The place where the icons of the house are located is called. Where should icons be placed in the house? Rules for placing the iconostasis

In the home of every Orthodox there must be an icon of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Cross. This is the main icon for each of us.

Also in the home iconostasis it is good to have an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos and saints revered in the family - the patrons of those who live in the house and those to whom they often pray. You should not have too many icons; in your home iconostasis it is better to have icons of those to whom you regularly pray.

There is no need to put photographs of loved ones - living or dead - in the iconostasis.

What icons should be in the house?

Everyone must have an icon of the Mother of God and the Savior in their home. In the iconographic tradition, there is a huge variety of images of the Savior, among which the image of the Lord Almighty is most often chosen for home prayer. Among the many icons of the Mother of God (Theotokos), most often for home iconostasis they give preference to such icons as: Eleusa (Tenderness) - Vladimir, Zhirovitskaya, Pochaevskaya, Yaroslavlskaya and Hodegetria (Guide) - Kazan, Tikhvin, Smolensk.

Personal icons or simply icons of those saints who are especially revered by family members should also be placed in the home iconostasis. Particularly popular is the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, who has been revered by the people for many centuries as a great righteous man, as a saint endowed with God’s special grace. Among the images of the great martyrs for the faith of Christ, they most often choose the icons of St. George the Victorious or the healer Panteleimon.

How to hang icons in the house correctly?

Of course, there are no strict rules for placement. There are some recommendations from priests on this matter.

• The image of the saint is most often installed in the east of the apartment, this is how it has been customary to pray since ancient times. But if for some reason this cannot be done, then it is permissible to hang the icon near front door and above the head of the bed.
• If a corner is allocated for shrines, then first of all they care about its cleanliness. Timely cleaning should become a ritual. Therefore, such an angle is made only within the reach of the owner.
• The space with the icon must be cleared of all photographs and talismans. Household items, toys, cosmetics are removed. Even paintings with biblical themes are hidden due to the inappropriateness of being next to a relic.
• Often, along with Christian icons, photographs of deceased monks and elders are installed. According to all canons, this is completely unacceptable. The image of a saint and earthly life reflected in the photo are incompatible. Such photographs should be stored separately from the transformed face and hung in other places.
• If there are a lot of icons, there is no need to keep them on the shelf. It is best to hang it on the walls, observing composition and symmetry so that there is no feeling of discomfort.
• An icon of the Savior is needed above the dining table, because after eating, according to tradition, “Our Father” is read. And the prepared meal is sanctified with prayer. It is possible to host the “Last Supper”.
• In the nursery you can hang a shrine with the face of the Guardian Angel or the child's patron.

— Church ministers say that it is better to hang an icon in every room of the house. An icon is definitely needed in the kitchen above the dining table, because the process of cooking and the meal should be sanctified by prayer addressed to the Holy Images. Since the Lord’s Prayer is traditionally read at the end of the meal, an icon of the Savior is usually hung in the kitchen. Also very often the Last Supper icon is hung above the dining table.

— There is a widespread opinion that icons should not be placed in the bedroom. But this is not true. Since marital intimacy is not considered sinful, they can be safely placed in the bedroom. It must be remembered that they should only be located at the head of a properly positioned bed. In addition, the holy image must be present in the nursery. Most often, an icon of the Guardian Angel is hung there. It is recommended to hang above the front door not an icon, but an Orthodox cross or simply a sticker with its image. As a last resort, you can hang a horseshoe above the door.

— Icons should be hung in a place separate from the accumulation of other objects. They look out of place in cluttered bookcases, on a dressing table or simply on tables. In addition, it is not recommended to hang paintings, posters and other images near icons, even with biblical subjects. You cannot place photographs of the deceased near them; church canons prohibit this.

Rules for placing icons relative to each other

When placing icons, you must remember the hierarchical principle. The main place in the home iconostasis belongs to the icons of the Mother of God and the Savior. Most often, they are larger in size than others and there is an opinion that they must be hung higher than others. This is indeed correct, but it is not at all necessary. They can be placed on the same level as the other icons, but they will only be placed incorrectly if they are lower than the others. According to Christian canons, this is considered indecent.

To the side of the main icons or below them are placed personalized icons or, for example, faces of saints who enjoy special veneration among family members. It is recommended to place wedding icons in the red corner.
The main thing to remember is that the number of icons in a house or apartment does not matter at all, there may be only one. A haphazard selection of simply beautiful images of saints can negatively affect the spiritual state of the residents of the house. The main thing is that the icon should be a revered relic of the whole family, because it is not just a talisman capable of protecting against all troubles and adversities of life. Therefore, it is very important to choose the right place where you place it in your home. It should help you carry out your daily religious practices. The place in front of your iconostasis should be something like a home altar, where you will interact with God every day with enthusiasm, morning and evening.

The correct placement of icons in the house helps you open a window to the bright and spiritual, illuminating your home with joy and light.

What icon to hang above the front door

There are several icons that can be hung above the front door of a house, but perhaps the most common option, which can often be found in the homes of believers, is icon of the Seven Shot Mother of God.
This icon will protect your home from evil people, as well as from thieves.
In this icon, the Mother of God is depicted alone, and not with the baby Jesus, as we are most often accustomed to seeing her.
The Mother of God is depicted with seven swords that pierce her chest. These swords symbolize all the mental anguish and sorrow that people have to experience on earth.

Icon of the Seven Shot Mother of God

Also, above the front door you can hang an icon called "The Unbreakable Wall". This icon depicts the Mother of God praying and raising her hands to the sky.
This icon protects the house from thieves and various troubles, as well as from magical powers.

Icon Unbreakable Wall

The ancient Orthodox tradition of setting up a shrine or chapel in the house has existed in Rus' for a long time. Today, even in cramped living conditions, believers try to have at least several images at home. The place where the icons should stand in the apartment is chosen according to established custom: the holy faces turn to the worshiper from the east. Thus, the room becomes like a church, which always faces the rising sun with its altar.

Home icons

In the old days, the first icons that a young family brought to a new home were wedding icons. With them, parents blessed both the young and their future home. Shrines, as a rule, were inherited. Icons of the Savior, the Holy Trinity and the Mother of God were passed on as blessings.

Icons were given to children at birth with the faces of their heavenly patrons. A family could be given a family image with several saints as a gift. From pilgrimage trips they brought postcards with churches and monasteries, merchants tried to order a richly decorated image of their patron - St. Nicholas. All this was placed in the red corner, which served as an integral part of the interior of the house or hut. The children’s duty was to wipe the shrine from dust and read prayers at the same time.

Location of the iconostasis in the apartment

In the old days, already at the beginning of construction, they knew where the icons should be located in the house. The facade with three windows faced east, the entrance faced west. The iconostasis was placed in one of the eastern corners. Because of the luxurious design of this corner, it was called red, that is, beautiful.

When building modern high-rise buildings, the last thing people think about is shrines, so corners and walls that are convenient for them often turn out to be oriented to other directions of the world. This confuses some believers however the problem can be easily solved. In this case, you should be guided by the following considerations:

If it is not possible to allocate a free corner, the shelves of the iconostasis can be placed on a wall free from paintings and photographs. As a last resort, the images are placed in a bookcase under glass. In this case, you need to free the part of the shelf where the shrines are placed from foreign objects.

How to compose and design a shrine

What items does the home iconostasis consist of, how are the icons arranged, photos of holy places, lamps, candles and other shrines - all this should contribute to the main thing: concentrated prayer.

If there is no hereditary shrine in the family, then you need to start this tradition by ordering a canonical icon of the Savior or the Mother of God on a board. For better preservation, the image is placed in an icon case - a box with a glass lid. The shrine should be placed in the center of the corner shelf, with a lamp placed opposite.

The faces of the saints must be correctly placed on the right and left, observing their ranks. Closer to the Savior, determine a place for John the Baptist and the Angels; martyrs, saints, and reverends are placed behind them. If there are a small number of icons, this order is not necessary. Observing pious folk customs, you can decorate the red corner with towels.

Images of the Savior and the Virgin Mary should be larger in size than the others. If the family has a large old icon of a saint, then it would be more correct to place it separately, in another room. As a last resort, a second shelf is built under the main one.

In addition to the lamp, shrines donated or brought from pilgrimage trips, photographs of temples, vessels with holy water, consecrated willow, and pieces of prosphora are laid out on the shelves of the iconostasis.

It happens that over time, a lot of small paper icons accumulate on the shelves, which can fly apart from a gust of wind. They can be glued to plywood and made into a common frame.

Instead of a lamp It is permissible to use candles without neglecting safety precautions. A burning candle must be extinguished before going to bed. The light of a lamp is not dangerous, but it produces a lot of soot. The items that make up the shrine must be wiped from dust and fumes with a clean cloth that has not been used.

Old icons and consecrated plants, which have lost their appearance and are crumbling, it is supposed to be burned in a clean place, the ashes are buried or floated down the river.

Icons for other rooms

In addition to the iconostasis, believers Images are also placed in other rooms. The following traditions are usually followed:

• Guardian angel - above the front door.
• Patron Saints - above the children's bed.
• Wooden cross - on the wall in the bedroom (for prayer and kissing before bedtime).
• St. Efrosin of Palestine (cook) - in the kitchen.
• St. Sergius of Radonezh (patron of students) - above the student’s desk, etc.

It is necessary to carefully monitor the cleanliness of all icons in the house. Under each image you can attach a piece of paper with the text of a short prayer. It should be remembered that shrines by themselves do not protect the house. Help of the Lord and saints should only be seen in response to prayer in front of images of their faces.

Traditions associated with the red corner

In the old days, the red corner (goddess) determined the behavior of residents and guests of the house. Many of these habits continue into modern life:

By the way, the “red corner” is still revered today. It can be noted that in the offices of government institutions, flags and symbolic objects are located according to the old tradition - in the most noticeable and honorable, “front” corner.

Prayers help to survive grief and illness. After the era of communism, people lost many centuries of knowledge and now those who have returned to faith need knowledge. Images of saints are intended not only to decorate a home, their purpose is to protect and protect. To do this, you need to know where the icons should be in the apartment.

Why are icons needed in the house?

In the frantic pace of modern life, not everyone has time to attend church services every day or even every week. In defense and God's help a person needs every minute. This is possible thanks to the correct placement of the home iconostasis for prayer. How to arrange icons correctly matters more than their number.

The size of the image also does not matter. For a deeply religious person, the faces of saints are the material embodiment of the Divine image. Icons are very different from photographs and portraits. They reflect peace, serenity, kindness, compassion, purity in every stroke.

Faces of saints in the home iconostasis

An icon is a window into house of God, and the shrine is the place where the day of a true believer begins and ends. An Orthodox Christian's home must have an icon of Jesus Christ and a prayer cross. The rest of the images are chosen based on personal needs and desires.

How to choose the right place for red corner in the apartment to preserve the aura and tune in to prayer - necessary information for every believer. If the layout allows, then it is advisable to highlight the south-eastern corner of the room; access should be free and not cluttered. It is customary to pray facing the rising sun. It is important to know how to properly hang icons in an apartment, observing the accepted hierarchy:

1. There should always be an icon of the Savior in the center. Above it can only be the cross and the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).
2. You need to place the face of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the right, then place her other images a little to the side.
3. On the left is the obligatory holy image of John the Baptist.

Particular attention is paid. It is believed that if you hang it over front door, then it will protect those entering the house from bad intentions, protect them from quarrels and scandals. And opposite the entrance, the Holy Trinity should be placed to cleanse the guest’s bad thoughts.

The iconostasis can be made from one shelf, side table or just hang on the wall. It is allowed to decorate the holy corner with fresh flowers, towels, candles and lamps. It is also advisable to place each face on a festive napkin. First of all, it should be remembered that the most important thing in prayer is its sincerity and faith in God. It is important not only to beautifully decorate the interior of the “front corner”.

Shelf with holy images in the kitchen

It is helpful to place faces of saints in the kitchen. Prayer before meals should be an integral part of life. Gratitude for food and prosperity to the Lord God is natural for a Christian. Care should be taken to ensure that dirt and kitchen grease do not get on the icon; it is better to put it behind glass in a cabinet or place it on a shelf on the wall, which is located opposite the stove. You can place an image of the Last Supper, which will correspond to the theme.

Guardian angel in the children's room

When there are many children in a family or one - this is always joy and blessing. The icon of the Mother of God at the head of the baby’s bed in the bedroom will protect his sleep and calm him down. The face of a guardian angel, whose name a person is named at baptism, will always help in life. Depending on the gender and age of the child, the following images are suitable:

1. For a girl - or Matrona of Moscow. They help you find happiness, escape loneliness and get married successfully.
2. For a boy - an image of St. George the Victorious for protection and giving courage. The icon of St. Andrew the Primordial will teach you to be polite to elders and promote the development of your mind. The image of Alexander Nevsky will patronize athletes and the military.

How not to place the faces of saints

Do it right home iconostasis, remove inappropriate objects from the environment - this is what a true Christian should do. There are no canons prohibiting hanging an image of a saint in front of a mirror, but priests do not recommend doing this in order not to be distracted from prayer. To preserve the power of images, church ministers do not recommend:

Church ministers have different opinions about whether it is possible to sleep with your feet facing an icon. But, in general, there is nothing wrong with this if it is not done for the sake of blasphemy. This will only give another reason, looking at the face of the saint, to pray.

How many images are in the house does not matter as much as the order in which they are placed. An icon prayed over for decades, passed down from generation to generation, is a real heirloom for the family. It must be protected and carefully cleaned from dust. Where icons should be located in the house is a very serious question, and it should be approached carefully. Peace of mind the family largely depends on this. The holy image is not just a beautiful picture, it is the face of a man who once lived on earth and remained devoted to God. Every icon is designed to guide you on the right path, to attune your feelings to humility and prayer.

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 arrange 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 a carpet icon 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 it is 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 a 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 down 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, it 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 - “UNKNOWN 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. 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, purity 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. He heals sick limbs, 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.

In the old days, in every hut, icons were located in the same place - in the red corner. As a rule, the red corner was located in the eastern part of the house, near the window. The icons stood there for centuries, and therefore no one had any questions about how to place them correctly.

Rooms in the house and surrounding objects

There are no hard and fast rules about where icons can and cannot be placed. In order to position them correctly, you just need to use common sense. You can place icons in any room of the house: in the living room, in the nursery and even in the kitchen. It is not forbidden to keep icons in the bedroom. If the marriage of the spouses is officially registered, then there will be no sin in this. However, icons will, of course, be inappropriate in the bathroom.

Icons should not be placed next to a TV, tape recorder, computer or other equipment. Simply because prayer requires concentration, and these objects, even when turned off, can habitually attract your gaze and, consequently, distract you.

You should not place icons where you store cosmetics, secular books, toys and figurines. Icons should not be adjacent to posters depicting singers, artists, athletes and other famous people. Everyone knows the attitude of religion towards such peculiar idols. There should not be paintings or reproductions next to icons, even if they have religious content. They have nothing in common with icons.

For the same reason, priests do not advise keeping photographs near icons. It doesn’t matter who is depicted on them: people close to you or righteous monks and elders.

How to arrange a red corner?

It is best to allocate a separate place for icons in the apartment and place them on a shelf or high table. If possible, it is ideal to place the icons in the eastern corner of the apartment or house. However, if this is not possible, there is nothing to worry about.

The shelf with icons should be at eye level or slightly higher. The shelf can be decorated with an elegant towel. The lamp is placed or hung in front of the icons.

The two central icons, the Savior and the Mother of God, should be located above the other icons. Although this does not apply to the icons of the Holy Trinity and the Last Supper. If you stand facing the red corner, then the icon of the Savior should be on the right side, and the Mother of God on the left. Below them or on the sides you can place icons of saints close to your heart: St. Panteleimon, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and others. Then you can put up personalized icons, that is, those saints who are considered the patrons of your family members.

You should not chase the number of icons and the luxurious decoration of the red corner. The main thing is that you want to pray, the priests say, and everything else is not so important.