Where should icons hang? What icons should be in the kitchen? A holy place should not be empty

With the blessing of Bishop Konstantin of Tikhvin

Alekseev Sergey Vladimirovich

In his home, every Christian ... places holy and honorable images written on icons on the walls, arranging a splendid place with all sorts of decorations and lamps, in them and candles before the saints the images are burned in every praise of God... And those worthy of touching the holy image are pure conscience... And the images of the saints are placed in the same order at the beginning, sacredly reverent, and the essence of the names of the former. In prayers and in vigils, and in prostrations and in all praise of God, always honor them...

Monk Spyridon (Sylvester)
DOMOSTROY
XVI century

The icon painter, completing the icon, inscribes
the name of the One whose Face is revealed on the icon board.
There is a connection between 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 home of an Orthodox Christian, the more pious his life. An unsystematized collection of icons, reproductions, and 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 prayerful purpose of the icon.

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

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

The house is a continuation of the temple, nothing more; a home is, first of all, a family hearth; There is prayer in the house, but private prayer; 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 the ontologically different concepts of temple and home.

However, there must be icons in the house. In sufficient quantity, but within reasonable limits.

In the past, every Orthodox family, both peasant and urban, always had a shelf with icons, or an entire home iconostasis, in the most prominent place in their home. The place where the icons were placed was called the front corner, red corner, holy corner, shrine, icon case or ark.

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 mixed with everyday life and intended only for communication with God. Therefore, the main purpose of the icon is prayer. An icon is a window from the heavenly world into our world - the world below; 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 and complete unity is achieved between the people standing in front of the icon.

Of course, at the present time, when the place of the icon in the house has been taken by the television - a kind of window into the motley world of human passions, the traditions of joint prayer at home, the meaning of the family icon, and the awareness of one’s family as a small Church have been 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 of icons? What to do with old icons that have fallen into disrepair?

Some of these questions require only a clear answer; answering others, you can do without any strict recommendations.

So where to place the icons?

In a free and accessible place.

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

Of course, it is advisable 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 coming 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 the east ().

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

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

The main thing is that there is enough free space in front of the icons, so that the worshipers do not feel crowded when praying together. 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 combined together.

True, there may be exceptions here. For example, in the editorial departments of Orthodox publishing houses, the proximity of an icon and a computer is quite acceptable. And if the author or employee works from 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 instrument serves as a conductor of God’s will.

Icons should not be allowed to be mixed with decorative objects 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 contents either have nothing in common with Orthodox truths, or even are contrary to the Christian preaching of love and mercy.

It is completely unacceptable for icons to be adjacent to posters or wall calendars with photographs of the idols of this century - rock musicians, athletes or political figures. This not only reduces the importance of venerating 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 Sergius Nikolaev, author of the brochure “Icons in Our House”, shows how such an attitude towards a shrine affects the spiritual state of the family:

“Last year they invited me to serve a prayer service in one house, where, according to the owners, it was “not good.” Despite the fact that the house was consecrated, some kind of oppression was felt 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. Moreover, it is known for its satanic orientation.

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

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

The home iconostasis can be decorated with fresh flowers, and large, separately hanging icons are often, according to tradition, framed with towels.

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

According to Tradition, the lifetime image of the Savior miraculously appeared to help a suffering person: Christ, having washed his face, wiped himself with a clean handkerchief (ubrus), on which His Face was displayed, and sent this handkerchief to the leprosy King Abgar of Asia Minor in the city of Edessa. The healed ruler and his subjects accepted Christianity, and the Image Not Made by Hands was nailed to a “non-rotting board” and placed above the city gates.

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

These towels were decorated with rich embroidery and were intended specifically for the shrine. The icons were also framed with towels, which the owners of the house used during water blessing services and weddings. So, for example, after the water-blessing prayer, when the priest generously sprinkled holy water on the worshipers, people wiped their faces with special towels, which were then placed in the red corner.

After the celebration of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem, branches of willow 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 homes and icons with birch branches, which symbolize the prosperous Church, carrying the grace-filled power of the Holy Spirit.

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

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 an Orthodox icon and a painting?

The painting is an artistic image created by the artist’s creative imagination, which is a unique form of conveying one’s own worldview. The worldview, in turn, depends on objective reasons: the specific historical situation, the political system, the prevailing moral norms and life principles in society.

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

The painting is characterized by a clearly expressed individuality of the author, a unique pictorial style, specific composition techniques, and a characteristic color scheme.

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

The icon painter’s brush is dispassionate: personal emotions should not take 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.

An 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 righteous, godly life. Is this acceptable? If you strictly follow the canonical requirements, then, of course, no. You should not mix iconographic images of saints and photographic portraits.

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

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

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

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

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

What icons should I have at home?

It is imperative to have an icon of the Savior and an icon of the Mother of God.

Images of the Lord Jesus Christ as evidence of the Incarnation and Salvation of the human race and the Mother of God as the most perfect of earthly people, worthy of complete deification and revered as the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim (Song of Praise to the Most Holy Theotokos) are necessary for the home where Orthodox Christians live.

Among the images of the Savior, a half-length image of the Lord Almighty is usually chosen for home prayer.

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 meaning 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 people’s gaze is directed with faith and hope. Therefore, images of the Lord Pantocrator or, in Greek, Pantocrator, 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 such as “Tenderness” and “Hodegetria” are most often chosen.

Iconographic type "Tenderness" or, in Greek, Eleusa, goes back, according to legend, to the holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke. It is he who is considered the author of the images, the 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 connection of the heavenly and the earthly, the special relationship between the Creator and His creation, expressed by such an endless love of the Creator for people that He gives His Son to be slaughtered in atonement for human sins. Of the icons of the “Tenderness” type, the most common are:

• Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God,
• Don Icon of the Mother of God,
• Icon "Baby Leaping"
• icon “Recovery of the Dead”,
• icon “It is worthy to eat”,
• Igorevskaya 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" translated from Greek means “Guide”. The true path is the path to Christ. On icons like “Hodegetria” this is evidenced by the gesture of the right hand of the Mother of God, which points us to the Infant Christ. Among the miraculous icons of this type, the most famous are:

• Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God,
• Georgian icon of the Mother of God,
• Iveron Icon of the Mother of God,
• “Three-handed” icon,
• Icon "Quick to Hear"
• Kazan Icon of the Mother of God,
• Kozelshchyna Icon of the Mother of God,
• Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God,
• Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God,
• Czestochowa Icon of the Mother of God.

Of course, if holiday dates for the family are days of honoring any icons of the Savior or the Mother of God, for example, the Image of the Lord Jesus Christ Not Made by Hands 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 a larger number of 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 veneration of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker has been strengthened, whose icons are found in almost every Orthodox family. It should be noted that, along with the icons of the Savior and the Mother of God, the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker has always occupied a central place in the home of an Orthodox Christian. Among the people, Saint Nicholas is revered as a saint endowed with special grace. This is largely due to the fact that, according to the church charter, every Thursday of the week, along with the holy apostles, the church offers prayers to St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the miracle worker.

Among the images of the holy prophets of God one can single out Elijah, among the apostles - the supreme ones Peter and Paul.

Of the images of martyrs for the faith of Christ, the most common icons are those of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious, as well as the Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon.

For 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 the 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 clergyman, that you should turn to for advice.

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

The icon painter’s attitude towards his work must be extremely demanding. Just as a priest has no right to perform the liturgy without proper preparation, so an icon painter must approach his service with full responsibility. Unfortunately, both in the past and now you 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 questionable in its theological content and unprofessional in its execution technique, then it is better to refrain from such an acquisition.

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

A purely practical question often arises:
How to paste a paper reproduction without damaging it?

Here are some useful tips.

If the reproduction is made on thick paper or cardboard, then to glue it to a solid base - a board or multi-layer 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 you can use PVA glue, 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 onto the base through a clean sheet of paper so as not to stain the image.

After gluing, the reproduction can be coated 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 taken into account 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 icons, in what order?
Are there strict statutory requirements for this?

In church - yes. For a home goddess, you can limit yourself to only a few basic rules.

For example, if 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, an icon of a locally revered saint above the icon of the Holy Trinity, the Savior, the Mother of God, and the apostles.

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

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

What should you do if your family has a particularly revered icon that is passed down by inheritance, but it is not quite canonically painted or has some loss of paint?

If the imperfections of the image do not seriously distort 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 allows, placed on a lectern under the shrine, because such an image is a shrine for all family members.

One of the indicators of the level of spiritual development of an Orthodox Christian is his attitude towards the shrine.

What should be the attitude towards the shrine?

Holiness as one of the properties of God (Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts! () 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 transformation are phenomena of the same order .

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

By the way family members treat the icon, in front of 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 ancestral 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. Parents used the icon to bless their children for school, long trips, or public service. When giving consent to the wedding, the parents also blessed the newlyweds with an icon. And a person’s departure from life took place under the images.

The well-known expression “dispersed, at least take away the saints” is evidence of a conscientious attitude towards icons. Quarrels, inappropriate behavior or domestic scandals are unacceptable in front of images of saints.

But an Orthodox Christian’s careful and reverent attitude towards the icon should not develop into unacceptable forms of worship. Correct veneration of sacred images must be cultivated from a very 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 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 spiritual life, both of an individual person, 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 legitimacy of depicting the Second Person of the Holy Trinity - God the Word in the flesh. The reason was also the political interests of some Byzantine emperors, who sought an alliance with strong Arab states and tried to abolish the veneration of icons to please 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 revered not the face depicted on the icon, but the object itself - the board and paints, which was a profanation of icon veneration and was associated 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 a tendency arose among the intellectual elite of that time to abandon such forms of veneration of sacred images. Opponents of such icon veneration preferred to abandon it altogether in order to preserve the purity of Orthodoxy and, in their opinion, to “protect,” in their opinion, the ignorant part of Christians from the destruction of paganism.

Of course, such views of 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.

The Fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council, who condemned the heresy of the iconoclasts, taught: “...and to honor them (icons) with kissing and reverent worship, not true, according to our faith, worship of God, which befits the only Divine nature, but veneration in that image, like the image of the Honest and Life-Giving One Honor is given to the Cross and the Holy Gospel and other shrines, with incense and the lighting of candles, as was the pious custom of the ancients. For the honor given to the image passes to the prototype, and the one who worships the icon worships the being depicted on it. Thus, the teaching of our holy fathers is confirmed, this is the tradition of the Catholic Church, who from end to end of the earth accepted the Gospel” (Book of the Rules of the Holy Apostles, Holy Councils of Ecumenical and Local, and the Holy Fathers. M., 1893, pp. 5-6).

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

The cross is a shrine for an Orthodox Christian. This is a symbol of the salvation of all humanity from eternal death. The 73rd Rule of the Council of Trulle, held in 691, testifies to the importance of venerating images of the holy cross: “Since the life-giving cross has shown us salvation, every care must be taken to pay due respect to that by which we are saved from the ancient fall... "(Quoted from: Sandler E. Genesis and theology of the icon. Magazine "Symbol", 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 throughout the day.

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

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

And one last thing.

What to do if the icon has fallen into disrepair and cannot be restored?

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

Previously, they dealt with old icons in the following way: until a certain state, the old icon was kept in a shrine behind other icons, and if the paints on the icon were completely erased over time, then it was released with the flow of the river.

Nowadays, 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 the garden.

We must remember: if damage to an icon occurred due to careless storage, this is a sin that must be confessed.

The faces looking at us from the icons belong to eternity; looking at them, offering them prayer, asking for their intercession, we - residents of the world below - 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 gate; 6 – South Gate; 7 – icon of the local row;
8 – temple icon;

I – forefather row; II – prophetic series; III – festive row;
IV – Deesis rank.

Iconostasis

If the altar is the 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, the faces of which look at those praying, is a figurative – in lines and colors – expression of this world. The high iconostasis, which the Byzantine Church did not know, which was finally formed in the Russian Church by the 16th century, served not so much as a visible reflection of the main events of the entire Sacred History, but rather embodied the idea of ​​​​the unity of two worlds - heavenly and earthly, expressed the desire of man for God, and God for man .

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

The first is the ancestral one, located under the cross, at the very top. This is an image of the Old Testament Church, which had not yet received the Law. The forefathers from Adam to Moses are depicted here. In the center of this row is the icon of the “Old Testament Trinity” - a symbol of the eternal advice of the Holy Trinity on the self-sacrifice of God the Word in atonement 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 forefathers’ row, has a different theological meaning - it is an agreement concluded by God with man.

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

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

The fourth, deesis (or otherwise deisis) rite is the prayer of the entire Church to Christ; a prayer that is happening now and which will end at the Last Judgment. In the center is the icon “Savior in Power,” representing Christ as the formidable judge of the entire universe; on the left and right are images of the Most Holy Theotokos, 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 there are 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. The “Last Supper” icon is placed above the Royal Doors as a symbol of the sacrament of the Eucharist, and on the gates themselves there is the “Annunciation” and images of the holy evangelists. Sometimes icons and creators of the Divine Liturgy are depicted on the Royal Doors.

SATIS
Saint Petersburg
2000

Natalya Kaptsova

Reading time: 6 minutes

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As every believer knows, an icon is not a beautiful picture or 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 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 should you have at home for protection, well-being and family happiness?

First of all, you should remember that an icon is not a talisman for good luck, not a horseshoe over the door, or a bearskin with butterflies hung according to Feng Shui. That is, she is not a talisman in its 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 give us his protection.

What icons to put at home is up to you. As the priests say, 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 simply from a minister in the church - they will tell you.

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 are offered for well-being in the family):

• Two main images in the apartment - Savior (usually 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 borne by members of your family.
• Your local revered saints (when creating an 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), is most often placed by Orthodox Christians at home.
• Great Martyr Panteleimon (most often they turn to him for healing).
• Apostles Peter and Paul .
• Archangels Gabriel and Michael .
• Kazan Mother of God - 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.
• Iveron Mother of God - intercessor of women and your keeper of the hearth. Before this image they pray for healing or consolation in troubles.
• Semistrelnaya . One of the most powerful icons in protecting the home - from envy and anger, from the evil eye, etc. This icon brings harmony, reconciles those at war, and is often taken with them to important events.
• Healer . Protects from grief and troubles, helps during childbirth. Prayers are offered before her for the healing of soul and body.
• Inexhaustible Chalice . Healing from bad habits, drunkenness and drug addiction, prosperity in the home, help and comfort to everyone who asks 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 . People turn to her with prayers for healing and 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, an icon of the Savior is most suitable, and for a baby’s room - a Guardian Angel or a Saint - the patron saint of the child.

Since the times of Ancient Rus', the houses of Orthodox Christians have been filled with icons. Unfortunately, today for many it is a tribute to fashion, but for an Orthodox and true believer Christian, an icon is a revered thing, and the corresponding appeal to it is not secular, but emanating 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 person praying will not feel crowded.
• Strictly avoid the proximity of icons to secular objects - you should not place figurines and cosmetics, equipment and other objects of immediate, earthly, decorative value next to the images.
• Also, you should not hang/place next to non-iconographic 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 be adjacent to the images are lamps and candles, Orthodox literature, incense, holy water, willow branches, which are usually stored until the next Palm Sunday. It is also traditional to decorate icons and the house itself with birch branches (on Pentecost).
• It is customary to place icons, and not hang them on nails, in specially designated places (red corner, iconostasis, just a special shelf or icon case). Images are not hung on the walls like paintings haphazardly - this does not create the necessary feeling of calm and contentment needed when praying.
• Let's not 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 cannot place images of saints above these images, as well as above the Holy Trinity. They (the saints) are also located below the apostles.
• A variety of writing styles is also not recommended. Select icons in a uniform manner of execution. Remember that icons are placed in the house after they have been consecrated or those already purchased in the church are 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 overdo it with icons. For the remaining rooms (if there is a red corner/iconostasis), one image is sufficient.
• 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 the icon on your TV - it’s simply blasphemous.
• If you have icons in the room, you should remove all obscene posters, posters, reproductions, paintings, calendars and from other walls. Such proximity is unacceptable and inappropriate. Praying to the Savior, in front of whom there is a poster, for example, of a rock band or a painting with 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 the nightstand.
• The corner in which the images stand should be the most illuminated, and the images themselves should be placed above eye level. There should be no barriers between the icon and the view (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 an Orthodox Christian more pious - sincere prayers in front of these images make it so.
An icon is not a pagan amulet or a “repository of grace” that can be approached and scooped up if necessary, but an image through which prayer is sent to the Lord and Grace to those who believe in it.

How to properly position a home iconostasis

As stated above, the number of icons does not matter, and you should not place images haphazardly (cover holes in 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 show”.

• The iconostasis is created in the likeness of a church one. Definitely with a hierarchical arrangement of images: in the center is the Savior with the Mother of God (the Savior is to her right!), the Holy Trinity can be located in the same row (or above all the 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 is the image of John the Baptist. This triptych is the Deesis (approx. prayer, basis). Next come the saints, saints and other icons (for example, local saints or personal ones), which the Orthodox choose at their own request. Saints are not placed above the Deesis, the apostles, the Trinity.
• A lamp is placed on the shelf of the iconostasis, which is lit on the eve and on the holidays themselves, on Sundays or during prayer.
• Sometimes the images are decorated (as in the old days) with a deity. This is a narrow and long canvas towel with embroidery on the ends. Such idols covered the images from the sides and top, leaving only the faces.
• The icon case 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 hand by an artist who received a blessing, whether it was purchased as a reproduction image, or cut out from an Orthodox calendar and pasted onto a solid base. The main thing is to consecrate the icon. Although, of course, a hand-painted image covered with linseed oil will always surpass a printed reproduction.
• The choice of image style is a matter of taste. It could be Byzantine or Old Russian style - it doesn’t matter. As long as it’s not secular (academic is also not welcome). Now it has become fashionable to paint icons as one pleases, without the proper blessing, with a lot of elements “from one’s own”, etc. Such icons have a place anywhere - just not in the iconostasis. You shouldn't mix styles either.

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

Icons and their meaning
The house is an extension of the temple. Previously, in almost every Orthodox family it was customary to place a shelf with icons or even an entire home iconostasis in the most visible place in the house. The number of icons and the richness of their decoration testified to the level of wealth of the family and the position of its head in society. The location of the icons has several names: red corner, front corner, holy corner, icon case, ark, shrine. If you want to know how and where to hang icons, we will be happy to explain to you.
Some Orthodox Christians hang icons directly above the head of their bed. This way you can use cramped space more efficiently, windows with cabinets do not interfere, and sleeping under the canopy of shrines is much more pleasant and peaceful.

So how to properly arrange icons in an apartment. Icons do not have to be hung on the walls. They can be placed on a shelf specially designed for this purpose. But if there are a lot of icons, then it would be better to hang them on the wall, following some simple rules. If the icons in your room are hung asymmetrically, haphazardly and without any thoughtful composition, this will certainly cause a feeling of inconvenience and dissatisfaction with the placement of icons, and a desire to change it. And this is very disturbing and distracts from prayer.

Icons can also and even need to be placed in other rooms. It is also worth hanging an icon in the kitchen. It is imperative to place an icon of the Guardian Angel or the child’s Heavenly Patron in the children’s room. According to tradition, it was customary to hang an icon of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary above the entrance to an apartment or house. But now it can be replaced with any other icon or cross.

By the way, when placing icons in your apartment or house, pay attention to the fact that they should not stand or hang together with other paintings (even on biblical themes) or household items. Icons are inappropriate in bookcases, next to toys, cosmetics, photographs of family members, and figurines. Also, do not place icons next to posters of politicians, show business stars, athletes and other celebrities.

It’s not often, but you still see photographs of holy fathers, monks, and elders among the icons on the walls or on shelves. This is canonically unacceptable, since photography captures a specific moment in the earthly life of a person, even if he was a member of the Church or even later canonized. The icon represents him precisely in the image of a saint, in his transfigured, glorified state. Naturally, the presence of such people is not canceled. But you need to put or hang photographs separately from icons.

View picture icons in the gallery.

Bless me, father. I have a question. I work on a rotating schedule. Duty falls on both Sundays and holidays. If I exchange duty on these days with those for whom it is not dear, will I not become guilty of sin? What about those who have to work as part of their line of work these days? God bless.
God bless! Probably, swapping duty with someone for whom it is not expensive is a completely acceptable option. This will not be a sin in the same way as buying a meat pie for an atheist colleague (at his request) during Lent. To fast or not to fast, to go to church services or to work on a holiday, to believe in God or not is everyone’s personal business, but everyone will also hold themselves accountable for their actions before God and their own conscience. So, if they agree to replace you, feel free to go to the temple.

Hello! I have this question, please tell me how to correctly place the icons at home. There is a window on the east side and under the window there is my bed, but is it possible to create a shelf there in the corner where I can put icons? It turns out that the icons will be above the head of the bed, is this correct or is it better to rearrange it?

Icons should be located where people will pray on them, no matter which side of the world they are oriented to (look - in a church, icons are located on all four walls of the temple, with the exception of the iconostasis). To pray before eating, the icon is hung above the table; to cross yourself before leaving the house, the icon is hung above the front door. You can hang an icon over the bed to bow before going to bed, but it’s better to make a corner in a place where you can turn on a small night light for prayers in the dark, so that you can freely approach it and not hit your head on it when you wake up (and oil dripping from a lamp on the head of those sleeping is also unpleasant).

Hello. We bought an icon-carpet of Jesus Christ, but then we noticed that the image on the icon was mirrored, i.e. Jesus baptizes not with his right hand, but with his left. What to do?

Hello! By and large, Christ can bless with both hands, like a bishop, so there’s nothing terrible about it. Another thing is why do you need an icon in the form of a carpet? Today the market is flooded with a lot of things that are not entirely clear to use, which, it seems, cannot be thrown away, and it seems that the soul is not in order to use them. It’s better not to buy icon-carpets in the future, just like not to buy souvenir candles in the form of Christ or the Virgin Mary, penknives in the shape of a crucifix, lighters with quotes from the Bible, plastic bags with images of churches and other consumables with Orthodox paraphernalia.

How and where exactly can icons be placed?

In recent years, more and more people have come to the Lord. Unfortunately, long decades of atheism have left a big blank spot in the spiritual education of many generations. Therefore, our contemporaries often find it difficult to understand the simplest questions of faith, or, out of ignorance, make mistakes in the performance of spiritual rituals. This also applies to how many of us make up our home iconostasis.

In what place should the iconostasis be placed? Canonically - preferably in the east, and based on the real state of things in modern life - in such a way that it is convenient and comfortable for you to pray, that there is enough space and that it is calm.

There are several more rules that also dictate modern living conditions. Remember that the iconostasis should not be located with a TV or other household appliances.

Also, you should not mix figurines and other secular decorative ornaments with icons, or place paintings or reproductions of paintings, even if these works of art are written on religious subjects.
If you have icons placed on bookshelves, this is also incorrect, especially if the images of saints are adjacent to books that are far from Orthodox texts in content.

Another “categorical” rule is that in no case should you place icons next to posters and photographs of idols of today - politicians, rock musicians, sex symbols. If you want to decorate your home iconostasis, do it with fresh, fresh flowers or towels.

There must be icons of the Savior and an icon of the Mother of God in the house. Also in Russian Orthodoxy, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is especially revered, and his image is very often found in Orthodox families. If you have enough space in your home, you can complement the iconostasis with a personal icon, icons of saints to whom you often turn in prayer, images of the great saints of the Russian land and saints revered in the area where you live.

For a home shrine, the rules for placing icons are not as strict as for a church, but they still exist.
First, look at the iconostasis: if you have a desire to change, rearrange, or rehang something, then you need to do it, otherwise this internal dissatisfaction will distract you during prayer.

When arranging icons in a home iconostasis, the same principles apply as in a church iconostasis.

The central place is occupied by the icon of the Savior, often the largest in size. Next to the image of Christ is placed the image of the Virgin Mary and Child.

If you are facing the home iconostasis, then the icon of the Savior will be on your right, and the icon of the Mother of God on your left. These are the two main, main icons, they must be in every Orthodox home, and above them only the icon of the Holy Trinity or the “Last Supper” icon can be placed.

On the side of the two main icons or below them you can place personalized icons, as well as icons of saints - patron saints of professions, saints you especially honor, and others.

If you still have questions, you can always turn to the priest for clarification or advice, and the priest will always help you and resolve all your doubts.

Today, in almost every home where Orthodox Christians live, there are icons. Large or small, real or copies, inherited or bought in a church shop, they stand on bookshelves or hang on the walls in random order. But icons are not just works of art. They must work for their owners. Icons are for us a window into the higher world; through them we can turn to the Lord with prayers, requests, or simply seek consolation.

Arranged or hung in random order, icons do not bring much benefit and can be considered simply as a collection of spiritual paintings. Even if it is numerous and very expensive, the collection does not play the role for you that it can play. And if handled incorrectly, it can even lead to the opposite effect. It’s another matter if you place the icons in the right place, in a certain sequence. Then you will have a home iconostasis that will not only please the eye, but also protect the house and its inhabitants, maintain spiritual purity in the room, and fill you with a feeling of goodness. Creating a home iconostasis can be an act that will bring us closer to God.

Previously, specifically based on the so-called “red corner”. He was assigned the farthest corner of the hut, on the eastern side, diagonally from the stove. Moreover, both walls adjacent to the “red corner” had windows. It turned out that the iconostasis was located in the most illuminated place of the house. Since the Orthodox Church does not impose too strict requirements for the home iconostasis, these rules can be deviated from. These are the realities of our lives - in modern apartments there is no place for a “red corner”. It is enough to follow the simplest rules. If possible, you should choose the eastern wall for the iconostasis. If you have any difficulties with this, don't worry. Just find a free and easily accessible place for it, where nothing will interfere with your prayer and where several people can gather around the iconostasis. The iconostasis should be located as far as possible from the TV (in modern life it often replaces the icon), VCR, computer, stereo system and other household appliances. However, exceptions are made here too. For example, in work spaces (offices, offices) it is not forbidden to place icons next to computers.

Near the home iconostasis there should be no decorative objects of a secular nature - photographs, vases, figurines, paintings, posters, magazine posters, and so on. All this reflects the physical, material world; such images are momentary and do not correspond to the purpose of sacred icons. The iconostasis can only be decorated with fresh flowers (with the exception of cacti and other “freaks”) or willow branches. Connoisseurs of antiquity can frame icons with embroidered towels. Next to the iconostasis you can hang images of temples, views of the Holy Land, calm landscapes, and so on. It is important that all these types do not contain aggression, do not distract your gaze from the iconostasis and hang at a relative distance from it.

It is believed that it is better for icons to stand on a hard surface rather than hanging on the wall. Previously, the iconostasis was placed on a special shelf or even in a special cabinet - an icon case. This way they were better preserved, because the icons were passed on from generation to generation. Nowadays, you can simply place them on a bookshelf. But then secular books cannot be placed on this shelf. A lamp is hung or placed in front of the icons. It must be lit during prayer, and on Sundays and church holidays it can burn all day.

A prerequisite is to have two icons: the Savior and the Mother of God. Images of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Mother of God, as the most perfect of earthly people, are necessary for every Orthodox Christian.

As for other icons, it is recommended to acquire images of those saints after whom family members are named. And, in fact, at this point the home iconostasis can already be considered complete. However, if space allows and if the owners feel the need, then you can also attract icons of revered local saints or simply great saints of the Russian land. In addition, it is rare for a family to do without the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker - this is a particularly revered saint in our country, to whom it is customary to turn to on everyday issues, problems in personal life, he acts as the intercessor of children, mothers, the sick, travelers, prisoners and the unjustly offended. Pay attention to the following images of the prophet Elijah, the apostles Peter and Paul, the great martyr George the Victorious, as well as the holy great martyr and healer Panteleimon. And in order for the iconostasis to be completely complete, it is desirable to have images of the holy evangelists, St. John the Baptist, Archangels Gabriel and Michael and icons of Orthodox holidays.

In general, the selection of icons (except for the main ones) is a question of what troubles you want to protect yourself from and what path in life you have chosen for yourself. So here you can show your own initiative. But avoid vain aspirations, do not try to amaze your friends and acquaintances with a rich, elegant iconostasis. And in general, you should only have at home those icons that you pray to.

In the church, the issue of placing icons is approached with great rigor. But for the home iconostasis, a relaxation is being made. There are only a few basic rules that should not be broken. Icons should be placed so that when you look at the iconostasis you don’t have the desire to urgently move everything. This will distract you from prayer. Images should be arranged symmetrically, in a thoughtful composition.

Some people, frankly speaking, narrow-minded, forget about the Orthodox hierarchy and hang, for example, an icon of their “name” saint on top of the entire composition, higher than the images of the Savior and the Virgin Mary. Or they place a family icon there, “the most expensive one.” It is not right.

At the top and in the very center there should be an icon of the Savior (Savior Not Made by Hands, Savior Almighty or another). This is the semantic center of the iconostasis. By the way, it is undesirable for the remaining icons to be larger in size than the Savior. To the left of the Savior is the Mother of God with the Child, as in the classical iconostasis. Above these two images, only one icon can be placed - the Holy Trinity or the Crucifixion. And, in turn, the entire iconostasis must be crowned with a cross; crosses are also placed on doorposts.

If the family has a particularly revered icon that is passed down by inheritance, then it can be placed in the center of the home iconostasis. But, as already said, it should not stand above the two obligatory icons. The rest of the images can be placed on the sides or slightly below.

It is important to show artistic taste in design. It is desirable that the selected icons be painted in the same style, in the same manner. Try to avoid too much variety. If there are many rooms in the apartment, then the iconostasis is placed in the largest one. But in the rest, you need to place at least one icon, including in the kitchen and especially in the nursery.

Try to keep the iconostasis clean. Wipe the icons with a sponge and fan the shelf with a feather. And if some icon has fallen into disrepair and cannot be restored, do not throw it away under any circumstances, especially if it has been consecrated. This is a shrine and must be treated with exceptional reverence. Such an icon must be taken to church. There she will be burned in a church oven. And remember: if the icon has deteriorated due to careless storage, this is a sin that you will have to confess. A house with an iconostasis has a completely different atmosphere. The faces that look at us from icons belong to eternity. Looking at them, you can calm down, find balance, remember the Lord and understand that thanks to Him, no paths are closed for a person in this world.

What is an icon?

Icons are luminous sacred images of high beings from the Divine Hierarchy, who faithfully served people during their lives and did not abandon their care and assistance to humanity when they left the earthly plane. In apartments, icons change the energy of the space and the very mentality of the people living there. Icons can be active or passive. They can wait for a person's spiritual awakening. Or they can be conductors of communication with these high beings living in unearthly planes. Is there any need to believe in their special beneficial influence on the psyche, soul and emotional life of people? Yes, it is necessary, as in all processes where faith is present, there is the materialization of many human intentions.
Historically, icons in Rus' were always in all living quarters, many were strictly functional and focused on certain assistance and assistance in everyday affairs.

There are six special icons that should be present in any home. Three of them are given during the marriage ceremony. These are the Faces of the Kazan Mother of God with a child, the image of Jesus Christ and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. This three is a symbol of harmony in the family, peace and fidelity.

The “Passionate” Icon of the Mother of God got its name because on the side of the face of the Most Holy Theotokos two Angels are depicted with the instruments of Christ’s suffering. It is located in Moscow, in the Passion Monastery of 1641. It is a very powerful icon, used in troubles, sorrows, sorrows, in the treatment of vices, addictions, violations of social norms of behavior.

E. Roerich said: “Prayer is a purifier. This should not be understood, the definition is abstract, spiritual health is the main basis for the health of the body. It is prayer, as a real connection with the Supreme Source, that is the best cleanser from diseases.”

Prayers are programs for restoring the biofield. A new direction in science has emerged - trance cosmoenergetics. And programs that determine prayer consciousness are the basis of trance meditation. In this case, the first step is the restoration of the astral body with a change in consciousness and its healing. For more than 1000 years, the information field of the planet has been accepting thought forms in the form of prayers for the well-being of the Russian land, the well-being of its inhabitants, and wishes for health to loved ones, relatives, and parents. The supply of sacred energy is at the disposal of each of us. Prayers are the key, the code to effective programs for saving the psyche, mental and physical health. They belong to the egregor founded by Jesus Christ. There are huge prayed-up resources of power - cosmic energy. We use it in extreme conditions, in stress and anxiety.

Since ancient times it has been known that turning to the Lord through prayer or meditation on the image of God or light contributes to the flow of prana or vital energy. It is subject to mental control, favors healing and comes from the nerves that originate between the shoulder blades, in the heart chakra, along both hands and ending in the first and middle fingers of each hand. A current of negative polarity flows through the left hand. And positive on the right.

The energy of the heart chakra determines a person’s performance, his immunity, resistance to infections, aging processes and slagging of the body. The energy of the mental body is designed to neutralize the impact of one’s own fears, negative attitudes, mental aggression, and karmic influences. Weakening of the mental body. By turning to the Lord, the Mother of God in prayer, with light you can neutralize negative influences, negative thought forms and attract poana through the chakra of higher spirituality - sahasrara. The active phase of sleep is a source of restoration of the energy of the astral body.

The astral body has its own centers of passion, emotion and attraction. Each feeling changes the color of the aura. Aggression and hatred have a black background, love has a crimson-red glow, aspiration to the spirit has blue and violet. With high spirituality, the astral body in a dream obeys the consciousness and thoughts of a person and moves freely in the subtle worlds. And under anesthesia it goes away, leaving the physical body without consciousness and feelings. The appeal to the Higher powers is accompanied by a mental entry into the Temple of the Holy Spirit without worldly vanity, with the blessing and spiritual joy of communion with the Divine. At this moment, the vibrations of the earth and space are united, which allows you to receive Divine energy to heal any ailments.

Icon of the Mother of God - “UNKNOWLEDGE COLOR”

April 16 is the day of remembrance of this icon. They pray to her for the preservation of married couples, family ties and peace in the family. Especially in moments of quarrels and disagreements. And also for the health of your loved ones. She uses her power to bless those marrying with the Kazan Mother of God. This is a very ancient icon, it has many copies, many miracles were performed from them. Worn on the chest, it protects childhood and chastity. This icon helps in choosing a spouse. In her left hand she holds a lily flower. A symbol of purity, innocence and enlightenment when maintained by carnal passions.

Icon of the Mother of God “HEALER”

October 1st is Memorial Day. Has a powerful prayer that heals seriously ill people. Bedridden. The Holy Martyrs help in these processes - FAITH, HOPE LOVE and their mother SOPHIA. in Russia the number of icons, revered and useful, facing the image of the Mother of God is about a hundred. And everyone has their own life story, their own form of help and their own list of healings of the people.

A very interesting icon for completing good deeds, for a successful business, the icon brings happy gifts of fate, heals mental suffering. They pray in front of this icon and thank it for the happy ending of the undertaking.

Here is its text:

“It is worthy to eat as one truly blesses You, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Mother of our God. We magnify you, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption. Amen".

In Rus', the image of the icon of the Mother of God “Three-Handed”, a healer icon, has always been revered; her help is used to get out of the period of grief, melancholy and sadness. She heals sore limbs and is the patroness of all craftsmen and folk craftsmen.

The icon “Adding the Mind” and “Murom” patronizes the help in teaching and giving the mind, the spirit of reason and consciousness. When children are ill, the Tikhvin icon receives loving help.

When a person takes the path of Christian asceticism, new knowledge appears about faith and those subjects that are a necessary setting for the formation and strengthening of faith. They are a necessary component of the life of an Orthodox Christian. One of them is an icon. Over time, the question arises: where should icons be placed in the house?

Over time, the question arises: where should icons be located in the house?

Many new Christians go through a stage of collecting images. I would like to buy many icons at once. This often happens, and the believer, as a rule, does not know where the icons should be in the house. Over time, the understanding comes that it is not a matter of quantity, but of quality.

You can have one image and that will be enough, or you can hang the whole house with icons, but this will not have an impact on spiritual life.

Therefore, before purchasing icons, you need to have an idea of ​​what a home iconostasis is and where the icons should be located in the house.

Unfortunately, the living space does not always have the desired area, then in general there are some difficulties in how to correctly arrange icons in the apartment. And if there is still no understanding and support in the family regarding the topic of faith, then the situation can be completely sad.

In what corner are icons placed in the room?

According to the church, where the icons should be located in the house, the priest will answer - on the east or eastern wall. But the realities of housing conditions are such that the answer is: in an accessible and free place. This is important, because how to correctly arrange icons at home is an important point, but this is not the main thing.

Icons are not pictures for interior decoration. This is a serious tool for spiritual work.

Icons are not pictures for interior decoration

If, after all, the eastern corner is not filled with furniture, and you can approach it, then use this part of the home. In which corner in the house icons are hung has no meaning for the salvation of the soul, just as in which corner icons are hung in the apartment. But they can help a Christian systematize his spiritual life.

How to properly place icons in the house

Having decided on the place where the icons should stand in the apartment, you need to understand that they are a means of communication with God, the Most Holy Theotokos and the saints.

The believer must have the opportunity to be alone with the icons in order to complete the prayer rule. Therefore, the question of how to properly hang icons in an apartment is not decisive, but requires understanding from those around you.

The believer should have the opportunity to have privacy with icons

If earlier, the corner in which the icons were located was called red, and it corresponded to the church tradition - the eastern side, then in the conditions of modern construction this is not allowed. Therefore, how to properly place icons in the house is decided by taking into account the convenience of using them.

How to properly place icons in the house is decided by taking into account the ease of using them

Even if you still want to choose strict compliance with church custom, there is often a pipe in the eastern corner, for example. It’s hardly worth starting a renovation just for the sake of it being the answer to the question: how to properly hang icons in the house.

How not to place images of saints

There are several recommendations on where to place icons in the house, and what images of saints should not be combined with. It is not allowed to arrange icons as interior decoration items, or to surround them with figurines of a secular nature, paintings, or panels.

Where there should be icons in the house, photographs or posters with images of an entertaining nature or socialites are also unacceptable. Moreover, such a combination can negatively affect the home environment, because such a combination is a confrontation with the spiritual world.

How many icons can you have and how to purchase them?

The quantity of icons should turn into quality over time. That is, your favorite icons of Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, saints and church holidays will remain in the home iconostasis. The priest can tell you in which corner the icons should hang in the house; at the same time, if the home has not been consecrated, then this must be done.

The number of icons should turn into quality over time

The acquisition of icons is a personal matter and is associated with knowledge of who or what event is depicted on them. For example, the Mother of God image has more than 800 copies, which means the same number of stories of their manifestation. The heart and path of a Christian believer will tell you which images to pray in front of in your home iconostasis.

The priest’s answer, where icons should be located in the house, says that a house or apartment is a home temple, and in the temple there are icons everywhere. For example, if this is a kitchen, then it would be appropriate to place there the Last Supper icon with icons of saints who patronize hospitable prosperity in the house.

Love for icons should not be fanatical

After all, before and after meals, a Christian prays. But love for icons should not be fanatical; Orthodox Christians do not worship icons. An icon is a shrine that helps to maintain constant presence with the Lord.

How to maintain order among the holy faces?

The conclusion can be drawn as follows: in which corner the icons are hung is not an important question for a modern Christian. It is important to properly communicate with them. Icons are objects inspired by our sincere prayers before them. Therefore, shrines must be kept in order and clean.

Wipe off dust regularly with a dry cloth. Do not allow icons to be damaged; if such an incident occurs, be sure to confess it. If there are dilapidated icons, then they should not be thrown away, just like any spiritual image. Bring such an icon to the priest, he will tell you what to do with it.

Every home where an Orthodox family lives must have icons. They are necessary to protect the apartment. Also, with an image before 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.

How to hang an icon in the bedroom or any other room?

Where and how to hang icons?

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

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 that is what it is intended for. Everything else - again, with rare exceptions - is advisory in nature.

So, it’s worth thinking about placing icons in rooms.

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

· The image of a guardian angel is often placed in the nursery. The best location is at the head of the crib.

· A common misconception is that there should be no icons in the bedroom. But that's not true. You just need to know how to hang an 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 it at the head of a properly positioned bed.

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

Where should you not hang icons?

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

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