Where to hang an icon. Where and how to place icons in the house

Ecology of life. Cognitively: Previously, almost every house had its own iconostasis - a place where icons were located and where ...

Previously, almost every house had its own iconostasis - a place where icons were located and where prayers were offered to the saints and to the Lord. Now, many Christian traditions have been forgotten, as a result of which some families do not know how to properly maintain and place icons in the house.

For icons, the most honorable place was previously allocated, called the red or holy corner, the goddess, the kivot (kiot). Such a place was richly decorated, kept immaculately clean, it served as a kind of home altar, where family members could pray and ask the Lord for blessings. Nowadays, this practice is almost never found, and more and more often in the homes of believers there is simply one or several separate icons, located as and where necessary.

Of course, such an attitude towards icons is not welcome, because these are holy images that must be treated accordingly. Therefore, it is important to know at least the basic principles for choosing and placing icons in the house in advance so as not to desecrate them.

How to choose icons for the home?

The choice of icons for each family and even for its individual members is always individual: each believer has the right to decide for himself, listening to the voice of his heart, the exploits of which saints inspire him the most, which images he will turn to daily with prayer. However, there is one general rule - Orthodox families must have icons of the Savior and the Mother of God at home.

The icon of the Savior for home prayers is usually chosen with the image of the Lord Almighty (Pantokrator) or the Savior Not Made by Hands. The icon of the Mother of God in the house is chosen mainly among such iconographic types as "Tenderness" ("Eleusa") and "Guide" ("Hodegetria").

In young families, the wedding couple is often used as the two main icons in the house. This is acceptable, but it is important to ensure that such a pair is larger than the rest of the icons in the house and at the same time matches them in writing style.

If we talk about other icons for the home, in addition to the images of Christ and the Virgin, then their choice, as mentioned above, is free. But most often, believers acquire icons of the heavenly patron saints of family members (nominal icons), icons of saints very revered in the family, and icons of holidays. At the same time, images of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious are also quite often found in the homes of believers - saints especially revered and loved by the people.

How to hang icons in the house?

In accordance with Orthodox Christian traditions, the icons in the house were always not hung on the walls, but placed on special shelves. However, in modern conditions, the placement of icons on the walls is considered acceptable, so often believers are interested in where exactly you can hang icons.

There are no strict regulations for the placement of icons in a house, as in a temple. But still, you need to adhere to a number of important principles when choosing a place for each icon. So, no icon can be larger and located higher than the icon of the Savior, with the exception of the icon of the Holy Trinity. Next to the image of Christ, there is usually an icon of the Mother of God, and the relative position of these icons should be such that the icon of the Savior in relation to the believer facing her is on the right, and the icon Holy Mother of God- on the left.

Below the icons of Christ and the Most Holy Mother of God, or to the side of them, personalized icons of family members, as well as other icons, can be placed. In this case, the principle of hierarchy is usually observed: for example, the icons of saints are not placed above the main icons (Holy Trinity, Savior, Mother of God) and above the icons of the apostles.

In Orthodox churches, the altars are turned to the east, and in the home iconostasis, the holy images are usually also located on the east side. But if, due to the layout of the premises in the house, it is not possible to place the icons in this way, it's okay, because the icons are allowed to be placed in any accessible place. At the same time, it is important to remember that there should be enough free space in front of the icons for several family members to pray at once, the part of the room where the icons are located should not be littered.

The choice of a room for placing icons in a house can be almost anything: icons can be placed in the living room, in the nursery, in the kitchen; the location of icons above the entrance to the house is also allowed. And of course, you can hang icons on the walls or put icons on the shelf in the bedroom, including the matrimonial one: marital intimacy in marriage is not a sin, therefore there is nothing reprehensible in the fact that the icons are located above the matrimonial bed, and cannot be.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that the icons in the house should always be located separately, and it is inappropriate to put them on shelves with books, photographs of family members, toys, souvenirs. It is also not allowed to place icons surrounded by paintings, even if of a religious nature, as well as surrounded by photographs of the righteous or priests. published

An icon is an image of God or His saints. Images are a reminder of actual existence spiritual world. Honoring them, Orthodox Christians express their proper attitude towards the One who is depicted on them. According to the teachings of Christianity, icons must be treated with reverence and love, as an image of the most dear and close. Any Orthodox Christian should have various icons in his home.

purpose

Icons are intended for prayer, that is, for human communication with God and the saints. Looking at the icons, Orthodox Christians should raise their minds to God, remembering eternal life. The attitude to icons is a centuries-old controversial issue of many Christian denominations. For example, the image of God and saints is allowed only in Orthodoxy and Catholicism, other Christian denominations prohibit the image of God, interpreting it as idolatry.

Icon veneration is not idolatry, since the service is performed not to the icon, but to the Saint depicted on it.

In the Orthodox religion, there are special rules according to which it is necessary to pray for personal needs in front of various holy images. Thus, there is a pious tradition to prescribe individual properties for each icon. For example, before the icon of the Mother of God "Hodegetria" one should pray to everyone on the way, or before the icon of St. Blessed Xenia of Petersburg, it is advised to pray for the well-being of marriage.

You need to know that this practice is not mandatory, since any saints depicted on the icons can hear the prayer and help him in need. The meaning of icons should not be put above a sincere feeling when praying. If with faith and love to pray in front of any icon, then you can be sure that this prayer will be heard.

Where to buy Orthodox icons?

All believers need to know exactly what icons should be in the house. An Orthodox Christian should remember that there are images of saints in Catholic Church Therefore, you can only buy icons in Orthodox churches. Here you will find canonical variants corresponding to special spelling rules. Often they can be bought in stores, but in this case there is a high probability that you can purchase a Catholic icon that does not correspond to the true canons of Orthodoxy.

What icons should be in the house?

It is desirable that the icons are present in every room of your home. In the largest and most spacious room, it is necessary to make the main iconostasis, on which all the holy images revered in this family will be placed.

So, what icons should be in the house? For home prayer, it is necessary to have icons depicting Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, the Holy Trinity, the Guardian Angel, nominal saints and saints especially revered by family members. It is also obligatory to have a cross with the image of the crucified Jesus Christ as main symbol Christianity. In addition, all home icons must be consecrated in Orthodox church.

Where to place icons?

And yet, how to arrange the icons in the house? It is desirable that the corner with holy images be located on the eastern side of your home, just like in temples. Jesus Christ in Holy Scripture called the "Sun of Truth" and also the "East." As a result, the Orthodox tradition has determined the eastern side of the world for the worship of the Lord. This custom originates from the Jewish religion. The tabernacle of Moses had a curtain and purgatory, which were located on the east side. AT famous temple built by King Solomon, the gates of the Lord were in the east.

It is known that Christianity originates from Judaism, therefore, the tradition of the location of the iconostasis follows from here. If the situation in the dwelling is such that it is not possible to place the icons in the eastern corner, then you can also place them in any other place in the room, the main condition is a worthy and respectful environment for the holy image.

Icons in the house should be placed in specially designated places. Around and near the corner with the images there should not be anything that could distract from prayer. Photographs of relatives, ordinary people and other paintings, even depicting biblical stories. Icons should be located only in a place specially designated for them. In addition, objects or books of immoral content should not be kept nearby. Icons in the house should be surrounded by special reverence as a sign of personal attitude towards them.

red corner

The place where the holy images are located is commonly called the "red corner". Often, it is in the corners of the rooms that special stands for icons are located. Such shelves are called icon corners. They can be purchased at church shops, but you can also make such a simple item yourself.

You can also place icons in the upper niches of cabinet furniture, you just need to make sure that there are no foreign objects around: figurines, photo frames or souvenirs. You can not place icons on the lower shelves, as this will be a certain expression of disrespect for the sanctity of the image.

In addition, images can be placed on the walls, and you should definitely know how to hang icons in the house correctly. If they are supposed to be placed on the wall, it is necessary that only icons be present on it. No pictures can be placed nearby. In addition, in the room where the icons are located, it is forbidden to hang pictures of immoral content.

The question of which icons should be in the house and how to arrange them should be discussed in more detail. Images of Jesus Christ must be placed on the right, and the Virgin - on the left. Many families put wedding images on the main home iconostasis: a pair of icons depicting the Savior and Mother of God, written in the same style and having the same size.

Around the main icons, you can place images of nominal saints, in whose honor family members were baptized. On the side of the Savior, you can place icons of nominal male saints, and on the side of the Virgin - female.

Veneration of the Cross

In addition, it is imperative to have an image of the crucifix in the house. The cross is located above all icons as a symbol of victory over the enemy of the human race. The image of the crucifixion has become the main symbol of everything Christendom. Even the Protestant creed, known for its opposition to the image of the Lord, does not prohibit the symbolism of the cross. Also Evangelical Christians and Baptists, who are the most ardent fighters against icon veneration, also have a tradition of using the cross.

It should be mentioned that at all times special reverence was given to the pectoral cross. He was indeed perceived by many people, and even by Christians, as a kind of magic sign. The sign of the cross has always been especially revered by Orthodox Christianity. The Son of God, with his saving death, forever consecrated the cross, turning it from a cruel instrument of execution into the greatest religious symbol. The events of the redemption on the cross became the goal of the earthly life of the Savior and the central theme of the gospel narrative. That is why it is necessary to pay due respect to the cross and place it above all the icons in the house.

Home protection icon

Holy images must be kept in every room. It is desirable that they be placed on separate icon corners, but you can also hang them on the wall. Be sure to have icons in the dining room for prayer before and after the meal.

There is a pious tradition to place images near the entrance to the house: above the door or on the wall closest to the entrance. Orthodox Christians must make the sign of the cross and a short prayer before entering and leaving the house. You can also over front door place the image of the cover of the Most Holy Theotokos, as a sign of the consecration of the dwelling and protection from enemies and evil spirits. Icons with the corresponding prayer are sold in church shops.

Measured icons in the children's room

AT Orthodox tradition exists ancient tradition measured icon - the image of the saint, in whose honor the newborn baby was baptized. Such images are written on an individual order, they correspond to certain sizes. The height of such an icon should correspond to the height of the born child.

Since the measured icons are quite large, it is customary to place them on the walls. Holy images should be placed in the children's room, from an early age teaching the baby to prayerfully turn to his saint, ask him for help in business and undertakings, and pray before and after bedtime.

How to care for icons?

If the question of where to hang the icon in the house is settled, the rules for caring for holy images should be discussed. As a sign of reverence for the holiness of this place, it should be kept clean and tidy. Cleaning in the icon corner must be done with prayer and reverence, without being distracted by thoughts on foreign objects. Wipe the images with a specially designed clean cloth and store it separately, in a special place.

Everyone has their own way to God. Icons help to feel divine grace, to pray to the Almighty. Many rightfully have a question about where to place the icons in the house in order to be under divine protection every minute and not offend the sanctity of the images. The Apostle Paul in his first epistle to Timothy (1 Timothy 2:8) teaches: “Therefore, I desire that men pray in every place, lifting up pure hands without anger or doubt.” Following the holy words, we start the morning with a prayer called morning rule. Starting the meal, each time we ask God to bless the meal, and after the meal we thank for His mercy. Going to sleep, we turn to the Lord with an evening prayer. Any business an Orthodox believer begins with a request for God's blessing.

Most often, for convenience, the main iconostasis is placed in the bedroom, meeting and seeing off the day with the thought of the triune God, omnipresent, omnipotent, one. The presence of icons in the matrimonial bedroom should not interfere with normal marital relations, since there is nothing sinful in the relationship of a legal husband and wife: God created us to live as a couple.

The holy images are hung in the children's room, but in such a way that it is safe for the child. The icon should not fall and injure the child. Under her cover and protection, the baby will be from the first days of life. Taught by his mother, for the first time he will turn to her with a request, with her image in his heart he will follow the righteous path.

Place several icons in the kitchen, and this will also be correct, since it will become convenient for family members to pray together, before and after the meal that the Almighty sent us.

It is appropriate to hang an icon over the door: leaving the house, we can cross ourselves and turn to God. As you can see, the icon will not be superfluous anywhere, reminding us with the light of the face of the Lord and eternal truth.

When choosing a place for holy images, you need to know some simple rules based on the writings of saints, theologians. According to St. John of Damascus, "since God is a spiritual light, and Christ in Scripture is called the Sun of righteousness and the East, then the east must be dedicated to worship Him." Go to any temple and you will see that the iconostasis is located precisely in the east. It has long been conducted among Christians to choose for the "red corner" - the iconostasis - the eastern side of the house. In a modern apartment, it is not always possible to adhere to the canons in this matter, so it is allowed to hang the iconostasis in another place.

But in any case, it is important to comply with some requirements. Here they are:

Standing in front of the icon and making prayers with the sign of the cross and bows, you must freely do this, nothing should hinder movement and interrupt the sacrament of comprehending the truth in communion with the Almighty;

Respect your family members who are not currently participating in prayer, choose a place where you will not disturb anyone;

Do not put icons in a closet, sideboard (which is very common). It is best to put them on shelves, corner or plain, purchased at a church store. Conveniently nail the shelf onto the wall surface at about eye level so that the image is clearly visible. Under the shelf, you can put a nightstand and put a prayer book, the Gospel, other holy books that are dear to you, candles, an icon lamp. Here, near the icons, there is a place for holy oil and water, prosphora;

Handle a candle or lamp with care so as not to cause a fire. Do not place them on the lower shelves or near objects that catch fire easily;

When equipping a place for icons, remove secular entertainment paraphernalia standing or hanging nearby: art books, posters, TV, paintings. Photos of relatives or acquaintances will also look inappropriate next to the holy images. Remember that icons are not decorations, but a source of connection with the spiritual world, where there is no place for vanity and vanity.

Having chosen and equipped, finally, a place for the goddess, correctly, according to the hierarchy, put the icons. In the center there should be an image of Jesus Christ - “Orthodox believers often put icons of this saint in the iconostasis to the left of Jesus Christ (as the home iconostasis or “red corner” is also called). There are many icons of saints, healers, blessed ones, Guardian Angels, Archangels, who are also often addressed with sincere prayer for healing, help in business, study, travel, good luck in personal life. They are placed or hung both on the left and on the right in the icon case. Only the requirement is immutable: above the face of Jesus Christ there can be only or.

At baptism, the godparents present the child with icons,. All of them will become a life-giving source of divine grace for the growing person. Under their patronage, he will make his first experience of prayers and spiritual communication with God, he will take them with him into adulthood, full of temptations, not without mistakes. With faith in the soul it will always be easier to go. And its beginning is in the parental home under bright Christian images.

When eating, believers never forget to offer a prayer. For such a case, you can turn to the icon of Jesus Christ, and the Mother of God, and any other image. The main thing is that everything is done from the heart and, ideally, in common prayer by the whole family.

Among the Orthodox, it is common to place an icon above the door so that when leaving the house, ask for intercession from evil forces, so that a person, having come to the threshold with evil thoughts, does not harm the family. It has long been believed that the icons of the Mother of God "", "", "Indestructible Wall", other saints of the image, if you turn with sincere prayer, will avert trouble and protect you from deceit and evil will.

Visiting churches, you, of course, have seen how reverently the premises and places where icons are placed are kept clean. There are fresh fresh flowers all year round. It so happened that the flowers the Blessed Virgin Mary has always considered a white lily, a rose. They are most often seen in the decoration of icons, as well as the entire temple. The so-called “shroud” is carefully covered under the icons. Skillful holy images with convex elements, velvet fabric are cleaned of dust with brushes, wiped with napkins specially designed for this purpose. It is in such purity that the iconostasis should be kept at home. Both the brush and the veil can be purchased at the church store. Craftswomen and needlewomen can show their imagination and make a veil with their own hands, with thoughts of God.

As you can see, it is not very important how many icons there will be in the house. You just need to remember the Savior, the New Testament, keep the 10 commandments, live in harmony with yourself and the world around you. Let everyone help in this prayer in front of the holy Christian icons, which have proven their miraculous power over the centuries.

In all historical times, the faith of the Christian people was necessary as air. With her, the Orthodox experienced hard times and illnesses.

She helped to survive the famine and survive on the battlefield. With faith and hope for centuries, people went to god's temples for help, protection and blessings.

What icons should be in the house

Attend worship for Sundays and on holy holidays it has been customary in Russia since hoary antiquity. Temple paintings on biblical themes and a rich iconostasis created a unique aura of holiness in great cathedrals and small churches.

Christian traditions through the prism of modernity

Modern realities are such that not every conscious person can easily observe the traditions of Christianity that have developed over the centuries. Many hours of presence in churches at prayer services, participation in procession does not fit into the flickering eventful life. A believer does not have time at all to stop, think and realize what is happening.

Sometimes from overwork there is an acute need to open up, to pour out the soul. The laws of business do not recommend resorting to this. But the exhausted ego is looking for a way out and help. Like a bird in a narrow cage, it needs care and guidance. Turning to the sources of true faith helps to restore lost strength, to accept right decisions both in business and family life.

Do you need icons in the house?

To be under the vigilant constant protection of the Almighty, to be guided by the instructions of the saints is possible thanks to the icons correctly placed in a person’s own dwelling. But do not mistakenly believe that the more images of holy faces in the house, the better for the owners.

Size and quantity in this matter do not play any role. Unreasonable use a large number icons, paintings of relevant subjects and church wall calendars can sometimes have the opposite adverse effect on others.

However, the necessary icons should be used in every home. For a true believer, an icon is the embodiment of saints in

material images. The creation of iconography is strikingly different from portrait images.

They capture holiness, purity and chastity in every stroke and in every line. Icons in the house are used for solitary prayers and repentance. In many families that preserve the traditions of true Christianity, holy images are carefully passed on from fathers to children. Bright faces are able to unite different generations. To soften the hearts of the embittered, to revive the magnanimous.

What to Avoid When Placing Icons

Increasingly, in the modern world, the place of shrines in the house is occupied by a TV and a computer. AT last years the significance of spirituality drops sharply and family traditions. And yet, young people often have questions about the value of home prayer, about the significance of holy faces, about how to properly hang icons in the house.

Priests are encouraged to place icons on the eastern side of the house in the "red corner". There should be a large free space in front of the iconostasis in order to facilitate access to the shrine. Install icons on the iconostasis in accordance with the church hierarchy on a separate shelf. They decorate the prayer place with fresh flowers, embroidered towels and openwork napkins. During the annual church holiday"Palm Sunday" Sprigs of consecrated willow are laid.

In order to avoid trouble, you can not have the attributes of the modern hungry world nearby: a TV, game consoles, a music center, a computer. It is forbidden to put telephones, money and house keys on the shelf with icons. On the walls adjacent to the "front corner" do not hang posters with images of sports and show business idols, calendars with photos of models and politicians.

Placing idols of cruel reality on the same level as holy icons will not go unnoticed. Formation on bookshelves is not allowed. Not infrequently, the content of the exhibited books sharply contradicts the centuries-old Christian idea of ​​love and mercy. Ritual attributes should not be confused with such interior items as wall tapestries, graffiti, and sculptures.

Images of what saints you should definitely have in the house

For any Orthodox family, the main icon in the house is an image

Jesus Christ. For home appeal, it is enough to install a half-length image of the Savior. An important feature of such iconography is the reconstruction of the image of the blessing hand of the Lord. On many icons, Jesus appears as the Arbiter of human destinies. Therefore, the image of the Lord Almighty is given one of the main places in any iconostasis - on the right.

The icon of the Mother of God is usually placed to the left of the main image. A feature of the iconography of this theme is the contact of the bright faces of the Virgin and the baby Jesus. The inspired drawing of the Mother of God, filled with infinite love, symbolizes the continuous connection between heaven and earth, evokes a feeling of inner trembling reverence. Among the icons of the “Tenderness” type, the most famous is the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. On the icons, painted according to the Hodegetria (Guidebook) type, the mother points to the Savior with a gesture of her free right hand. The most revered among such images is the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

The icon of the Holy Trinity (Father and Son and Holy Spirit) completes the main part of the "red corner". This image serves as the most famous symbol of unbreakable unity. Reflecting the highest degree of piety, this tripartite image has earned endless love and reverence in Orthodoxy.

If there is sufficient "usable area", you can organize a home altar in 2 levels. Observing church hierarchy, below they often put the image of the holy prophet Elijah, the supreme apostles Peter and Paul, the archangels Gabriel and Michael. The image of Nicholas the Pleasant necessarily complements each Orthodox iconostasis. Among the common people, St. Nicholas was revered as a miracle worker.

A properly composed family iconostasis should be installed in the front corner of the dining room or on the place of execution in the hall. The daily offering of gratitude for food and shelter provided during family meals and dinners will serve to revive Christian traditions and spiritual values. Directly in the kitchen, it makes sense to place the well-known image of the Last Supper. Free access to the face of the Mentor and Patron will contribute to the formation of the young people's need for personal communication.

Holy face for everyone

They say when in the family

many children is a blessing from God. For young youths of different sexes, holy icons of a separate content are intended.

Lucky girls

In the girl's room, there must certainly be an image of Xenia of Petersburg. They place their aspirations and hopes on her in determining the best share. At one time, she comes to the aid of desperate girls and women. Helps them get married safely.

Recently, in Russia, the peasant tradition has been reviving to celebrate Valentine's Day every year - the holiday of Peter and Fevronya. The icon of lovers is a reliable patroness of legal marriage and warm family relationships. Their unbreakable union exemplifies eternal values- mutual love and respect, great wisdom and patience.

The number of worshipers of the holy blessed Matrona of Moscow is growing every year. For those who suffer, she is the wisest guardian of the main sacred values ​​​​and the gracious patroness of numerous lonely hearts. Those who turn to her with deep faith and pure thoughts, help to form a strong family and reward the desperate with the long-awaited happiness of motherhood.

Boys for prudence

In the boys' room there is usually an icon of the famous Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious, who is considered the patron saint of the army. It acts as a kind of shield, both for the house and for its inhabitants. Her aura is indispensable for the guys preparing to serve in the army. This image is presented as a gift to the baby during the sacrament of baptism.

For the purpose of instruction, children are often given an image of St. Andrew the First-Called. He is the universally recognized patron of the Russian land. Turning to him helps to increase the craving for knowledge, instills a love for work, brings up a sense of respect for older generations.

The icon with the face of Prince Alexander Nevsky equally patronizes both generals and privates. Strengthens the strength of the spirit, promotes physical development and self-esteem. Serves as persuasive historical figure for modern imitation.

Holy place should not be empty

For simplicity and

access to images, they can be installed on a separate shelf in the front corner of the children's room or placed on a free wall in accordance with the recommendations described earlier.

At the head of the bed it is customary to put the image of the Guardian Angel of the child. A reliable patron and protector is given at birth to every person. They turn to him at the moment of impending danger and during periods of doubt. Not infrequently, nominal children's icons on special stands are installed indoors.

They are intended for each tomboy personally, as they correspond to the name of the owner. Adults hope that such protectors and patrons will help in the proper upbringing of the younger generation, protect them from many troubles and misfortunes.

Relief for the sick and the weak

Often in large families, a separate room is allocated for aged parents. There are wise old people who lived a long time, sometimes hard life, suit their own, close and dear to them things. In the first place among them are always pious and not infrequently ancient icons.

Confirming allegiance Christian traditions with their actions and thoughts, the fathers decided the fate of their children and grandchildren in accordance with the requirements of faith. But now the time has come to give parents a canonized image of the holy great martyr and worldly healer Panteleimon.

The mercenary Christian holy healer does not leave without due attention people's requests for healing. Heals not only bodily ailments, but also revives the soul. Since time immemorial, he has been a well-known patron of all true doctors and suffering patients. You can install an icon with the face of a saint in the eastern corner of the room, surrounding it with the appropriate church attributes.

Where can I buy real icons

In order not to be mistaken when acquiring items so necessary for the home, purchases must be made in church shops at churches, at often arranged Orthodox exhibitions and fairs. In such places there is the widest selection of relevant products.

The rich church decoration of the premises is conducive to peace and tranquility. In the design of holy images, color embossing is most often used. To create a status attribute that is part of a large iconostasis, expensive gold stamping is used. Here you can

buy icon cases - special boxes with glass for careful storage and use of the icon.

In attribute shops, specialists who know Orthodoxy well will gladly give detailed advice. They will help you make an informed choice in accordance with your life situation. When buying an icon, it is necessary to check for the presence of a special hallmark, indicating that this icon has received illumination. It is worth paying attention to whether the text of the offered prayer is attached to the kit. It is very convenient for home use.

It is easy to communicate with God, having the necessary icons in the house, placed in accordance with Christian principles. Offering daily gratitude to the Almighty, every believer has the right to count on love, care and guidance on the true path.

Is it possible to put icons in the bedroom?

This question is asked by many people. Each person has an individual home iconostasis.

For his home, a believer chooses icons on his own, listening only to the voice of his heart, only it decides to which Saint to direct daily prayers. But when choosing icons, you should make sure that they match the manner of execution and style of the room. The article will tell you how to do it yourself.

Features of the location of icons in the house

The veneration of icons is the worship of the prototype. Looking at the icon, a person sees in it the Savior Himself, the Mother of God or saints.

These sacred images should be given the appropriate reverence for the shrine. In the temple, Orthodox people lay candles, lampadas in front of the icons, kiss the sacred images.

When worshiping before icons:

• Burning incense or incense.
• They pray.
• They sing prayers.
• With them, processions are made.

In the home of an Orthodox Christian, there should be an appropriate attitude towards icons.

The place where the images are placed is called:

• Red corner.
• Front corner.
• Holy corner.
• Kyotom.
• Goddess.
• Kivot.

In the house, first of all, you should have such icons as:

• Savior.
• Mother of God.
• especially revered shrines.
• personalized icons which include saints heavenly patrons all family members, holidays. The image of the Savior should be placed to the right of the standing one, and the face of the Virgin - to the left.

Icons should be placed in a separate place from other things.

You can't install them:

• In bookcases where books of a secular nature are placed that contradict Christianity and have nothing to do with Orthodox truths.
• On the shelves where there are photographs of loved ones, especially the dead.
• Where toys, figurines are located, icons should not be mixed with decorative elements.
• Next to the posters of pop singers, athletes, politicians and other idols of the current century.
• There should not be artistic pictures here, even written on biblical subjects, such as:

1. "The appearance of Christ to the people";
2. "Sistine Madonna".

Tip: It is not allowed to see photos of priests, monks, elders, people who lead a righteous life among the icons.

How to choose the right place for icons

In the house, icons can be placed in any room, not excluding the bedroom.

In the nursery, it is desirable to arrange:

• A measured icon, the height of which corresponds to the growth of the child at birth.
• Personal.
• Image of the Savior.
• Guardian angel.

Instructions for placing icons offer:

• Install them on the east side of the room. It could be a corner or a wall.

Tip: At prayer, a person should face east, like the altar in an Orthodox church. Icons should also be placed on the eastern wall of the room.

How are the holy scriptures placed?

After determining the location of the icons, you must:

• Install there a shelf-kiot, which is a special locker or glazed shelf designed to protect the icons from accidental mechanical damage, dust or dirt. The icon case allows you to store the face of the saint in more gentle conditions, where the icons are less susceptible to negative consequences from changes in temperature and humidity of the surrounding air.
• It is better to place the shelf a little higher above eye level or directly at the level.
• Images of saints are placed on a shelf or hung on a wall if there are quite a few of them.
• It is better to cover the bottom of the shelf with embroidery or put a beautiful white linen or veil.
• On the left should be the Icon of the Mother of God, and on the right - the image of the Savior, which is provided for by the classical iconostasis.
• The following options are also allowed:

1. above all in the center to place the image of the Savior;
2. on the left, you can put the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of John the Baptist;
3. on the right - the face of the Mother of God.

You can combine all these icons in one, which is called Jesus Christ the King of Glory.

• Only the Crucifixion or the icon of the Holy Trinity can be placed above the composition of images.
• Near the face of John the Baptist is the archangel Gabriel. And near the image of the Mother of God - Archangel Michael.

There may be other saints in the iconostasis:

• Nicholas the Wonderworker.
• Panteleimon.
• Peter Pavel.

Tip: You should always remember the principle of hierarchy: no saint can be placed above the icon of the Savior, the Holy Trinity, the Virgin and the apostles.

• On the sides and a little lower, you can put images related to nominal, family or hereditary.
• It is desirable to crown the home iconostasis with an Orthodox cross.
• Before the beginning of the prayer, it is advisable to light a candle or icon lamp, and then hang it and place it in front of the faces of the saints. A burning candle is a symbol of a person's burning towards God, his prayers.
• It is customary to embellish the holy corner with embroideries or put fresh flowers in it. Embroidery for decoration can be done by yourself.

Many believe that it is impossible to place icons in the bedchamber - this is the most intimate room in the home. But this is absolutely not true.

Intimacy between spouses is not considered a sin, so you can safely place the holy scriptures in the bedroom. But you should know that the images are placed only at the head of the bed. How to do this will tell the video in this article.

If the bedroom of an unmarried couple is considered a sin that cannot be hidden from God without even placing icons in the room. God is omnipresent, he sees everything and always, and not through images. You can safely place images of saints in the bedroom and pray!

Church traditions are passed down from century to century, despite some of their being lost in time, and today, as before, the world is empty and unthinkable without communion with God. For many of us, visiting the temple has long been a custom and is a great goodness and peace. Unity with God during the service, people receive through prayer and visible spiritual contact with the Shrines and the faces of miracle workers. Prayer cleanses the heart, heals the soul, inspiring faith and giving good joy.

A house where there is a corner with icons will always be clean and protected from all evil spirits and evil. But, how and where is it better to place the faces of the Saints in an ordinary apartment, and what place would be the most suitable for reading prayers? Answers to questions of such a sensitive nature have been perfected over the centuries. It turns out that there are Orthodox canons that require strict observance of traditions and a careful approach to details.

Red corner in the house

The icon is still an important, valuable, family heirloom, which is carefully guarded and revered. Every true believer in the house has a "clean" place - the Red Corner. Other names of the sacredly guarded place - Beautiful corner, Bozhnitsa, Front or Holy corner - this is usually the name of a secluded place where you can kneel and turn to the Saints with prayer in the morning and evening hours.

During the construction of temples from time immemorial, the altar was installed where the sun rises. It is the eastern side that symbolically brings us closer to the spiritual personification, that is, to God. But in city apartments it is not always possible to install icons according to all Orthodox rules, therefore, they take a different direction as a basis, abandoning the traditional theory. The place of honor for the iconostasis in most cases is determined by the vector diagonal from the front room door towards the far corner of the room. The space where the Red Corner is created must be free so that the whole family can pray to the Almighty and express their reverence for the faces of the Savior and his helpers.

What icons adorn the iconostasis?

You should not strive to fill the main iconostasis in the apartment with many Holy images. In the central zone of the house: the living room or the hall, it is better to leave three main significant and revered icons: Savior, Holy Mother of God and Holy Trinity.

It is important to follow the trend of religious hierarchy. According to established canons, the face of the Savior is always placed on the right, and the Mother of God on the left. Only the icon of the Holy Trinity can be installed one step higher.

The arrangement of icons should look neat and harmonious. It's good if all the icons are of the same size and designed in the same style. The crowning of the iconostasis must be consecrated with an Orthodox cross. The number of religious figures present in the house is not limited, but

the main thing in this matter is sincerity, since a disinterested prayer will always be heard. The iconostasis can be supplemented with other images of saints. They like to place heavenly images in the Goddess
namesake patrons, Nicholas the Wonderworker, the Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon.

In addition to the common Goddess, it is quite acceptable to place icons in another residential area: a bedroom, kitchen, nursery or hallway. In the dining room or kitchen, believers usually worship the icon of the Savior in order to ask for blessings for the dinner meal and give thanks for their daily bread. Many Orthodox hang icons above the front door so that trouble does not come into the house. In the bedroom, the faces of the Saints, located at the head of the bed, protect the peace and sleep of those sleeping.

In order to protect the spotless soul of a child from dark forces and ailments, the icons of Guardian Angels often give their power in children's rooms. In general, it is not difficult to find the necessary corner for home worship in the arrangement of an apartment: the main thing is to treat this process with great faith and love. The only area where icons have no place is the bathroom and toilet.

Another, no less significant condition in relation to the location of icons in the house is the ban on their proximity to decorative and household elements. Icons love solitude and the absence of any filth. The Church condemns if toys, personal photographs, modern books, postcards, jewelry, household utensils and pagan figurines lie next to the iconostasis. On the contrary, the decoration of the iconostasis with fresh flowers, icon set (a special embroidered towel), censer, candles, willow and birch twigs will enhance the religious aura with a rosary. In the kiot (wooden cabinet), in addition to images of holy faces, a prayer book, the Gospel, the Psalter and objects consecrated in the temple and Holy water are kept.

The fundamental stage in the arrangement and formation home iconostasis the maintenance of icons in regular cleanliness and special careful preservation will become, and this should be expressed, first of all, in the elimination of dust, excessive moisture and excessive dryness, which can spoil the icons and distort the images of the faces of saints.

In every house where an Orthodox family lives, there must be icons. They are necessary to protect the apartment. Also, with an image in front of your eyes, it is much easier to concentrate for prayer. However, now not everyone knows where to hang icons in the house. But there is nothing complicated in this science.

Where and how to hang icons?

A house is not a temple in which everything is strictly regulated, and where it cannot be otherwise. Here you can give free rein to fantasy - naturally, within the framework of traditions and canons. The canonical opinion is that the icon should be in every, with rare exception, room of the house.

The most important rule in this case is that there should be enough space in front of the image. This is necessary so that the believer can pray in front of the icon without inconvenience, because this is what it is intended for. Everything else - again, with rare exceptions - is advisory in nature.

So, it is worth considering the placement of icons in the following rooms:

Be sure to hang the image above the dining table (in the dining room or in the kitchen). Pray before eating. As a rule, this place is occupied by the icon of the Savior or the Last Supper.

· In the nursery, the image of the "Guardian Angel" is often placed. Best at the head of the bed.

· A common misconception is that there should not be icons in the bedroom. But it's not. You just need to know how to hang the icon in the bedroom. If spouses sleep in it, it’s okay, because intercourse in marriage is not considered a sin. It is advisable to hang at the head of a properly set bed.

It is important that, if possible, the image hangs on the east side, because of the tradition of turning to face the east when praying. But if that's not possible, what can you do? It is also recommended to take into account the hierarchy when placing - that is, you cannot hang the images of the Mother of God or the Savior below all the others.

Where should icons be hung?

There are places where you should absolutely not hang icons in the house. There are also some prohibition traditions.

It is important to remember: in which corner the icons are hung, there should not be other photographs, posters or drawings. Only canonical images, and nothing more. The same applies to walls. For you can only pray on them, but not on a poster, for example, of Michael Jackson or a portrait of a great-grandmother.

The question is often what kind of icon is hung over the front door. The answer is don't do it. As a rule, an Orthodox cross or its sticker is placed there. You can also hang a horseshoe. Although, if there is a desire, you can place the “Goalkeeper” or the Mother of God “Seven-shot” above the door.

And, of course, in no case should you place an image in the toilet. This is blasphemous. Also, do not hang it on window frames. Only on the walls, in the corners, you can put on the shelves. But not behind some things - only on a free shelf.

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Natalya Kaptsova

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As every believer knows, an icon is not a beautiful picture and a tribute to fashion, but an Image of God, saints or the Mother of God. Icons are images without authorship, through which we pray, but not decorative elements. Accordingly, the free use of icons is a disrespect, both for Christian traditions and for oneself.

What icons should be in your home, and how exactly should they be placed according to church canons?

What icons do you need to have at home for protection, well-being and family happiness?

First of all, it should be remembered that the icon is not a talisman for happiness, not a horseshoe over the door, and not a bearskin with butterflies, hung according to Feng Shui. That is, she is not a talisman in his direct sense. An icon is an image through which we turn to God. And only with sincere prayer does the Lord or the saint to whom the prayer is offered help us in family well-being and gives protection.

Which icons to put at home is up to you. As the priests say, even one is enough for prayer. If your soul does not have enough images in the house, or you want to create your own home iconostasis, then you can seek advice from your confessor or just a minister in the temple - they will prompt.

Usually the following icons are placed in houses (the list is not a list of icons that you should definitely buy and hang at home, but only the most revered images through which prayers for well-being in the family are raised):

• The two main images in the apartment - Savior (as a rule, they choose the Lord Almighty) and, of course, mother of God (for example, Tenderness or Hodegetria). It is impossible to imagine the home of Orthodox Christians without these icons.
• Saint John the Baptist .

• Images of saints , whose names (by baptism) are members of your family.
• Your local revered saints (when creating the iconostasis).
• Great Martyr George the Victorious .
• Nicholas the Wonderworker . The image of this saint, endowed with special grace (protection of travelers, protection from want and poverty), the Orthodox put at home most often.
• Great Martyr Panteleimon (most often it is to him that they turn for healing).
• Apostles Peter and Paul .
• Archangels Gabriel and Michael .
• Kazan Mother of God - the intercessor of the Russian people, as well as an assistant in work and everyday needs.
• The Holy Trinity , symbolizing wisdom, intelligence and love. One of the key confessional icons in the house.
• Iberian Mother of God - the intercessor of women and your keeper of the hearth. Before this image, they pray for healing or comfort in trouble.
• Seven-strelnaya . One of the most strong icons in protecting the house - from envy and anger, from the evil eye, etc. This icon brings harmony, reconciles the warring, often they take it with them to important events.
• healer . Protects from grief and troubles, helps in childbirth. Before her, prayers are offered for the healing of the soul and body.
• Inexhaustible Chalice . Healing from addictions, drunkenness and drug addiction, prosperity in the house, help and comfort to all who ask in faith.
• unexpected joy . Before this image, prayers are offered for the health of children, for the well-being of marriage, for healing.
• . Prayers are offered to this saint for healing.

• Blessed Matrona of Moscow . They turn to her with prayers for healing, for family well-being.
• Peter and Fevronia . Saints known as patrons of marital fidelity. By the way, our "Valentine's Day" is July 8, the day of remembrance of these saints.
• And other icons that will help you find peace in your soul and in your family.

For the kitchen, the icon of the Savior is most suitable, and for the baby’s room - the Guardian Angel or the Saint - the patron saint of the child.

Orthodox houses have been filled with icons since the times of Ancient Russia. Unfortunately, today for many it is a tribute to fashion, but for an Orthodox and truly believing Christian, an icon is a revered thing, and the appeal to it is appropriate - not secular, but coming from faith.

How to properly place holy images in the house?

• When choosing a side, they are guided by its special meaning in Orthodoxy - it is on the eastern wall of the room that images are always placed. In the absence of such an opportunity, the reference point is a place in which the worshiper will not be cramped.
• Categorically avoid the neighborhood of the icon with secular objects - you should not put statuettes and cosmetics, equipment and other items of momentary, earthly, decorative value next to the images.
• Also, you should not hang / put next to non-icon images - panels and paintings (even with religious significance), calendars, secular books, posters, etc. And even lifetime images of saints (photographs) are not recommended - only canonical icons.
• Items that can coexist with images are lamps and candles, Orthodox literature, incense, holy water, willow twigs, which are usually stored until the next Palm Sunday. Icons and the house itself are also traditionally decorated with birch branches (for Pentecost).
• Icons are usually placed, and not hung on carnations - in specially designated places (red corner, iconostasis, just a special shelf or icon case). Images are not hung on the walls like paintings randomly - this does not evoke the necessary sense of calm and contentment that is necessary during prayer.
• Don't forget about hierarchy. 2 main icons - the Mother of God (placed to the left of the Savior) and the Savior (these icons are always "center"). You can not place images of saints above these images, as well as above the Holy Trinity. They (saints) are placed below the apostles.
• A variety of writing styles is also not recommended. Choose icons in a single style of performance. Remember that the icons in the house are placed after their consecration or already bought in the temple, consecrated.
• The main corner (red) is the farthest corner in the room (usually the right one), located diagonally from the door with a reference point to the rising sun.

• Don't go overboard with icons. For the rest of the rooms (if there is a red corner / iconostasis), one image is enough.
• In the nursery, the image of the saint is placed in such a way that it can be seen by the baby from the crib.
• You should absolutely not put an icon on your TV - it's just blasphemous.
• If you have icons in the room, you should remove all obscene posters, posters, reproductions, paintings, calendars and other walls. Such a neighborhood is unacceptable and inappropriate. Praying to the Savior, in front of which a poster hangs, for example, a rock band or a picture with a “nudity” is simply pointless.
• In the bedroom, the image is placed at the head of your bed. There is a myth that icons are not placed in the bedroom, so that "God does not see the closeness of the spouses." It is worth noting that intimacy in marriage is not a sin, and it is impossible to hide from God, even if you hide all the icons in a bedside table at night.
• The corner in which the images stand should be the most illuminated, and the images themselves should be located above eye level. There should be no barriers between the icon and the gaze (as well as barriers in the form of tables or chests of drawers between you).

But the most important thing, of course, is to remember that ...

The number of icons and the beauty of the iconostasis will not make the life of the Orthodox more pious - sincere prayers before these images make it so.
An icon is not a pagan amulet and not a “store of grace” that can be approached and scooped up if necessary, but an image through which a prayer is sent to the Lord and Grace to those who believe in him.

How to properly position the home iconostasis

As mentioned above, the number of icons does not matter, and you should not put images randomly (covering holes in the wallpaper, for example). Icons should have their own bright and important place.

Thoughtless empty collecting will give your iconostasis absolutely nothing. A few icons and a prayer from the heart are always stronger than a rich iconostasis with expensive icons in gold frames “for display”.

• The iconostasis is created in the likeness of the church. Certainly with a hierarchical arrangement of images: in the center - the Savior with the Mother of God (the Savior to her right!), The Holy Trinity can be located in the same row (or above all images). If there is no Trinity, a crucifix is ​​placed at the top of the iconostasis. All other images are subject to these key icons: to the right of the Savior they put the image of John the Baptist. This triptych is the Deesis. This is followed by saints, reverends and other icons (for example, local saints or nominal ones), which the Orthodox chooses at his own request. Saints are not put above the Deesis, the apostles, the Trinity.
• On the shelf of the iconostasis, a lamp is placed, which is lit on the eve and on the days of the holidays themselves, on Sundays or during prayer.
• Sometimes the images are decorated (as in the old days) with a god. This is a narrow and long canvas towel with embroidery at the ends. Such gods covered the images from the sides and from above, leaving only the faces.
• The kiot is most suitable for the iconostasis - the images are better preserved in it, and the red corner stands out.
• It does not matter whether the icon was painted by the artist who received the blessing for that, by hand, it was bought as a reproduction image or carved from Orthodox calendar and glued to a solid base. The main thing is to consecrate the icon. While certainly a hand-painted image, a linseed one will always outperform a printed reproduction.
• The choice of image style is a matter of taste. It can be Byzantine or Old Russian style - it doesn't matter. If only not secular (academic is also not welcome). Now it has become fashionable to paint icons as they please, without proper blessing, with a mass of elements “from oneself”, etc. Such icons have a place anywhere - just not in the iconostasis. Don't mix styles either.

And finally: never confuse the prototype and the image itself. We offer prayer not to the icon, but to the archetype.

With the blessing of Bishop Konstantin of Tikhvin

Alekseev Sergey Vladimirovich

In his house to every Christian ... holy and honest images written on icons essentially put on the walls, arranging a magnificent place with every decoration and with lamps, in them the candles before the saints are burned on every praise of God ... And touch the holy image worthy in pure conscience ... And the images are delivered to the saints even at the beginning according to the rank, sacredly honor the essence of the name of the predestined. In prayers and in vigils, and in bows and in every glorification of God, always honor them ...

Monk Spiridon (Sylvester)
DOMOSTROY
16th century

The icon painter, completing the icon, inscribes
the name of the One whose Face is revealed on the icon board.
There is a combination of words and images,
name and image - an Icon is born.

Quantity and quality are different categories. It is naive to believe that the more Sacred images in the house Orthodox Christian the more pious his life. An unsystematized collection of icons, reproductions, wall church calendars that occupies a significant part of the living space can often have a completely opposite effect on a person’s spiritual life.

Firstly, thoughtless collecting can turn into empty collecting, where there is no question of the prayer purpose of the icon.

Secondly (and this is the main thing), in this case there is a distortion of the concept of a house as a dwelling, as the material basis of an Orthodox family.

“My house will be called the house of prayer” () - this is about the temple, which was created for prayer and the performance of the Sacraments.

The house is a continuation of the temple, no more; home is first and foremost a family hearth; a prayer sounds in the house, but the prayer is private; there is a Church in the house, but the Church is small, domestic, family. The principle of hierarchy (that is, the subordination of the lower to the higher), reflecting heavenly harmony and order, is also present in earthly life. Therefore, it is unacceptable to mix ontologically different concepts of the temple and the house.

However, the icons in the house must be mandatory. In sufficient quantities, but within reasonable limits.

In the past, in every Orthodox family, both peasant and urban, in the most prominent place of the dwelling, there was always a shelf with icons, or a whole home iconostasis. The place where the icons were placed was called the front corner, the red corner, the holy corner, the goddess, the kiot or the kivot.

For an Orthodox Christian, an icon is not only an image of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, saints and events from Sacred and Church history. An icon is a sacred image, that is, separated from the realities of everyday life, not mixing with everyday life and intended only for communion with God. Therefore, the main purpose of the icon is prayer. The icon is a window from the heavenly world to our world - the world of the valley; it is a revelation of God in lines and colors.

Thus, an icon is not just a family heirloom passed down from generation to generation, but a shrine; a shrine that unites all family members during joint prayer, for joint prayer is possible only when mutual insults are forgiven each other and complete unity of the people standing in front of the icon is achieved.

Of course, at the present time, when the place of the icon in the house was taken by the TV - a kind of window into the motley world of human passions, the traditions of joint prayer at home, and the meaning of the family icon, and the awareness of one's family as a small Church were largely lost.

Therefore, an Orthodox Christian living in a modern city apartment often has questions: what icons should be in the house? How to place them correctly? Is it possible to use reproductions from icons? What to do with old icons that have fallen into disrepair?

Some of these questions should only be answered unambiguously; answering others, you can do without any strict recommendations.

So, where to place the icons?

In a free and accessible place.

The conciseness of such an answer is caused not by the absence of canonical requirements, but by the realities of life.

Of course, it is desirable to place icons on the eastern wall of the room, because the east as a theological concept has a special meaning in Orthodoxy.

And the Lord God planted a paradise in Eden in the east, and placed there the man whom he created ().

Look, Jerusalem, to the east, and look at the joy that comes to you from God ().

And the spirit lifted me up and led me to the eastern gate of the house of the Lord, which faces east ().

... for as lightning comes from the east and is visible even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man ().

But what to do if the house is oriented so that windows or doors are in the east? In this case, you can use the southern, northern or western walls of the dwelling.

The main thing is that there should be enough free space in front of the icons, and the worshipers would not feel cramped during joint prayer. And for books needed during prayer, it is convenient to use a folding portable lectern.

When choosing a place for a home iconostasis, it is necessary to avoid the close proximity of icons to a TV, tape recorder and other household appliances. Technical devices belong to our time, they are momentary, their purpose does not correspond to the purpose of sacred images and, if possible, they should not be connected together.

True, there may be exceptions. For example, in the editorial departments of Orthodox publishing houses, the neighborhood of an icon and a computer is quite acceptable. And if the author or employee works at home, then the icon placed near the computer serves as confirmation that this technique is used to spread the Good News, that this human-made tool serves as a conductor of God's will.

Icons should not be mixed with decorative items of a secular nature: figurines, panels made of various materials, etc.

It is inappropriate to place an icon on a bookshelf next to books whose content either has nothing to do with Orthodox truths, or is even contrary to the Christian preaching of love and mercy.

The neighborhood of icons with posters or wall calendars, on which photographs of the idols of the current century are printed - rock musicians, athletes or politicians, is completely unacceptable. This not only reduces the importance of the veneration of sacred images to an unacceptable level, but also puts holy icons on a par with the idols of the modern world.

An example from the practice of priest Sergiy Nikolaev, author of the brochure Icons in Our House, shows how such an attitude to the shrine affects the spiritual state of the family:

“Last year, they invited me to serve a prayer service in a house where, according to the owners, it was “not good”. Despite the fact that the house was consecrated, there was some kind of oppression in it. Walking around the rooms with holy water, I noticed the room of the young men, the sons of the owner, where an artistically executed poster dedicated to a famous rock band hung on the wall. And known for its satanic orientation.

After the prayer service, over tea, I cautiously, knowing about the fanatical devotion of some young people to their idols, tried to explain that “bad” in the house may well come from such posters that such images seem to be trying to resist the shrine. The young man silently stood up and removed the painting in question from the wall. The choice was made right there” (Priest Sergiy Nikolaev. Icons in our house. M. 1997, pp. 7-8).

… give the Lord the glory of His name. Take the gift, go before Him, worship the Lord in the magnificence of His holiness () - this is what the Holy Scripture says about the proper attitude to the shrine dedicated to the Lord.

Fresh flowers can decorate a home iconostasis, and large, separately hanging icons are often, according to tradition, framed with towels.

This tradition dates back to antiquity and has a theological justification.

According to Tradition, the lifetime image of the Savior arose in a miraculous way to help a suffering person: Christ, having washed his face, wiped himself with a clean handkerchief (brust), on which His Face was displayed, and sent this handkerchief to the leprous-stricken king of Asia Minor Avgar in the city of Edessa. The healed ruler and his subjects converted to Christianity, and the Image Not Made by Hands was nailed to a "rotting board" and placed over the city gates.

The day when the Church commemorates the transfer in 944 from Edessa to Constantinople of the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands (August 29, according to the new style), was popularly called the “canvas” or “linen Savior”, and in some places homespun canvases and towels were consecrated on this holiday.

These towels were decorated with rich embroidery and were intended specifically for the goddess. Also, the icons were framed with towels, which the owners of the house used during prayers for the blessing of water and weddings. So, for example, after the blessing of water prayer, when the priest abundantly sprinkled the worshipers with holy water, people wiped their faces with special towels, which were then placed in a red corner.

After the celebration of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, willow branches consecrated in the church are placed near the icons, which, according to tradition, are kept until the next Palm Sunday.

On the Day of the Holy Trinity or Pentecost, it is customary to decorate dwellings and icons with birch branches, which symbolize the flourishing Church, bearing the grace-filled power of the Holy Spirit.

There should not be between the icons of paintings or reproductions of paintings.

A painting, even if it has a religious content, such as "The Appearance of Christ to the People" or the "Sistine Madonna" by Raphael, is not a canonical icon.

What is the difference between Orthodox icon and a picture?

The picture is an artistic image created by the creative imagination of the artist, which is a kind of form of transferring one's own worldview. The worldview, in turn, depends on objective reasons: a specific historical situation, a political system that prevails in society. moral standards and life principles.

An icon, as we have already mentioned, is a revelation of God expressed in the language of lines and colors. Revelation, which is given both to the whole Church and to the individual. The worldview of the icon painter is the worldview of the Church. The icon is out of time, out of the prevailing tastes, it is a symbol of otherness in our world.

The picture is characterized by a pronounced individuality of the author, a peculiar pictorial manner, specific methods of composition, a characteristic color scheme.

The picture should be emotional, since art is a form of knowledge and reflection of the surrounding world through feelings; the picture belongs to the world of the soul.

The icon painter's brush is impassive: personal emotions should not have a place. In the liturgical life of the Church, the icon, like the manner of reading prayers by the psalmist, is devoid of external emotions. Empathy with spoken words and perception of iconographic symbols occur on a spiritual level.

The icon is a means of communication with God and His saints.

Sometimes among the icons in the red corner you can find photographs or reproductions of photographs of priests, elders, people of a righteous, God-pleasing life. Is this allowed? If you strictly follow the canonical requirements, then, of course, no. Do not confuse icon-painting images of saints and photographic portraits.

The icon announces to us about the saint in his glorified, transfigured state, while the photograph, even if a person later glorified as a saint, shows a specific moment of his earthly life, a separate step of ascent to the mountain heights of the spirit.

Of course, such photographs are needed in the house, but they should be placed away from the icons.

Previously, along with prayer icons - sacred images, in houses, especially peasants, there were also pious images: lithographs of temples, views of the Holy Land, as well as popular prints, which in a naive, but bright, figurative form, told about serious subjects.

Currently, there are various wall church calendars with reproductions of icons. They should be treated as a form of printed matter convenient for an Orthodox Christian, since such calendars contain the necessary instructions regarding holidays and fasting days.

But the reproduction itself at the end of the year can be glued onto a solid base, consecrated in the church according to the order of blessing the icon and placed in the home iconostasis.

What icons to have at home?

Be sure to have the icon of the Savior and the icon of the Mother of God.

The images of the Lord Jesus Christ as evidence of the Incarnation and the Salvation of the human race and the Mother of God as the most perfect of earthly people, who was honored with complete deification and revered as the most honest Cherubim and the most glorious Seraphim without comparison (A hymn of praise to the Most Holy Theotokos) are necessary for the house where Orthodox Christians live.

From the images of the Savior, for home prayer, they usually choose a half-length image of the Lord Almighty.

A characteristic feature of this iconographic type is the image of the blessing hand of the Lord and an open or closed book.

The theological significance of this image is that the Lord appears here as the Provider of the world, as the Arbiter of the destinies of this world, the Giver of truth, to whom the eyes of people are directed with faith and hope. Therefore, the images of the Lord Almighty or, in Greek, Pantokrator are always given a significant place in the painting of the temple, and on portable icons, and, of course, in the house.

From the iconography of the Mother of God, icons of the type "Tenderness" and "Hodegetria" are most often chosen.

Iconographic type "Tenderness" or, in Greek, Eleusa, ascends, according to legend, to the holy apostle and evangelist Luke. It is he who is considered the author of the images, lists of which subsequently spread throughout the Orthodox world.

A characteristic feature of this iconography is the contact of the faces of the Savior and the Mother of God, which symbolizes the unity of the heavenly and the earthly, the special relationship between the Creator and His creation, expressed by such infinite love of the Creator for people that He gives His Son to be sacrificed for the atonement of human sins. Of the icons of the "Tenderness" type, the most common are:

• Vladimir icon Mother of God,
• Don Icon of the Mother of God
• icon "Jumping baby",
• icon "Recovery of the dead",
• icon "It is worthy to eat",
• Igor Icon of the Mother of God
• Kasperovskaya Icon of the Mother of God,
• Korsun Icon of the Mother of God
• Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God
• Tolga Icon of the Mother of God
• Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God
• Yaroslavl Icon of the Mother of God.

"Hodegetria" in Greek means "guide". The true path is the path to Christ. On icons of the Hodegetria type, this is evidenced by a gesture right hand Mother of God, which points us to the Divine Infant Christ. Among miraculous icons of this type, the most famous are:

• Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God
• Georgian icon of the Mother of God,
• Iberian Icon of the Mother of God
• icon "Three-handed",
• icon "Quick to Hearing",
• Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
• Kozelshchinsky Icon of the Mother of God,
• Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God
• Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God
• The Czestochowa Icon of the Mother of God.

Of course, if the holidays for the family are the days of honoring any icons of the Savior or the Mother of God, for example, the Image Not Made by Hands of the Lord Jesus Christ or the Icon of the Mother of God "The Sign", then it is good to have these icons in the house, as well as images of saints whose names worn by family members.

For those who have the opportunity to place more icons in the house, you can supplement your iconostasis with images of revered local saints and, of course, the great saints of the Russian land.

In the traditions of Russian Orthodoxy, a special reverence for St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, whose icons are found in almost every Orthodox family, has become stronger. It should be noted that, along with the icons of the Savior and the Mother of God, the image of Nicholas the Wonderworker has always occupied a central place in the home of an Orthodox Christian. Among the people, St. Nicholas is revered as a saint endowed with special grace. This is largely due to the fact that church charter every Thursday of the week, along with the holy apostles, the church offers prayers to St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra of Lycia, the wonderworker.

Among the images of the holy prophets of God, Elijah can be distinguished, among the apostles - the supreme leaders Peter and Paul.

Of the images of martyrs for the faith of Christ, the icons of the holy great martyr George the Victorious, as well as the holy great martyr and healer Panteleimon, are most often found.

For the completeness and completeness of the home iconostasis, it is desirable to have images of the holy Evangelists, St. John the Baptist, the archangels Gabriel and Michael, and icons of holidays.

The choice of icons for the home is always individual. And the best assistant here is the priest - the confessor of the family, and it is to him, or any other priest, that you should turn for advice.

Regarding reproductions of icons and color photographs from them, it can be said that sometimes it is more reasonable to have a good reproduction than an icon painted, but of poor quality.

The attitude of an icon painter to his work must be extremely demanding. Just as a priest does not have the right to celebrate the liturgy without proper preparation, so the icon painter must approach his service with full responsibility. Unfortunately, both in the past and now, one can often find vulgar crafts that have nothing to do with the icon. Therefore, if the image does not evoke a feeling of inner reverence and a sense of contact with the shrine, if it is doubtful in terms of theological content and unprofessional in terms of execution technique, then it is better to refrain from such an acquisition.

And reproductions of canonical icons pasted on a solid base and consecrated in the church will take their rightful place in the home iconostasis.

A very practical question often arises:
How to stick a paper reproduction without damaging it?

Some useful tips can be given here.

If the reproduction is made on thick paper or cardboard, then to stick it on a solid base - a board or plywood - it is advisable to use glue that does not contain water and, accordingly, does not deform the paper, for example, Moment glue. If the reproduction is on thin paper, then PVA glue can be used, but in this case, the paper should be moistened with water, wait until the water is absorbed and the paper loses its elasticity, and only then apply the glue.

You need to press the reproduction to the base through a clean sheet of paper so as not to stain the image.

After gluing, the reproduction can be covered with a thin layer of drying oil or varnish, but this should be done with caution, as some varnishes destroy printing inks. It should be noted that printing inks tend to fade under the active influence of direct sunlight, therefore, an icon made by your own hands and consecrated in the Church must be protected from their influence.

How to place the icons, in what order?
Are there strict statutory requirements for this?

In church, yes. For a home deity, one can limit oneself to only some basic rules.

For example, if the icons are hung haphazardly, asymmetrically, without a thoughtful composition, then this causes a constant feeling of dissatisfaction with their placement, a desire to change everything, which very often distracts from prayer.

It is also necessary to remember the principle of hierarchy: do not place, for example, the icon of a locally venerated saint over the icon of the Holy Trinity, the Savior, the Mother of God, the apostles.

The icon of the Savior should be to the right of the one who is coming, and the Mother of God to the left (as in the classical iconostasis).

When choosing icons, make sure that they are uniform in artistic manner, try not to allow a variety of styles.

What to do if the family has a particularly revered, inherited icon, but it is not written quite canonically or has some loss of paint layer?

If the flaws in the image do not have serious distortions of the image of the Lord, the Mother of God or a saint, such an icon can be made the center of a home iconostasis or, if space permits, placed on a lectern under the goddess, because such an image is a shrine for all family members.

One of the indicators of the level spiritual development The Orthodox Christian is served by his attitude towards the shrine.

What should be the attitude towards the shrine?

Holiness as one of the properties of God (Holy, Holy, Holy Lord Sabaoth! () is reflected both in the saints of God and in physical objects. Therefore, the veneration of holy people, sacred objects and images, as well as one’s own desire for genuine communion with God and transfiguration are phenomena of the same order .

Be holy before Me, for I am holy Lord ... ()

By the way family members relate to the icon, before which their great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers offered prayers to the Lord, one can judge both the degree of churching of people and their piety.

The veneration of the family icon has always been special. After baptism, the baby was brought to the icon and the priest, or the owner of the house, read prayers. With the icon, parents blessed their children for study, for a long trip, for public service. Giving consent to the wedding, the parents also blessed the newlyweds with an icon. And the departure of a person from life took place under the images.

The well-known expression “dispersed, even endure the saints” is evidence of a conscientious attitude towards icons. Before the images of saints, quarrels, misbehavior or domestic scandals are unacceptable.

But the careful and reverent attitude towards the icon of an Orthodox Christian should not develop into unacceptable forms of worship. It is necessary to cultivate the correct veneration of sacred images from an early age. It is always necessary to remember that an icon is an image, sacred, but still only an image. And one should not confuse such concepts as the image - the image itself, and the prototype - the one who is depicted.

What can a distorted, non-Orthodox view of the veneration of holy icons lead to?

To the distortion of the spiritual life, as an individual, and to discord within the Church. An example of this is the heresy of the iconoclasts, which arose in the 7th century.

The reasons for the emergence of this heresy were serious theological disputes about the possibility and validity of the image of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity - God the Word in the flesh. Also, the reason was the political interests of some Byzantine emperors, who were striving for an alliance with strong Arab states, and who were trying to abolish icon veneration in favor of Muslims - opponents of holy icons.

But not only that. One of the reasons for the spread of heresy was the extremely ugly, bordering on idolatry, forms of veneration of sacred images that existed in the church life of that time. Not feeling the difference between the image and the prototype, believers often venerated not the face depicted on the icon, but the object itself - the board and paints, which was a profanity of icon veneration and merges with the lowest types of paganism. Undoubtedly, this served as a temptation for many Christians and led to disastrous consequences for their spiritual life.

That is why there arose among the intellectual elite of that time a tendency to abandon such forms of veneration of sacred images. Opponents of such icon veneration preferred to completely abandon it in order to preserve the purity of Orthodoxy and “protect”, in their opinion, the ignorant part of Christians from the destruction of paganism.

Of course, such views of the opponents of distorted icon veneration were fraught with a serious danger: the very truth of the Incarnation was called into question, since the very existence of the icon is based on the reality of the incarnation of God the Word.

Fathers VII Ecumenical Council, who condemned the heresy of the iconoclasts, taught: “... and honor them (icons) with kisses and reverent worship, not true, according to our faith, worship of God, which befits the one Divine nature, but veneration according to that image, as if the image of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross and the holy Gospel and other shrines, incense and the setting of candles, honor is given, which was a pious custom among the ancients. For the honor given to the image passes to the archetypal, and the one who worships the icon bows to the essence depicted on it. Thus, the teaching of our holy fathers is affirmed, to sit, the tradition of the catholic church, from end to end of the earth that received the Gospel ”(Book of Rules of the Holy Apostles, Holy Ecumenical and Local Councils, and Holy Fathers. M., 1893, p. 5-6).

It is desirable to crown the home iconostasis with a cross; crosses are also placed on the doorposts.

The cross is a sacred thing for an Orthodox Christian. This is a symbol of the salvation of all mankind from eternal death. The 73rd Rule of the Trulsky Cathedral, held in 691, testifies to the importance of venerating the images of the holy cross: “Because life-giving cross showed us salvation, then every care must be taken to pay due respect to that by which we are saved from the ancient fall ... ”(Quoted in: Sandler E. Genesis and the Theology of the Icon. Symbol Magazine, No. 18, Paris, 1987, p. 27).

During prayer in front of the icons, it is good to light the lamp, and on holidays and Sundays, let it burn during the day.

In multi-room city apartments, the iconostasis for common family prayer is usually placed in the largest of the rooms, while in others it is necessary to place at least one icon.

If an Orthodox family has a meal in the kitchen, then an icon is needed there for prayer before and after the meal. It is most reasonable to place the icon of the Savior in the kitchen, since thanksgiving prayer after eating, addressed to Him: “We thank You, Christ our God…”.

And the last.

What to do if the icon has become unusable and cannot be restored?

Such an icon, even if it is not consecrated, should in no case be simply thrown away: a shrine, even if it has lost its original appearance, must always be treated with reverence.

Previously, they used to deal with dilapidated icons in the following way: until a certain state, the old icon was kept in a shrine behind other icons, and if the colors from the icon were completely erased from time to time, then it was allowed to flow along the river.

In our time, of course, this is not worth doing; the dilapidated icon must be taken to the church, where it will be burned in the church oven. If this is not possible, then you should burn the icon yourself, and bury the ashes in a place that will not be desecrated: for example, in a cemetery or under a tree in a garden.

It must be remembered: if the damage to the icon occurred due to its careless storage, this is a sin that needs to be confessed.

The faces looking at us from the icons belong to eternity; looking at them, offering them a prayer, asking for their intercession, we - the inhabitants of the earthly world - must always remember our Creator and Savior; about His eternal call to repentance, to self-improvement and deification of every human soul.

Through the eyes of His saints, the Lord looks at us from the icons, testifying that everything is possible for a person who walks in His ways.

Application

Scheme of the high iconostasis

1 - Royal Doors (a - "Annunciation", b, c, d, e - evangelists);
2 - "The Last Supper"; 3 - icon of the Savior; 4 - icon of the Mother of God;
5 - northern gates; 6 - South gate; 7 - icon of the local row;
8 - temple icon;

I - ancestral row; II - prophetic series; III - holiday row;
IV - deesis rank.

Iconostasis

If the altar is a part of the temple, where the greatest Sacrament of the transubstantiation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is performed, compared with the heavenly world, then the iconostasis, whose faces look at the worshipers, is a figurative expression of this world in lines and colors. The high iconostasis, which the Byzantine church did not know, finally formed in the Russian church by the 16th century, served not so much as a visible display of the main events of the entire sacred history, but embodied the idea of ​​​​the unity of two worlds - heavenly and earthly, expressed the aspiration of man to God, and God to man .

The classic Russian high iconostasis consists of five tiers or rows, or, in other words, ranks.

The first one is ancestral, located under the cross, at the very top. This is an image of the Old Testament Church, which has not yet received the Law. The forefathers from Adam to Moses are depicted here. In the center of this row, the Old Testament Trinity icon is a symbol of the eternal council of the Holy Trinity about the self-sacrifice of God the Word to atone for the fall of man. The icon “Hospitality of Abraham” (or “Appearance to Abraham at the Oak of Mamre”), which is also placed in the center of the ancestral row, has a different theological meaning - this is a contract concluded by God with man.

The second row is prophetic. This is the Church, which has already received the Law and proclaims through the prophets the Mother of God, from whom Christ will be incarnate. That is why in the center of this row is the icon "The Sign", depicting the Mother of God with her hands raised in prayer and with the Divine Infant in her bosom.

The third - festive - row tells about the events of the time of the New Testament: from the Nativity of the Virgin to the Exaltation of the Cross.

The fourth, deesis (or in other words, deesis) order is the prayer of the whole Church to Christ; a prayer that is happening now and will end on the Last Judgment. In the center is the icon "The Savior in Strength", representing Christ as a formidable judge of the entire universe; left and right - images of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. John the Baptist, archangels, apostles and saints.

In the next, local row, there are icons of the Savior and the Mother of God (on the sides of the Royal Doors), then on the North and South Gates - images of archangels or holy deacons. Temple icon- the icon of the holiday or saint, in whose honor the temple is consecrated, is always located to the right of the icon of the Savior (for those facing the altar), immediately behind the South Gate. Above the Royal Doors, the icon of the Last Supper is placed as a symbol of the sacrament of the Eucharist, and on the gates themselves - the Annunciation and images of the holy evangelists. Sometimes on royal doors depict icons and - the creators of the Divine Liturgy.

SATI
St. Petersburg
2000