The number of icons in the house increases, sometimes unnoticed by you. We visited an Orthodox exhibition, went on one or two pilgrimage trips. We heard something from friends, and then search the Internet for the necessary information, or by reading the teachings and instructions of the elders, find advice or examples of the action of holy icons. Etc. and so on. And you are drawn into this search, your thoughts are occupied not only with deeds, but also with thoughts about the faces of saints who, according to your established conviction, can help you and your family, solve your problems... So it was with me.
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The main icons that should be in every home
Every apartment and every house must have an icon of Jesus Christ and, of course, the Orthodox Cross.
There must be an icon of the main patroness of the family and family hearth, the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Icons and other family patrons are placed in the home iconostasis, and do not forget about those to whom you often pray.
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Take into account: it is better to have a few icons that you pray to and thank, than many, but whose power you do not know.
Iconostasis for the home in the online store of Orthodox icons Svyatsy.
How to keep the iconostasis clean?
Any product needs constant care, the iconostasis is no exception. So, the temperature in the room where it is located should be 18-20 degrees, humidity – no higher than 40%. If persistent dirt or stains appear on the images of saints, they should be wiped with a slightly damp cloth or soft brush. It is highly not recommended to use detergents. You should also remember to wipe the shelves themselves from dust and dirt, being careful not to get them too wet.
Napkins, towels and tablecloths need to be washed at least sometimes. And one more thing: in addition to external cleanliness, it is good to maintain spatial cleanliness near icons. Just don’t clutter the space around them even with “very necessary” things. And then you will no longer have to think about how to place the icons in the apartment if it has become impossible to keep them in the old place.
What icon should be in the kitchen
In Christianity you will not find a clear prescription of which icons should be located and where exactly. The main thing is that it should be located in a free place, and the room should not be cluttered, so as not to be distracted when addressing the holy face.
Most often, those icons that are most often accessed are placed in the kitchen. This could be the Holy Trinity or Christ the Savior.
Deeply religious people place an icon of the Last Supper in the kitchen or dining room.
There are no strict instructions on this matter, but if you do not know the history of this icon, then it is better not to place it in the house, but no one will forbid you, it carries a deep meaning.
The editors of the site recommend that you familiarize yourself with the history and meaning of the icon of the Sign of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Where should you not hang icons?
Another burning question, the answer to which will be given in the material. Are there any restrictions on posting images? Yes, there are some. First of all, icons cannot be placed in closed bookcases. It is especially bad if holy images are placed next to romance novels, detective stories, books on esotericism, Feng Shui, and other occult literary works. If there is Orthodox literature in the closet, icons can be placed in it.
Often there are images standing on televisions (if there are old-style ones). This is typical disrespect for the Savior, the Mother of God and the saints. The TV shows a lot of programs and films of a rather sinful type. Again, movies with erotic scenes, TV series in which swear words are used, programs where the personal lives of famous people are “taken apart.” By and large, Orthodox people should not watch this, let alone put icons on TV.
The same applies to the computer desk and the wall above it. It is better to place the image in the eastern corner of the room along with the others and before sitting down at the computer to work, pray in front of the icons, ask for help in your work from the Lord and His Holy Saints.
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One more thing, just in case. Placing icons in the bathroom and toilet is completely unacceptable. I think everyone understands why this is so.
As for finding images in the kitchen, the option is pretty good. The icon is placed above the table or in the eastern corner of the room, and the owners of the house pray before eating and ask for the blessing of the food.
The most powerful icons for the home
It is impossible to do without the holy faces of Christ the Savior and the Most Holy Theotokos. Nicholas the Wonderworker is also revered by believers and will certainly help if you ask him for protection. The no less famous icon of the Holy Trinity will definitely protect your home from evil and misfortune.
The icon of the Last Supper is also strong, this image is very much valued, so it can be placed above the icons of Christ the Savior and the Mother of God. But you shouldn’t mindlessly broadcast it in your apartment if you don’t understand its intent and true meaning.
Icons that will give your home blessing, peace and harmony.
The faces of the patron saints of home and family will protect your hearth from evil: Saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom, Saints Joachim and Anna - the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Xenia of St. Petersburg and Matrona of Moscow.
These are the most famous icons that you must have at home and constantly pray to them.
An icon for home protection is the face of a saint who will stand guard over your family and your loved ones. The faces of the Mother of God and the Savior are considered such icons. In the church, these icons are considered the most universal; they will help in any situation, you just need to pray.
Icon and TV
Is it possible to hang an icon above the TV?
Many people believe that in no case, that an icon and a TV are two completely incompatible things. The Holy Fathers say that the main virtue is prudence. Let's speculate. For a believer, an icon is a shrine. Turning our gaze to the icon, we offer our prayers to those depicted on it. I think everyone understands that it is not good to place a shrine somewhere in a vile place or near something vile. You can't argue with that. The only thing left to find out is whether TV is bad?
Television is a human invention for transmitting visual and audio information. Moreover, simply a huge amount of information is transmitted through this device, and not all of this information is sinful and nasty. There are wonderful programs that enrich us not only intellectually, but also spiritually, for example, I was reminded of “Wait for Me.” And how many church programs are broadcast now, and there is also the Orthodox TV channel “Soyuz”.
So TV is not some kind of evil. It all depends on what we look at in this “box”. I agree that sometimes you watch this or that program, and they may insert some kind of vulgar advertisement. In this case, no one bothers you to take the remote control and change the channel. And if there is also an icon hanging above the TV, then I personally think the decision to stop watching shame will come immediately.
Dear readers, please note that the question was asked, is it possible to hang an icon above the TV? “It’s possible” doesn’t mean “it’s necessary,” otherwise they’ll start re-hanging all the icons.
Source of the article: https://volkovysk.by/society/ikona-i-televizor-2.html
Red corner in the apartment
The red corner is a home iconostasis, a place in the house where a believer can read prayers and communicate with the Lord God and the saints. As a rule, icons and other holy objects are located in the red corner.
The red corner should be located in a quiet and secluded place in the house or apartment so that nothing distracts the praying person.
Please note: only icons can be placed in a home iconostasis; it is not advisable for photographs of deceased and living loved ones to be placed next to icons.
How to position the iconostasis correctly?
The most important thing when choosing the place and location of this product is to make sure that, if necessary, 2 people can freely approach it. Other rules concern “neighborhood” with household objects. So, a prayer cross should be immediately placed next to the iconostasis or above it. But there should be no curtains or other flammable objects nearby, as fire from lamps or candles can spread to them. For the same reason, you should not install shelves for icons too close to the ceiling. It is enough to make sure that small children and pets cannot reach it, and that’s it.
What icon to buy for a new apartment
Even in ancient times, it was the custom to enter a new house with an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. This is one of the most necessary images of saints, which should be in every home.
Therefore, it is not necessary to buy a specific icon for a new apartment if you already have the face of the Most Holy Theotokos. If there is no icon of the Matrona of Moscow in your home iconostasis, you can purchase it.
How to decorate an iconostasis with your own hands?
Now you know how to properly place icons in your apartment. The photo on this page illustrates this process in detail. Therefore, let's talk about how and with what you can decorate your home iconostasis. It is worth saying that Orthodox people use hand-embroidered hand-cuffs, lace patches, and small flower branches (most often artificial) for this purpose.
But you can also hang a burning lamp in front of the shelves with holy images, put a shroud on them (a small napkin with frills or lace), and also place birch or linden branches nearby. There is no need to invent anything else. Remember that you place the iconostasis in the house for prayers, and not in order to transform the interior in any way.
What icon should be in a children's room?
The most important icon that should be in a child’s room from an early age is the Guardian Angel.
If you hang it in the room, it will help the child find his way and will protect him and his faith throughout his life.
The icon of St. Nicholas will protect the physical and moral health of the child. The icon of the Mother of God in the nursery will preserve warm family ties between the child and parents and will help protect them from evil and aggression.
It doesn’t matter how many icons there will be in your home, what matters is your attitude and faith.
Where should images not be placed?
Before placing icons in your apartment, you must remember that it is prohibited to do this next to paintings, photographs, posters, souvenirs, wall or grandfather clocks, figurines and other household attributes. They should not be placed next to a TV or tape recorder. These devices should be in another room. And one more thing: there should be nothing above the icons or very close to them, except for the cross, lamps and some permitted decorations, for example lamps or beautiful napkins created by the hostess.
Lamps, flowers and other attributes
A red corner is often organized in the bedroom next to the bed. The icon box is covered with a towel or starched curtains, and lovingly surrounded with pots of fresh flowers. On church holidays, you need to bring candles, oils and holy water from the temple. These attributes, along with biblical literature, can be stored on the bottom shelf and prayers can be read before going to bed.
A lamp is the most important attribute of a home iconostasis. Believers keep a living flame in it, which symbolizes the beating human heart. Only the oil lit in the church is poured into the lamp and the innermost desires are conveyed to the patron saints through the fire.
