Ikonenverehrung

Ikonenverehrung, or the veneration of icons, is a central practice within Eastern Orthodox Christianity and certain branches of Eastern Catholicism, though it differs from the Western Catholic and Protestant concepts of icon worship. The tradition of icon veneration dates back to the early Christian era, with icons serving as visual aids for worship, meditation, and the teaching of theological truths. Unlike the Western practice of adoration, which directs worship to God alone, Orthodox Christians do not worship icons themselves but instead honor them as sacred images that represent holy figures such as Christ, the Virgin Mary, saints, and angels.

The use of icons in worship is rooted in the belief that God became incarnate in Jesus Christ, making visible the invisible. Icons are seen as windows into the divine, allowing believers to encounter the sacred through art. The Council of Nicaea II (787 AD) affirmed the legitimacy of icon veneration, condemning iconoclasm—the destruction or prohibition of religious images—as heretical. This council established that icons are not mere decorations but bear spiritual significance, as they convey theological meaning and evoke the presence of the holy person depicted.

In Orthodox liturgy, icons play a prominent role, often placed in churches, homes, and carried in processions. Believers may kiss or bow before icons as a sign of respect, but this is understood as an act of devotion to the person represented, not the icon itself. The veneration of icons is also tied to the belief in the communion of saints, where the faithful honor the intercession of holy figures through their images.

While Ikonenverehrung is a defining feature of Eastern Christianity, it has also influenced other traditions, including some forms of Eastern Catholicism and certain Eastern Christian communities outside the Orthodox fold. The practice remains a subject of theological reflection, emphasizing reverence for sacred art as a means of spiritual connection and devotion.