Editing Pope Gregory III (section)

==Anti-iconoclasm==
Immediately upon his accession, Gregory appealed to [[Emperor Leo III]] to moderate his position on [[iconoclasm]]. When Gregory's representative was arrested on the orders of the emperor, Gregory called a [[Synods of Rome (731)|synod]] in November 731, which condemned iconoclasm outright.<ref>Treadgold, p. 354; Mann, p. 205</ref> Leo responded by trying to bring the pope under control, but the fleet he sent to enforce the imperial will was shipwrecked in the [[Adriatic Sea]].<ref>Levillain, p. 644; Mann, p. 206</ref> He then proceeded to appropriate papal territories in [[Sicily]] and [[Calabria]], and transferred ecclesiastical jurisdictions in the former [[praetorian prefecture of Illyricum]] to the [[patriarch of Constantinople]].<ref>Duffy, p. 64; Mann, p. 207</ref> However, his attempt to force the [[duke of Naples]] to enforce an imperial decree to confiscate papal territory in the duchy failed, as the duke was supportive of the pope's stand.<ref>Mann, p. 208</ref>

Gregory, in the meantime, demonstrated his opposition to iconoclasm by emphasising his veneration of icons and relics. He repaired or beautified numerous churches, which involved their decoration with icons and images of [[Jesus Christ]], the [[Virgin Mary]] and the saints.<ref>Mann, pp. 208–209</ref> He ordered to be erected in the heart of [[Old St. Peter's Basilica|St. Peter's Basilica]] an ''[[iconostasis]]'', situated between six [[onyx]] and [[marble]] columns which had been sent to Gregory as a gift from the exarch [[Eutychius (exarch)|Eutychius]].<ref>Duffy, p. 63; Mann, p. 210</ref> He built a new oratory in St. Peter's Basilica to house the relics of a number of saints, convoking a [[Synod of Rome (732)|synod in 732]] in order to regulate the prayers and masses to be said there.<ref>Mann, p. 209</ref> Gregory was an enthusiastic supporter of [[monasticism]]; he established the monastery of [[San Crisogono|St. Chrysogonus]] and rebuilt the hospice of [[Saints Sergius and Bacchus]], near St. Peter's, endowing it for the support of the poor.<ref>Mann, pp. 210–211</ref>