In the Orthodox tradition, the icon is a shrine. Through holy images, a person focuses his attention on the spiritual, turns in his prayers not to the board and paints, but to the very person depicted in the image. Every Orthodox Christian takes care of arranging at least a small home iconostasis in his home.
Where can you place icons in the house
Icons in the house must be placed in a specially designated place. There is a tradition to supply icons on the shelf of the eastern wall, however, if this is not possible, then it is not necessary to arrange a home iconostasis on the eastern side. Sometimes icons are delivered to the so-called red corner. "Red" means "beautiful" - it is an indication that the place for the icons should be clean, neat and beautiful.
Holy images can be placed in all living rooms. There is a pious tradition in the bedroom to arrange wedding images. If the family is large, then icons in each living room are necessary for the private prayer of all family members.
For pious believers, holy images (or at least one small icon) are located in the kitchen. This is due to the practice of prayer before and after eating food.
Holy icons cannot be placed on a shelf with books that have non-Christian content. It is undesirable to put them on TV or hang them along with secular paintings - the place for icons should be specially designated for this shrine.
Some believers put an icon over the entrance to the house. Often at this place you can see the image of the Most Holy Theotokos Odigitria Guidebook, since it is useful for an Orthodox believer to pray for help in good endeavors before going out into the street. Sometimes a cross is placed over the entrance to the house.
How to arrange icons in the house
The principle of the arrangement of icons on the home iconostasis is based on hierarchy, similar to the arrangement of iconostases in a church. If the icons are located on the wall, then in the center at the head of the iconostasis there should be an icon of the Holy Trinity or the Lord Jesus Christ. To the right of this image, you can place the icon of the Mother of God, and to the left of St. John the Baptist or a particularly revered saint, for example, Nicholas the Wonderworker. Below you can place other images - angels, saints, prophets, reverends, righteous. A crucifix can crown the home iconostasis.
It cannot be said that there are any specific indications on the order of placing icons in the home iconostasis (except that a central place is desirable for the icon of the Lord).
If space permits, then under the main icons of the Lord and the Mother of God, you can place the holy images of twelve Christian holidays. In the case when the home iconostasis includes several dozen icons, then under the central images you can also place shrines with the faces of the Savior or revered icons of the Virgin and saints.
Sometimes in the house the icons are located on one small shelf. Then in the center you can put the icons of the Lord and the Mother of God, and already along the edges you can place the icons of the guardian angel and saints.
