Definition

Proper noun: * Second Council of Nicaea: The seventh and last of the early ecumenical councils recognized by both the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches. It was convened in 787 AD in the city of Nicaea (present-day İznik, Turkey) primarily to address the controversy over the use of icons (religious images) and to formally condemn the policy of iconoclasm (the destruction of icons).

Usage

The term is used as a proper noun to refer to this specific historical and theological event. It is often discussed in contexts of church history, Christian theology, and art history. * The Second Council of Nicaea definitively ended the first period of Byzantine Iconoclasm. * A central doctrine established by the Second Council of Nicaea was the distinction between veneration (dulia) paid to icons and worship (latria) owed to God alone. * Scholars study the acts and decrees of the Second Council of Nicaea to understand the theological defense of religious art.

Advanced Usage

• "The decrees of the Second Council of Nicaea": Refers to the official canons and doctrinal statements produced by the council, which authorized the creation and veneration of icons of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the saints.
• "The legacy of the Second Council of Nicaea": Discusses the long-term impact of the council on Christian liturgy, art, and the relationship between church and state in the Byzantine Empire.

Variants and Related Words

• Nicaea II: A common abbreviated form used in academic and historical texts.
• The Seventh Ecumenical Council: The formal designation based on its sequence among the early universal councils.
• Iconoclastic Controversy / Iconoclasm: The movement the council was convened to oppose.
• Iconodule / Iconophile: Terms for supporters of icons, whose position was upheld by the council.

Synonyms

• The Seventh Ecumenical Council
• Nicaea II

Related Terms and Concepts

• Ecumenical Council: A conference of ecclesiastical dignitaries and theological experts convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice.
• Icon: A religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches.
• Veneration: Great respect or reverence. In this context, it denotes the honor given to icons, distinguished from the worship due only to God.

Noun

1. the seventh ecumenical council in 787 which refuted iconoclasm and regulated the veneration of holy images