What is the main focus of the Council of Nicea II?

The Council of Nicea II, held in 787, primarily focused on the veneration of icons and the condemnation of iconoclasm. This council was a response to the ongoing controversy regarding the use and reverence of icons in Christian worship, which had been a divisive issue within the Church. Iconoclasm refers to the rejection or destruction of religious images and icons, often based on interpretations of the Second Commandment.

The council reaffirmed the legitimacy of icons as essential to the spiritual life of the Church, emphasizing that veneration of icons was a way to honor the representations of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the saints, rather than idolatry. The decisions made at Nicea II aimed to solidify this practice within the Church, promoting a theological understanding that icons serve as windows to the divine, assisting the faithful in their worship and devotion.

This focus on icons and the condemnation of iconoclasm not only shaped the liturgical practices of the Eastern Orthodox Church but also had lasting impacts on Christian art and theology. By affirming the significance of icons, the council helped to heal divisions and establish a more unified approach towards religious imagery in worship contexts.