English translation from Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, trans. Fathers of the
English Dominican Province, vol. 9 (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne,
n.d.), 569:
Fourth
Article
Whether
Christ’s cross should be worshipped with the adoration of ‘latria’?
We proceed thus to the Fourth Article:—
Objection 1. It seems that Christ’s cross should not be worshipped
with the adoration of latria. For no
dutiful son honours that which dishonours his father, as the scourge with which
he was scourged, or the gibbet on which he was hanged; rather does he abhor it.
Now Christ underwent the most shameful death on the cross; according to Wisd.
2:20: Let us condemn Him to a most
shameful death. Therefore we should not venerate the cross but rather we
should abhor it.
Obj. 2. Further, Christ’s humanity is worshipped with the adoration
of latria, inasmuch as it is united
to the Son of God in Person. But this cannot be said of the cross. Therefore
Christ’s cross should not be worshipped with the adoration of latria.
Obj. 3. Further, as Christ’s cross was the instrument of His
passion and death, so were also many other things, for instance, the nails, the
crown, the lance; yet to these we do not show the worship of latria. It seems, therefore, that
Christ’s cross should not be worshipped with the adoration of latria.
On the contrary, We show the worship of latria to that in which we place our hope of salvation. But we
place our hope in Christ’s cross, for the Church sings (Passion Sunday, Vesper
hymn):
Dear Cross, best hope o’er all
beside,
That cheers the solemn
passion-tide:
Give to the just increase of
grace,
Give to each contrite sinner
peace.
Therefore Christ’s cross should
be worshipped with the adoration of latria.
I answer that, As stated above (A. 3), honour or reverence is due
to a rational creature only; while to an insensible creature, no honour or
reverence is due save by reason of a rational nature. And this in two ways.
First, inasmuch as it represents a rational nature: secondly, inasmuch as it is
united to it in any way whatsoever. In the first way men are wont to venerate
the king’s image; in the second way, his robe. And both are venerated by men
with the same veneration as they show to the king.
If, therefore, we speak of the
cross itself on which Christ was crucified, it is to be venerated by us in both
ways—namely, in one way in so far as it represents to us the figure of Christ
extended thereon; in the other way, from its contact with the limbs of Christ,
and from its being saturated with His blood. Wherefore in each way it is
worshipped with the same adoration as Christ—viz., the adoration of latria. And for this reason also we
speak to the cross and pray to it, as to the Crucified Himself. But if we speak
of the effigy of Christ’s cross in any other material whatever—for instance, in
stone or wood, silver or gold—thus we venerate the cross merely as Christ’s
image, which we worship with the adoration of latria, as stated above (A. 3).
Reply Obj. 1. If in Christ’s cross we consider the point of view
and intention of those who did not believe in Him, it will appear as His shame:
but if we consider its effect, which is our salvation, it will appear as
endowed with Divine power, by which it triumphed over the enemy, according to
Col. 2:14, 15: He hath taken the same out
of the way, fastening it to the cross, and despoiling the principalities and
powers, He hath exposed them confidently, in open show, triumphing over them in
Himself. Wherefore the Apostle says (1 Cor. 1:18): The Word of the cross to them indeed that perish is foolishness; but to
them that are saved—that is, to us—it is the power of God.
Reply Obj. 2. Although Christ’s cross was not united to the Word of
God in Person, yet it was united to Him in some other way—viz., by
representation and contact. And for this sole reason reverence is shown to it.
Reply Obj. 3. By reason of the contact of Christ’s limbs we worship
not only the cross, but all that belongs to Christ. Wherefore Damascene says (De Fid. Orth. iv.): The precious wood, as having been sanctified by the contact of His holy
body and blood, should be meetly worshipped; as also His nails, His lance, and
His sacred dwelling-places. Yet these very things do not represent Christ’s
image as the cross does, which is called the
Sign of the Son of Man that will
appear in heaven, as it is written (Matt. 24:30). Wherefore the angel said
to the women (Mark 16:6): You seek Jesus
of Nazareth, Who was crucified: he said not pierced, but crucified.
For this reason we worship the image of Christ’s cross in any material, but not
the image of the nails or of any such thing.
Latin Text taken from Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Editio altera Romana
(Romae: Forzani et Sodalis, 1894), 147:
Articulus
IV
Utrum
Crux Christi Sit Adoranda Adoratione Latriae
(2-2. q. 103. art. 4. ad 3. et 3. Dist. 9. q. 1. art. 2. q. 4.).
Ad quartum sic proceditur.
Videtur, quod crux Christi non sit adoranda adoratione latriae; nullus enim
pius filius veneratur contumeliam patris sui, puta flagellum quo flagellatus
est, vel lignum in quo fuit suspensus, sed magis illud abhorret: Christus autem
in ligno crucis opprobriosissimam mortem passus est, secundum illud Sapientiae
2.: Morte turpissima condemnemus eum;
ergo non debemus crucem venerari, sed magis abhorrere.
2. Praeterea. Humanitas Christi
adoratione latriae adoratur, inquantum est unita Filio Dei in persona: quod de
cruce dici non potest; ergo crux Christi non est adoranda adoratione latriae.
3. Praeterea. Sicut crux Christi
fuit istrumentum passionis ejus, et mortis; ita etiam et multa alia, puta
clavi, corona, et lancea: quibus tamen non exhibemus latriae cultum; ergo
videtur, quod crux Christi non sit adoratione latriae adoranda.
Sed contra est, quod illi
exhibemus latriae cultum, in quo ponimus spem salutis: sed in cruce Christi
ponimus spem salutis: cantat enim Ecclesia:
O crux, ave, spes unica!
Hoc passionis tempore,
Auge piis justitiam,
Reisque dona veniam;
ergo crux Christi est adoranda
adoratione latriae.
Respondeo dicendum, quod, sicut
supra dictum est (art. preac.),
honor, seu reverentia non debetur nisi rationali naturae: creaturae autem
insensibili non debetur honor, vel reverentia, nisi ratione rationalis naturae:
et hoc dupliciter: uno modo,
inquantum repraesentat rationalem naturam: alio
modo, inquantum ei quocumque modo conjungitur; primo modo consueverunt homines venerari regis imaginem: secundo modo ejus vestimentum: utrumque
autem veneratur homines eadem veneratione, qua venerantur et regem.
Si ergo loquamur de ipsa cruce,
in qua Christus crucifixus est, utroque modo est a nobis veneranda; uno scilicet modo, inquantum repraesentat nobis figuram Christi extensi in ea: alio modo ex contactu ad membra Christi,
et ex hoc quod ejus sanguine est perfusa: unde utroque modo adoratur eadem
adoratione cum Christo, scilicet adoratione latriae: et propter hoc etiam
crucem alloquimur, et deprecamur quasi ipsum crucifixum: si vero loquamur de
effigie crucis Christi in quacumque alia materia, puta lapidis, vel ligni,
argenti, vel auri, sic veneramur crucem tantum, ut imaginem Christi, quam
veneramur adoratione latriae, ut supra dictum est (art. praec.).
Ad primum ergo dicendum, quod in
cruce Christi quantum ad intentionem, vel opinionem infidelium consideratur
opprobrium Christi: sed quantum ad effectum nostrae salutis consideratur virtus
divina ipsius, quae de hostibus triumphavit, secundum illud Coloss. 2.: Ipsum tulit de medio affigens illud cruci,
et spolians principatus, et potestates, traduxit confidenter palam triumphans
illos in semetipso. Et ideo dicit Apostolus 1. ad Corinth. 1.: Verbum crucis pereuntibus quidem stultitia
est: his autem qui salvi fiunt, idest nobis, virtus Dei est.
Ad secundum dicendum, quod crux
Christi, licet non fuerit unita Verbo Dei in persona, fuit tamen ei unita
aliquo alio modo, scilicet per repraesentationem, et contactum: et hac sola
ratione exhibetur ei reverentia.
Ad tertium dicendum, quod quantum
ad rationem contactus membrorum Christi, adoramus non solum crucem, sed etiam
omnia quae sunt Christi: unde Damasc. dicit in 4. lib. (Orth. Fid. cap. 2. cir. med.): « Pretiosum lignum ut sanctificatum
tactu sancti corporis, et sanguinis, decenter adorandum, clavos, indumenta,
lanceam, et sacra ejus tabernacula, quae sunt praesepe, spelunca, et hujusmodi
»: ista tamen non repraesentant imaginem Christi, sicut crux, quae dicitur
signum Filii hominis, quod apparebit in coelo, ut dicitur Matth. 24. Ideoque
mulieribus dixit angelus (Marci 16.):
Jesum quaeritis Nazarenum crucifixum: non dixit: lanceatum, sed: crucifixum;
et inde est quod crucem Christi veneramur in quacumque materia, non autem
imaginem clavorum, vel quorumcumque hujusmodi.
Further Reading:
Answering
Fundamentalist Protestants and Roman Catholic/Eastern Orthodox on Images/Icons
