[1] The Council decided that holy icons should not be destroyed, as was advocated and practiced by the Byzantine iconoclasm, nor veritable (full) worshiped or adored (Greek: ἀληθινήν λατρείαν; Latin: veram latriam), as was practiced by iconolatry, but to be only venerated as symbolic representations of God, angels, or saints.
Icon in Greek simply denotes a picture but it has now come to be closely associated with religious art which is used by the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Churches.
An early Church council defined veneration of icons based on the sacred mystery of the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
After the period of Iconoclasm was over, respected veneration of icons spread to Serbia, Bulgaria, and to distant Russia.
Others believe that, because no-one has ever seen God the Father, he should never be depicted in icons, while Jesus, who was seen by human eyes, is allowed to be pictured.