The loved one OR photo of the loved one.

When you look at a photo of a loved one, the love you feel is for loved one and not for the one in the photo. So easy to understand. It is the memory of the loved one that the photo reminds you of your love to her.

So easy to understand. In the context of the Christian religion, what would be your reply if you see a person praying to a statue? Is the person praying to a statue or to the loved one the person think of when he see the statue?

Only the person will know.