The home of an Orthodox believer is a kind of small Church; a prayer song must be heard in this place. Praises and petitions are performed in front of the images of icons, because they are a means of communication between a person and the Almighty Lord or His faithful and eternal servants. However, Orthodox believers must remember: the appeal refers to the individual, and not to the canvas on which he is depicted.
Installation of an iconostasis in the house
The arrangement of icons in a home iconostasis can be arbitrary, but in the Christian tradition there are some rules.
In past times, every family had a shelf where holy images were displayed. These divine paintings were located in the brightest and most eye-catching place. The shelf for icons was installed in the far corner of the house, in the East. This place was the most illuminated, since the two walls forming it had windows, where a lot of sunlight passed through.
Home iconostasis
An icon is a sacred image, which is separated from everyday realities and never mixes with everyday life, but is intended exclusively for dialogue with the Lord. It is a window from the infinite world, as well as divine revelations in the tones and lines of the icon painter’s brush.
It is naive to assume that a large number of Holy images make the life of an Orthodox believer more pious than it actually is.
About icons:
An unsystematized collection of icons, various reproductions, and church calendars is similar to ordinary collecting, where prayer completely disappears as an end in itself. Here there is a complete distortion of the term “house”, which is a continuation of the monastery.
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 "east" has important feature for Orthodoxy. It is written about him in the Book of Genesis, in Bartholomew and Matthew.
- If doors are located in the east of the apartment, it is allowed to use other cardinal directions.
- When choosing a place for a family altar, you need to avoid the proximity of holy images with any household appliances, which are considered a vain product of modernization and do not contribute to spirituality. It is necessary to avoid close proximity of icons and decorative decorations, as well as with books of a non-religious nature.
- For an Orthodox family, the presence of images of the Savior Christ and the Virgin Mary in the home iconostasis is mandatory. The image of the Messiah should always remain central, and all others will be smaller in size. The main icons (Trinity, Christ and the Virgin Mary) are located above the rest, but the Crucifixion is allowed to be placed above them.
How to correctly arrange icons in an apartment
- Decoration for the family iconostasis - fresh flowers. Large icons installed nearby should be framed with towels according to the ancient Christian tradition. It is prohibited to place non-canonical paintings or their reproductions nearby.
- The home iconostasis should be crowned with a cross, and a lamp should be lit during prayerful praise. IN holidays According to the church calendar, candle flames can burn for a whole day.
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 Virgin Mary, who is 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. In 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.
Read about the Mother of God icons for the iconostasis:
In the Orthodox tradition, the image of St. Nicholas the Ugodnik 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
Special placement instructions
At home, you are allowed to follow only the basic rules of placement.
- It is necessary to maintain symmetry and systematicity, to think through the compositional structure, which will help avoid feelings of internal dissatisfaction and the desire to change something. Incorrect arrangement distracts from the prayer service, the essence of which is concentration on petition and praise.
- An Orthodox person must remember the principle church hierarchy: Locally revered icons cannot be placed above the main ones (Christ the Savior, the Virgin Mary and the Holy Trinity).
- The image of the Messiah must be placed on the right side of the upcoming believer, and the canvas with the face of the Virgin Mary on the left. When selecting an iconostasis, one should focus on the uniformity of artistic execution of the shrines. The Church is not recommended to allow diversity in styles.
- Orthodox people must take holiness very seriously, since it is one of the properties of God himself. This quality is reflected in heavenly saints and material objects. It follows: the veneration of holy governors and iconographies belongs to the same religious order.
- The degree of churching of a family is judged by the reverence that members show to the faces of Christ and the Mother of God. Ancestral icons have always been greatly revered. The newly baptized baby was brought to the shrine, and the priest read prayers praising God. In ancient times, through the icon, parents blessed their children for successful studies, travel to distant lands, and service to society. Before a wedding or after the death of a person, believers also turned to the saints for help.
- If an iconostasis is placed in the house, quarrels, disgusting behavior, and scandals on various topics are unacceptable. However, an overly reverent attitude towards shrines should not be transformed into idolatry. We must remember: icons are a divine image, but not the very personality of the Lord or His vicegerents.
- A canvas that has fallen into complete disrepair and cannot be restored cannot be thrown away; it must be treated with due respect and respect as an ancient tablet. Previously, if the colors on an icon were washed off, it was sent down the river. Today, such a rarity is taken to the church, where it is burned in the temple oven.
- If damage to the face occurred due to careless storage, one should confess, since the Church considers such irresponsibility a sin.
DIY iconostasis
The arrangement of icons in the home iconostasis today is done as the believer wants.
However, there are certain rules that are better to adhere to in order to improve the quality of communication with the Lord and His vicegerents.
Before arrangement, you should study the planned recommendations for installation in the apartment, and then select the desired angle. Today, furniture stores offer a large number of iconostases in their assortment. It is possible to make it to order, taking into account all the features and preferences.
- For self-made Any materials are suitable.
- The first step is to make drawings of the cabinet.
- You should remember the distance between the shelves of the iconostasis, because they can ignite from burning candles.
- Images of saints are placed at eye level, which facilitates communication.
- It is allowed to place a table under the shelves where lamps and candles, holy water and Scriptures will be placed.
Video on how to place an iconostasis in your home
Surely there is no house in which there would not be an icon, a candle, or a willow twig. Where and how to store all this? Is their storage location suitable for its intended purpose? Isn’t it forgotten, abandoned after it was brought from the church? Not every family has a home iconostasis, also because many simply do not know how to make one. Perhaps our information will be useful to you.
Red corner in the apartment - tradition and modernity
In the old days, even in the most modest peasant hut one could see a reverently furnished corner with icons. The red (“beautiful”) corner in the house was located diagonally from the front door. This was done so that those entering the room would immediately see the image and could cross themselves and bow. This corner of the house has always been given a special place: they kept it especially clean, put flowers, candles, and decorated icons as best they could. The most valuable guests were seated at the table closer to the red corner.
Despite the fact that centuries have passed, the “content” of the red corner in the house has not changed: images are still hung or placed here. Sometimes, according to ancient tradition, they are decorated with so-called icons (bozhniks) - narrow long towels. The red corner in an apartment or house is also a place for storing candles or any consecrated oil, which should be kept near the icons. Concerning Epiphany water, then where to keep it depends on the owner, maybe not near the iconostasis. The main thing is to take a sip on an empty stomach in the morning after prayer to strengthen spiritual and physical strength. Important element- a lamp for a home iconostasis, which is lit during prayer, as well as on Sundays, on the eve of holidays and on the holidays themselves. Easter eggs and consecrated willow are also kept here (it is placed above or behind the icon, replaced on Palm Sunday, and the old one is burned). The fundamental point is that all the elements that make up the home iconostasis must be consecrated in the church. In this regard, it is worth mentioning one more nuance. It happens that people add photographs to the images famous priests, righteous people, elders, monks. From the point of view of church canons, this is wrong, since a photograph is an imprint of the earthly life of a particular person. Of course, these photographs have the right to exist in the home of a believer, but not together with icons.
How to design a home iconostasis? To give this place a special aesthetics, flowers (preferably fresh) and willow branches are placed here. You can decorate the red corner in the house with beautiful indoor plants, but not cacti and other “thorns”.
Where to arrange a home iconostasis
In the interior decoration of the temple, the iconostasis is central part. Thanks to it, sparkling with gold and colors, a special atmosphere of elation is created in the temple. Its purpose is to separate the altar from the rest of the temple.
We know that the church faces the east with its altar. Accordingly, when a believer comes to church, his face is also turned to the east. And in the design of a home iconostasis, one must also adhere to this principle. If it is impossible to choose a corner “looking” exactly to the east, let it be at least as close to it as possible. True, in practice this condition is difficult to comply with exactly, so it is desirable, but not strictly necessary.
As a rule, icons are given a place in the largest room. In any case, it is important that there is enough free space in front of the images for several people praying at the same time. It’s bad when the home iconostasis is adjacent to a TV, computer, and other signs of civilization. It is desirable that this be a fairly autonomous corner.
How to make an iconostasis at home
Once upon a time, tradition prescribed storing images in a special cabinet - an icon case. They are still made today, so you can buy a home iconostasis, for example a corner one. But this is not always convenient, because you can only rely on a standard option that does not take into account the peculiarities of the “set” of images of a particular family. In this case, you can order a home iconostasis, for example, a carved one - then all the nuances will be taken into account. Those who want their wall or floor icon case to resemble a traditional church one and at the same time are ready to make it with their own hands, often look for drawings of a home iconostasis. But, by and large, this is not particularly necessary. To make an iconostasis for a home, any materials and designs can be used, although in most cases we're talking about about wood products. In this matter, you can build on your own skills and taste, as well as on the number, size and other parameters of the icons available in the house.
An iconostasis for a home can be one horizontal line or be made in two or three tiers. All images can be placed on one solid board or on different shelves, single-tiered or multi-tiered. Shelves for a home iconostasis can be the most common - furniture, bookshelves, one- or two-, three-tiered. But there is a nuance associated with candles and lamps: they can heat up part of the shelf, cause it to turn black or even catch fire. Therefore, when thinking about the design of the iconostasis, you need to remember fire safety.
It is believed that it is still better to place icons on something than to hang them on a wall. As for the height of the red corner, it should be approximately at eye level or slightly higher. If the icons hang or stand on a shelf, then it is convenient to place a table below. Again, you can place images on it, put books, store holy water, etc.
Icons for home red corner
Much more important than the “form” of a home iconostasis is its “content”. Here the tradition can no longer be bypassed, although in this case there is nothing complicated. By and large, the iconostasis can consist of only two icons - the Savior and the Mother of God, and these two images must be in any home. Of the numerous images of the Savior, as a rule, preference is given to half-length images, and of the icons depicting the Mother of God, preference is given to images of the “Hodegetria” and “Tenderness” varieties, which, in turn, are represented by a number of varieties - the believer chooses the icons he likes for his home iconostasis .
If there is a desire and opportunity to place more than two icons, then you cannot do without images of the Holy Trinity and famous saints. St. Nicholas the Wonderworker has long had a special place in their cohort. There may also be a place here for images of other saints - after whom family members are named or simply especially revered by them. To make the iconostasis of the house complete and complete, you can place there the images of St. John the Baptist, the archangels Michael and Gabriel, supreme apostles Peter and Paul, the prophet Elijah. You can also put or hang icons of various holidays. It's very good to have an icon" Burning bush", which sends help from fires.
The starting point for a home iconostasis can be a holy image that is passed down from generation to generation, even if it has somewhat lost its appearance or does not fully comply with strict canons. It can also be placed/placed on a table under the shrine.
Even if space allows, you should not focus on the number of icons. Let it be only the Savior and the Mother of God, but depicted in such a way that when looking at them the soul was filled with reverence and asked for prayer. It is not the number of consecrated objects in a house that makes those living here pious.
Arrangement of icons in the home iconostasis
In the Russian tradition, the iconostasis is represented by as many as five rows. There is a hierarchy and nuances here that are difficult for an insufficiently competent person to take into account. Therefore, in the philistine version, the shrine is arranged based on only a few rules. So, a diagram of the home iconostasis.
- It would be very good if there was a cross (Orthodox, of course) at the very top, above the icons.
- The center of the red corner in the house is the Savior (for example, “Savior not made by hands” or “Lord Almighty”). Above this icon it is appropriate to place only the image of the Holy Trinity or, as already mentioned, the crucifixion.
- To the right of the image of the Savior (and to the left of the person standing in front of him) is an icon of the Mother of God. These are the main icons that should be in the center. All other images can be placed on the sides of them or below.
- The principle of hierarchy must also be observed at home, for example, it is unacceptable to hang an image of a saint or place it higher than the images of not only the Savior, the Mother of God and the Holy Trinity, but also the apostles.
- If there is a desire or need to arrange a home iconostasis in a “minimalist” style, then next to the image of Jesus Christ you can place on the left side the image of John the Baptist (according to right side, we remind you, there will be an image of the Virgin Mary). The place of John the Baptist can be taken by Nicholas the Wonderworker.
It is usually recommended to arrange icons in a home iconostasis so that they are consistent in the same style and manner of execution. In practice, this condition is quite difficult to fulfill, because icons get into the house in different ways. Some, as soon as I saw them, I immediately wanted to buy, some were given as a gift... All this is not without reason - this is God’s providence, and they all need to be “placed” in a worthy way. But in any case, you need to give this entire array a symmetrical, harmonious, thoughtful look. If the eye involuntarily constantly clings to the imperfection of the composition, the praying person, experiencing aesthetic dissatisfaction, will be distracted from prayer.
Location of other icons in the house
In addition to the red corner, icons can and even should be located (at least one) in every living room. On kitchen, for example, the image of the Savior would be very appropriate, since it is he who is addressed in prayer before and after meals. It is mandatory to hang the icon in children's room, and so that it can be seen from the bed. This could be, for example, an image of a guardian angel or an icon of a saint whose name the child bears. Once upon a time, in Russian homes and children's rooms, an image of the Mother of God, illuminated by the soft light of a lamp, was always placed.
In search of an answer to the question of where icons should hang in the house, many are especially interested in the bedroom. There is a stereotype according to which bedroom You cannot hang icons: they say, under the all-seeing eye of the celestials it is shameful to engage in shameful deeds. Or some advise covering the images at night. However, we must remember that marital intimacy present in marriage is not a sin, and no curtain can hide from God. Therefore, you can place icons in the bedroom without hesitation, especially since it is often not possible to build a red corner in another room. Moreover, the bedroom as an intimate place is well suited for prayer requests to higher powers.
The icon of the Savior can be placed in hallway: Every time you leave home, you can turn to the Lord asking for blessings and help. Above the entrance tradition prescribes hanging the image of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, but in this place there can be any other icon or Orthodox cross. By the way, a cross or small images can be placed above any door in your home.
The location of the icons in the house can be any, but when placing them outside the red corner, you must also take care of a worthy place. You can't put an image on bookshelf next to books, if their content is extremely far from the principles of Christianity. There is no place for icons in close proximity to other “worldly” images such as calendars and posters, panels with non-religious subjects.
No matter where the icon is hung, you need to treat it correctly. You can arrange (buy, make with your own hands) a luxurious home iconostasis, purchase beautiful, expensive, “stylish” icons and, without faith in God's grace, turn it all into an interior item. Home red corner is not just a beautiful corner in the house. Just as we worked hard to create it, so we must work hard to create a place for God in our souls. Any icon is hung so that people pray in front of it and thanks to it they remember who we are and why we are in this world.
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;
8) 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.
Secondly (and this is the main thing), in this case there is a distortion of the concept of home as a dwelling, as the material basis of the Orthodox family. “My house will be called a house of prayer” (Matthew 21:13) - this is about a temple that was created for prayer and the performance of the Sacraments. The house is a continuation of the temple, nothing more; a home is, first of all, a family hearth; There is prayer in the house, but private prayer; There is a Church in the house, but the Church is small, domestic, family. The principle of hierarchy (that is, the subordination of the lower to the higher), reflecting Heavenly harmony and order, is also present in earthly life. Therefore, it is unacceptable to mix the ontologically different concepts of temple and home. However, there must be icons in the house. In sufficient quantity, but within reasonable limits. 
In the past, every Orthodox family, both peasant and urban, always had a shelf with icons, or an entire home iconostasis, in the most prominent place in their home.
The place where the icons were placed was called the front corner, red corner, holy corner, shrine, icon case or ark. For an Orthodox Christian, an icon is not only an image of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, saints and events from the Holy and Church history. An icon is a sacred image, that is, separated from the realities of everyday life, not mixed with everyday life and intended only for communication with God. Therefore, the main purpose of the icon is prayer. An icon is a window from the heavenly world into our world - the world below; it is a revelation of God in lines and colors. Thus, an icon is not just a family heirloom passed down from generation to generation, but a shrine; a shrine that unites all family members during joint prayer, for joint prayer is possible only when mutual insults are forgiven and complete unity is achieved between the people standing in front of the icon. Of course, at the present time, when the place of the icon in the house has been taken by the television - a kind of window into the motley world of human passions, the traditions of joint prayer at home, the meaning of the family icon, and the awareness of one’s family as a small Church have been largely lost. 
Therefore, an Orthodox Christian living in a modern city apartment often has questions: what icons should be in the house? How to place them correctly? Is it possible to use reproductions of icons? What to do with old icons that have fallen into disrepair? Some of these questions should only be given an unambiguous answer; while answering others, you can do without any strict recommendations. 
WHERE TO PLACE ICONS?
In a free and accessible place. The laconicism of such an answer is caused not by the lack of canonical requirements, but by the realities of life. Of course, it is advisable to place icons on the eastern wall of the room, because the east as a theological concept has a special meaning in Orthodoxy. And the Lord God planted a paradise in Eden in the east, and placed there the man whom he had created (Gen. 2:8). Look, O Jerusalem, to the east, and see the joy coming to you from God (Bar. 4:36). And the spirit lifted me up, and brought me to the eastern gate of the house of the Lord, which faces the east (Ezek. 11:1). ...for just as lightning comes from the east and is visible even to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man (Matthew 24:27).
But what to do if the house is oriented so that there are windows or doors in the east? In this case, you can use the southern, northern or western walls of the home. The main thing is that there is enough free space in front of the icons, so that the worshipers do not feel crowded when praying together. And for books needed during prayer, it is convenient to use a folding portable lectern. When choosing a place for a home iconostasis, it is necessary to avoid the close proximity of icons to a TV, tape recorder and other household appliances. Technical devices belong to our time, they are momentary, their purpose does not correspond to the purpose of sacred images and, if possible, they should not be combined together. 
True, there may be exceptions here. For example, in the editorial departments of Orthodox publishing houses, the proximity of an icon and a computer is quite acceptable. And if the author or employee works from home, then the icon placed near the computer serves as confirmation that this technique is used to spread the Good News, that this human-made instrument serves as a conductor of God’s will. Icons should not be allowed to be mixed with decorative objects of a secular nature: figurines, panels from various materials etc. It is inappropriate to place an icon on a bookshelf next to books, the content of which either has nothing to do with Orthodox truths, or is even contrary to the Christian preaching of love and mercy.
It is completely unacceptable for icons to be adjacent to posters or wall calendars on which photographs of the idols of the current century are printed - rock musicians, athletes or politicians. This not only reduces the importance of veneration of sacred images to an unacceptable level, but also puts holy icons on a par with idols modern world. An example from the practice of priest Sergius Nikolaev, author of the brochure “Icons in Our House”, shows how such an attitude towards a shrine affects the spiritual state of the family: “Last year they invited me to serve a prayer service in one house, where, according to the owners, there was " not good". Despite the fact that the house was consecrated, some kind of oppression was felt in it. Walking around the rooms with holy water, I noticed the room of the young men, the sons of the owner, where an artistically executed poster dedicated to a famous rock band hung on the wall. Moreover, it is known for its satanic orientation.
After the prayer service, over tea, I carefully, knowing about the fanatical devotion of some young people to their idols, tried to explain that “bad things” in the house could well come from even such posters, that such images seemed to be trying to resist the shrine. The young man stood up silently and removed the painting in question from the wall. The choice was made right there” (Priest Sergius Nikolaev. Icons in our house. M. 1997, pp. 7-8). ...give the Lord glory to His name. Take the gift, go before Him, worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness (1 Chron. 16, 29) - this is what it says in Holy Scripture about the proper attitude towards a shrine dedicated to the Lord. The home iconostasis can be decorated with fresh flowers, and large, separately hanging icons are often, according to tradition, framed with towels. This tradition dates back to antiquity and has
According to Tradition, the lifetime image of the Savior miraculously appeared to help a suffering person: Christ, having washed his face, wiped himself with a clean handkerchief (ubrus), on which His Face was displayed, and sent this handkerchief to the leprosy King Abgar of Asia Minor in the city of Edessa. The healed ruler and his subjects accepted Christianity, and the Image Not Made by Hands was nailed to a “non-rotting board” and placed above the city gates. The day when the Church remembers the transfer in 944 from Edessa to Constantinople Image Not Made by Hands Savior (August 29, new style), people used to call it the “canvas” or “linen Savior,” and in some places homespun linens and towels were blessed on this holiday. 
These towels were decorated with rich embroidery and were intended specifically for the shrine. The icons were also framed with towels, which the owners of the house used during water blessing services and weddings. So, for example, after the water-blessing prayer, when the priest generously sprinkled holy water on the worshipers, people wiped their faces with special towels, which were then placed in the red corner. After the celebration of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem, branches of willow consecrated in the church are placed near the icons, which, according to tradition, are kept until the next Palm Sunday.
On the Day of the Holy Trinity or Pentecost, it is customary to decorate homes and icons with birch branches, which symbolize the prosperous Church, carrying the grace-filled power of the Holy Spirit. There should not be paintings or reproductions of paintings between the icons. A painting, even if it has a religious content, such as “The Appearance of Christ to the People” by Alexander Ivanov or “The Sistine Madonna” by Raphael, is not a canonical icon.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ORTHODOX ICON AND A PICTURE?
The painting is an artistic image created by the artist’s creative imagination, which is a unique form of conveying one’s own worldview. The worldview, in turn, depends on objective reasons: the specific historical situation, political system dominant in society moral standards and life principles. An icon, as we have already mentioned, is a revelation of God, expressed in the language of lines and colors. A revelation that is given both to the entire Church and to an individual. The worldview of the icon painter is the worldview of the Church. An icon is outside of time, outside of prevailing tastes, it is a symbol of otherness in our world. The painting is characterized by a clearly expressed individuality of the author, a unique pictorial manner, specific compositional techniques, characteristic color scheme. The authorship of the icon painter is deliberately hidden, since the icon is a cathedral creation; Icon painting is not self-expression, but service and ascetic work.
The picture should be emotional, since art is a form of cognition and reflection of the surrounding world through feelings; the picture belongs to the spiritual world. The icon painter’s brush is dispassionate: personal emotions should not take place. In the liturgical life of the Church, the icon, like the manner of reading prayers by the psalmist, is devoid of external emotions. Empathy with spoken words and perception of iconographic symbols occur on a spiritual level. A painting is a means of communicating with the author, with his ideas and experiences, which can be purely individual or express the characteristic mindset of his time. An icon is a means of communication with God and His saints. Sometimes among the icons in the red corner you can find photographs or reproductions of photographs of priests, elders, people of righteous, godly life. Is this acceptable? If you strictly follow the canonical requirements, then, of course, no. You should not mix iconographic images of saints and photographic portraits. An icon tells us about a saint in his glorified, transfigured state, while a photograph, even if a person is later glorified as a saint, shows a specific moment in his earthly life, a separate stage of ascent to the higher heights of the spirit. Such photographs are of course needed in the house, but they should be placed away from the icons. Previously, along with prayer icons - sacred images, in houses, especially peasant ones, there were also pious images: lithographs of churches, views of the Holy Land, as well as popular prints, which in a naive, but bright, figurative form, told about serious subjects. 
Currently, a variety of wall hangings have appeared church calendars with reproductions of icons. They should be treated as a convenient form of printed material for an Orthodox Christian, since such calendars contain the necessary instructions regarding holidays and holidays. fast days. But the reproduction itself, at the end of the year, can be pasted on solid base, consecrate the icon in the church according to the rite of blessing and place it in the home iconostasis.
WHAT ICONS SHOULD YOU HAVE AT HOME?
It is imperative to have an icon of the Savior and an icon of the Mother of God. Images of the Lord Jesus Christ, as evidence of the Incarnation and Salvation of the human race, and the Mother of God, as the most perfect of earthly people, worthy of complete deification, and revered as the most honest Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim ( Song of praise Holy Mother of God) - necessary for the home where Orthodox Christians live.
Among the images of the Savior, a half-length image of the Lord Almighty is usually chosen for home prayer. Characteristic feature This iconographic type is an image of the blessing hand of the Lord and an open or closed book. The theological meaning of this image is that the Lord appears here as the Provider of the world, as the Arbiter of the destinies of this world, the Giver of truth, to whom people’s gaze is directed with faith and hope. Therefore, images of the Lord Pantocrator or, in Greek, Pantocrator, are always given a significant place in the painting of the temple, and on portable icons, and, of course, in the house. From the iconography of the Mother of God, icons such as “Tenderness” and “Hodegetria” are most often chosen. The iconographic type “Tenderness” or, in Greek, Eleusa, goes back, according to legend, to the holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke. It is he who is considered the author of the images, lists of which subsequently spread throughout Orthodox world. A characteristic feature of this iconography is the contact of the faces of the Savior and the Mother of God, which symbolizes the connection of the heavenly and the earthly, the special relationship between the Creator and His creation, expressed by such an endless love of the Creator for people that He gives His Son to be slaughtered in atonement for human sins.
Of the icons of the “Tenderness” type, the most common are:
Vladimir icon Mother of God,
Don Icon of the Mother of God,
Icon "Baby Leaping"
icon “Recovery of the Dead”,
icon “It is worthy to eat”,
Igorevskaya Icon of the Mother of God,
Kasperovskaya Icon of the Mother of God,
Korsun Icon of the Mother of God,
Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God,
Tolga Icon of the Mother of God,
Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God,
Yaroslavl Icon of the Mother of God. "Hodegetria" translated from Greek means "Guide". The true path is the path to Christ. On icons like “Hodegetria” this is evidenced by the gesture right hand Theotokos, who points us to the Infant Christ. Among miraculous icons The most famous of this type are:
Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God,
Georgian icon of the Mother of God,
Iveron Icon of the Mother of God,
“Three-handed” icon,
Icon "Quick to Hear"
Kazan Icon of the Mother of God,
Kozelytsanskaya Icon of the Mother of God,
Smolensk icon Mother of God,
Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God,
Czestochowa Icon of the Mother of God. Of course, if holiday dates for the family are days of honoring any icons of the Savior or the Mother of God, for example, the Image of the Lord Jesus Christ Not Made by Hands or the icon of the Mother of God “The Sign,” then it is good to have these icons in the house, as well as images of saints whose names worn by family members. For those who have the opportunity to place a larger number of icons in the house, you can supplement your iconostasis with images of revered local saints and, of course, the great saints of the Russian land. In the traditions of Russian Orthodoxy, a special veneration of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker has been strengthened, whose icons are found in almost every Orthodox family. It should be noted that, along with the icons of the Savior and the Mother of God, the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker has always occupied a central place in the home of an Orthodox Christian. Among the people, Saint Nicholas is revered as a saint endowed with special grace. This is largely due to the fact that, according to the church charter, every Thursday of the week, along with the holy apostles, the church offers prayers to St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the miracle worker.
Among the images of the holy prophets of God one can single out Elijah, among the apostles - the supreme ones Peter and Paul. Of the images of martyrs for the faith of Christ, the most common icons are those of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious, as well as the Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon. For completeness and completeness of the home iconostasis, it is desirable to have images of the holy Evangelists, St. John the Baptist, the archangels Gabriel and Michael and icons of the holidays.
The choice of icons for the home is always individual. And the best assistant here is the priest - the confessor of the family, and it is to him, or any other clergyman, that you should turn to for advice. Regarding reproductions of icons and color photographs from them, we can say that sometimes it is wiser to have a good reproduction than a painted icon, but Bad quality. The icon painter’s attitude towards his work must be extremely demanding. Just as a priest has no right to perform the liturgy without proper preparation, so an icon painter must approach his service with full responsibility. 
Unfortunately, both in the past and now you can often find vulgar crafts that have nothing to do with the icon. Therefore, if the image does not evoke a feeling of inner reverence and a sense of contact with the shrine, if it is questionable in its theological content and unprofessional in its execution technique, then it is better to refrain from such an acquisition. And reproductions of canonical icons, pasted onto a solid base and consecrated in the church, will take their rightful place in the home iconostasis. Often occurs purely practical question: How to paste a paper reproduction without damaging it? Here you can give a few useful tips. If the reproduction is made on thick paper or cardboard, then to glue it to a solid base - a board or multi-layer plywood, it is advisable to use glue that does not contain water and, accordingly, does not deform the paper, for example, Moment glue. If the reproduction is on thin paper, then you can use PVA glue, but in this case the paper should be moistened with water, wait until the water is absorbed and the paper loses its elasticity, and only then apply the glue. You need to press the reproduction to the base using Blank sheet paper so as not to stain the image. After gluing, the reproduction can be coated with a thin layer of drying oil or varnish, but this should be done with caution, as some varnishes destroy printing inks. 
It should be noted that printing inks tend to fade under the active influence of direct sun rays Therefore, an icon made by your own hands and consecrated in the Church must be protected from their influence.
HOW TO PLACE ICONS?
For a home shrine, you can limit yourself to only a few basic rules. For example, if icons are hung haphazardly, asymmetrically, without a thoughtful composition, then this causes a constant feeling of dissatisfaction with their placement, a desire to change everything, which very often distracts from prayer.
It is also necessary to remember the principle of hierarchy: do not place, for example, an icon of a locally revered saint above the icon of the Holy Trinity, the Savior, the Mother of God, and the apostles. The icon of the Savior should be to the right of the one ahead, and the Mother of God should be on the left (as in the classical iconostasis). When selecting icons, make sure that they are uniform in their artistic manner of execution, try not to allow a variety of styles. What should you do if your family has a particularly revered icon that is passed down by inheritance, but it is not quite canonically painted or has some loss of paint? If the imperfections of the image do not seriously distort the image of the Lord, the Mother of God or a saint, such an icon can be made the center of a home iconostasis or, if space allows, placed on a lectern under the shrine, because such an image is a shrine for all family members. 
One of the indicators of the level of spiritual development of an Orthodox Christian is his attitude towards the shrine. What should be the attitude towards the shrine? Holiness, as one of the properties of God (Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts! (Isa. 6:3)) is reflected both in the saints of God and in physical objects. Therefore, the veneration of holy people, sacred objects and images, as well as one’s own desire for genuine communion with God and transfiguration - phenomena of the same order. Be holy before Me, for I am holy, the Lord... (Lev. 20:26) By the way family members treat the icon in front of which their great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers offered prayers to the Lord, one can judge about the degree of churching of people, and about their piety. The veneration of the family icon has always been special. After baptism, the baby was brought to the icon and the priest or the owner of the house read prayers. With the icon, parents blessed the children for study, for a long trip, for public service. Giving consent at the wedding, the parents also blessed the newlyweds with an icon. And the person’s departure from life took place under the icons. The well-known expression “dispersed, at least take away the saints" is evidence of a conscientious attitude towards icons.
Quarrels, inappropriate behavior or domestic scandals are unacceptable in front of images of saints. But an Orthodox Christian’s careful and reverent attitude towards the icon should not develop into unacceptable forms of worship. Correct veneration of sacred images must be cultivated from a very early age. It is always necessary to remember that an icon is an image, sacred, but still only an image. And one should not confuse such concepts as image - the image itself, and the prototype - the one who is depicted. What can a distorted, non-Orthodox view of the veneration of holy icons lead to? To the distortion of spiritual life, both of an individual person, and to discord within the Church. An example of this is the heresy of the iconoclasts, which arose in the 7th century. The reasons for the emergence of this heresy were serious theological disputes about the possibility and legitimacy of the image of the Second Person Holy Trinity– God the Word in the flesh.
Also the reason was political interests some Byzantine emperors who sought an alliance with the strong Arab states, and tried to abolish the veneration of icons to please Muslims - opponents of holy icons. But not only that. One of the reasons for the spread of heresy was the extremely ugly, bordering on idolatry, forms of veneration of sacred images that existed in the church life of that time. Not feeling the difference between the image and the prototype, believers often revered not the face depicted on the icon, but the object itself - the board and paints, which was a profanation of icon veneration and was associated with the lowest types of paganism. Undoubtedly, this served as a temptation for many Christians and led to disastrous consequences for their spiritual lives. That is why a tendency arose among the intellectual elite of that time to abandon such forms of veneration of sacred images. Opponents of such icon painting preferred to abandon it altogether in order to preserve the purity of Orthodoxy and, in their opinion, to “protect,” in their opinion, the ignorant part of Christians from the destruction of paganism.
Of course, such views of opponents of distorted icon veneration concealed serious danger: the very truth of the Incarnation was questioned, since the very existence of the icon is based on the reality of the incarnation of God the Word. The Fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council, who condemned the heresy of the iconoclasts, taught: “...and to honor them (icons) with kisses and reverent worship, not true, according to our faith, worship of God, which befits the only Divine nature, but veneration in that image, like the image of the Honest and the Life-giving Cross and the Holy Gospel and other shrines, honor is given with incense and the lighting of candles, as was the pious custom of the ancients. For the honor given to the image passes to the prototype, and those who worship the icon worship the being depicted on it. Thus, the teaching of our holy fathers is confirmed, this is the tradition of the Catholic Church, who received the Gospel from end to end of the earth” (Book of the Rules of the Holy Apostles, Holy Councils of Ecumenical and Local, and the Holy Fathers. M., 1893, pp. 5-6). It is advisable to crown a home iconostasis with a cross; crosses are also placed on doorposts. The cross is a shrine for an Orthodox Christian. This is a symbol of the salvation of all humanity from eternal death. The 73rd Rule of the Council of Trula, held in 691, testifies to the importance of venerating images of the holy cross: “Because life-giving cross showed us salvation, then every care must be taken to pay due respect to that by which we were saved from the ancient fall...” (Quoted in: E. Sandler. Genesis and theology of the icon. Magazine “Symbol”, No. 18, Paris, 1987, p. 27).
During prayer in front of the icons, it is good to light the lamp, and on holidays and Sundays, let it burn throughout the day. In multi-room city apartments, the iconostasis for common family prayer is usually placed in the larger room, while in others it is necessary to place at least one icon. If an Orthodox family eats in the kitchen, then an icon is needed there for prayer before and after the meal. It makes the most sense to place an icon of the Savior in the kitchen, since thanksgiving prayer after eating she turns to Him: “We thank You, Christ our God...”. And one last thing. What to do if the icon has fallen into disrepair and cannot be restored? Such an icon, even if it is not consecrated, in no case should simply be thrown away: a shrine, even if it has lost its original appearance, must always be treated with reverence. Previously, they dealt with old icons in the following way: until a certain state, the old icon was kept in a shrine behind other icons, and if the paints on the icon were completely erased over time, then it was released with the flow of the river.
Nowadays, of course, this is not worth doing; the dilapidated icon must be taken to the church, where it will be burned in the church oven. If this is not possible, then you should burn the icon yourself and bury the ashes in a place that will not be desecrated: for example, in a cemetery or under a tree in the garden. We must remember: if damage to an icon occurred due to careless storage, this is a sin that must be confessed. The faces looking at us from the icons belong to eternity; looking at them, offering them prayer, asking for their intercession, we - residents of the world below - must always remember our Creator and Savior; about His eternal call to repentance, to self-improvement and deification of every human soul. Through the eyes of His saints, the Lord looks at us from the icons, testifying that everything is possible for a person who walks in His ways.
HIGH ICONOSTAS
If the altar is the part of the temple where it is performed greatest sacrament the transubstantiation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, compared with the heavenly world, then the iconostasis, the faces of which look at those praying, is a figurative – in lines and colors – expression of this world. The high iconostasis, which the Byzantine Church did not know, which was finally formed in the Russian Church by the 16th century, served not so much as a visible reflection of the main events of the entire Sacred History, but rather embodied the idea of the unity of two worlds - heavenly and earthly, expressed the desire of man for God, and God for man . The classic Russian high iconostasis consists of five tiers or rows, or, in other words, ranks.
Scheme of the high iconostasis 
1 – Royal Doors (a – “Annunciation”, b, c, d, e – evangelists);
2 – “ last supper"; 3 – icon of the Savior; 4 – icon of the Mother of God;
5 – northern gate; 6 – South Gate; 7 – icon of the local row;
8 – temple icon;
I – forefather row; II – prophetic series; III – festive row;
IV – Deesis order.
The first is the ancestral one, located under the cross, at the very top. This is an image of the Old Testament Church, which had not yet received the Law. The forefathers from Adam to Moses are depicted here. In the center of this row is the icon of the “Old Testament Trinity” - a symbol of the eternal advice of the Holy Trinity on the self-sacrifice of God the Word in atonement for the Fall of man. The icon “Hospitality of Abraham” (or “Appearance to Abraham at the Oak of Mamre”), which is also placed in the center of the forefathers’ row, has a different theological meaning - it is an agreement concluded by God with man. The second row is prophetic. This is the Church, which has already received the Law and through the prophets proclaims the Mother of God, from whom Christ will be incarnate. That is why in the center of this row there is the “Sign” icon, depicting the Mother of God with her hands raised in prayer and with the Child of God in her bosom. The third - festive - series tells about the events of the New Testament time: from the Nativity of the Virgin Mary to the Exaltation of the Cross. The fourth, deesis (or otherwise deisis) rite is the prayer of the entire Church to Christ; a prayer that is happening now and which will end at the Last Judgment. In the center is the icon “Savior in Power,” representing Christ as the formidable judge of the entire universe; on the left and right are images of the Most Holy Theotokos, St. John the Baptist, archangels, apostles and saints. In the next, local row, there are icons of the Savior and the Mother of God (on the sides of the Royal Doors), then on the North and South Gates there are images of archangels or holy deacons. Temple icon - the icon of the holiday or saint in whose honor the temple is consecrated, is always located to the right of the icon of the Savior (for those facing the altar), immediately behind the South Gate. The Last Supper icon is placed above the Royal Doors as a symbol of the sacrament of the Eucharist, and on the gates themselves there is the Annunciation and images of the holy evangelists. Sometimes icons of Basil the Great and John Chrysostom, the creators of the Divine Liturgy, are depicted on the Royal Doors.
Since time immemorial, the home corner iconostasis has become an integral part of any Russian home.
If there were no icons in the hut, then such people were considered non-Christians and stayed away from them.
Many centuries have passed and today the tradition of having your own “red corner” still remains relevant.
History of the red corner
Every person has heard the phrase “red corner” or “God’s place”. However, not everyone knows why this place received such a name and how correctly it was located. You can often hear the answer that this is the right corner from the door. But it is not always the case.
Ethnographers claim that in past times, “God’s place” was located diagonally from the stove. And this was done for a reason. The word red was associated with spring, summer and warmth, so they tried to place icons more on the south or east side.
The north and west for the ancient Slavs were comparable to death, evil spirits and severe winter. A little later, these stereotypes diverged, and people began to simply create cozy corners with numerous icons.
Where and how to make a home iconostasis
According to church traditions, the iconostasis is placed on the east side, so first in an apartment or house you need to find a corner exactly looking east. If it is not possible to use the desired angle, then you need to find one close to it.
Since not everyone manages to adhere to these conditions, they were made optional. Usually the iconostasis is placed in a large spacious room so that at least 2 people can fit there. You cannot have a TV or computer nearby.
How to arrange icons
A standard iconostasis should consist of 5 rows and the icons should be arranged in a certain order:
- A cross must be placed at the head of all icons.
- In the center is an icon of Jesus Christ. The faces of the Holy Trinity are placed a little lower.
- To the right of the icon of Christ is the Mother of God. And only then can you place other saints at the request.
It’s best when the red corner consists of icons that are similar in style. But this is difficult to do, because usually the icons are either donated or the required design was not found. But it doesn't play big role, the most important thing is to create Holy place with faith and love in your heart.
Do it yourself
Once the correct angle is found and all requirements are met, you can begin to install the iconostasis. Making an iconostasis yourself at home is not at all difficult and does not require any special skill or skill.
What is required to make a three-level cabinet:
- The base can be various types of materials: PVC panels, plywood, wood.
- It is also important to make a correct sketch of the future product. Here everything depends on your imagination.
- For corner iconostasis You need to cut 3 triangular-shaped shelves from the panels and connect them together at a distance convenient for you.
- Don’t forget to leave enough space between the shelf levels. This is important so that the burning candles do not heat up the shelf and cause it to burn.
- To hang the iconostasis on the wall, no recommendations are needed. It is important to remember that the images of saints should be right before your eyes.
- If the icons are located on hanging shelves, then you can put a small coffee table underneath for candles, books and lamps.
You can also place holy water and scriptures there.
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:
- Pine board measuring 1.5-2.0 cm thick and 15 cm wide.
- Prepared glued board to form the bottom of the cabinet, 1.5 cm thick and 21 cm wide.
- Small pieces and birch plywood for sketching.
- Sandpaper.
- Self-tapping screws.
- A jigsaw is best if it is electric.
- Drill and drill bits.
- Milling table.
- Lathe.
- 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.
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 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.
Options for homemade shelves for icons
In addition to this shelf for icons, you can make many others, using other sketches:
The iconostasis is a spiritual place where we can thank God for everything we have and simply pray for the health and forgiveness of those close to us. The most important thing is that the “red corner” does not turn into an interior item. It must be done and installed solely with faith and love in the heart.
How to make an iconostasis with your own hands, see the following video:
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