other instances, the case of Jacob kissing the top of his staff.[1]
Tarasius desired to have the matter finally settled by an œcumenical council. The empress agreed, and the council assembled first at Constantinople, where it was violently broken up, and then at Nicæa, in the year 787. This was the so-called "seventh general council," and the second council of Nicæa. Neither Irene nor her young son were present in person; but they were represented by high officers of State. Nicephorus, the historian, who afterwards became patriarch of Constantinople, was the secretary. There were two delegates from Rome, and to them was assigned the first place of honour as representing the pope. Next came Tarasius as the bishop of "New Rome." Two Oriental monks named John and Thomas were supposed to represent the absent patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. The virtual imprisonment of these patriarchs within the dominions of the Saracens would have prevented their coming even if they had been summoned; but as things turned out they were not even communicated with, the messengers finding that they could not get safely through to them.[2] All the other members of the council were subjects of the Byzantine Empire. Therefore, with the all-important exception of the presence of the Roman delegates, this second council of Nicæa was no more œcumenical than the iconoclastic council of Constantinople in the reign of Constantine Copronicus. Nevertheless, there can be no doubt that it registered the prevalent opinion of the Church. The enlightened iconoclastics had proved themselves to be a minority with no popular power; they had only succeeded for a time by means of the strong arm of the State. The second council of Nicæa carried the people with it when deciding positively in favour of the
- ↑ "Adoravit fastigium virgæ ejus," Heb. xi. 21 (Vulg.).
- ↑ Nevertheless Hefele considers that the two monks had a right to represent the absent patriarchs, because they "represented in fact the faith of the three patriarchs in regard to images and the veneration of them" (Hist. Councils, vol. v. p. 361).
