Orthodox icon as a gift: the opinion of the church, rules and features of choosing an icon

In ancient times, the icon was in every home; it was placed in a special place - the Red Corner. They revered the icon, prayed in front of it, asked for help in difficult times, and talked. An icon is one of the symbols of faith, holiness, and spirituality. It was forbidden to take it out of the house, give it away, sell it, this was equated with sin. The icon was the guardian angel of the family and home.

Now the icon can be found in the home of believers. As a rule, it is passed on from generation to generation. However, icons were not always preserved in families.

The question arises: is it possible to give an icon as a gift? What is the church's opinion on this matter? Are there any signs and superstitions regarding the gift of an icon? How to choose the right icon? There are answers to all these questions, let’s consider everything in order.

How to choose a gift

According to Christian canons, there are no special shrines that have special properties depending on the situation, but there are a number of traditions that can be observed to make the gift more appropriate.

To a woman

The face of the patron saint or the Mother of God is usually presented as a gift to a woman or young girl.

The Vladimir and Kazan images of the Mother of God are well suited - they are believed to bring family happiness and protect children;
The Bethlehem icon is given to single girls who dream of getting married and finding happiness in their family;
icons of holy martyrs, symbolizing purity, innocence and strength of faith, are presented to very young girls.

A very good gift for the fair sex will be small body icons made of silver or gold - they are usually selected by the name of the patron saint.

To a man

Men can be given personalized icons or icons related to their occupation. The image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is presented to those whose activities involve traveling or long business trips; a student can be pleased with the face of St. Tatiana, and a military serviceman will be pleased to receive icons with the Archangel Michael.

This way you can choose an icon for any occasion, in connection with your profession or hobby.

To mom

Mothers are traditionally given an image of the Virgin Mary as a gift. The best option is the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.

A daughter can present her mother with an icon of Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sofia.

To dad

Icons are given to parents as gifts for family holidays and significant moments. So, for the father you can find an image of a guardian angel, a personalized icon or St. George the Victorious.

If dad is interested in hunting and fishing, images of St. Tryphon or St. Andrew the First-Called will be suitable.

son

You can buy the face of St. Sergius of Radonezh for your student son; it is believed that it will help in his studies and reward the diligent student with intelligence. This gift is given before important exams or for admission.

If a young man joins the army, his mother can, according to tradition, present him with the image of Michael the First-Called, who is considered the patron saint of all military personnel. This will help you complete your service with honor.

Daughters

With wishes of love and family happiness, the daughter is given an image of Saint Xenia of St. Petersburg, who is considered the patroness of love and family. Also, girls are often bought small personalized images that can be carried with them in their wallet or as a consecrated decoration.

For a wedding

An icon can be given as a gift for a wedding, especially if it is a believing family. There are several nuances. Firstly, it is better for the parents of the newlyweds to do this. If the gift is not a new icon, but a family one, passed down from generation to generation, it will be an energetically powerful helper and protector. It is also appropriate to give icons to the parents of the newlyweds.

The following images are suitable as a wedding gift:

"Our Lady", "Saint". They bring harmony to a young family and help avoid discord and quarrels.
" Peter and Fevronia". This image is known to all believers; it symbolizes sincere and pure love, respect and happiness.
The Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God will help young people conceive a healthy child, carry him to term and give birth easily.

It is customary to give icons for weddings along with wishes of love, advice, happiness and mutual understanding. After receiving the gift, the newlyweds kiss the images three times, touching their foreheads, making the sign of the cross.

Signs associated with the personality of the donor

Despite the possible dangers of the gift, icons can be given and received as gifts. When they are presented according to the rules and with kindness, it is difficult to come up with a more powerful and effective amulet. The holy guardians, depicted on tablets and incense, will ward off trouble from home and family, preserve relationships, and surround their charges with strong protective energy.

An excellent gift option is a talisman, amulet or small icon given by godparents to godchildren for their birthday. In this case, they give an image of the patron saint in whose honor the baby was named at baptism. Another good choice is an image of Our Lady or St. Nicholas.

It doesn’t matter at what age the child is given the amulet. The sacred gift will reliably protect the child from illness and troubles for many years

However, you should not give small children jewelry with images of saints if their godparents want the item to be a talisman.

If the donor is a good long-time friend, an icon as a gift means that the relationship with this person will last for many more years. However, such a gift should not be presented without a reason, and the item itself should not be damaged - this is a bad omen that promises bad news. It is best that the frame is decorated with natural stones, or at least made of wood. Plastic framing of the gift is not allowed. There is also such a sign: giving an icon to your beloved man or lover - to strengthen relationships, love, mutual understanding. The gift should hang in the bedroom, then the couple will live in harmony. But it’s better not to hang a talisman opposite the entrance to the apartment - this will ruin relationships and bring conflicts. Ancient family images fall into the hands of young people from their parents and grandparents. Of course, immediate relatives cannot wish their descendants harm. Therefore, such a gift is considered a good sign that strengthens the connection between generations. However, handing damaged, darkened images to descendants means passing on to the young all the negativity accumulated by older generations. Before donating a heirloom, you should take care of its restoration and cleaning of negativity. If the giver is a former lover, you cannot accept the gift. Even if the separation happened a long time ago, and the relationship is outwardly quite favorable. No one can know what hidden grievances live in someone else's soul

If you can’t refuse, you should at least not pick up the item in front of the giver, and take it out the door as soon as the ex leaves. You should take any things from strangers with great caution. This is especially true for household items, dishes, bedding and religious objects

Such things usually cause damage to relationships and health. Sometimes a work colleague can give you an unexpected gift. Often, work relationships involve competition and rivalry. Accepting a religious object from a rival is a direct path to trouble in the workplace. If you fail to refuse under a plausible pretext, it is best to leave the icon at your workplace, but under no circumstances take it home.

Features of an icon as a gift

Of course, the icon can be presented as a gift. However, you need to be very careful when choosing. In order for your gift to be accepted with gratitude and to keep a good and long memory of you, you need to take into account the following criteria:

the identity of the person to whom the gift is addressed;
closeness of relationship with this person;
the meaning of the symbolism that the image carries;
cost of the icon.

It is best to purchase images in church shops or in specialized workshops. In the Diveyevo gold embroidery and icon painting workshop “Yapos” you can not only buy a ready-made image, but also order a unique handmade icon. Our masters are believing artists who put a piece of their own soul into their creations.

What to give to your boss

The Holy Trinity is the beginning of everything. The Most Holy Trinity is the Steward of wisdom. Give your boss the image of the Holy Trinity, which is a model of perfect wisdom. Appealing to this image will help your boss make timely and wise decisions. He needs to make such decisions to conduct business wisely and successfully. The gift of an icon of the Holy Trinity is a royal gift; such an icon is good to give to wealthy gentlemen and bishops.

Saint George the Victorious is depicted on a horse, defeating the serpent; the serpent personifies evil. So this icon is a symbol of the victory of goodness and justice over the forces of darkness. Saint George is depicted on the coat of arms of Russia and the coat of arms of the city of Moscow. This icon is also the patron saint of the military. Before this image we pray for protection from enemies visible and invisible.

Daniil Moskovsky is considered the patron saint of Moscow - people turn to him to resolve housing problems.

Icon of the Lord Almighty. The Lord Jesus Christ in this icon is shown as the Almighty - the Wise Ruler of the whole world. The Lord will help in making the right decisions. Icon of Vladimir. In front of the ancient icon of the Vladimir Mother of God, all Russian tsars swore an oath of faithful service to the Russian State. For a patriot of our state, such a gift will be priceless. The icon can be decorated with semiprecious stones, pearls, white and yellow gold leaf or enamels.

We advise you to study the Icon “Quiet My Sorrows”

Home iconostasis as a symbol of world order and order. Just as the Lord wisely rules the world, so the boss works in his place. The Lord will be a mentor and helper.

What to give a man?

For a man with business qualities and purposefulness, you can always buy an icon of St. Joseph of Volotsk. Saint Joseph of Volotsky is the Patron of Orthodox entrepreneurs, Helper of management, affairs, economy, business.

If a Man constantly drives a car, on the road, on business trips, or simply travels a lot, give him a folding icon. St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the Guardian Angel will protect their owner. The workshop always has in stock road folding frames made of Karelian birch with gold-plated fittings. You can always carry such a fold with you and it will always remind you of the person who gave it.

Every man is a hunter and breadwinner, so you can always give an icon of St. Tryphon - who is customarily revered in Orthodoxy as the patron saint of hunters.

If a man is interested in fishing, he will be glad to see the icon - the patron saint of fishermen. The icon of the holy apostles Peter and Andrew patronize successful fishing. These saints are approached with a request for a good catch. The apostles were fishermen, and twice the Lord Jesus Christ filled their nets with fish, so much so that they even broke.

For the Bright Holiday of Easter, you can order Easter porcelain eggs painted using the hot enamel technique with gilding.

At Easter it is customary to give Easter eggs as a sign of resurrection and eternal life. Just as a living chicken hatches from an egg that looks like a dead stone, so we, thanks to the Savior’s death on the cross, are born for Eternal life.

The origin of the tradition of Easter eggs is associated with Mary Magdalene. It is known from the life of the saint: when Mary came to Emperor Tiberius and announced the Resurrection of Christ, the emperor did not believe it and said that it was as impossible as it was for a chicken egg to be red. After these words, the chicken egg that Mary Magdalene gave him turned red.

For a birthday

It is known that on his birthday a person is most vulnerable energetically. The birthday person can easily be subjected to the evil eye, damage, any negative message will have an impact. That is why an icon presented for a birthday will not only be a manifestation of sincere good intentions, but will also serve as a reliable protector for life.

However, it should be remembered that there are icons that can only be given to women or men.

So, what kind of icon is given to women:

The Three-Handed Icon of the Mother of God helps the whole family get rid of grief, evil, enmity and any adversity.
The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God heals and brings prosperity.
The Vladimir Icon is a strong helper and protector of women-mothers; their prayers for their children have powerful energetic force.
The Bethlehem icon is intended for single women and will help them find a strong family.

Icons for men:

Saint George the Victorious guides the true, helps in family matters and work, and patronizes the military.
The image of St. Nicholas is given to travelers.
the Savior Not Made by Hands to a man who rarely attends church.
“Guardian Angel” protects from any evil, wards off troubles, and helps to cope with temptations. We can say that this is a universal icon.

Before choosing an icon for your birthday, talk to the priest, tell him about the person - they will help you decide which holy image is best suited as a gift for life.

Icons for a quick happy marriage

The first icon for a successful happy marriage is the image of “The Unfading Flower,” which was painted by Athonite monks in the 16th century. The painting of the holy image was initiated by an annual miracle that was noticed by guests and residents of the Holy Mountain.

Pilgrims came to the Mother of God with white lilies, which were placed in the icon case by the clergy. On the eve of the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, strength and color came to the dry and lifeless stems - and they greeted the guests of the Mountain with new buds and iridescent color.

The icon of the Mother of God, helping to get married, is located at the Clinics on the Maiden Field in the Church of the Archangel Michael.

Prayers to the “Unfading Color” icon will help young girls get married. To do this, you should pray for the preservation of inner purity, modesty and chastity. Getting rid of sins in thoughts and actions will allow girls to experience the joy of a happy marriage and find the happiness of a quiet and peaceful family life.

The best article for you, go to: Reverend Maron, Syrian Hermit

Revered lists of the “Eternal Color” icon can be seen when visiting:

Moscow St. Alexeevsky Monastery
Voronezh Nativity of the Virgin Church.
In the Saratov Church “Quench My Sorrows,” built in honor of the image of the Lord’s Mother.
Ardatovsky Znamensky Cathedral.
Merciful Bogorodsky Monastery in Kadoma.

The second icon that people pray to in order to get married is the image of the Kozelshchanskaya Mother of God. The revered Kozelshchansk icon can be seen during a visit:

Krasnogorsk Pokrovsky Convent of Women (in the Kyiv diocese)
Church of the Mother of God of Kazan (in Moscow).

In 2013, the icon helped lonely Tatyana meet her betrothed after eight years of waiting - after a sincere prayer with a clear description of the appearance and character of the desired chosen one, the girl went on a seaside holiday with her sister. On the coast, Tatyana met her chosen one and soon built a strong and happy family with him.

The Kozelshchansk icon for getting married is also known for its other healing actions - in 1881 it was kept in the house of Count Kapnist. On February 21 of that year, the count's daughter was healed after sincere prayer before the images. After dislocating her leg, the girl had to face complications - atrophy and curvature of the joints. Only an appeal to the Heavenly healer helped the girl walk again.

What icons are given to a boy and a girl for christening?

Shrine for a child's baptism

For the baptism of a child, as for any important event in life, one must prepare very seriously. Moreover, both parents and godparents should do this

Of course, the best gift for a little person will be an Orthodox icon. Such a gift in the future will protect the baby from everything evil and bad, and will also help his fragile soul move in the right direction.

Godparents must definitely give the baby a Measured Icon. It is generally accepted that it must be made to order so that its dimensions strictly correspond to the height of a small person. But if for some reason you do not have the opportunity to make such an image, then calmly buy a ready-made one from the church, consecrate it and give it to your child for christening. A personalized icon might be a good option. It should depict the face of the Saint, who is the patron saint of the baby.

Such an image is also necessarily consecrated in the temple before the christening and is presented to the child after the ritual itself. Usually such a gift is placed near the baby’s crib so that he can look at it freely. It is believed that in this way the child, albeit still unconsciously, will communicate with his Guardian Angel.

In addition, the following shrines can be given at christenings:

Panteleimon the Healer
Matrona of Moscow
Our Lady
Nicholas the Wonderworker

Christening is an important event in the life of a little person, his parents and godparents. The main christening gift should be an icon that will protect the baby from adversity and help him take the path of truth.

According to tradition, godparents give the child a Measured Icon, which is made to order and corresponds to the child’s height. However, you can also give a Measured Icon purchased in the church.

A personalized icon, the patroness of a little person, would be a good gift for a christening. A personalized icon will accompany the Orthodox throughout his life. She is considered a protector, intercessor; you can ask your patron for the fulfillment of desires. A personalized icon is placed near the child’s bed so that its face looks at the baby.

You can also give as a christening gift:

Image of Panteleimon the Healer.
Image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Image of the Mother of God.
Image of Matrona of Moscow.

Do not forget to consecrate the icons in the church first.

DIY icon as a gift

Receiving an icon as a gift is nice, but it’s even nicer if it’s a handmade image. After all, what is made by human hands is made with love. For example, you can embroider an icon with beads, threads or satin stitch. A large number of companies offer ready-made canvases with designs of saints; all you have to do is embroider them.

The abundance of beads, beads and semi-precious stones distinguishes the sets from. And if you want to embroider an antique icon, then you should look at the manufacturer Thea Gouverneur. But let us note right away that data sets from companies are not cheap.

Prices start from 3 to 17 thousand. A cheaper option is to find a pattern on the Internet and select the necessary materials in a handicraft store. It is better not to engage in self-selection if you do not have sufficient experience. You will spend a lot of time on work, and the result may not please you. Therefore, trust experienced sellers.

And one last thing: be sure to consecrate the finished icon before donating it.

Choosing an icon as a gift is a responsible task. Take this seriously. If you have any questions when choosing a holy image, you can always ask the priest in church. We hope that our article helped you answer some questions. Be healthy!

General meaning

An icon is a special attribute. Since ancient times, it has been passed down from generation to generation: such a legacy was not fraught with danger. New images were purchased for a specific purpose. A special ceremony was also performed. First, they asked for advice from a clergyman or spiritual father, and only then did they purchase the image. A lot of attention has always been paid to such a gift. If a person sincerely believes in God, the icon brought as a gift is a special thing that shows a good attitude towards the person, love and respect for his family. Even a hundred years ago, an image received as a gift, even from a close friend, was perceived as a prediction of imminent disaster. Superstition warned that it would not be possible to avoid danger. As soon as the face of the saint was placed in the house (if the person accepted the gift), conflicts and problems began in the house. Children got sick, and adults had problems at work.

We advise you to study Prayers for the forgiveness of sins

Young parents should know whether it is possible to give icons to children. This is a lucky omen. The image of a saint is a blessing for a newborn. This is how parents give their baby protection and help him grow up without illness. The negative meanings of the image of a saint as an unusual gift come from the person’s message: what he puts into the gift and how he presents it. Conventionally, signs about donated icons are divided into positive, negative and warning of danger.

Icons are traditionally passed down from generation to generation.

Positive

The icon symbolizes the holiness of man. This is his desire and desire to be better, kinder, more compassionate. By bringing an attribute of the church into another person's house, the guest declares good intentions. Receiving such a birthday gift is a sign of quick success. A person will be able to move up the career ladder, find like-minded people and new business partners. An image of a saint given for the birth of a child promises health. The baby will be less sick if the icon depicts the Mother of God or St. Nicholas is written. The meaning of the sign is favorable when the image of the saint whose name is chosen for the child is presented. Such an icon will serve as a talisman for the baby for many years to come. A gift where the image is in light colors is positive. It should be taken into account that dark images are not given to children and unmarried women.

Negative

The image that is given on the days of the waning moon is negative. During this period, negativity is sent to the person’s family. The icon also has a negative effect when an ill-wisher brings a gift in discreet packaging. If the frame with the image is covered with cloth, then it will soon bring a severe illness from which it will be difficult to recover. Other negative signs associated with the present:

the donated icon immediately fell - financial problems lie ahead;
the donated image of the saint has chips (on the frame or glass) - quarrels and conflicts will begin in the family, which will not end for a long time;
there are stains on the glass or under the glass - expect illness (in most cases children and pets will suffer).

Signs of a negative omen may appear in the first days.

The meaning of the sign is also negative if the image of the saint darkens within a few days. Superstition promises trouble: minor troubles will ruin your mood and lead to loss of vitality. You need to beware of enemies in cases where the gift is constantly hanging crookedly.

Danger warning

A sign associated with a gift can also serve as a warning of danger. If it is difficult for the gift to find a new place (there is not enough of it or it is impossible to drive a nail under the icon), constant negativity is sent to the person’s family. Proof of superstition is constant troubles. To avoid danger, you need to clean your home and take a closer look at your surroundings. The omen also foretells danger when a gift is brought by an unclean person. Stains or dirt on the glass indicate the tricks of competitors: they act behind a person’s back or spread rumors. If action is not taken, the situation will only get worse.

Do they give icons?

It is customary for Orthodox believers to give images of saints for the most important events in life:

christening;
wedding;
Day Angel;
on major Orthodox holidays;
to temples and monasteries as a donation;
in many other cases.

Priests, hierarchs and church historians all unanimously argue that it is possible and even necessary to do this.

This is an ancient pious custom inherent in the Russian person, who, in the breadth of his soul, wants to give to his neighbor the best that he has.

How holy images were valued in Rus' is evidenced by the fact that when drawing up a will, an inventory of property, they were always written down in first place as the most valuable thing on this list. The surviving wills of the great princes, for example, Dmitry Donskoy, his father Ivan Ioannovich, dated 14–15 centuries, and other documents of later times testify to this. Iconographic faces also occupied a significant place in the bride’s dowry.

You can order an icon as a birthday gift from the icon-painting workshop “Creating a Heritage”

In the icon painting workshop “Creating a Heritage” at the Church of St. Basil the Great, they will be sincerely happy to help you prepare such a bright gift as an Orthodox icon. Our artists are followers of the largest, oldest and most revered school of Russian Orthodox icon painting - Vladimir. Each “Creating a Heritage” icon painter is sincerely in love with his work and, when creating an image, puts into it not only his talent, but also a part of his soul. After the icon is painted, it will be consecrated by the rector of the Church of St. Basil the Great, Father Arkady.

Today we have made thousands of icons. Each image is a genuine work of Orthodox art, which we create for you and for your sake. At “Creating a Heritage” you can order either an individual painting of an icon or select a finished work from stock.

Signs

There are many signs associated with the donation of shrines. This is why many people are now afraid to accept images of saints as gifts.

If you have been given a shrine as a gift, you should not be upset or upset. It is right to be happy about a gift, because it brings happiness to the house and serves as a strong amulet for the family.

But people tend to believe signs that prohibit accepting images as gifts. These signs appeared during times of destruction of churches and alienation from the church.

There was a time in our country when the government banned faith, so the people were massively forced to believe that all church attributes carried a threat and evil, but that was not the case.

Signs why you should not accept an icon as a gift:

The presented image attracts misfortune. To say that this sign is true is incorrect. The image of a saint cannot attract troubles and misfortunes to the family. The faces of saints protect the home from the other world and protect a person from adversity.
The shrine is damaged. Previously, many people thought that the donated images of saints caused damage to a person. The shrine was placed in a prominent place, so its negative influence quickly spread to people. Therefore, many preferred not to accept such a gift, but to buy the shrine themselves. This sign is not substantiated by anything. Even black witches do not dare to damage a church shrine. This is one of the greatest sins. Once in the hands of a person, the icon begins to “work” for his benefit, even if the gift is tainted by black magic.
You cannot give embroidered or self-drawn images. People believe that self-made images have no power, so they are useless. But the church says the opposite. The power lies in the image of the saint, but how he appeared on the canvas does not matter.

Not only church shrines are protected and preserved. Embroidered or hand-painted icons also have great power, but they should be consecrated by a priest before donation.

Important! To believe or not to signs is the decision of each person. But I would like to note that faith always inspires, saturates with strength and spiritually cleanses a person, so it is better to accept an icon as a gift so as not to show your disdain for the church and Christianity.

We advise you to study Not Called to Marry: What prayers should you read?

Which icons to choose for church holidays?

There are 12 great church holidays a year and each has its own icon. But usually they still present the image of the Resurrection of Christ. Sometimes a birthday coincides with a great Christian holiday, in which case a person must have an icon corresponding to this holiday in his home.

ATTENTION! Prayers can only be said in front of an image consecrated in the church. If you have been given a custom-made icon, ask whether it has been consecrated. If not, take it to the priest in church and he will consecrate it.

How to properly present an icon

In order not to bring trouble on yourself or your loved ones, you need to know how to give an icon. The rules for when and how you can give the face of a saint look like this:

if it is a person’s birthday, for happiness and good luck only an icon of the saint whose name the birthday boy bears is given, neglect such superstition - independently invite bad luck to the home of a loved one;
if a person is sick, you should give the image of a holy healer, such an icon will bring a long-awaited recovery, you can make a gift at any time of the year and on any day;
bosses need to be given an icon that helps in their work; if you give a personal icon (attracting love), you can cause his anger in the near future.

You need to be careful with gifts, otherwise good intentions will turn into negativity. For young girls, a gift that depicts saints is suitable. It is contraindicated to bring other images of saints into the home of a lonely person. Young men are given saints (a small icon that is best hidden from prying eyes). For couples, icons are selected that strengthen family ties. Only parents can give an icon for a wedding; such a gift is not accepted from other people. It promises a lot of quarrels and a quick separation. The bride is presented with an icon of the Mother of God, and the groom is presented with the Savior Jesus Christ.

In what cases should you not give and accept donated icons?

A donated icon can bring not only grace to the house, but also negativity. Therefore, the Church clearly describes in which cases one should not accept or give donated images.

First of all, you should not take those icons that are presented by an ill-wisher or a work competitor. In the same way, it is not recommended to give holy faces to them. The Church does not prohibit this, but such a tradition is completely justified. It is believed that a spell can be placed on the icon, which will bring adversity and devastation to a person’s home and family. Enemies can even give you an icon from hell, which is not holy.

The icon cannot be used as a gift for a person of a different religion, even for the closest one. In the same way, it is not recommended to give the faces of saints to non-believers - for them this gift does not have much meaning, and among believers such a gift can be perceived as a mockery of faith.

Also, you cannot re-gift icons or accept them as gifts. The only exceptions can be those images that have been inherited. However, such a relic can only be given to those people who are closest and most beloved.

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Another type of icon that falls under the prohibition of donation is unconsecrated images. They can be presented as a gift only if the icon is donated to a temple or monastery.

What to do with the gift

If a gift gets into the house, you cannot deal with it immediately. Whatever the reason for the gift, you need to thank for it. Don't show embarrassment or disgust. After all the guests have left, you need to wrap the gift and take it out of the house. The less contact with a thing, if you follow popular superstitions, the less its influence. On the street, a simple prayer is read over the image of the saint. After this, the gift is taken to the church in the form of alms. Then the entire living space is cleaned, and if there is an old icon in the home, all corners are treated with it

It is important that the gift never appears in the house again

You cannot burn an icon, otherwise all your happiness will burn with it. The sign warns that it is not worth destroying the face of a saint. This behavior will cause even more problems. You cannot give away or re-gift the face of a saint, so as not to lose wealth and health.

The donated icon can be taken to church

Images warn of trouble

Images of saints are not only amulets, but can also warn of upcoming difficulties. You just need to be able to correctly interpret the signs.

The donated image falls from the wall - you should prepare for unforeseen financial expenses.
The falling of the object is repeated, but the glass does not break - to treason, betrayal, break of relationship.
The image hung on the wall is constantly warping - a sign that the enemies are plotting.
The saint's face became covered with spots - someone in the family will soon become seriously ill.
The image quickly gathers dust, becomes covered with cobwebs - signs promise bad news.
The face quickly darkened - many small problems lie ahead, which will lead to a loss of vitality.
There are stains on the glass, dirt - a sign that warns business people about danger from competitors, and a woman should be wary of her rival’s tricks.

What to do if the icon is not needed or does not have an owner

If everything turned out this way, the most correct decision would be to take the icon to the temple. If, for example, the 19th century remains in the house, perhaps it will continue its service in the temple, for the benefit of all Christians.

Each of us can buy an icon for a temple or for our home. And in the case of a found icon, the most correct thing would be to return it to its rightful owner or take it to the church. If you do this, you will not violate either canonical or moral norms.

So we have dealt with a rather difficult situation, taking into account all modern norms and requirements. Don't forget the meaning and sacredness, even if it doesn't belong to you. It is strictly forbidden to throw away holy images or dispose of them - this is a great sin.

An icon located in a house can make the atmosphere in it brighter and more blissful, and in some cases it can even prevent misfortune that threatens the owners of the house. However, regarding the presence of an ancient icon in residential premises, people’s opinions are not so clear. They say it could be dangerous to keep her in the house. What is this danger?

Required material

To embroider an icon, we will need:

threads;
needle;
icon embroidery kit;
wooden frame.

Focus especially on choosing a color palette. You may not know all the nuances, so purchase a high-quality cross stitch kit. They have already worked out color combinations and rules of icon painters.

Read

Embroidering using the 3D satin stitch technique: lessons for beginners

To make the image and embroidered icons look like ancient ones, they are embroidered with gold and silver thread with lurex. Silk thread was always used in the church. It shimmered in the light and gave it a special shine. Woolen and floss threads are also not suitable for embroidered icons; they have a loose structure.