In 769, the Lateran Council, presided over by Pope Stephen III, marked a significant moment in the ongoing conflict over iconoclasm within the Byzantine Empire and beyond. This assembly was convened primarily to address the issues stemming from the previously held Council of Hieria, which had renounced the use of icons in Christian worship. The iconoclastic movement, influential during the early Byzantine period, argued that the creation and veneration of religious images amounted to idolatry. In contrast, the Lateran Council reaffirmed the importance of icons as vital expressions of faith that conveyed spiritual truths and facilitated personal communion with the divine.

The council gathered a multitude of bishops, theologians, and clergy who collectively recognized the need to counter the iconoclastic rhetoric that had gained traction. The participants passionately debated the theological implications of icon veneration, emphasizing that icons were not merely art but imbued with a sacred role in worship, aiding the faithful in their spiritual journey. The result was the formal condemnation of the Council of Hieria and its teachings, establishing a clear stance against iconoclasm within the Roman Catholic Church.

The Lateran Council's decisions were not only a matter of doctrinal purity but also reflected broader socio-political dynamics within the empire, as the tension between imperial authority and religious governance intensified. This confrontation would have lasting implications, reinforcing the Catholic Church's position on icon veneration and setting the stage for future conflicts over religious imagery, particularly during the subsequent Byzantine iconoclast controversies. In the years following this event, the resolutions from the Lateran Council would influence both Western and Eastern approaches to art in liturgical contexts, highlighting its crucial role in the expression of faith and identity within Christendom.