Page 127 - THE ARMENIAN CHURCH_Neat

128 The Armenian Church

roversy between iconoclasts (destroyers of
icons) and iconophiles (lovers of icons)
emerged in the church. The 7th ecumenical
council in Nicea (787) confirmed the ortho-
doxy of the use of icons. Although this council
is not recognized by the Armenian Church,
its teachings on the icons are in conformity
with the Armenian Church's rather moderate
position on images, which had already been
taught by Vrtanes Kertogh in 7th Century.
Paintings are anointed before they are
first placed in the church. The walls of the
Armenian churches are adorned with images
of the Virgin Mary holding the Child in her
lap, images of the Nativity, Baptism, Passion,
Burial, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ,
those of saints, and various scenes from St.
Gregory the Illuminator's life and evange-
lism. Miraculous powers are attributed to
some of the images displayed in churches or
monasteries. In the Armenian Church, icons
are rarely shown and statues are never used;
mosaics, however, which became part of
the Church’s spiritual symbolism during the
Persian rule, are present (the monastery
of All Saviour in New Julfa in Isfahan is
a fine example). The miniatures present
in manuscripts and on liturgical vestments
and textiles also exemplify the role that
images play in Armenian spirituality. Light-
ing candles and praying before images are
popular expressions of spirituality.