Red corner in the house - rules for creating a home iconostasis

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The red corner (or as it is commonly called a home iconostasis, holy corner or shrine) is a kind of proper definition for placing miraculous images for the purpose of delivering prayer speeches in certain places of the house or apartment, but what to do if there is no red corner at home? How to pray, where to place it and how to arrange it can be found in the article below.

Any living space belonging to a Christian believer is considered to be a reflection of an Orthodox church, and the holy corner, in turn, is regarded as a semblance of a sanctuary. The shrine itself is the most revered and important place in a house/apartment. In accordance with established etiquette, the person who came to the house can enter the sacred place only according to a special invitation from the homeowners.

DIY iconostasis

We figured out where in the apartment to set up a home chapel. Now let's talk about its creation. This is an important stage that must be approached with pure faith and an open soul.

Shelf selection

Today, a ready-made “beautiful corner” can be found in almost every furniture showroom or made to order according to your own sketch. However, many Orthodox believers prefer to make it with their own hands, putting sincere prayers and soul into the product.

As a rule, the iconostasis is decorated with artistic carvings, inlays, or several colors are used. The material from which the structure will be made does not play a significant role. The shape is also unimportant: the shelves can be corner or regular.

Before you start work, you should make schematic drawings. Icons should be located at a distance from each other to minimize the risk of fire from a lit candle or lamp. The structure is usually hung at eye level to make it convenient to communicate with the saints. Under the shelves you can install a low table or bedside table to place the Gospel, Bible, holy water and other church paraphernalia.

Homemade shelf for the iconostasis

Location of icons

While in the church, you probably noticed that the iconostasis is arranged according to strict canons. The same rules must be followed for home prayer. It should consist of five rows, where the shrines will be located according to the generally accepted hierarchy:

• on top of all the images there is a cross;
• the face of Jesus Christ is placed in the center, above which the icon of the Holy Trinity is placed;
• to the right of the Savior is the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
• Additional faces are placed on both sides of the main shrines.

The clergy advise sticking to a single style when decorating the “red corner”, but this is almost impossible to do for a home chapel. Often, holy images are bought individually or given as gifts by guests, and therefore do not always have the same design. This is not a violation of accepted Orthodox canons, since they pray not to images, but to the saints written on them. There is no need to chase fashion, trying to turn a home iconostasis into a stylish piece of furniture. It must be equipped only with sincere faith and an open heart.

Additional images

Orthodox believers rarely limit themselves to the main faces when arranging a “beautiful corner”. Since each Christian chooses to whom to pray, the church does not set strict rules regarding the number of images. As a rule, Christians place other icons next to the main shrines:

• guardian angels - to protect all family members;
• Panteleimon the Healer - to help get rid of diseases;
• Fevronia and Petra - help maintain family harmony, comfort, harmony, well-being;
• Blessed Matrona of Moscow - to cure serious illnesses.

Christians also place other icons near the main shrines.

A home chapel is a piece of the Orthodox Church, where any family member can go if the need arises

Since the times of Ancient Rus', special attention was paid to the arrangement of the “red corner”, and therefore almost all traditions have reached our times in low-lying ways.

Features of placement of the iconostasis

When arranging a home iconostasis, you should take into account not only where the red corner should be in the house, but also some other features:

• sacred images should be installed in such a way that they can be seen by the believer during the prayer service;
• It is best to hang the shrine somewhere at eye level or slightly higher;
• It is strictly forbidden to hang secular objects such as paintings and photographs near the holy corner;
• before decorating a red corner in the house, you need to make sure that it will be located as far as possible from the radiator, since due to regular exposure to elevated temperatures, the wood can dry out and crack;
• if possible, the prayer corner should not be located near mirrors, where you can be seen while saying prayers, so as not to be distracted by looking at yourself in the mirror;
• If desired, the shrine can be decorated with embroidery, and if space allows, then under it you can place a small table where you can store a container with blessed water, lamps, Orthodox Christian books that are used in prayer and more.

The best article for you, go to: Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary: holiday, signs, when celebrated

The difference between icons and paintings

If you have reproductions of paintings at home that reflect biblical scenes, you should not install them on the iconostasis.

The main difference between a holy image and painting is that in the first case, through icons we communicate with the Lord. And since the iconostasis is a sacred place intended for solitude in prayer, the inclusion of reproductions in it would be simply inappropriate.

Icons cannot be hung on the wall next to posters of celebrities - by doing this we insult holy images, putting them on a par with earthly idols.

It is better to place home iconostases in the eastern part of the house, since this part of the world has special significance in Orthodoxy.

For example, from the Old Testament it is known that the Lord created a paradise for people in the eastern part of Eden. And the Gospel says that just as lightning comes from the east to the very west, so the Lord comes from Heaven. The church altar is also located in the eastern part. If the windows face this side, the home iconostasis, a photo of which you will find in this article, is installed in any other suitable place.

How to determine the red corner in the house

A home iconostasis is a prayer space where a believer can communicate with the Saints and the Lord, as well as place various divine objects, and that is why it is necessary to allocate a special place for the iconostasis.

The best article for you, go to: Dry eating during fasting: what is it? What does dry eating mean?

Where should the red corner in the house be? It is best to place miraculous icons in the most prominent place in the eastern part, be it an apartment or a house, however, at the same time, this is not a mandatory rule and if, for example, due to the layout of the home, this recommendation is difficult to follow, then you should choose that angle /walls that are closest to the east (which is always where the sun rises).

If there are iconographic images in the house that do not fit into the iconostasis, then you are allowed to place them at your discretion in different parts of the room or in other rooms. For example, sacred icons used during weddings can be placed in the bedroom, and the image of the Almighty himself in the kitchen in order to offer a prayer service before and after the meal.

However, it should be remembered that a miraculous image placed in the kitchen must be in an icon case (or, more simply put, a glass cabinet), so as not to harm the shrine, because high humidity, constant changes in temperature, exposure to direct rays of the sun can cause burnout, microcracks in the board, as well as peeling of painted layers.

The procedure for making a shelf for icons

On a board, the thickness of which is fifteen millimeters, the outlines, as well as the main contours of the parts, are transferred from a paper sketch to the main board. Next, use an electric jigsaw to cut out the crucifix. Using cutters you need to make convex parts. The carving must be done in layers, carefully highlighting the internal parts with a thin cutter. Once the procedure for cutting the crucifix is ​​completed, you can begin sanding the product, armed with fine sandpaper.

Advice! If you have to cut out bas-reliefs in segments, it is better to secure them with a sheet of plywood on the back side.

Then the decorative parts are glued together and attached to the sheet of the slab. To remove all excess, you can use a jigsaw or an electric cutter.

Using sandpaper, it is necessary to carry out high-quality sanding of the side of the finished product.

To make beautiful crossbars you will need certain professional skills, as well as certain equipment.

After the balusters are made, it is important to carry out high-quality sanding of the product

For a shelf for icons you will need several parts:

• side panels;
• vertical racks;
• sides;
• shelves

Shelf templates for icons can be made from pieces of wood board.

Attention! Professionals do not recommend using plywood for templates, since after cutting it needs to be significantly modified. You will need two side panels for the shelf, and you also need to take care of purchasing high-quality fasteners

You will need two side panels for the shelf, and you also need to take care of purchasing high-quality fasteners.

Sequencing

First you need to attach the ready-made templates to the board. Next, the part is formed using an electric jigsaw. The edges are processed using a milling cutter; all irregularities and roughness present on the surface are sanded with abrasive paper. Before making holes, you need to mark them with a pencil. Next, the side panels are prepared using the same algorithm. After assembling the product, it is advisable to varnish the shelf.

Wall fixation

To attach a corner shelf under icons on the wall, you will need dowels. First you need to attach hanging loops to the finished product. Next, the shelf is applied to the wall, and the places where the dowels will be located are marked. The holes for them are made with an electric drill.

There are certain requirements that must be met in order for the finished shelf for icons to be beautifully mounted on the wall:

the product should hang at the level of human eyes or higher; there should be no other decorative elements next to the icons; if there will be functional lamps on the shelf, it is important to ensure fire safety (there should be no flammable materials near the shelf)

We recommend studying Psalm 28

Decoration features

Basically, natural wood is used in the manufacture of shelves for icons. If you can’t make carved strips and parts with your own hands, you can limit yourself to creating an imitation of it. To obtain a similar effect, you can first burn out the design, then cover the finished fragments with decorative enamel. To do this, the contour of the ornament is transferred to the top panel or side, and all contours are outlined using burning devices.

Attention! The finished pattern must be uniform over the entire surface of the product, otherwise the shelf will have an unaesthetic appearance. As soon as the contour application is completed, enamel is applied to the surface with a thin brush, then the product is coated with colorless varnish

As soon as the contour application is completed, enamel is applied to the surface with a thin brush, then the product is coated with colorless varnish.

In what order should the icons be placed?

Home iconostasis is not assembled thoughtlessly. Each icon has its place. It is better to first draw up a drawing of the home iconostasis, determine the number of shelves, their height, width, and other parameters. Only after this should the images of saints be placed.

If desired, you can make a home iconostasis with your own hands, if you have carpentry skills and tools. If there are none, order the production of the things you need in your home from a professional. All that remains is to mount it on the wall, and you can install holy images.

Icon location:

1. The central figure is the Savior.
2. The icon of the Holy Trinity is located directly above it.
3. To the right of Jesus Christ should be placed the Mother of God.
4. On the sides of the central icons are placed images of saints and martyrs. There are no clear guidelines or hierarchies here. You can place them both above and below the Savior, the Mother of God.

The correct home iconostasis also includes the faces of the disciples of Jesus Christ - the apostles, prophets, Archangels Gabriel, Michael, and guardian angel. Icons of Christian holidays are welcome:

• Nativity;
• Epiphany;
• Presentation of the Lord;
• Easter.

Additional images

In addition to these main icons, on the home iconostasis you need to put images of saints after whom your family members are named. It is also advisable to purchase an icon of the healer Panteleimon - a healer of mental and physical illnesses. The choice of other images depends entirely on the needs of the household. For example, you can purchase an image of Peter and Fevronia, to whom they pray for family well-being. In front of the icon of Sergius of Radonezh they ask for help in their studies and good endeavors. Unmarried women can pray before the image of Xenia of St. Petersburg, who, by the will of God, became a helper to people in matters of marriage.

Recently, in many homes, one of the central icons has become the image of the blessed old lady Matrona of Moscow. Even after her earthly death, she helps in everything those who come to her at the Intercession Church or to her grave at the Danilovskoye Cemetery, or simply turn to Matrona in home prayers. Many people have already received healing and help from her. It was not for nothing that she said: “Come to me and tell me everything as if you were alive.” By this, Matrona meant that her earthly death does not mean a spiritual death: after all, she is still with us.

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Quote from Enigmatica

Read in full In your quotation book or community!
PRAYER-CHARGE FOR THE “RED CORNER” OF THE HOUSE.

There is a belief that if there is a “red corner” in a house, it means that the Lord himself and all the saints are helping everyone living in it. If you read the amulet on the “red corner”, where the icons will stand, you will receive very powerful protection for your home from all kinds of negative influences, and prosperity and happiness will never leave it. Stand facing east and first read the following prayer address: Holy Beginningless Life-Giving Trinity! Come to me, servant of God (name), to help. Help me read the red corner of my house for a long and happy life. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God! Come to me, God’s servant (name), to help. Help, Lord, to read the red corner of my house for a long and happy life. Mother Lady, come to me, the servant of God (Julia), to help. Help me read the red corner of my house for a long and happy life. Archangel Michael and the ethereal Heavenly army! Come to me, servant of God (name), to help. Help me read the red corner of my house for a long and happy life. All saints, come to me, the servant of God (name), to help. Help me read the red corner of my house for a long and happy life. Saint (name of the saint whose name you bear), come to me, the servant of God (name), to help. Help me read the red corner of my house for a long and happy life. And then read the amulet: I will enter on the wedding day, on the great day, under the high domes. In the Trinity Church a great service is going on, the deacon is singing the Cherubim, the people are singing the Father’s Prayer. I will pray to the Lord, cross myself and take a wedding icon and a majestic candle into my house. Hanging in the red corner of the icon, I, the servant of God (name), will grow rich in my house: I will have everything for the house - flour, sugar loaf, bread, grain, salt, and the family towel. In the red corner hangs a wedding icon. A majestic candle is burning near the icon, a lamp in the corner is shining. My house remains in abundance for centuries. I will enter on the wedding day, at the majestic hour, under the holy images. I’ll get up and read the Cherubic prayer with the clerk. Just as in a holy temple there are people at every hour, so in my house prosperity comes from hour to hour, from dawn to dusk, from summer to summer. In the red corner, under the holy images, the red Goddess is decorated with a family towel. As long as the icon stays in the red corner, I will live in abundance. Amen. Amen. Amen.

https://dwidoctesa.blogspot.de/2013/02/blog-post_8430.html

The place where the icons are located in the room is sacred for the house. This place protects both the room and the entire house from evil spirits that may try to visit the apartment. Therefore, you need to know a few simple rules on how to arrange icons.

This question sooner or later arises for everyone who purchases an icon or receives it as a gift. And indeed, how to properly place it in the house in order to offer prayer to the Lord and not break any sacred laws? After all, prayer is a kind of sacrament, and any sacrament should be performed in the appropriate place, and not just anywhere. How to properly hang icons in city apartments or private houses?

Instructions.

1. The best place for an icon in the house is the red corner. It is here, according to tradition, that the iconostasis, spiritual literature, candles or lamps and a cross are located. The red corner of the house is the wall opposite the entrance to the room. This location is no coincidence; everyone who enters can bow to the images without looking for them for a long time in all corners. It is better that the space near the iconostasis is free and allows all family members and guests to stand for prayer at the same time.

2. The altar is located on the eastern side, and icons in the house are also supposed to be placed so that the person praying faces the East. However, if you do not have a suitable place for the images in the eastern part of the apartment, you can hang them in any other place. It is important that this is not a remote corner into which sunlight does not fall, but a wall that the icon will decorate and make even brighter. You can hang the icon either on a regular nail or place it on a special shelf next to other icons. If there are a lot of icons in the house, you can make a special iconostasis for them. The main thing is that the process of collecting images does not turn into ordinary collecting. After all, their purpose is completely different, and there is no connection between the number of icons in a house and the piety of its inhabitants.

3. You should not install icons among books on shelves, as well as in closet shelves mixed with cosmetics, figurines and photographs of relatives. You should also not hang icons next to the toilet or in a row with paintings and other works of art. Remember that an icon is not a beautiful picture and not just an image. The purpose of the icon in the house is to preserve reverence and faith, as well as sacred protection. It is possible to place icons in the bedroom of spouses, despite the misconception of many that this is sinful.

How to place an icon in the house.

It is difficult for an Orthodox person to imagine how one can live in a house in which there are no icons.
Images of saints are present in all the houses of believers, but the icons are not always located correctly, since the holy fathers do not focus on this. Instructions.

1. Perhaps you know that our ancestors placed the iconostasis in the red corner, opposite the front door of the house, so that every person entering could turn to the Lord before greeting the owner. In this case, the gaze of the worshiper should be directed to the east. This, by the way, was almost always observed, since the doors of most houses were in the western part. But today it is difficult for city dwellers to follow the ancient custom, so do not be afraid to break it.

2. Before placing icons, think about which room will be most convenient for you to pray in. After all, no matter how important the arrangement of the iconostasis is, it will be meaningless if those living in the house do not use the icons for prayer. Forgetting about formalities is not a big problem, but forgetting about the Lord or trying to seem like a pious person without believing is a sin.

3. Make sure that the icons are not located above the TV, computer or other similar things used for entertainment. The room in which you will pray should be quiet enough to forget about the worldly and switch to communication with the highest.

4. In the church iconostasis there are several rows of icons depicting evangelists, prophets, and forefathers. But it is quite difficult to replicate the design of such an iconostasis at home, and it is not at all necessary to do so. Try to have an image of the Savior, the Mother of God and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in your home. It was these icons that our ancestors most often placed in their homes.

5. If you highlight any saint among others, considering him to be your patrons, allocate a place in the iconostasis for an icon depicting him. By the way, having done this, you will feel under his protection for a psychological reason, since you trust the saint, not to mention religious reasons.

6. Place a lamp next to the icons and make sure that it is always burning when you are at home. When leaving home, put out the lamp, and when returning, light it. Remember that its light is a symbol of divine light and the fact that you are ready to make a sacrifice to the Lord who suffered for us. And lastly: do not forget to pray, because by praying, a person gets closer to God.

How to arrange a home iconostasis.

Sooner or later, most Orthodox people have a desire to make their own small corner for prayer. Creating a home iconostasis must be approached thoughtfully. You can’t just install icons randomly. You need to follow a few simple rules.

You will need

Icon of Jesus Christ Icon of the Mother of God Other icons, upon request.

Posting sponsor P&G Articles on the topic “How to arrange a home iconostasis” How to cut the corners of a ceiling plinth How to clean an iron at home How to divide a room into two zones

Instructions.

1. The number of icons in a home iconostasis must be at least two. It is best if these are images of Jesus Christ and the Mother of God. These icons must be present in every home. In addition to these icons, it would be nice to keep the image of the saints after whom the residents of the house are named, as well as images of locally revered saints. It should be noted that the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is revered on a par with the face of the Savior and the Mother of God, and it is present in every Orthodox family. When placing icons in the house, one should be guided by the principle of hierarchy. On top there should always be images of Jesus Christ, the Holy Trinity, and the Mother of God. The icon of the Mother of God should stand to the left of the icon of the Lord.

2. If you have painted and printed icons, give preference to the former. Thanks to the spiritual connection of the icon painter, the icon he created is valued much higher than any factory-made one.

3. Decoration of icons with decorations. Often, icons are placed in so-called icon cases (they are decorated with basma, as is done in many churches). Trimming with chasuble is very common. Icons can also be decorated with fresh flowers. On the holidays of Pentecost and the Holy Trinity, the iconostasis is decorated with birch branches as a symbol of a prosperous Church. Large icons are framed with white or embroidered towels.

4. Choosing a place for icons in the house. The coming of Christ is expected from the east, therefore one should pray facing it. Accordingly, the iconostasis should be located on this side, preferably in the corner. If the house is located outside the eastern side, the red corner can be arranged, focusing on the nearest church. If there is a passage and windows in the east, then you can install the iconostasis on any wall of the home, because in the church there are icons on all walls. It is only necessary to maintain some distance in front of the icons in order to feel complete freedom and openness in prayer. You cannot place equipment or interior items that symbolize peace near icons.

How to make an iconostasis yourself.

In order to make an iconostasis, you will need icons illuminated in the church.
Among the icons there must be an icon with the image of the Savior, the Mother of God, the Trinity and the Guardian Angel. You can also purchase personalized icons and icons with the face of Saints. In the center there should be an image of the Savior, and to the right of him the Mother of God. Instructions.

1. The iconostasis should be made in several rows and located in the corner closer to the east. The first row must necessarily consist of the image of the Savior and the Mother of God holding a baby in her arms.

2. The second row is called “Deesis”. There should be smaller icons on it, but there should be more of them in number. In the center is the icon of the Savior in power, to the right of it is the image of John the Baptist, the Baptist of the Lord, to the left is the icon of the Mother of God. Place the holy archangels on the sides.

3. The third row is “festive”. On it are icons depicting the Annunciation, the Nativity of Christ, the Transfiguration, the Crucifixion, etc.

4. The fourth row is “prophetic”. Place the Mother of God and Child on the throne in the center, with prophets on either side.

The fifth row is “ancestral”. In, on the sides are the forefathers. There may be more rows - everything is at your discretion.

5. You can mount it directly on the wall; to do this, use a puncher to make holes in the wall, drive in a dowel, insert a screw or screw into it and attach the icons.

6. You can also make an iconostasis on a wooden canvas. For this we need fiberboard, a drill and a screw. Using a drill, drill holes and secure the screw.

7. You can decorate the iconostasis with a clean white towel. To finish, light the church candles.

How to design an iconostasis.

Icons are works of art and more; through them you can turn to God with prayers, requests, and seek help and consolation.
Therefore, it is very important to arrange them in the correct order, making your own home iconostasis, which will become the protector of the house and its inhabitants. Instructions.

1. Select the eastern wall of the house for your home iconostasis. If this is difficult, the icons can be placed in any easily accessible place where several people can gather for prayer.

2. Make sure that there are no household appliances near the iconostasis: a TV, a stereo system, a computer, and also that there are no photographs, posters, placards or paintings of a secular nature.

3. Decorate the iconostasis with fresh flowers or willow branches. You should not place cacti and other thorny plants next to icons.

4. Traditionally, home iconostases are framed with hand-embroidered towels. You can hang images of temples, peaceful landscapes and views of the Holy Land nearby.

5. Please note that it is better to place icons on a hard surface rather than hang them on the wall. Previously, it was customary to place the iconostasis in a special cabinet - an icon case. It can be replaced by a regular bookshelf. The main thing is that only theological books should be on it.

6. Place a lamp in front of the home iconostasis. It should be lit during prayers, on Sundays and on all church holidays.

7. For a home iconostasis, images of the Mother of God and the Savior are required. You should purchase icons of your saints (whose family members are named after) and the especially revered Nicholas the Wonderworker, who is the patron of children, mothers, the undeservedly offended, as well as the sick, prisoners and travelers.

8. If you want to create a complete iconostasis, then you need to supplement it with images of the holy evangelists, the prophet Elijah, the Archangels Gabriel and Michael, St. John the Baptist, the healer Panteleimon and icons dedicated to church holidays.

9. There are several strict rules for the arrangement of icons in a home iconostasis that should be followed. Place the image of the Savior in the center (it should be the largest in size). On the left, place the Virgin and Child, as is customary in the classic iconostasis. Only the Crucifix or the icon of the Holy Trinity can be placed above. Place the remaining images slightly below or on the sides of the main icons. It is customary to crown the entire iconostasis with a cross.

10. If you have several rooms, place the home iconostasis in the largest one. But in the rest, you definitely need to hang an icon, and crosses on the doorposts.

source https://masterotvetov.com/

Taken from: https://poleznosti.mirtesen.ru/blog/43108815223/MOL...%C2%ABKRASNYIY-UGOL%C2%BB-DOMA.

Simple process

The most basic stand for holy images can be made from plywood. First you need to attach the icons to it with screws in accordance with the heavenly hierarchy. After this, you should make a chasuble for the icons - this is a special frame that frames the images. It can be created from embroidered fabric or from beads and beads. This will give the icon shelf a festive and solemn look. This is how you can make a homemade iconostasis with your own hands. Photos of similar works in this article will help you in its design.

Thus, the creation of a small church at home is not so much a prerequisite for the life of an Orthodox Christian, but rather his spiritual impulse and desire. After all, he who believes and loves the Lord always wants to turn to him in prayer both during the liturgy and at home services

It doesn’t matter whether your iconostasis is made of expensive materials and filled with gilded images, or whether you yourself created it manually, collecting holy images. The main value is your faith and desire for spiritual improvement

How to properly arrange icons in the house?

There are icons in almost every home, with the exception of families of convinced atheists.
Previously, people knew and followed the rules for placing holy images. Do we know how to arrange a home iconostasis, are church canons so strict today, and what should the red corner of your home be like? Red corner in the old days
Our great-grandfathers treated icons with reverence and tried to equip their home iconostasis according to all the rules. The goddess (case) with holy images was placed in every Orthodox home in the red corner, in the place of honor.

Red means good, beautiful. The holy corner was located on the eastern side of the dwelling, in the brightest side of the house, since there were windows on both walls forming the corner.

For an Orthodox Christian, his home is a symbol of a temple. And if in the church the most holy place is the altar, then in the home of the believer it is precisely the red corner where the home iconostasis is located, this is a symbolic analogue of the altar. Home iconostasis today

Most of us are not too familiar with the requirements for arranging an iconostasis in the house. And the church today does not so strictly demand compliance with certain canons, because times change and some rules become more and more difficult to comply with.

Not every home has the opportunity to place the iconostasis in the correct eastern corner. If the housing layout does not allow it, what should you do? It is permissible to place icons on any side of the home. But the place must be remote so that you can pray calmly. When praying together as a family, you will need some space for everyone praying. It is convenient to place the necessary books on a portable folding lectern.

Try to place the home iconostasis away from the TV, computer and other household appliances. The proximity of holy images to technical devices is inappropriate.

You can make an iconostasis with your own hands or buy it; even an ordinary bookshelf will do.

What icons should you have at home?

Usually in the house of a churchgoer there are many icons. For people who have just joined the church, out of ignorance, it is sometimes difficult to choose an image of saints and place them correctly. On one Orthodox channel, a priest was asked a question: should one ignore all the saints, should one turn to everyone? If there are too many of them, then the prayer can drag on for a long time. Therefore, you should not buy icons just to “have them.” Throughout the history of Christianity there have been so many saints that it is impossible to collect all the images in the house.

It is necessary to start with the main thing - the one to whom all prayers are addressed - God. The central place should be occupied by the face of the Savior. Another important icon present in the iconostasis is the Holy Trinity, and with it the Mother of God. But there are many of them, and which one to choose depends on the person himself.

You can complement the icons for the home iconostasis with the image of the Mother of the Healer, especially if there is a sick person in the house. The “inexhaustible cup” will be “useful” for those who live with drinking relatives. Everything is purely individual and depends on personal preferences.

According to tradition, saints who patronize the family, who gave their name to someone in the family, are placed in the “Red Corner”. Saints especially revered by Orthodox Christians:

• Nicholas of Myra the Wonderworker;
• Ksenia Petersburgskaya;
• Matronushka;
• Panteleimon.

An Orthodox cross must be attached above all these icons.

Where should icons be located in the house: correct placement in the apartment

People who have only recently joined faith in God often have questions related to the design of their home iconostasis.

In accordance with the centuries-old Orthodox tradition, in every house, be it a peasant hut or a boyar's mansion, icons were located in the corner, which was called red, and the presence of icons seemed to fill the house with a feeling of goodness and spiritual purity.

Now this tradition is gradually being restored, which is of great importance, but new converts have many questions. Let's try to answer the most common questions about home iconostasis.

In what corner are icons placed in the room?

According to Orthodox tradition, this should be the south-eastern corner of the room, but if the room is too small, then you can place the icons in a free corner or against the wall. The main thing is that there are no secular objects next to them (paintings, posters, posters, calendars, etc.).

We advise you to study the Seven-Shot Icon of the Mother of God

So, we found out where the icons should be in the house. Just stand, because according to tradition they are placed in an icon case or on a special shelf covered with an embroidered towel or lace napkins. The shelf is often decorated with artificial or fresh flowers, a bouquet of herbs is placed on Trinity, blessed eggs are placed on Easter, a vessel with holy water is placed, etc.

During prayer, candles are lit in front of the icons, so you should take care of fire safety

It is best to hang or place a lamp and light it during prayer, as well as on Sundays and church holidays.

It is probably unnecessary to remind you that the home iconostasis must be kept impeccably clean, and the dust from the icons is not wiped off with a cloth, but brushed off with a feather.

What icons traditionally make up the iconostasis?

The home iconostasis must have icons of the Savior, the Holy Trinity and the Mother of God. It also matters in what order the icons are arranged in the iconostasis: the above icons should be on the top shelf, and the rest, which you can choose at your discretion, are located below.

It is desirable that the home iconostasis contain icons of saints whose names are borne by family members, and you need to know the history of these saints.

Often they choose icons of saints that help maintain peace and harmony in the family and overcome life’s hardships (Nicholas the Wonderworker, Matrona of Moscow, Panteleimon the Healer, etc.).

There should be no foreign objects in the home iconostasis, including photographs of relatives.

Location of icons on the iconostasis

Knowing what icons you need to have at home, you should also arrange them correctly. The placement of icons on the home iconostasis is strictly regulated: the icons of the Savior, the Mother of God and the Holy Trinity must be located above all other icons.

If all the icons are on the same surface (for example, on a bedside table), then the icon of the Savior is placed in the center, the Mother of God and the Holy Trinity are placed on the sides of it, and all the others are placed slightly away from these main icons.

Choosing an Orthodox icon

What icons should be in a home iconostasis is discussed above. You need to buy them only in a church shop, since consecrated icons are sold there. You can also buy an icon case for your home there. If you have been given an icon, the origin of which you doubt, take it to the temple for consecration.

Correct placement of icons in the house

The location of icons in the house may be different. You can arrange the main iconostasis in one room, and place some icons (for example, patron saints) in each room and even in the kitchen.

If it is not possible to arrange an iconostasis in the red corner, then you can select a separate table or bedside table, but there should not be any extraneous objects on them, that is, not related to prayers.

You can hang icons everywhere in the house. The only places where icons cannot be placed are the toilet and bathroom.

Icons in the kitchen

These can be images of the Savior, the Mother of God or the Holy Trinity, to which prayer is offered before the meal, or other icons of your choice. It is better to place icons in the kitchen away from the stove so that they do not get dirty. You can hang them in the corner opposite the stove or put them in a kitchen cabinet behind glass.

Is it possible to hang icons on the wall?

You can hang icons directly on the wall in other rooms, for example, hang in the children's room an icon of your child's heavenly patron who bears the same name. You can hang the icon above the bed, but if it is a crib, then you should hang the icon higher so that the restless child does not reach it.

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Placement of miraculous images

Sacred images in the home iconostasis must be placed according to the church iconostasis, that is, to the left (in relation to the viewer) of the face of the Almighty the image of the Mother of God should be placed, on the right side the image of St. Nicholas is usually installed. Above the images of the Heavenly Queen and the Almighty it is allowed to place an image of the Crucifixion or the Trinity.

As a rule, when decorating a red corner for an icon in the house, they try to maintain a certain hierarchy and not hang miraculous images of Saints, which are larger in size from the images of the Mother of God and the Lord God, and the faces of the Saints should not be placed above the icons of the Mother of God and the Lord God.

May the Lord protect you!

You might also be interested in watching a video about what a red corner is:

Holy images for the goddess

There must be two holy images in the home iconostasis.

An image of the Son of God, testifying to the incarnation of God and the salvation of the human race. For prayer, a waist cloth is often chosen, on which the Almighty blesses the world with his right hand, and holds the Divine Scripture in his left hand. The Lord appears in these images as the Arbiter of every destiny, a merciful Father who gives the Truth to which the eyes of Orthodox followers are directed. In this regard, icons of the Son of God always occupy the main place on the shelves of the home iconostasis.

The face of the Mother of God, who is a perfect man and revered above the Seraphim and Cherubim. More often, images called “Tenderness” or “Hodegetria” are used.

• The author of the first type, whose lists are extremely common in the Orthodox world, is traditionally considered to be the Apostle Luke. In “Tenderness” there is a magnificent contact between Christ in infancy and the Mother of God, which symbolizes the union of the earthly and the heavenly, the Creator and the best of His creations. The image expresses the Creator’s infinite love for the human race, when God gave the Son to atone for sinfulness. The most common and famous icons of the “Tenderness” type include: Vladimir, “It is Worthy to Eat,” “Recovery of the Dead,” etc.
• “Hodegetria” (“Guide”) is the second common type of face of the Virgin Mary. The image demonstrates the true path to God. On the icon this is evidenced by the specific gesture of the right hand of the Mother of God, pointing to the Infant Christ. The most famous faces of “Hodegetria” are: Blachernae, Iveron, Tikhvin, Kazan, etc.

In the Orthodox tradition, the image of St. Nicholas the Pleasant is extremely popular.

It has always occupied an important place on the shelves of every Christian's iconostasis. St. Nicholas is revered as an eternal servant of God, endowed with special grace

An Orthodox Christian can place in the shrine the images of the famous prophet Elijah, the Great Martyr George the Victorious, Panteleimon, and the holy evangelist John the Baptist.

Advice! The choice is always individual, and the best assistant in the matter is the priest. They turn to him or another monk for advice.

Iconostasis in the house

Stand for holy images made of plywood

Shelf parameters and design may vary

It is important that the icons you need are placed there. This plywood shelf will be made with dimensions of 30x35x4 cm

What you will need for this:

1. Pine board measuring 1.5-2.0 cm thick and 15 cm wide.
2. Prepared glued board to form the bottom of the cabinet, 1.5 cm thick and 21 cm wide.
3. Small pieces of fiberboard and birch plywood for sketching.
4. Sandpaper.
5. Self-tapping screws.
6. A jigsaw is best if it is electric.
7. Drill and drill bits.
8. Milling table.
9. Lathe.
10. Pencil and meter ruler.

First, we draw and prepare future templates from fiberboard. This is done simply:

• We make a drawing on the fiberboard in natural volume and cut them out using a jigsaw.
• Next, we sand it with sandpaper to the parameters we need.
• We delimit the places for screws on the templates.
• We take the prepared blanks, transfer them to plywood and cut them out using a jigsaw and grind off the irregularities.
• The result should be: side, side and bottom.
• Now mark the holes with a pencil. There should be 2 of them on the bottom, 3 on the side, 4 on the side. We drill out the marked places and get holes for connecting the template to the workpiece.

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The last step is to attach the template to the workpiece using self-tapping screws.

The sides and sides are cut down in the same way, and 6 holes are marked: 2 on the bottom, 2 for the side, 2 for the side.

Now using the machine we make 2 identical parts.

The next step is to grind out round beams measuring 1.5 cm and saw it into 6 parts 1.5 cm long. And in the center of each of them we make holes.

Make each cylinder smooth using sandpaper.

First, we twist the bottom point by point using self-tapping screws 41mm long.

If everything is calculated correctly, then the bottoms and sides will be exactly in the middle of the ends.

Then all the sides are attached to the bottom with the 3 cylinders made. Self-tapping screws are placed on the bottom side and cylinders are strung on them and hardware is screwed directly into the side.

When the cabinet is ready, we apply a layer of drying oil or varnish to it to preserve its strength and beauty. Now you can hang the finished iconostasis on the wall. Such a cabinet will be appropriate for every apartment.

Modern location of the iconostasis

For a family, this relic is a unifying prayer factor that arises after the forgiveness of all everyday grievances and the achievement of mutual understanding.

Today's realities of life insist that the church allows you to set up a home iconostasis in a free place. However, orthodox rules recommend placing it on the eastern side. The concept of “east” has an important feature for Orthodoxy. It is written about him in the Book of Genesis, in Bartholomew and Matthew.

Attention! There is a negotiated price for the production of home iconostases.

The temple is a house of prayer and a place for performing the sacraments. A home is a family hearth, but in the home of a believer there should be prayer, because the home of an Orthodox Christian is a small Church. We pray in front of icons, since this is a means of communication between a person and God or the saints, but at the same time we must remember that we pray to God, the saint who is depicted on the icon, but not the icon itself. There must be icons in the house. Previously, every family, in every house or apartment, had a shelf with family icons, and it was located in the most visible and bright place - the front (red, holy) corner, shrine, icon case or ark.

Where should the icons be? How to arrange them?

All houses before, like temples, were very strictly oriented to the cardinal directions. The goddess was installed in the far corner of the house, on the eastern side, between the side and front walls, and diagonally from the stove. The two walls that formed this corner had windows. That is why the red corner was the most sacred. The icons were placed in an icon case (an open cabinet or shelf with a lamp).

Nowadays, builders don’t think about the fact that someone will want to put a holy corner in an apartment, so it’s not always possible to follow all the rules. The modern church is not too demanding when it comes to installing a shrine. But we must try to follow at least the smallest number of rules when installing a home iconostasis.

Rules for the placement of icons in the iconostasis and the iconostasis itself in the house:

1)

try to choose the eastern wall, but if that doesn’t work, then choose the most accessible place in the house, where no one will interfere with prayer;

2)

in an Orthodox family there must be two icons - the Savior and the Mother of God;

3)

the icon of the Savior should be central, the other icons should be smaller in size;

4)

Locally revered icons should not be located above the icons of the Trinity, the Mother of God, and the Savior;

5)

if you look at the iconostasis, then the icon of the Savior should be to the right of the viewer, and the Mother of God to the left;

6)

to the left of the icon of the Savior there is an icon of the Mother of God with the Child;

7)

above the main icons you can place an icon of the Crucifixion or the Trinity;

icons of saints are not placed above the images of the Savior and the Mother of God;

9)

most Orthodox families have icons of St. Nicholas and the Bishop of Myra in Lycia (Nicholas the Pleasant);

10)

their Russian saints are very often in the family iconostasis, you can see icons of the Venerable Sergius of Radonezh and Seraphim of Sarov;

11)

the more common icons of martyrs are the icons of St. George the Victorious and the healer Panteleimon;

12)

it is advisable to have in the house icons of those saints whose names the family members are named after;

13)

to complete the iconostasis, it would be nice to have images of the holy Evangelists, St. John the Baptist, the archangels Gabriel and Michael and icons of the holidays;

14)

the iconostasis must be crowned with a cross;

15)

During prayer, a lamp is lit, during holidays and holidays you can leave it burning all day;

16)

in the room in which the family has dinner, you must have an icon of the Savior to pray before and after dinner;

17)

You should try to place icons away from the TV, tape recorder and other household appliances;

18)

if a person works at home, then the icon can be placed next to the computer.

Remember, that:

1)

icon of John the Wonderworker of Sochava for prayer for assistance in trade and business);

2)

the icon of John the Warrior will protect against theft;

3)

The Burning Bush icon will protect you from fire;

4)

the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is intended for a request for preservation on the road;

5)

icon of Cyprian and Justinia - from envy and actions of competitors.

How can you decorate the iconostasis at home?

Flowers, calm landscapes. But not with posters, figurines, aggressive or simply secular paintings, etc.

Red corner - why pray at home

According to the Catechism of St. Philaret Drozdov, prayer is the lifting of our mind and heart to God. Without it it is impossible to imagine a full Christian life. With prayer you can glorify and thank the Lord, express repentance and requests. But the basis of any prayer is love for God, the desire to get closer to Him, to feel His presence in one’s life. Seeing this desire, God comes to meet the one praying and bestows His Grace, saving hope.

A temple is a place of worship, a solemn congregational prayer in which both clergy and laity participate. Home, cell prayer is a continuation of church prayer. Christians read the morning and evening prayer rules at home, following Communion, akathists, canons, and pray before and after eating food.

The red corner with icons is a place for home prayer. To find out how to correctly arrange icons in the house, you need to remember their meaning. Icons help the believer, through a written image, to turn to the Prototype - the Lord, the Mother of God, saints or angels. The person praying spiritually ascends to the person depicted on the icon and unites with her. The icon is a guide, a window into the higher, spiritual world.

In the “Philokalia” you can find a statement by St. Theodore the Studite about the meaning of icon veneration:

“Whoever does not worship the holy icon of the Lord does not worship the Lord Himself.”