Some believed the use of icons and their veneration was fine, and others felt that icons should not exist because it could lead to idolatry.
The iconoclastic controversy occurred in the Byzantine empire, beginning in the 8th century and lasting into the 9th century. "Iconoclasm" means destroying of icons or images in the church. The iconoclasts pointed to Bible verses from the Old Testament that prohibited the use of "graven images." Those who supported religious artwork and iconography looked at these as valuable ways for worshipers to visualize the truths of the faith.
The controversy went back and forth over many years, with different emperors and church councils disagreeing in the views they supported. Ultimately, veneration of icons was restored for good in AD 843, and this event is celebrated to this day in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Feast of Orthodoxy.
The two opposing opinions during the Iconoclastic controversy were the so people called "iconophiles". They were the people who believe that the icons didn't violate the Christian teach and would be able to continue to be used, now we have the "iconoclasts" they were the people who believed that the icons used in churches and practices would be removed and destroyed...
Stalin unified the Soviet Union after the death of Lenin, although it should be noted that this "unification process" involved mass killings and deportations of people Stalin deemed to be enemies of the state.
