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Holy Souls Church in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire

Catechism: The Veneration of Sacred Images

The Book of Deuteronomy strictly forbad the creation of an image of God or any figure (Deut 4:15-16).  Nevertheless, the Old Testament did permit the creation of images which pointed towards the salvation to come in Christ, such as the cherubim in the Holy of Holies and the bronze serpent of Moses.  In the eighth century there arose the Iconoclast Controversy in which the Church was split between those who were in favour of sacred images in churches and those against based on the Old Testament prohibition.  The seventh ecumenical Council at Nicaea (787) justified the veneration of icons (Greek word for images) of Christ, the angels and saints.  It argued that by becoming incarnate, Jesus Christ had revealed the hidden face of God, and that now it was possible to use sacred images in worship.  The Christian veneration of images is not contrary to the first commandment, which forbids idols.  This is because the honour rendered to an image passes to the one represented: "Whoever venerates an image venerates the person portrayed in it."  The honour paid to sacred images is respectful veneration, not adoration, which is due to God alone.  (See Catechism paras 2129-2132).

 

 

Contact Details and Parish Clergy

Contact Details 

Holy Souls Church, Frodingham Road, Scunthorpe, DN15 7TA

Tel: 01724 844895

For both Holy Souls and St Bernadette's Churches

please e-mail:

stbernadettesashby@dioceseofnottingham.uk

 

 

 

Parish Clergy 

Fr Matthew

Canon Matthew Jakes - Parish Priest 

 

Deacon Sebastian (2)

Deacon Sebastian Grab

 

 

Deacon Sam Sheridan-Garrity

 

 

 Fr Krzysztof Kosciolek

Polish Chaplain 

Email: k.kosciolek@pcmew.org

Tel: 01724 601087