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.

John 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.