Lateran Council Condemns Iconoclasm

The Lateran Council, convened in 769, concluded with a decisive condemnation of the Council of Hieria, firmly rejecting its iconoclastic rulings. This assembly, led by Pope Stephen III, sought to restore the veneration of icons and affirm traditional Christian practices in the face of rising iconoclast sentiments. The council took a strong stand against the heretical views that had been promoted in Hieria, emphasizing the importance of sacred images in worship and the wider Christian culture. The outcome was a pivotal affirmation of religious art that would influence subsequent theological debates and ecclesiastical authority.