What did the Council of Trent teach about the veneration of saints, images, and relics?

The Council of Trent (1563) served to clarify and reaffirm Roman Catholic doctrine in response to the challenges posed by the Protestant Reformation. Regarding the veneration of saints, images, and relics, the Council established the following:12

• Veneration of Saints and Relics: The Council formally permitted the veneration of saints and relics. It maintained that such devotion is appropriate because reverence shown to these objects redounds to the honor of the saint. To ensure the integrity of this practice, the Council implemented specific rules to verify the authenticity of relics and to prohibit venal or corrupt practices associated with them.12
• Use of Images: The Council upheld the use of religious images, rejecting the iconoclastic views held by many Protestant reformers. Consistent with long-standing Western tradition, the Church viewed images as tools for instruction and as aids to devotion, helping the faithful to remember and contemplate the mysteries of the Christian faith.13

By these decrees, the Council sought to preserve traditional devotional practices while addressing concerns regarding potential abuses.12