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E07732: In c. 513/515, John Diakrinomenos in his Ecclesiastical History mentions that Philoxenus of Mabbug opposed the depiction of angels in human form, and opposed the veneration of images of Christ. Written in Greek in Constantinople.
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posted on 2019-08-20, 00:00 authored by erizosJohn Diakrinomenos, Ecclesiastical History, excerpts from Book 4
Ξεναΐας ὁ Φιλόξενος οὔτε Χριστοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ οὔτε ἀγγέλου εἰκόνας ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ συνεχώρει ἀνατίθεσθαι.
'Xenaias Philoxenos did not allow images of Christ the God or angels in church.'
Fragment quoted in the Acts of the Second Council of Nicaea, Act V (Mansi 13, 180 E - 181 B)
Ἰωάννου τοῦ Διακρινομένου ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς ἱστορίας
Μὴ γὰρ εἶναι θεμιτὸν ἔλεγεν ὁ Ξεναΐας ἀσωμάτους ὄντας ἀγγέλους σωματοποιεῖν καὶ ὡς ἐν μορφαῖς ἀνθρωπίναις ὑπάρχοντας ἐνσωμάτους τυποῦν. ἀλλὰ μὴν μηδὲ κἀκεῖνο νομίζειν, τιμὴν ἢ δόξαν έκνέμειν τῷ Χριστῷ τὴν διὰ γραφῆς αὐτῷ τεχνιτευομένην εἰκόνα˙ εἶναι δὲ μόνην αὐτῷ προσδεκτὴν εἰδέναι τὴν ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ προσκύνησιν.
'From the Ecclesiastical History by John Diakrinomenos'
For Xenaias used to say that it was unacceptable that the angels, although bodiless, be given a body and depicted as if having a human form. But also that one should not even believe that an icon produced by painting ascribes honour or glory to Christ. And one should know that the only acceptable form of worship for Him is in spirit and truth.'
Text: Hansen 1995.
Translation: Efthymios Rizos.
Ξεναΐας ὁ Φιλόξενος οὔτε Χριστοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ οὔτε ἀγγέλου εἰκόνας ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ συνεχώρει ἀνατίθεσθαι.
'Xenaias Philoxenos did not allow images of Christ the God or angels in church.'
Fragment quoted in the Acts of the Second Council of Nicaea, Act V (Mansi 13, 180 E - 181 B)
Ἰωάννου τοῦ Διακρινομένου ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς ἱστορίας
Μὴ γὰρ εἶναι θεμιτὸν ἔλεγεν ὁ Ξεναΐας ἀσωμάτους ὄντας ἀγγέλους σωματοποιεῖν καὶ ὡς ἐν μορφαῖς ἀνθρωπίναις ὑπάρχοντας ἐνσωμάτους τυποῦν. ἀλλὰ μὴν μηδὲ κἀκεῖνο νομίζειν, τιμὴν ἢ δόξαν έκνέμειν τῷ Χριστῷ τὴν διὰ γραφῆς αὐτῷ τεχνιτευομένην εἰκόνα˙ εἶναι δὲ μόνην αὐτῷ προσδεκτὴν εἰδέναι τὴν ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ προσκύνησιν.
'From the Ecclesiastical History by John Diakrinomenos'
For Xenaias used to say that it was unacceptable that the angels, although bodiless, be given a body and depicted as if having a human form. But also that one should not even believe that an icon produced by painting ascribes honour or glory to Christ. And one should know that the only acceptable form of worship for Him is in spirit and truth.'
Text: Hansen 1995.
Translation: Efthymios Rizos.
History
Evidence ID
E07732Saint Name
Angels, unnamed or name lost : S00723Related Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Literary - Other narrative texts (including Histories)Language
GreekEvidence not before
513Evidence not after
515Activity not before
500Activity not after
515Place of Evidence - Region
Constantinople and regionPlace of evidence - City name in other Language(s)
Constantinople Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoupolis Constantinopolis Constantinople IstanbulCult activities - Rejection, Condemnation, Scepticism
Rejection of the cult of imagesCult activities - Use of Images
- Commissioning/producing an image