Faith in the Lord, in His strength, help and support is present in almost every person, even if he claims to be an absolute atheist. We are so designed that we need someone more powerful, especially when we are in force majeure circumstances and the situation is getting out of control. This is probably why even earlier, at a time when the church was under official ban, and even more so now, when access to it is open to everyone, we keep icons and images of saints in our homes.
Images of the Savior
If you start listing which icons must be present, first of all you need to name images with the face of Christ the Savior. This list will include such famous images as the Savior Almighty, the Savior Not Made by Hands, the Savior Emmanuel, “Do not weep for Me, Mother” and others. Such icons should be at the base. They, as well as images with the Mother of God, are most often chosen as wedding and family icons. Since ancient times, Russian troops have been blessed for battles with images of the Savior, which is why even now military personnel often place them in their rooms, as if continuing this glorious tradition. People turn to the face of Christ with prayers and requests for healing from deadly diseases and cruel ailments - this once again emphasizes what kind of icons must be in the house.
Images of the Mother of God
There are many faces of the Holy Virgin and Mother of God in Christian iconography. This is understandable, because Mary embodied ordinary people endless meekness and patience, all-encompassing love and forgiveness, gentleness and mercy, wisdom, pain and love of a Mother for her Child. And the answer to the question of which icons must be in the house suggests itself. These are the Kazan, Pochaev, Vladimir, Tikhvin Mother of God, and the Intercession, and the Semistrelnaya, and “Softening evil hearts", "Quench my sorrows", " Everlasting color" and others. What is their role? Women rush to these images with pressing problems, praying for the health and well-being of their children, for the arrangement of their lot, for good husband and friendly family life. They ask for a favorable resolution of certain conflicts. If you are pregnant, then about a successful birth without complications, with the birth of strong babies. It is definitely worth remembering the Mother of God when you doubt which icons should be in the house. After all, they turn to her, asking for intercession and intercession before the Lord for their lost children and relatives who have stumbled, offended, quarreled, and betrayed.
Image of Nikolai Ugodnik
One of the most popular saints in Rus' was Nikolai Ugodnik. It was not for nothing that he was nicknamed the Wonderworker for the enormous divine power that the Lord endowed him with. People believed (and believe) that only Saint Nicholas, after Christ and the Mother of God, was able to resolve the most confusing situation and save them from a seemingly hopeless situation. Therefore, if you are thinking about what icons to have at home, you need to remember the Wonderworker first of all!
Personalized images
Having passed through, we receive personal assistants - those saints, great martyrs, whose names we accepted during the ritual or on whose day we were dedicated. Images with their image are so-called personalized ones. These are also mandatory; they are the strongest and most effective amulets even when their immediate owners, for example, your parents, have already died. Personalized images are called family images. They contain very powerful prayed-up energy and are a real portal to the “heavenly world,” healing, comforting, and helping us with our needs.
Treat icons with respect, keep and take care of them - your great protectors!
IN Orthodox tradition Icon painting and the veneration of holy images occupy a special position. As you know, in Catholicism there are slightly different images that are more like paintings, and some other branches of Christianity do not accept revered images at all. Nevertheless, an Orthodox believer needs to know which icons must be in the house, why and where these images should be placed.
Before you start reviewing different images, some fundamental details need to be determined. Many believers understand them, but repeating and focusing on them will be very useful:
Therefore, when choosing where icons should be placed in an apartment, you should focus primarily on the personal connection with each image. You need to realize the value of a particular icon for your own religious practice. At the same time, of course, there is a minimum that every believer is advised to have.
When choosing images, you need to understand why they are needed - for prayer. They are not a decoration of the house or anything like that, because for an Orthodox, a house is also a temple, and prayer can be common, that is, in the temple, and in the cell, that is, at home. It is precisely in order to always have the opportunity to pray privately that home altars are created.
The previously noted minimum includes only two icons: Christ and the Virgin Mary. Although, if there is no such possibility, then even just one is enough, because each of these options represents the whole essence of the Orthodox faith.
In general, the altar may look something like this (although you can limit yourself to only the main icons):
Some choose additional set based on your own activities and preferences. For example, people who are associated with military professions or something similar prefer St. George the Victorious, and those who practice medicine revere Panteleimon the Healer.
As a rule, the space where the home iconostasis stands is called the red corner and represents the most revered part of the house. For an Orthodox Christian, a home is also a semblance of a temple, and the home iconostasis symbolizes the temple altar, where the most basic images for veneration must be placed. A small space is located on the eastern side of the house; a location to the southeast is also acceptable, since houses are not always oriented exactly to the cardinal points.
The next aspect is how to arrange and hang icons on the altar and in other parts of the home. If we're talking about about the home iconostasis, you need to consider the following:
- You can put the images on a special shelf or assign some kind of space for this purpose. separate part furniture. But the space always needs to be somehow isolated: there is no need to place anything else there other than icons and other elements of religious worship.
- The icons need to be located approximately at eye level or higher, so that when praying it is convenient to stand in front of the images and nothing else is located in the field of view.
- The iconostasis must always be kept clean, each image must be preserved in its proper form.
The importance of caring should be emphasized. The icon is kept clean, wiped down and revered in every possible way, not because of the value of the piece of wood (or other material) itself, on which some set of spots of different colors is visible. Caring attitude to the icon emphasizes the high value of the depicted and conveyed meaning, like how a window is washed and kept in optimal conditions so that the landscape behind it can be seen.
Apart from the iconostasis, it is difficult to say where else the icons should be located in the house. The use of additional images is purely optional. The choice depends on the preferences and capabilities of the believer himself, but there are quite reasonably explainable limitations. Icons should not be hung:
- in the toilet and bathroom;
- in the kitchen directly above the stove or where the image may become smoky;
- above the TV, in the sideboard and where the environment is purely mundane and related to everyday activities, entertainment or the like.
The point is to show respect and be reasonable. Although the icon can be located in different parts of the house, one should not mix the worldly and the heavenly. This attitude is quite reasonable for cultivating your own faith.
When it comes to how to properly hang icons in an apartment, many initially pay attention to the hallway. Indeed, there is a tradition of hanging opposite front door or protective images above it, but these images should not be considered precisely amulets. They are intended, for example, to do a short prayer before leaving the house or to remember the Lord once again:
To properly hang icons in the kitchen at home, you need to place them away from the stove and not stack them on top of each other. It would be quite correct to have the Last Supper, the Mother of God and the Savior in the kitchen. They can also hang in the bedroom: if the spouses live in harmony and in accordance with faith, there is nothing reprehensible in this.
In children's rooms it is customary to hang dimensional icons, Guardian Angels and named saints. For a girl, the Unfading Blossom or the Trifling One may be useful (although this image is not considered canonical), as well as female saints. For boys - male saints and great martyrs, such as St. George the Victorious.
So that the family is spared misfortune, folk wisdom It says to always have a talisman in your home. When discussing which icons must be in the house, it should be noted that there are no strict rules in this regard as such. First of all, it all depends on which Orthodox saints the believing family gives preference to. In addition, it is very important to know the correct location of the shrines and how exactly the sacred image should be stored.
What icons should be in every home?
- Living room. The main images are considered to be icons with the face of Jesus, as well as the Virgin Mary. The clergy insist on keeping them in the living room, where it is important to create a certain red corner. In other words, these icons should be placed in place of the iconostasis. If we talk in more detail about what kind of icon you need to have at home, then it is appropriate to mention “Kazan” and “Lord Pantocrator”. Thus, the image of the Lord should be located with right side, Holy Mother of God- on the left. It is important to remember that if there are only a few people in the family who are believers, then it is advisable to move the above-mentioned red corner to their rooms. If this option is not available, it is recommended to purchase a double or triple folding icon. Her main feature is that it folds. Based on this, the icon is placed only for a period.
- Kitchen. Before any meal there is always a prayer. Here you can hang any icon. The main thing is that it depicts the face of the one to whom this thanksgiving is addressed. Often these are images of the Holy Trinity, the Mother of God or Christ the Savior. An important fact is that the icon cannot be considered as an interior decoration, and therefore various figurines, flowers, calendars and others will be inappropriate.
- Hallway. When answering the question about what icons you must have in your home, it is important to mention that in this room they are hung in a place where you can always stand and pray before leaving. If we talk more specifically about the names of the shrines, then this is the Crucifixion or the Holy Trinity. The priests strongly advise those who do not know the prayer for a home to Nicholas of Serbia to attach it to the door. It is also recommended to acquire an icon of a saint, to whom each family member turns in moments of grief and joy. For example, this could be an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
- Office for work. In moments of seeking inspiration, a creative crisis, or when there are any problems at work, it is customary to turn to the patron saints of a particular profession. Thus, students can hang an icon of the martyr Tatiana or St. Sergius of Radonezh, and veterinarians can hang an icon with the face of the holy brothers Cosmas and Damian of Assia.
- Children's room. Named or dimensional icons are often placed above the baby’s crib or cradle. The first type includes images of any format, up to pocket size. As for the measured one, it is made to order and has a height corresponding to the height of the baby at the time of birth. Regarding the names, it is better to place the image of the Guardian Angel, the Blessed Virgin Mary or Jesus in the nursery.
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In the old days, any person entering a house first stood facing the red corner, where the home iconostasis was located, and was baptized at the icons, because icons were an integral part of everyday life for every Orthodox Christian. They always prayed before them when getting up in the morning and going to bed. Note: before them, and not the icons themselves, because they only show us the image of the saint depicted on them.
Icons for the home and their meaning
Some believe that icons that should be in every home , play the role of a kind of amulets or talismans, but this is a completely wrong approach.
It is not the icon that protects, but our prayer to the saint depicted on it
This is the meaning of icons. You can place as many icons around the house as you like, but if you don’t pray in front of them, they will remain just beautiful pictures.
Icons must be consecrated in the church, so it is best to purchase them in a church shop
If you accidentally come across an icon that you would like to place in your home, but whose history is unknown to you, do not be lazy to go to church and consecrate it, then prayer in front of it will have power.
What icons should be in the house?
In everyone's home Orthodox Christian There must be icons of the Savior and the Mother of God - this is the basis of the home iconostasis
Often newlyweds receive such a double image as a wedding gift from their parents, who blessed them with these icons.
Each of us has heavenly patron, whose name we bear, and it is very desirable that they also take their place in the home iconostasis. Prayer in front of their images helps both in strengthening faith and in difficult situations. life situations. There are many icons of revered saints who bore the same name, so before choosing an icon, try to find out the history of this saint.
Among the icons that should be in the house, it is worth including the icon of St. Panteleimon the Healer, to whom they pray in case of illness, and for medical workers he is considered the patron saint of their profession. In general, every profession has its own heavenly patron, and for Russian military personnel there is even a separate one for each branch of the military.
Feats of faith performed by saints are an integral part of Orthodox teaching, and if there is a saint whose story has especially affected you strong impression, then his icon can also be placed in the home iconostasis.
How to properly place icons in the house
The value of an icon is not determined by its market value, so you should not strive to acquire rare or expensive icons in precious frames. Such an icon can be given as a gift, but you should not buy it for yourself. And one more thing: by turning your home iconostasis into something like the icon-painting department of a museum, you risk attracting thieves who are after expensive icons.
The best option for placing icons is a home iconostasis
In the old days, it occupied the eastern corner of the room, which was called red. Modern layout does not always allow you to observe traditions, but this is, in fact, the formal side of the matter, so the iconostasis can be arranged not necessarily in the corner, but anywhere near the wall and even on the shelf of a sideboard or bookcase. But at the same time, you must make sure that there are no photographs, posters, paintings or other secular decorative elements nearby. Also, photographs of living or dead people, be they relatives, priests or elders, should not be placed in the iconostasis.
It is important to know not only what icons should be in the house, but also how to properly arrange the iconostasis. It is probably unnecessary to remind you that it needs to be kept clean and the icons not allowed to gather dust. If icons are placed on shelves, then beautiful napkins or towels are usually placed under them, which will be especially valuable if you embroider them yourself.
Many people decorate the iconostasis with bouquets of fresh or artificial flowers. This is where they store church candles. Holy water should be drunk on an empty stomach after prayer, so a vessel with holy water can also be kept near the iconostasis. It is very important that there is a lamp in the home iconostasis, which is lit when praying, as well as in Sundays and on the occasion of major Orthodox holidays.
It is sometimes said that Christians “worship icons.” This is wrong. When praying, a person turns not to the icon itself, but to the one who is depicted on it: the Savior, the Mother of God, some saint. Looking at the icon helps to concentrate, to concretize the image of the one to whom the worshiper is calling.
Set of icons
In the home there must be a Savior and Mother of God. The presence of icons of saints is not so necessary, but desirable. These can be images of all those saints who patronize family members - according to the names given at baptism.
You can purchase icons of those saints to whom family members turn especially often. For example, in a military man's house there may be an icon of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica, St. Theodore Stratilates, St. Alexander Nevsky or another warrior saint, in the doctor’s house there is an icon of St. Panteleimon or St. Cosmas and Damian. Finally, a Christian may feel special reverence for a saint whose feat made a strong impression on him - the image of this saint of God may also be in the home iconostasis.
When purchasing icons, you need to perceive them as shrines, and not as valuable things or interior decoration. You should not chase expensive or rare icons. The icons made of precious metals that are sold in jewelry stores are completely inconsistent with the Christian spirit. You can accept such an icon as a gift, but you should not purchase it yourself.
It is best to buy icons in church shops, where they are sold already consecrated. In addition, they definitely won’t sell dubious images of “folk saints” who have not been canonized by the church.
Where to place the horses
In the old days, icons were placed in the eastern corner of the main room - it was called the “red corner”. This is due to that special symbolic meaning, which is given to the eastern side in the Bible: in the east God planted the Garden of Eden, the spirit brings the prophet Ezekiel to the eastern gates of the House of the Lord, etc.
Unfortunately, the location of windows and doors in modern houses does not always allow placing a home iconostasis in the eastern corner. In this case, it can be located in any other place. The main thing is that a separate shelf be allocated for icons, where no one will put photographs, paintings, reproductions, and other secular objects.
You should not place icons next to a TV, player or computer, because these objects are associated with worldly vanity. Put icons on bookshelf is permissible, but only on the condition that the contents of the books on it do not contradict Christian doctrine. Posters with images of singers, actors and other secular idols should not be allowed to hang next to icons.
