There is only one peculiarity in Christ in comparison with us, that He was conceived in the womb of a Virgin without seed, and was born without corruption, for He committed no sin, and there was no flattery in His mouth (1 Peter 2:22). The rest is as with us: He ate, drank, breathed, grew, walked, sweated, got tired, was crucified, died, although, like God, on the third day He rose again, having even after the Resurrection our depicted form, deified and made incorruptible in Him.

In this form He appeared to the Apostles, ate and drank with them after the Resurrection, and was palpable by Thomas, saying to all who took Him for a spirit: "Touch Me and see; for the spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have" (Luke 24:39). Thus He ascended in glory, so He will come again in the same form - in our image, and all flesh will see Him coming from heaven, with the angels of His power, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey His gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8), with whom the Jews who crucified Him and the iconoclasts who do not accept His images will suffer. This, brethren, is the preaching of the Gospel, this is the apostolic teaching.

Those who philosophize otherwise, on the contrary, try to lead the people of God to another gospel, which, however, is not different (Galatians 1:6-7), offering false writings, speaking from their own womb, and not from the mouth of the Lord. For usually tares are always mixed with wheat, and falsehood is added to the truth. And how would the truth be revealed if there were no contradictions? But even if we, says the Apostle, or an angel from heaven have begun to preach to you any other gospel than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so now I say again: Whosoever preaches unto you any other gospel than that which ye have received, let him be anathema" (Gal. 1:8-9).

It would be superfluous for me to write to you that it is possible to depict the Mother of God and the saints. For it would be foolish to say that any man cannot be depicted. And those who deny that Christ, Who is the Head of the body of the Church, can be depicted, at the same time thought to destroy the icons of the members of Christ, since we are all the body of Christ, and individually the members (1 Corinthians 12:27). For it is a rebuke for them that the Mother of God is depicted on an icon, but He Who was born of Her and fed on Her breasts and experienced everything pertaining to His bodily sojourn is not. They are also exposed by the fact that the witnesses and servants will be depicted, and the One Whom they served and with whom they communicated will not be depicted.

They turn out to be even worse than the Jews, because they do not accept the icons of Moses or any of the other prophets, while the Jews, who lived before grace, accepted the sacred images, being under the law, and not Christians. And these are so mad that they contradict themselves and the Jews, and, in fact, are neither Jews, guardians of the law, nor Christians, since they do not depict Christ, Whom they recognize as having become Man.

There is such a saying of the Apostle Peter in the story of the martyrdom of Saint Pancratius: "Son Joseph, bring out the icon of our Lord Jesus Christ and set it on the tower, so that they may see what image the Son of God has taken, so that, having seen, they may believe even more, looking at the appearance of the image, and remember what we have preached by Him" [2].

There is a saying of the Apostle Paul: O foolish Galatians! Who deceived you not to submit to the truth, you who had Jesus Christ predestined before your eyes, as if crucified among you (Galatians 3:1)? There is a saying of Basil the Great: "Let the Creator of the podvig in the struggle, Christ, be depicted in the picture" [3]. And again: "The honoring of the image passes to the prototype" [4]. There is a saying of Athanasius, who struggled a lot: "We, the faithful, worship icons not as gods, like the Greeks; let it not be; but only express the disposition and zeal of our love for the outline of the face of the icon." There is a saying of St. John Chrysostom: "I also liked a picture made of wax and full of piety. I saw on the icon an Angel driving away thousands of barbarians, I saw the tribes of barbarians trampled underfoot, and David, who truly cried out: Lord, destroy their image in Thy city (Psalm 72:20)" [5]. This is what the iconoclasts are doing now with Christ, the Mother of God and the saints - it is terrible to hear! - destroying their holy icons. Without mentioning the sayings of others, for there are many, and adding one more, I will turn my speech to another subject.

There is a saying of the Sixth Holy Council of the God-bearing Fathers: "On some sacred icons is depicted a lamb, to which the finger of the Forerunner is pointed, taken into the image of grace and foreshadowed for us in the law the true Lamb, Christ our God. Venerating the ancient images and shadows handed down to the Church as signs and predestinies of truth, we prefer grace and truth, accepting it as the fulfillment of the law. For this reason, in order that the art of painting may present to the eyes of all that which is perfect, we command henceforth that the image of the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world, Christ our God, be represented on icons in human nature, instead of the old lamb, so that by contemplating the humility of God the Word, we may be led to the remembrance of His life in the flesh, of His sufferings and salvific death, and thus of the redemption of the world.

Therefore, beloved, having such testimonies, together with your own conviction based on the truth itself, as shown above, watch, I exhort you, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, strong (1 Corinthians 16:13), do not be afraid of adversaries in anything, as well as false brethren, deceived and deceived, this is for them a sign of destruction, and for us salvation. And this is from God. For it is written: For it has been given to you for God's sake, for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him with the same podvig that you have seen in me, a sinner, and now you hear about me. Stand in one spirit, contending with one accord for the faith of the Gospel, with fear and trembling work out your salvation (Phil. 1:27-30; 2:12), so that I, a sinner, may rejoice when I hear about you.

Look at Satan, look at his audacity, see that someone does not offend God in any way. For this great dragon is very cunning and experienced. Where he cannot destroy through faith, he tries to produce the same evil in us through the law of sin, which is contrary to the law of our mind. He, like a lion, roars, seeks someone to kidnap, deceives, kindles fire, tries to burn down the house of the soul (1 Peter 5:8). But we have from God the means to expel him: water in the head is a source of tears, petitions, prayers.

Let there be the fear of God in everything, which binds and nails our flesh. Let not envy, enmity, vanity, or any of the works of darkness dwell anywhere. Let the passions be expelled immediately, before they are strengthened, before they enter and infect the soul, for then it will be difficult to destroy them. The ascetics abstain from everything, so flee in order to receive a reward. The younger ones obey the elders; God is not a God of disorder, but of peace (1 Corinthians 9:24-25; 14:33).

Abbots, love those who are subject divinely, and not out of love of power, but out of virtue and goodness, demand submission and obedience. Do not distance yourself from each other, changing many places and not benefiting anywhere. Paul did not want to take the Evangelist Mark with him, as it is written, because he did not go with him, but returned home earlier (Acts 15:38). Should we not be content with our condition? In what calling he is called, brethren, in him shall each one remain (1 Corinthians 7:24).

Let us cleanse ourselves, beloved, from all defilement of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 7:1). Keep the traditions which you have been taught (2 Thessalonians 2:15), instruct one another, always remember death. Pray, therefore, I exhort you, for all.

Bless your persecutors; bless, and do not curse (Romans 12:14), going from place to place, enduring deprivations, sorrows, bitterness, wandering in deserts and mountains, and perhaps hiding in the ravines of the earth (Hebrews 11:37,38). Boast that it is you who suffer for Christ, that the whole world is not worthy of you. Be patient, my children, be patient a little, for the Lord will come, the Giver of crowns, the Giver of rewards, Whose joint heirs we are promised to be, if only we suffer with Him, that with Him we may also be glorified (Romans 8:17).