Alexios I Komnenos (1081-1118) decides to sell ecclesiastic treasure in order to counteract the economic crisis.

"The king, having lost hope in the good will of the Romans, (i.e. of his subjects), sent further messages requesting money. The Romans no longer knew what to do. Having given it much thought, both as individuals and together, and learning that Robert was preparing a new attack, and having no other way out, they had recourse to the old laws and rules concerning the sale of sacred vessels. Discovering among other things, that the sale of some holy vessels of the saints of the Holy Church was allowed for the liberation of hostages [...] they decided to use some holy vessels, long untouched and damaged, which were no longer used by anyone - at the same time giving an excuse to many for disrespect and sacrilege - as material for the minting of coins, which would pay the wages of the soldiers and allies".

Anna Komnene, Alexiad, v. I, Agra, p. 186 (original translation by A. Sideris).

The Empress Zoe's miraculous icon of Christ Antiphonetes(1042)

"Indeed, with her own hands and with the most meticulous skill she (Zoe) had made a Christ, to put it perhaps metaphorically, who was completely private. She had adorned him with brilliant decorations and almost fashioned a living icon. The icon, with colours which altered, answered her prayers and by its discoloration revealed future events. Because of this, the Empress could even prophecy the future by observing the icon. Thus whenever something pleasant happened to her or alternatively, something unpleasant, she would immediately run to the icon, thanking it for the former and begging mercy for the latter. I myself on many occasions have seen her in difficult circumstances embrace the holy icon, gaze at it with devotion and talk to it as if it were alive, use the most beautiful names, kneel down, soak the ground with her tears, beat her chest with her hands. And if she saw that the icon was losing its colour she would withdraw into a state of deep depression".

Michael Psellos, Chronography, edit. Agrostis, Athina 1992, p. 387 (original translation by B. Karalis).

Romanos III Argyros (1028-1034) builds a luxurious church to the glory of the Virgin Mary

"However, he neglected everything and, intending to build a church more beautiful than any other, ruined everything else. I should not omit to mention the following: that he had become so passionate about the work, that he himself wished to supervise it. Thus he gave the church the appearance of the royal court, making thrones decorated with sceptres and hanging curtains of royal purple. Here he spent the majority of his time, glorifying the beauty of the buildings and radiating exultation. Indeed, he wished to honour Virgin Mary with a name of outstanding beauty, what escaped him however was that he had given an extremely human name to the Our Lady, whom he called Peribleptos (All-seeing), a name which could also be taken to mean renowned".

Michael Psellos, Chronography, v. I, edit. Agrostis, Athina 1992, pp. 40-41 (original translation by B. Karalis).

Constantine V (741-775) orders the church of Blacherna to be turned into "kitchen garden and hencoop"

"Having thus suppresed all of Christ΄s mysteries, he converted the church into a store-house of fruit and an aviary: for he covered it with mosaics [representing] trees and all kinds of birds and beasts, and certain swirls of ivy-leaves [enclosing] cranes, crows and peacocks, thus making the church, if I may say so altogether unadorned".

Life of St Stephen, Migne Patrologia Graeca 100, col. 1120

Iconographic themes of the painting of the iconoclastic period

"If, on the other hand, there were pictures of trees or birds or senseless beasts and, in particular, satanic horse-races, hunts, theatrical and hippodrome scenes, these were preserved with honor and given greater lustre".

Life of St Stephen the Younger, Migne Patrologia Graeca 100, col. 1113.

Beginning of the iconoclasm and destruction of the icons

The tyrant [...] the holy and dominant icon of Christ, our God, the one who crowns the royal gates, the holy Chalke (Brazen) so-called because of its nature, was ordered to be taken down and to the fire delivered, and thus he acted.

Life of St Stephen the Younger, Migne Patrologia Graeca 100, col. 1085.