A large portion of those present at the RNC are Evangelicals. TV shots of the crowd during Trump’s tribute showed a lot of emotional faces, many even streaked with tears. Would the speech have had the same emotional impact without a visual representation of Comperatore? Or without the physical veneration of his helmet by President Trump?

Absolutely not. The physical presence of the hero of the moment was needed for everyone to have a connection to him and his actions. Humans need to see, to touch, and to experience. It is how God made us. Which is why the Orthodox venerate what God has made, but worship only the Creator.

Not one Evangelical has criticized Trump for idolatry. Not one Evangelical has said that somehow Trump was “worshipping” Comperatore. On the stage at the RNC, Trump’s actions have given us Orthodox a perfect way to introduce Evangelicals to veneration. We should not let this opportunity slip. https://orthodoxreflections.com/three-spiritual-lessons-from-the-republican-national-convention/