Which saints patronize drivers?
Believers can ask any saint for help. But most often, motorists turn to Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Nicholas the Wonderworker
Nikolai Ugodnik is considered one of the main patrons of drivers. Since the saint acquired the gift of miracles during his travels, he helps and protects all travelers, including those traveling by car, from various difficulties.
Therefore, an icon with the face of God’s Pleasant must be in the car. Before you get behind the wheel, you should also pray to the saint. Thanks to the intercession of Nicholas the Wonderworker, you can cope with unforeseen problems that arise on the road and avoid danger.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the Savior of mankind and the main protector of all Christians. It is from him that the saints receive miraculous power. For the car, you can choose either an icon with the face of the Savior or a cross with the image of the crucified Christ.
The holy image and prayer to Jesus will protect from:
- accidents;
- excessive attention from traffic police officers;
- car breakdowns.
Jesus Christ grants mercy to every believer, protecting them from any troubles while traveling on wheels.
Mother of God
The Blessed Virgin Mary is considered the protector of all people. Her icon is in the home of every believer. A car is the same as a house, only on wheels. Therefore, the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary is often placed in a car to protect the car from various damages, and the people inside from the dangers that lie in wait on the road.
The power of the Mother of God extends to everyone who needs her protection and protection.
Saint Christopher
Not all car enthusiasts know about the existence of such a heavenly patron as Saint Christopher. According to legend, this saint received baptism from Jesus Christ after carrying the Savior in his arms through stormy waters.
There is a legend that says that any person who sees the face of St. Christopher is spared death from an accident for 24 hours. It is believed that the saint protects against accidents and other unpleasant situations that arise while traveling by car. Therefore, an icon depicting the martyr Christopher is often hung in the car.
What icons should be in the car
As a rule, a car icon should be small so as not to take up much space. In any church shop you can purchase an image of one of the saints who patronize motorists. The clergy recommend not limiting yourself to placing just one icon. You can choose two icons: God's Pleasant and the Virgin Mary, or a saint and Jesus Christ.
But the best option is considered to be a triptych. This design represents three interconnected holy images. The icon located in the center is often larger in size than the side icons. But for cars they make images of the same size. Most often, drivers purchase a triptych depicting St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Jesus Christ.
Church shops also offer an icon, in the center of which there is a prayer protecting the driver, and at the edges there are images with the faces of the Savior and St. Nicholas the Pleasant. The car owner can also purchase an icon of his guardian angel or the saint whose name he is named after. There are images on which on the reverse side there is a prayer that protects on the road.
How and where is it better to place icons in the car?
Icons on the dashboard have long become an integral element of the interior of any car. They can be found everywhere. Almost every new car owner hangs his car with all kinds of icons and amulets, in the hope that they will help him in difficult times. As a rule, the Trinity is attached to the dashboard. They depict the Most Holy Theotokos, Jesus Christ and Nicholas the Wonderworker - a famous and revered saint to whom millions of people turn in difficult life situations.
In addition, it is generally accepted that St. Nicholas the Wonderworker helps travelers. To one degree or another, motorists can also be included in this category. Often in cars you can find an image of St. Christopher, who is also considered the protector of all travelers. By the way, the signature under the original icon of St. Christopher reads as follows: “If you believe in Christopher, you will never have an accident.”
Such icons can be seen both in the interiors of passenger cars and in the cabins of heavy trucks and buses. They can be decorated in different ways - wood, metal, plastic. Crosses, rosaries and other religious attributes may be located nearby. As a rule, all these items are located on the dashboard. Moreover, even if the owner of the vehicle is not a believer, he still places a small icon in his car. As they say, just in case.
For most vehicle owners, icons play the role of protective amulets that can protect them from accidents, injuries, and even save them from death. At the same time, religion itself denies such superstitions, but in life everything is completely different. Obviously, there are often situations on the road that seem hopeless, but at the very last moment a person is saved. Many say that the Holy Spirit himself saves them from stepping into the abyss. By and large, clergy are not against icons in cars. Moreover, triptychs can be bought in any church shop. If you bought icons in a regular store, it is recommended to consecrate them in the temple. Although all this is purely optional.
It is better to place icons in the car in a bright and clean place. Many car owners attach them to the ceiling. Traffic rules do not prohibit this. It is important that icons and other amulets do not limit visibility or interfere with movement.
Many are of the opinion that icons are not things that should be displayed. You should not make them part of the interior decor. According to many clergy, it is a sin to think that if you placed an icon in the interior of your car, it means that you forced God to protect you. The presence of an icon in a car does not cancel the obligation to follow traffic rules and be careful on the roads. On the road, it is important to rely not so much on the protection of a saint, but on your own driving skills.
The icon can protect you from other drivers. In such situations, only the intercession of the saints will help. It is generally accepted that icons in the salon should not be seen by strangers. In this regard, it is better to place it in a secluded place. The main thing is that the driver believes in the protection of the face. It is better to face the icons in the car towards the person praying. In general, there are even special prayers especially for drivers. It is very important to understand the essence when reading it.
Do you have icons in your car? How do you feel about icons and amulets in cars? Write comments and follow our news.
How to correctly arrange icons in a car
It is not enough just to purchase an icon. We still need to find a suitable place for it.
A car is a second home, so icons are placed in it according to the same rules as in a residential area. The sacred image must be visible to the driver, so it is placed in a prominent place. Then the believer can always turn to the saint, asking for help. But, at the same time, the icon should not block the view of the road or interfere with driving.
There are several places where it is best to mount icons:
- car windshield;
- Sunshield;
- panel near the passenger seat.
If you want to hide the holy image from prying eyes, the icon is kept in the glove compartment. Wherever the sample is located, it must be tightly secured. Otherwise, the driver will be constantly distracted, which can provoke an emergency situation on the road.
The place where the holy image is placed must be clean, protected from direct sunlight and moisture. Otherwise, the image of the holy face will become covered with dust, fade and lose its original appearance. A careless, disrespectful attitude towards the icon indicates disrespect for the Lord and the Holy Saints.
Prayer rule for drivers
Very often you can see an icon in the car of even an unbeliever. But clergy warn that the image itself is not a talisman. Giving magical meaning to icons is considered a sin. Help is provided not by the icons themselves, but by the holy faces depicted on them. Therefore, one must sincerely believe in the power of heavenly intercessors.
When placing an icon in the car interior, they adhere to the following rules:
- Before the trip, read a prayer, asking for protection from the Lord, the Mother of God and the Holy Saints.
- During the trip, you cannot swear, swear, or listen to too loud, blasphemous music.
- Avoid smoking in the car. In addition to the fact that cigarette smoke settling on the faces of saints harms the appearance of the icon, smoking in front of the image of the Savior or the Virgin Mary is considered a sin.
- At the end of the trip, you need to make the sign of the cross, thank the Lord and the Holy Saints in your own words, or read a prayer of gratitude.
There are several prayer texts that are read before the trip. You can find them in the prayer book or contact the priest, who will recommend the right prayer.
Icons for cars
There are no saints who patronize drivers, so there are no special car icons, but most often you can find images of Jesus Christ, his mother - the Most Holy Theotokos and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker on icons in cars. The Lord is our main protector and patron. The Mother of God is the first intercessor of all. Nicholas the Wonderworker is revered as an ambulance for travelers and a patron of children. Sometimes in the car you can see an image of St. Christopher. It is believed that the saint lived during the time of Jesus, and somehow helped Christ cross a stormy stream, carrying him in his arms. In gratitude, Jesus baptized the assistant, who now became the patron saint of sailors and motorists.
Due to the widespread use of cars, and accordingly the popularity of small icons that can be carried with you, small triptychs have appeared as automobile icons . The triptych form is not modern, but comes from ancient times. Such icons were often painted in the Middle Ages. The triptych consists of three icons connected to each other; the connection can be fixed or the side icons are movable doors. The central icon is larger in size than the other two, but when choosing a triptych for a car, the choice will most likely consist of three small icons of the same size.
Triptychs or single silver icons are not uncommon in a car. In addition to aesthetic beauty, such icons will last longer, maintaining their original condition; such an icon will not lose color or get wet. Icons are decorated as a sign of respect for the saints depicted on them. Crosses and chains are used as decorations. Icons made of precious metals do not require additional decorations.
