мы приносим Единому, по естеству Своему достопоклоняемому, Богу. Оно также различно. И, во-первых, оное бывает рабское: так поклоняются Богу все твари, как рабы Владыке. «Всяческая работна Тебе», – говорит Писание (Пс. 118, 91). И одни поклоняются свободно, другие – невольно; одни, познав Бога, поклоняются Ему с охотою, каковы суть благочестивые; другие же, зная Его, поклоняются Ему нехотя и против воли, как демоны. Против воли же поклоняются Ему и те, которые не знают существа истинного Бога.

Второй род поклонения есть выражение удивления и любви: так мы поклоняемся Богу по причине неразлучной с естеством Его славы. Ибо Он един славен, так что ни от кого не заимствует сей славы, но Сам есть Виновник всякой славы и всякого добра. Он есть свет непостижимый, сладость несравненная, красота неоцененная, бездна благости, неисследимая премудрость, безпредельная сила, един Сам Собою достойный удивления, поклонения, прославления и любви.

Третий род есть поклонение благодарственное за дарованные нам блага; ибо все существа должны благодарить Бога и приносить Ему вечное поклонение; поскольку от Него все имеют свое бытие, «и всяческая в Нем состоятся» (Кол. 1, 17). Он на всех и без прошения обильно изливает дары Свои; Он «хощет, чтобы вси люди спаслися» (1Тим. 2, 4), и были причастны Его благости, долготерпит нам, грешным: «солнце Свое сияет на злыя и благия и дождит на праведныя и на неправедныя» (Мф. 5, 45). И поскольку Сам Сын Божий для нас уподобился нам и соделал нас причастниками Божеского естества, так что и мы «подобии Ему будем», как говорит Иоанн Богослов в Соборном послании (1Ин. 3, 2).

Четвертый род поклонения бывает, когда мы признаем свою нищету и ожидаем от Бога благодеяния, зная, что без Него не можем ничего делать, ни иметь доброго; мы поклоняемся Ему и просим от Него того, в чем каждый чувствует нужду, и чего желает; избавиться ли от зла, или получить блага.

Пятый род поклонения состоит в покаянии и исповедании. Ибо будучи грешниками, мы поклоняемся и припадаем к Богу, как благомыслящие рабы, прося отпущения грехов своих. Сей род имеет три вида: один скорбит по любви, другой – от опасения, чтобы не лишиться благодеяний Божиих, а иной – от страха мучений. Первый вид происходит от искренней любви к Самому Богу и от сыновнего к Нему расположения; второй есть наемнический, а третий – рабский.

Какие, по Писанию, предметы достойны поклонения, и сколько родов поклонения тварям? Во-первых, поклоняемся мы тем, в которых почивает Бог, един Святый, и во Святых почивающий, как-то: Святой Богородице и всем Святым. Ибо они всевозможно уподобились Богу, и по действию собственной своей воли, и по обитанию в них Бога, и по Его содействию. Они справедливо называются и богами не по естеству, но по усвоению такового естества, так, как раскаленное железо называется огнем не по естеству своему, но по принятию огня и сообщению с ним; ибо говорится: «Святи будите, яко Аз Свят есмь» (Лев. 19, 2). Для сего, во-первых, нужно свободное желание; потом всякому желающему добра Бог споспешествует. Кроме того, говорится: «яко вселюся в них и похожду» (2Кор. 6, 16; Лев.

26, 12). Так же сказано: «храм Божий есте, и Дух Божий живет в вас» (1Кор. 3, 16). Еще: «даде им власть на дусех нечистых, яко да изгонят их, и целити всяк недуг и всяку болезнь» (Мф. 10, 1); и: «дела, яже Аз творю, и той сотворит, и болша сих сотворит» (Ин. 14, 12); и еще: «живу Аз, глаголет Господь, токмо прославляющыя Мя прославлю» (1Цар. 2, 30). И в другом месте: «понеже с Ним страждем, да и с Ним прославимся» (Рим.

8, 17); и наконец: «Бог ста в сонме богов, посреде же боги разсудит» (Пс. 81, 1). Итак, поскольку они действительно суть боги не по естеству, но по причастию Божеского естества; то и достопоклоняемы также не по естеству своему, но потому, что имеют в себе Того, Который по естеству Своему достопоклоняем: так как раскаленное железо не по природе своей неприкосновенно и жжет, но потому, что приняло в себя огонь, коего естественное свойство есть – жечь. Итак, мы поклоняемся им потому, что Бог их прославил, и соделал страшными для врагов, и благодетелями для приходящих к ним с верою; поклоняемся им не как богам и благодетелям по естеству своему, но как рабам и служителям Божиим, имеющим дерзновение к Богу, по любви своей к Нему; поклоняемся им, потому что сам царь относит к себе почтение, когда видит, что почитают любимого им человека, не как царя, но как послушного слугу и благорасположенного к нему друга. И те, которые с верою приходят к нему, получают просимое: слуга ли сей просит о том царя, или царь приемлет честь и веру от того, который просит слугу его, в его имя. Так приходившие ко Христу чрез Апостолов получали исцеление. Так тень, платки и опоясания Апостолов источали исцеления (Деян. 5:15, 19:12).

Но те, которые, имея мятежный и крамольный дух, хотят, чтоб им поклонялись, как богам, достойны не поклонения, а вечного огня, и те, которые, питая в себе высокомерные и гордые мысли, не поклоняются рабам Божиим, осуждаются как тщеславные и надменные, как оскорбляющие Самого Бога. Свидетели сему дети, ругавшиеся над Елисеем, которые за то сделались пищею медведицам (4Цар. 2, 23–24).

Второй род поклонения, когда поклоняемся вещам, посредством которых и в которых совершил Бог наше спасение, как прежде пришествия Господа, так и по воплощении Его. Таковы суть: гора Синай, Назарет, Вифлеемские ясли и вертеп, Святая Голгофа, древо Креста, гвозди, губа, трость, священное и спасительное копие, одежда, хитон, пелены и плащаница, Святой гроб – источник нашего Воскресения, камень гроба, Святая гора Сион, также гора Елеонская, овчая купель, сад Гефсиманский. К сему и подобному я оказываю свое почтение поклонением, и поклоняюсь им так же, как всякому Святому храму Божию и всему, чем прославляется имя Божие, не потому, чтобы сии предметы сами по себе были достойны поклонения, но потому, что они служат орудием силы Божией, и что чрез них и в них благоволил Бог совершить наше спасение. Воздаю почитание и поклонение также и Ангелам и человекам и всякой вещи, в которой видна Божественная сила, и которая служила к моему спасению; и поклоняюсь по причине сей Божественной силы, действующей в них. Иудеям не поклоняюсь: ибо они не приняли в себя Божественной силы, и Господа славы, Бога моего распяли, не с тою целию, чтобы меня спасти, но по зависти и ненависти к Богу и Благодетелю. «Господи, возлюбих благолепие дому Твоего, – говорит Давид, – и место селения славы Твоея» (Пс. 25, 8). Также: «покланяйтеся подножию ногу Его» (Пс.

98, 5); и еще: «покланяйтеся в горе святей Его» (Пс. 98, 9). Святая одушевленная гора Божия есть Святая Богородица; мысленные горы Божии суть Апостолы: «горы взыграшася, яко овни, и холми, яко агнцы овчии» (Пс. 113, 4).

Третий род поклонения бывает, когда поклоняемся вещам, посвященным Богу, таковы суть: Святое Евангелие и прочие книги, написанные в наставление нам, достигшим последних времен (1Кор. 10, 11; Рим. 15, 4); так же дискосы, потиры, кадила, свечи и трапезы. Очевидно, что все сии вещи стоят уважения. Ибо смотри, как Бог разрушил царство Валтасара, когда он повелел употреблять Священные сосуды на пиршестве (Дан. 5, 23–28).

Четвертый род поклонения относится к видениям Пророков, созерцавших Бога в образах, и к преобразованиям вещей будущих, каковы суть: жезл Ааронов, образующий таинство Девы, стамна и трапеза. Так Иаков поклонился на верх жезла, служившего изображением Креста (Евр. 11, 21). Так же и памятники великих происшествий были чтимы, например: Скиния, изображавшая собою весь мир. Ибо "виждь, – говорит Моисею Бог, – и сотвориши Ми по всему, елика Аз покажу тебе на горе» (Исх. 25, 40). Также Херувимы золотые вылитые, и Херувимы на завесе вытканные. Так мы поклоняемся честному изображению Креста, телесному начертанию подобия Бога нашего и Родившей Его по плоти, и всех Святых Его.

Пятый род поклонения состоит во взаимном нашем друг к другу почтении, во взаимной покорности и исполнении закона любви (Еф. 5, 21; 1Пет. 2, 17), поскольку все мы причастники Божества, и созданы по образу Божию.

Шестого рода поклонение относится к начальникам и властям. Ибо, «воздадите убо всем должная, – заповедует Апостол, – емуже честь, честь» (Рим. 13, 7). Так Иаков поклонился старшему брату Исаву (Быт. 33, 3) и поставленному от Бога фараону (Быт. 47, 7).

Седьмой род поклонения, когда рабы поклоняются господам, и имеющие в чем-либо нужду – своим благодетелям, как Авраам поклонился сынам Хетовым, когда купил у них «пещеру сугубую» (Быт. 23, 9).

Словом сказать: поклонение есть выражение страха, любви, почтения, покорности и смирения. Но никому не должно воздавать Божеского поклонения, кроме единого истинного Бога; впрочем, всем надобно воздавать должную честь для Господа.

Смотрите, какая крепость и какая Божественная сила подается тем, которые с верой и чистой совестью приступают к иконам Святым. Почему будем стоять, братия, на камне веры и предании Церкви, не преступая пределов, положенных Святыми Отцами нашими, не попуская вводить новости и разорять здания Святой Соборной и Апостольской Церкви Божией. Ибо если всякому, кто захочет, позволено будет отваживаться на сие, то мало-помалу все тело Церкви разрушится. Нет, братие! Нет, Христолюбивые чада Церкви! Не посрамляйте матери нашей, не лишайте ее украшения ее; приимите ее в любовь свою, о которой она чрез меня умоляет вас. Послушайте, что говорит о ней Бог: «Вся добра еси, ближняя Моя, и порока несть в тебе» (Песн. 4, 7).

Будем поклоняться и служить единому Творцу и Создателю, как по естеству Своему, достопоклоняемому Богу; будем поклоняться и Святой Богородице не как Богу, но как Матери Божией по плоти; будем поклоняться и Святым, как избранным друзьям Божиим и имеющим дерзновение к Богу. Ибо если люди поклоняются царям смертным, часто нечестивым и грешным, так же поставленным от них начальникам, и даже изображениям их, по слову Божественного Апостола: «началствующым и владеющым повиноватися» (Тит. 3, 1); также: «Воздадите убо всем должная: емуже страх, страх: (и) емуже честь, честь» (Рим. 13, 7); и по слову Господа: «воздадите кесарева кесареви, и Божия Богови» (Мф. 22, 21), то кольми паче должно поклоняться Царю царей, как единому по естеству Владыке, и рабам и друзьям Его, которые царствовали над своими страстями, и поставлены начальниками над всею землею, как говорит Давид: «поставиши я князи по всей земли» (Пс. 44, 17), которые получили власть над демонами и над болезнями (Лк. 9,1), которые будут царствовать со Христом в Царстве вечном и неразрушимом, и коих одна тень прогоняла болезни и демонов. Итак, да не почитаем иконы бездейственнее и ничтожнее тени, когда они верно представляют подлинник.

Братия! Христианин познается от веры. Итак, кто с верою приходит, тот получает великую пользу; «сумняйся бо уподобися волнению морскому, ветры возметаему и развеваему» (Иак. 1, 6); он ничего не получит: ибо все Святые верно благоугодили Богу.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Col.1.15;John.14.9 — He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. John.14.9 — Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, "Show us the Father"?'
  2. ↩John.1.18 — No one has ever seen God; the only-begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, that one has made him known.
  3. ↩John.6.46 — Not that anyone has seen the Father—except the one who is from God; this one has seen the Father.
  4. ↩Col.1.15 — He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
  5. ↩Rom.1.20 — For since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes have been clearly perceived, being understood through the things that have been made: both his eternal power and divine nature. So they are without excuse.
  6. ↩Rom.1.20 — For since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes have been clearly perceived, being understood through the things that have been made: both his eternal power and divine nature. So they are without excuse.
  7. ↩Exod.25.18-Exod.25.20;Exod.37.7-Exod.37.9 — And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work you shall make them, at the two ends of the mercy seat. Exod.25.19 — And make one cherub from one end and one cherub from the other end; from the mercy seat you shall make the cherubim on its two ends. Exod.25.20 — The cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall be toward one another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. Exod.37.7 — And he made two cherubim of gold; he made them of hammered work, from the two ends of the mercy seat. Exod.37.8 — One cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end; from the mercy seat he made the cherubim, from its two ends. Exod.37.9 — And the cherubim had their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces were each one toward the other; toward the mercy seat the faces of the cherubim were.
  8. ↩Rom.8.17 — And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
  9. ↩Rom.8.17 — And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
  10. ↩Rev.15.4;1Sam.2.2 — Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. For all the nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed. 1Sam.2.2 — There is no Holy One like the LORD, for there is none besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
  11. ↩Prov.22.28;Deut.19.14 — Do not move the ancient boundary stone that your fathers set. Deut.19.14 — You shall not move the boundary marker of your neighbor, which the previous generations set up, in the inheritance that you will inherit in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.
  12. ↩Song.4.7 — You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.
  13. ↩Song.4.7 — You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.
  14. ↩Jas.2.23 — and the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness," and he was called friend of God.
  15. ↩Titus.3.1 — Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work.
  16. ↩Matt.22.20 — And he said to them, 'Whose image is this, and whose inscription?'

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Russian поклонение covers both 'veneration' and 'worship'. It is rendered 'veneration' throughout for consistency with the chapter's argument; in the fourth clause достопоклоняем по естеству Своему is rendered 'worthy of worship by his very nature' to mark the adoration owed to God alone (latria), which the chapter distinguishes from the relative honor paid to icons.
  2. 2 ↩The final clause states the classic principle that the honor paid to an image passes to its prototype (Basil the Great, On the Holy Spirit 18.45), cited at the Seventh Ecumenical Council. Patristic rather than scriptural; flagged here for the allusion-resolution stage.
  3. 3 ↩The Russian abbreviation «т. е.» ("that is") was split across sentence units s2 and s3 by segmentation. Rendered across the two refs so the joined text reads "— that is, with what it depicts."
  4. 4 ↩«душевных сил» rendered "the soul's powers" — the faculties of the animating soul (life, thought, speech, sensation, motion), which the following clauses spell out.
  5. 5 ↩Russian «вещи сокровенной» is literally "of a hidden thing"; rendered "something hidden" to keep the plain sense without archaism. «Сокровенный» carries the sense of concealed/mysterious rather than merely unseen.
  6. 6 ↩The source segmentation split the Russian abbreviation «т. е.» (= "that is") across refs s2 and s3. This ref carries only «Т.», rendered as the first word of "That is" so that s2+s3 read continuously; it is not an independent sentence.
  7. 7 ↩«Чистого познания» is knowledge that is unmixed and direct — unmediated by the senses — rather than morally "pure" knowledge; "pure knowledge" preserves both the philosophical force and the contrast with mediated knowledge through images.
  8. 8 ↩The Russian correlative «поскольку… то…» ("since… therefore…") is rendered by the subordinate "since" plus a result clause; the doubled «ибо» clauses are rendered "because" and "since" to avoid a stack of identical connectives while keeping their causal force.
  9. 9 ↩This ref ends mid-phrase on the abbreviation «т.» (of «т. е.», "that is"), which the segmenter carried into s6. The clause completes only at s7.
  10. 10 ↩Russian «родов» (from «род») means "kinds/classes/types" here, not "families"; the next section enumerates them, beginning with "icons of nature." «икон» is kept as "icons" rather than the more general "images," since the chapter title is «О святых иконах» (On holy icons).
  11. 11 ↩Russian "иконы естества" — literally "images of nature/essence," meaning images that share the very nature of what they depict, as opposed to made images. Rendered "images by nature" to keep the contrast with the artificial kinds that follow.
  12. 12 ↩The citation is given in Church Slavonic in the source. Rendered in plain modern English; the chapter-and-verse reference is split across the next sentence in the printed text and is left in place.
  13. 13 ↩Slavonic «образ ипостаси Его» renders Greek χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ. "Image of His hypostasis" is kept rather than the looser "exact expression of His being," since the surrounding argument turns on the technical Trinitarian sense of hypostasis.
  14. 14 ↩"нерождения и отчества" names the two properties that belong to the Father alone: unbegottenness (agennēsia) and fatherhood/paternity (patrotēs). "Being Father" is used rather than "paternity" to keep the sentence readable, but the technical sense is the hypostatic property, not a quality of character.
  15. 15 ↩Russian «дыхание» (breath/spirit) carries the analogy: mind → word → breath mirrors Father → Son → Spirit. "Breath" is kept rather than "spirit" so the natural image stays visible, since the Trinitarian application is already explicit.
  16. 16 ↩The Russian reads literally 'for the Son is begotten and does not proceed.' The clause states the distinguishing property that the previous clause named, so the contrast is rendered explicitly as begotten vs. proceeding; no sense is added.
  17. 17 ↩«иконы естества» — icons belonging to the divine nature (essence), as distinguished from the second kind introduced in the next section, God's eternal designs for created things.
  18. 18 ↩The reference is to Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, who speaks of God's προορισμοί — the eternal 'predeterminations' or predefinitions in which creatures pre-exist in God.
  19. 19 ↩The source sentence breaks mid-abbreviation at "т." (the first half of "т. е." = "that is"). The rendering carries "that" here and "is" in the next segment so the two units join into a single idiomatic phrase.
  20. 20 ↩The Russian names the Holy Spirit without repeating a predicate; the analogy (ум / слово / дыхание) requires "breath" (дыхание) as the implied third term, so it is supplied explicitly. "Дыхание" carries both "breath" and, in Trinitarian usage, "spiration."
  21. 21 ↩This is a fragment: the tail of the Genesis quotation begun in the previous section ("rule over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the sky…"). Rendered as the continuation of that list rather than as a standalone clause.
  22. 22 ↩Fragment: the close of the Genesis citation, followed by an interrupted parenthetical reference. The Russian "господствуйте ею" is the plural imperative of dominion given to humanity over the earth; the closing quotation mark is retained from the source.
  23. 23 ↩The Russian «ибо» is causal and carries the argument's weight, so it is rendered "for" rather than dropped: the inability to contemplate bodiless things without images is the stated reason Scripture speaks bodily.
  24. 24 ↩The source reads «предоставлено» ("granted/offered"), almost certainly a slip for «представлено» ("presented, portrayed"), which alone fits the contrast with «в образе ... в виде». Translated on the corrected reading.
  25. 25 ↩«по причине отсутствия» means "because of its absence" — the point is bodily absence (Christ and the saints no longer visible to us), not any lack in the thing itself.
  26. 26 ↩The Romans 1:20 citation runs across the printed sentence break: the reference "1, 20" falls in the next sentence unit (s6). Rendered here as a quotation; final quote sourcing belongs to the Moses stage.
  27. 27 ↩«дыхание» renders the third term of the mind–word–breath triad, chosen deliberately because it mirrors "Spirit" (spirit/breath); "spirit" was avoided here so the analogy, not the doctrine, carries the weight.
  28. 28 ↩Russian стамна (Greek στάμνος) is the golden jar holding the manna, laid up before the Lord (Ex. 16:33; cf. Heb. 9:4) — a standard Marian type. Rendered plainly as "jar" rather than transliterated.
  29. 29 ↩The Russian sentence is cut off mid-abbreviation at "т." (the first half of "т.е." = "that is"). The sense continues into s2 and s3; the segmentation, not the source, is at fault.
  30. 30 ↩This "ref" contains only the second half of the abbreviation "т.е." ("that is"), stranded by sentence segmentation. Read s1–s3 together: "...may receive instruction, that is, so that we may flee vice and follow after virtue."
  31. 31 ↩"Стамна" is the Slavonic term for the golden vessel of manna kept in the Ark (Ex. 16:33; Heb. 9:4); "нарамник" is the shoulder-vestment of the high priest, i.e. the ephod (Ex. 28).
  32. 32 ↩"Таинство" here means mystery in the sense of a divinely instituted sign that discloses more than it shows, not "sacrament" in the technical sense; the parenthesis is the author's exclamation over the figural depth of the twelve stones.
  33. 33 ↩"Соревнование" here carries the older sense of emulation — zealous rivalry in imitating another's virtue (cf. Greek ζῆλος) — rather than modern competition for a prize; "compete with them" is kept for its energy, with "emulate them" as the equivalent reading.
  34. 34 ↩"Если противишься" is conditional in form but functions here as the sting of the dilemma; rendered "since that's what ... amounts to" to keep the accusatory force. A flatter reading would be "if you are opposing the law of the One who commanded this."
  35. 35 ↩The Russian plays on two senses of the same word family: изображения (the depictions, which are seen) and образы (the forms or realities depicted, which are bodiless). Rendered as 'depictions' vs. 'the realities they depict' to keep the distinction legible.
  36. 36 ↩Так here is resumptive rather than merely illustrative: it extends the preceding argument about sight (s7–s8 of the previous section) to the remaining senses. Rendered "In the same way" to keep that logical link explicit.
  37. 37 ↩The Russian 'единым несравненным' — literally 'the one incomparable' — is rendered 'who alone is beyond all comparison,' preserving the point that God's incorporeality is of a wholly different order than that of creatures.
  38. 38 ↩"родил" here is the technical term for eternal begetting, not making; kept as "beget" to preserve the contrast with "сотворил" (created) in the second half of the sentence.
  39. 39 ↩"по полудни" follows the Slavonic reading "in the afternoon/at midday"; most English versions of Genesis 3:8 render the Hebrew as "in the cool of the day." The Slavonic sense is kept because the argument depends on God being seen and heard in a visible manner.
  40. 40 ↩"задняя Его" is the Slavonic plural of Exodus 33:23, traditionally "my back parts"; rendered simply as "his back" for contemporary readability without loss of sense.
  41. 41 ↩This segment is only the tail of a scripture citation (Isaiah 6:1) that was split across the section boundary; the sentence begins in the previous section (s8, "Isaiah saw Him as a man seated on a throne (Is.").
  42. 42 ↩Russian "естество Божеское" is rendered "the divine nature" — the essence of God as distinct from the visible image or likeness through which the theophanies were given.
  43. 43 ↩The quotation is given in Church Slavonic in the source; rendered here in solemn English retaining the cadence of Heb 11:13. Final wording awaits scripture-source resolution.
  44. 44 ↩The rhetorical "ужели" expects the answer "of course I may"; the question is an argument for icons, not a real doubt. Rendered with "really" to carry that force.
  45. 45 ↩The Russian uses one verb, поклоняться, for both the act directed to God and the act directed to the image. I render the first as "worship" and the second as "bowing before," since the argument of this chapter turns on the honor passing to the prototype rather than terminating in the image. A flat "worship the image" would misstate the doctrine the text is defending.
  46. 46 ↩Continuation of the Joshua 5:14 quotation begun in the previous section; the Slavonic «поклонися ему» is rendered “bowed down before him” to keep the act distinct from worship offered to God, which is the argument the section is making.
  47. 47 ↩«поклонился» covers both worship and reverent bowing; the whole argument turns on the distinction, so it is rendered “bowed” here and “worship” is reserved for what is owed to God alone.
  48. 48 ↩Russian «Иисус» here is Joshua son of Nun (Иисус Навин), not Jesus Christ; the preceding section cites Joshua 5:14 alongside Daniel 8:18.
  49. 49 ↩Quoted in Church Slavonic in the source; rendered with the solemn cadence of a scriptural quotation. Final wording awaits Moses resolution.
  50. 50 ↩«сие» ('this') has no explicit antecedent in the sentence; the sense required by the argument is the human nature/Body of Christ just named, so it is rendered "this Body."
  51. 51 ↩The source ends this sentence with the truncated abbreviation «т.», whose second half («е.», = «то есть», "that is") opens the next section. Rendered as the matching English fragment "that i." so no material is added or lost; the two halves join as "that is" when the sections are read together.
  52. 52 ↩The source token "е." is the second half of the abbreviation "т. е." (то есть, "that is"), split across the section boundary by sentence segmentation. Rendered as "that is," continuing the previous section's clause about sharing in two natures.
  53. 53 ↩Fragment continuing the previous section: we become partakers "of both" natures — bodily by the body, divine by the spirit — "смотря по свойству того и другого," i.e. in the manner proper to each nature.
  54. 54 ↩"не лично" is technical: not a union at the level of person (hypostasis). The parenthetical gives the reason (ибо): each of us is already a distinct person prior to the union, so the union cannot be hypostatic. "Соединительное приобщение" is rendered "uniting reception" to keep both the communicating and the unifying force.
  55. 55 ↩"благоволением к нему" is God's gracious good pleasure toward human nature (εὐδοκία), not mere kindness; rendered "looked on it with favor" to keep the divine initiative explicit.
  56. 56 ↩The sentence breaks off mid-citation in the source; the reference "Heb. 1:14" continues into the next sentence unit.
  57. 57 ↩The source prints "3, 17" here, but the clause "glorified with Him" and the surrounding citations point to Romans 8:17; translated with the corrected reference. Flagged for review.
  58. 58 ↩Russian «предуведение» renders the Greek πρόγνωσις — God's prior knowing that grounds election (Rom. 8:28–29). "Foreknowledge" is kept in quotation marks because the source itself flags it as a technical term.
  59. 59 ↩Russian «поклонение» is rendered "veneration" here rather than "worship." The Orthodox Confession is about to distinguish the kinds of поклонение (see the next section), reserving absolute worship (latria) for God alone and giving icons relative honor. "Worship" in contemporary English implies the absolute sense and would misstate the doctrine.
  60. 60 ↩The source sentence is a fragment: the segmenter split the Russian abbreviation «т. е.» («то есть», "that is") across s1/s2, and the predicate completing it falls in s3. Rendered here as the opening of a single continuous clause: "Veneration is a sign of submission — that is, of self-abasement and humility."
  61. 61 ↩«Поклонение» is rendered "veneration" rather than "worship." In this chapter on holy icons the Confession distinguishes the honor given to images from the worship due to God alone, and the following section asks how many kinds of поклонение there are; "worship" here would collapse that distinction.
  62. 62 ↩This "sentence" is only the second half of the split abbreviation «т. е.». Its sense ("that is") is carried in the rendering of s1, so no separate English text is generated here; a dash holds the position rather than inventing content.
  63. 63 ↩«Уничижение» is the deliberate lowering of oneself (self-abasement, self-emptying), not contempt inflicted by others; paired here with «смирение» (humility) as the inner disposition the outward bow signifies.
  64. 64 ↩Russian поклонение covers both the worship due to God alone and the reverence offered to icons and saints. Rendered here as "veneration" because the catechism goes on to subdivide it — the next section separates out поклонение служебное (the servile worship owed to God by nature) from the other kinds. Rendering it flatly as "worship" would collapse the very distinction this chapter is drawing.
  65. 65 ↩"Worship of service" renders поклонение служебное — the Greek latreia, the adoration owed to God alone, as distinguished from the veneration (proskynesis) given to icons and saints. The distinction is the whole point of this chapter, so the phrase is kept explicit rather than flattened into "worship."
  66. 66 ↩рабское covers both "servile" and "slavish"; the noun рабы in the same sentence is rendered "slaves" to keep the master–slave image the author is drawing on, while the adjective is given as "of a servant" to avoid the purely pejorative English sense of "slavish."
  67. 67 ↩Quotation carried over from the Church Slavonic Psalter (Всяческая работна Тебе). The citation is split across this sentence and the next by the printed text; the reference completes as Ps. 118:91 in the Septuagint/Slavonic numbering = Ps. 119:91 in Hebrew numbering. Final wording awaits Moses resolution.
  68. 68 ↩существа (from существо, "essence, being") is rendered "as he really is" rather than the technical "the essence of": the point is ignorance of who God truly is, not a claim that the godly comprehend the divine essence — which Orthodox theology denies.
  69. 69 ↩«Виновник» is the standard Slavonic-Russian calque of Greek αἴτιος — 'cause, author, originator.' Rendered 'Source' to keep the causal force without the modern English overtone of 'culprit'; 'Author' or 'Cause' would be equally faithful.
  70. 70 ↩«един Сам Собою достойный» carries both senses at once: God alone is worthy, and He is worthy by Himself, not by anything conferred on Him. 'He alone, in and of Himself, worthy' holds both rather than choosing between them.
  71. 71 ↩The Russian chains three connectives — ибо ("for"), поскольку ("since") — each carrying real argumentative force: the duty of thanks is grounded in creation's dependence on God. Both are kept rather than collapsed into a single clause.
  72. 72 ↩The clause "и были причастны Его благости" continues the purpose governed by "хощет" in s3 ("he wants all people to be saved and to share in his goodness"); the sentence break falls inside the citation, so the English keeps the coordinating "and" to preserve that link across the segmentation.
  73. 73 ↩"Причастниками Божеского естества" is rendered "partakers of the divine nature" rather than a looser "sharers in God's being": the phrase is the standing scriptural formula behind the Orthodox doctrine of deification, and flattening it would obscure the doctrinal point the sentence is making.
  74. 74 ↩"Иоанн Богослов" is kept as "John the Theologian," the Orthodox title for the Evangelist, rather than assimilated to the Western "John the Divine."
  75. 75 ↩Russian «поклонение» is rendered "worship" throughout this chapter to keep the fivefold taxonomy consistent; the term covers both adoration of God and reverence shown before holy images, and the distinction is drawn by the object, not the word.
  76. 76 ↩«Благодеяния» is rendered "his kindness" rather than "benefits" or "beneficence": the sense is God's active good-doing toward us, which the second half of the sentence unpacks as deliverance from evil and the giving of good things.
  77. 77 ↩"Ибо" (for) is causal, grounding this sentence in the definition just given; it's kept explicit.
  78. 78 ↩The classic threefold scheme of motives — son, hireling, slave. "Наемнический" is the hired worker who serves for wages; "рабский" the slave who serves from fear.
  79. 79 ↩Russian «поклонение» covers both worship offered to God alone and honor shown to creatures. Rendered "veneration" here because the question explicitly concerns creatures (тварям); the same word is rendered "worship" only where God is its object.
  80. 80 ↩«един Святый» is a liturgical formula ("One is Holy"); rendered "the one who alone is Holy" to keep the exclusivity of divine holiness while preserving the immediately following claim that God rests in the saints.
  81. 81 ↩«по усвоению такового естества» — literally "by appropriation of such a nature." Rendered "by sharing in that nature" to convey participation without implying that the saints acquire the divine essence itself, which the sentence explicitly denies ("not by nature").
  82. 82 ↩The citation is split across sentence boundaries: the book abbreviation ends this sentence and the chapter/verse numbers open the next. Reference resolution belongs to a later stage.
  83. 83 ↩«свободное желание» names the freely chosen willing of the creature, and «споспешествует» the divine cooperation that follows it; the ordering ("first... then") is the source's own and carries the synergistic point.
  84. 84 ↩This sentence is only the tail of a scripture citation split across the section boundary; it completes the reference begun at the end of the previous section (Lev. 26:12, joined to 2 Cor. 6:16).
  85. 85 ↩Slavonic 'прославляющыя Мя прославлю' uses one verb for both halves ('those who glorify me I will glorify'); rendered here as 'honor ... honor' to match the sense of 1 Sam. 2:30, where the reciprocity is of honor rather than divine glory strictly speaking. Either rendering is defensible.
  86. 86 ↩This sentence is a fragment: it opens with the tail of the preceding citation (Rom. 8:17, carried over from the previous section) and closes with the opening of the next reference, which continues into s2.
  87. 87 ↩The Slavonic-Russian поклоняемся / достопоклоняемы covers both worship and reverent veneration. Here it's rendered "worthy of veneration" (and "we venerate" in s4) because the text's whole argument is that the saints receive honor as God's servants, not worship due to God by nature.
  88. 88 ↩дерзновение (Greek parrhēsia) is rendered "confidence before God" — the freedom of speech a trusted servant has with his master, which is exactly what the royal analogy in this sentence is illustrating.
  89. 89 ↩Russian «поклонение» covers both the absolute worship due to God alone and the relative veneration offered to saints and images. Rendered here as "worship" for the false claim of the rebellious and as "honor" for what is owed to God's servants, following the chapter's own distinction; the underlying Russian word is the same in both clauses.
  90. 90 ↩The Slavonic-Russian citation is 4 Kings (4Цар.), which corresponds to 2 Kings in English Bibles; renumbered accordingly. The verse numbers follow in the next sentence, as in the source's split.
  91. 91 ↩Russian поклонение covers both the absolute worship due to God alone and the relative honor given to holy things. Here and throughout the section it is rendered "veneration" (not "worship"), which is the distinction the chapter itself is drawing.
  92. 92 ↩губа here is the sponge of the Passion (Matt 27:48), not "lip"; трость is the reed on which it was raised; копие is the lance of John 19:34, called "saving" because the blood and water flowed from it.
  93. 93 ↩A polemical passage typical of its seventeenth-century confessional context: the argument is that instrumentality alone does not merit honor, since intent matters. Translated as written; the collective charge it makes against the Jewish people is the source's, not a claim the translation endorses.
  94. 94 ↩Church Slavonic quotation of Ps 25:8 in Septuagint numbering (Ps 26:8 in Hebrew numbering). Rendered in a plainer register while keeping the liturgical cadence; final wording awaits Moses resolution.
  95. 95 ↩Sentence-splitting artifact: this is the tail of the citation begun in s6 ("Пс. 25, 8"). Kept as its own sentence to preserve the ref mapping.
  96. 96 ↩Ps 98:5 LXX (Ps 99:5 MT); the continuation of the citation falls in the next section. The Slavonic "подножию ногу Его" is kept as "the footstool of his feet" because the footstool is the object of the veneration being argued for here.
  97. 97 ↩This sentence is a fragment created by the source segmentation: it opens with the verse number completing the citation begun in the previous section (Ps. 98:5) and ends with the opening of the next citation, which is completed in s2.
  98. 98 ↩одушевленная literally means "ensouled" or "animate" — the mountain that is alive, i.e. a person rather than stone. "Living" carries this in natural English; "ensouled mountain" would be more literal but obscure.
  99. 99 ↩мысленные (from мысль, "thought") renders Greek νοητός, the intelligible or noetic order as opposed to the sensible. "Spiritual" is the readable choice here; "noetic" or "intelligible mountains" would be more technical.
  100. 100 ↩Russian «поклонение» is rendered "veneration" rather than "worship" throughout this chapter, since the text is precisely distinguishing degrees of honor given to created things from the worship due to God alone.
  101. 101 ↩«дискосы» are diskoi — the paten-like liturgical plates on which the Eucharistic Bread is placed; «трапезы» here means the holy tables (altars), not meals.
  102. 102 ↩Russian 'стамна' is the Slavonic word for the golden vessel that held the manna (Ex. 16:33; Heb. 9:4); rendered 'the jar of manna' for clarity. 'Трапеза' here is the table of the showbread in the tabernacle, not an ordinary meal.
  103. 103 ↩'Образующий таинство Девы' — Aaron's rod that budded is read as a type ('figure') of the mystery of the Virgin's childbearing; 'образовать' here means to prefigure, not to form.
  104. 104 ↩The source quotes Exodus 25:40 in Church Slavonic ('виждь... и сотвориши Ми по всему, елика Аз покажу тебе на горе'). Rendered in contemporary English at the same solemn pitch; final wording awaits reference resolution.
  105. 105 ↩'Поклоняемся' is rendered 'venerate' rather than 'worship': the chapter is distinguishing kinds of поклонение, and this fourth kind is relative honor paid to images, not the adoration due to God alone.
  106. 106 ↩Russian "поклонение" covers both worship offered to God alone and reverence offered to persons and holy things. In this list of the kinds of поклонение it is rendered "veneration" to keep the distinction the Confession itself is drawing; "worship" would wrongly suggest latria offered to fellow human beings.
  107. 107 ↩Citation fragment only, produced by sentence-splitting on the abbreviation. Russian chapter-verse punctuation ("5, 21") is normalized to the English convention "5:21"; the book abbreviation "1Пет." is rendered "1 Pet."
  108. 108 ↩"причастники Божества" is literally "partakers of the Godhead." Rendered "partakers of the Divine nature" because the phrase is the Confession's echo of 2 Pet. 1:4; "partakers of the Godhead" in English risks suggesting a share in the divine essence itself rather than participation by grace.
  109. 109 ↩Russian "поклонение" is rendered "veneration" throughout this chapter, since the Confession is distinguishing degrees of honor (relative veneration) from the worship owed to God alone.
  110. 110 ↩The Russian quotes the Church Slavonic text of Rom. 13:7; rendered here in contemporary English while keeping the Apostle's parenthetical attribution in place.
  111. 111 ↩Russian «поклонение»/«поклонился» covers both the outward act of bowing and the inward act of veneration. Here the context is plainly social courtesy, so the verb is rendered "bowed"; the category noun is kept as "veneration" to match the chapter's numbered list of kinds.
  112. 112 ↩The scripture citation is split across the printed sentence break ("Быт." here, "23, 9" in the next sentence); the split is preserved rather than merged, per the one-sentence-per-ref rule.
  113. 113 ↩Russian поклонение covers both bowing/veneration offered to people or holy things and worship offered to God. Rendered here as "veneration" because the sentence sums up the preceding list of seven kinds of поклонение (including servants bowing to masters); the next sentence reserves the divine sense explicitly.
  114. 114 ↩The distinction drawn here is the latreia/douleia (worship/honor) distinction: absolute worship belongs to God alone, while due honor rendered to others is offered "for the Lord's sake" (для Господа) — i.e., on His account and referred back to Him.
  115. 115 ↩Russian «Почему» here is the older resumptive connective 'wherefore/and so', drawing a conclusion from the preceding sentence rather than asking a question; rendered 'So then' to keep the inferential force without archaism.
  116. 116 ↩The source sentence breaks mid-citation; the chapter and verse fall in the following segment. The quotation itself is left intact and the reference completed at s8.
  117. 117 ↩The Russian uses a single verb (поклоняться, 'to bow down / prostrate oneself') for God, the Theotokos, and the saints, and the whole argument of the chapter depends on that single verb being qualified rather than replaced. The distinction is carried, as in the source, by the qualifying clauses: worship and service (служить, latreia) belong to the Creator alone; the Theotokos and the saints are bowed before in the honor due to them, explicitly 'not as God.' A translation that swapped in 'venerate' for the second and third clauses would smuggle in a distinction the source makes by argument, not by vocabulary.
  118. 118 ↩"кольми паче" is the standard Slavonic a fortiori formula (Latin quanto magis, 'how much more'). It supplies the apodosis for the conditional opened back at s2 with "Ибо если," so the whole stretch s2–s7 is a single if/then argument: if honor is given to mortal rulers and even to their images, then all the more to the King of kings and his friends. The dash is added to make the long-delayed 'then' readable in English; it carries no force not in the source.
  119. 119 ↩"подлинник" means the original or authentic thing as against a copy; in icon theology it names the prototype the image represents, and the honor paid to the image passes to it. "Original" keeps the plain sense and the copy/prototype logic without importing technical vocabulary the source does not use.

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