The definition of an icon has changed over time, but in the Byzantine Empire during the period 726-843 BC the iconoclasts had a distinct idea of ​​what an icon denied. Some called it “an object of devotion when its swiftness is denied” (Dimmick 26). In this sense, objects were thought to be alive, when in reality the icon was an inanimate object. Others thought it contained otherworldly characteristics, “a version of the duplicity of all human [artifacts], which inevitably overestimate their ability to spread blessings” (Dimmick 26). The idea of ​​making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land became very important in ecclesial society. Often, people reported objects that they thought possessed the power to bless people when they touched or prayed to them. For example, they thought that the objects came from a saint, "these relics were either the body of the saintly person, or an object or place that had been in contact with that body, or a secondary material that had been brought into contact with a holy." object empowered by that body" (Barber 36). The bodies of saints were highly prized, along with objects the saints may have touched during their lives. These objects gave people hope in uncertain times. People often distinguish themselves with these images, “the subject organizes his own identity by identifying with a self-image and using this 'self-image' to recognize himself and compare himself with his peers” (Dimmick 27). on icons that resembled images they could recognize in their daily lives. People who mourned the lost also sought images, "the image's status as an image is the source of its ability to demystify and commemorate the taking of... al. center of the card... the Spirit?" (Gutmann 1). Possession of the icons, over time, acted as a blessing to the church. Subsequently, texts were added to the icons, which emphasized "verbal prophecy including the text within the image, and finally [they inserted] the iconic presentation of the image. an aspect of the Godhead... drawing a theoretical distinction between the visible and the invisible" (Barber 69). This provided a more accurate representation of the icons, matching the words of the Bible to the images. Pope Gregory I fully agreed with the introduction of these icons into churches, "they were introduced because of the transitory nature of memory, because those things which are only felt fall more easily into oblivion than those which are seen" (Gutmann 84). most effectively through the icons represented in churches. Works Cited Barber Gutmann Dimmick