When asked how to distinguish an Orthodox Christian from all other people, 9 out of 10 people will answer: "Orthodox Christians have icons at home." Of course, the mere presence of icons does not make a person a Christian, but it is necessary to have them in your home.
It is sometimes said that Christians "worship icons." This is not true. When praying, a person turns not to the icon itself, but to the one who is depicted on it: the Savior, the Mother of God, some saint. A glance at the icon helps to focus, to concretize the image of the one to whom the prayer is calling.
Set of icons
In the home iconostasis, there must be icons of the Savior and the Mother of God. The presence of icons of saints is not so necessary, but desirable. These can be images of all those saints who patronize family members - according to the names given at baptism.
You can buy icons of those saints to whom family members turn especially often. For example, in a soldier's house there may be an icon of St. Dmitry Solunsky, St. Theodore Stratilates, St. Alexander Nevsky or another warrior saint, in the doctor's house there is an icon of St. Panteleimon the healer or St. Cosmas and Damian. Finally, a Christian can feel special reverence for a saint whose deed made a strong impression on him - the image of this saint of God can also be in the home iconostasis.
When purchasing icons, you need to perceive them as shrines, and not as valuable things or interior decoration. Do not chase expensive or rare icons. The icons made of precious metals that are sold in jewelry stores do not correspond to the Christian spirit at all. You can accept such an icon as a gift, but you should not buy it yourself.
It is best to buy icons in church shops, where they are sold already consecrated. In addition, dubious images of “people's saints” not canonized by the church will definitely not be sold there.
Where to place the horses
In the old days, icons were placed in the eastern corner of the main room - it was called the "red corner". This is due to the special symbolic meaning given to the east side in the Bible: in the east God planted the Garden of Eden, the spirit brings the prophet Ezekiel to the eastern gates of the House of the Lord, etc.
Unfortunately, the arrangement of windows and doors in modern houses does not always allow the home iconostasis to be placed in the eastern corner. In this case, it can be located anywhere else. The main thing is that a separate shelf should be allocated for the icons, where no one will put photographs, paintings, reproductions, figurines and other secular objects.
You should not place icons next to a TV, player or computer, because these items are associated with worldly vanity. It is permissible to put icons on a bookshelf, but only on condition that the content of the books on it does not contradict Christian doctrine. Posters or calendars depicting singers, actors and other secular idols should not be allowed to hang next to icons.
