[JesusIsLord]

It's doubtful that statutes of Mary existed in 325 AD. There were no references to Mary in the First Council of Nicaea. By the time of the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, Christian art was beginning to develop significantly. However, it is important to note that the use of religious imagery was still a contentious issue among early Christians. The church had not yet established a uniform practice regarding the veneration of images or statues. Theological debates about iconography would continue for centuries, culminating in significant controversies such as the Iconoclast Controversy in the Byzantine Empire.

Re: Encyclopedia Britannica & Catholic Online.

[telescope115]

I’m thinking that if this is a real find, the Turkish government, being Muslim, would just as soon cave the whole thing in and destroy it. I am no expert, but I don’t believe the guy.

[Cronos]

Well, there are paintings or frescos of Mary dating back to the 2nd or early 3rd century. For example, a fresco in the Catacomb of Priscilla in Rome, dated around 150–200 AD shows Mary with the infant Jesus, and another wall painting from Dura-Europos (circa 240 AD) may also depict her.

Early Christian art focused more on wall paintings, sarcophagi reliefs, and symbolic motifs in catacombs, partly due to the underground nature of much early Christian practice before Constantine’s legalization of Christianity in 313 AD

There was no reason for the first council of Nicea to mention Mary. The council’s primary focus was on the Arian controversy, affirming the divinity of Christ and producing the original Nicene Creed, which emphasizes Christ’s incarnation

Discussions of Mary’s role, such as her title as “Mother of God” (Theotokos), arose later at the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD.

Councils are called when there is a theological dispute that isn’t settled outside and has created too much animosity among believers

The Iconoclastic Controversy (726–843) was related to the outburst of Mohammedanism