▁the ▁Pope . ▁The ▁Pope ▁could ▁also ▁re inst ate ▁pri ests ▁and ▁de a cons ; ▁however , ▁any ▁lay person ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁ord ained ▁a ▁priest ▁or ▁de acon ▁by ▁Const antine ▁was ▁cons igned ▁to ▁spend ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁his ▁life ▁in ▁a ▁monaster y , ▁and ▁none ▁could ▁ever ▁be ▁promoted ▁to ▁a ▁higher ▁religious ▁office . ▁ ▁The ▁final ▁session ▁of ▁the ▁Council , ▁held ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁April , ▁was ▁dedicated ▁to ▁providing ▁a ▁r uling ▁concerning ▁the ▁on going ▁Icon oc last ▁controvers y . ▁Review ing ▁the ▁writ ings ▁of ▁the ▁Church ▁F athers , ▁the ▁Council ▁decre ed ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁perm iss ible ▁and ▁des irable ▁for ▁Christians ▁to ▁v ener ate ▁icons . ▁It ▁confirmed ▁the ▁r ul ings ▁of ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁Rome ▁in ▁ 7 3 1 ▁concerning ▁the ▁valid ▁use ▁of ▁images . ▁The ▁syn od ▁then ▁condem ned ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁Hier ia ▁and ▁an ath emat ized ▁its ▁icon oc last ic ▁r ul ings . ▁Finally , ▁it ▁collected ▁additional ▁texts ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁v ener ation ▁of ▁icons , ▁including ▁port ions ▁of ▁a ▁letter ▁from ▁the ▁three ▁eastern ▁patri arch s ▁to ▁Pope ▁Paul ▁I . ▁ ▁Once ▁the ▁meet ings ▁had ▁been ▁concluded , ▁a ▁process ion ▁of ▁cler gy ▁and ▁people ▁walked ▁bare foot ▁to ▁St . ▁Peter ' s ▁Bas il ica . ▁There , ▁the ▁Council ' s ▁decre es ▁were ▁announced , ▁an ath emas ▁were