The veneration of Orthodox icons is the worship of the prototype. In front of the holy icons in Orthodox churches, they pray, perform prayer chants, conduct religious processions with them, and render the most highly revered worship. An appropriate attitude towards should be in the house of a believing Christian. When praying, they face east, so the place where the icons should stand should be on the east side of the room. The main condition is that there should be enough space in front of the icon for common prayer.

The place where they are is sacred to the home and household. It protects the house from troubles and ill-wishers. Therefore, it is necessary to remember the rules on how to arrange Orthodox icons in an apartment. To arrange the icons, you need to choose a light zone in the house. Of course, ideally, icons should be located in every room. If, however, preference is given to one main place, chosen, where to put icons in the house, then it should be cleared of worldly objects - books, posters, souvenirs. According to Christian traditions and canons, the red corner is the best place for shrines. It is advisable to place the icons in a cabinet with glass.

How to put icons in the apartment

The main Orthodox saints who should be in every home are the Savior and the Most Holy Theotokos, the Holy Trinity. There are canons that define how to put christian icons in what order in the holy corner. In the first row is the icon of the Savior or the Crucifixion. Below or to the left of Christ is placed the holy icon of the Mother of God and the Holy Trinity. The sequence of further arrangement of Orthodox icons depends on the desire of the household. There are no clear instructions on where to put the icons in the apartment with the image of the Guardian Angel or personalized icons. It can be a children's room, if we are talking about the namesake saint of the child.

The location of home icons should also be calculated for candles that are lit on major holidays or according to individual family traditions. In Orthodox iconography, there are a number of Mother of God icons that help protect the house from ill-wishers who can harm family well-being. Among them, the icons of the Mother of God of Seven Arrows, Ostrobramskaya and Kazanskaya play a special role. The holy icon of the Mother of God of the Seven Arrows is placed in front of the front door or hung above it. Believers say that if you hang this miraculous

Many people have probably heard about the “red corner” in a traditional Russian family, but far from everyone knows where this corner should be located. The "red corner" in the hut is otherwise called "big", "holy", "God's" and so on. It turns out that its location depends on the location of the stove - the source of heat in the hut.

The location of the "red corner"

A special place, which is intended for the "red corner", in a traditional Russian hut was located diagonally from the wood-burning stove. It could be located both at the front door and in the far corner. However, it had to be located in the southeastern part of the hut. So what is the connection between the stove and the place called “red corner” in Orthodoxy?

The device of a traditional Russian hut

In ancient times, for Russians, the hut personified the entire Universe, there were heaven and earth (floor and ceiling), cardinal points (walls) and the “lower world” (cellar). Moreover, ancient people connected the east and south with the sunrise, spring, noon, summer, life and warmth, and the north and west with sunset, winter and autumn, cold and death. Based on this, our ancestors sought to equip their home in such a way that it was impossible to enter the forces of evil that came from the north and west.
But the forces of goodness and warmth should not have seen any obstacles in their path and be able to freely enter the hut. And since windows had not yet been invented in those distant times, the only opening leading into the house was the door. The doors of all Slavic huts, without exception, were turned to the south, but the stove was placed opposite the door, that is, in the north, a place from where evil and cold could sneak into the house. Over time, the place of the door in the Russian hut changed, that is, the choice of the wall for the door became unprincipled, but the stove always remained on the north side, and the “red corner” was located diagonally from the stove, in the southeastern part of the hut. This arrangement remains unchanged to this day.

The meaning of the stove and the "red corner" for the ancient Russians

The stove is warm, which means it symbolizes the sun and is the center of the holiness of this house. The “Red Corner” in the Russian hut is also a no less holy place. And although today many people think that such a corner in the house is associated with the Christian religion, nevertheless, some sources say that long before the adoption of Christianity by Russians, it was already customary to create a “red corner” in houses. However, according to other sources, in the old Russian hut the only shrine was the oven. And only later, after the adoption of Christianity, such corners began to appear in the houses.

Why the "red" corner?

In Russian, the word "red" has several meanings. The first is a certain color, and the second is a synonym for the word "beautiful", therefore, "red corner" can also be called a beautiful corner. It is always arranged in the most prominent place, and any guest at the entrance to the hut from the very first minute should see and understand where the "red corner" is located in the house. And since icons are located in this place, the person entering should immediately notice them and be baptized, and only after that greet the owners of the house.

Relation to the "red corner"

After the adoption of Christianity in Russian families, it was customary to keep icons. Some people still believe in the miraculous power of icons. From here it becomes clear such a careful attitude to this place in the house. The “Red Corner” in the house is always kept very clean. All icons located in this zone are decorated with carvings and flowers. There is also a lamp with a candle. On holidays, the most honored guest is seated closer to the red corner.

The religious meaning of the "red corner"

To communicate with a person, it is not necessary to go to church. In a Russian hut, the “red corner” is the place for prayer and turning to the Lord. Therefore, in this place there are objects that are sacred to every Orthodox Christian. These are icons, holy images, sacred books: the Bible, prayer books and others.

"Red corner" in the apartment

Today, many of us do not live in private houses, but in apartments, and those who wish to create a "red corner" in their modern home must also adhere to certain rules. Of course, there are no stoves in the apartments to navigate them. Therefore, the sacred corner in the apartment should be opposite the front door, so that the first thing that comes in is to see holy images in the apartment. Sometimes the modern layout of an apartment does not imply corners for placing icons, so the "red corner" in the house is not always a corner in the direct sense.

How to arrange a "red corner" in the apartment?

A sanctuary in the apartment can be created by placing a high table or a special cabinet against the wall, covering it with a beautiful tablecloth or some other elegant material. Put holy images on it. As for the place of the “red corner”, it should be located opposite the front door. Choosing a place for it, you can also focus on the east. To do this, you need to determine where the sun rises in the morning, and place a “red corner” in this part. According to the old Russian, or rather Orthodox, custom, believers are supposed to pray looking to the east. It is this one that symbolizes goodness, rebirth, faith and hope. As for the height of such an angle, it should in no way be located below the line of the eyes. Holy images cannot be looked down upon. But to place it above eye level is quite appropriate. Ideally, a table or cabinet should have a top and bottom shelf. Holy images, candlesticks with candles, a censer are placed on the top, and holy books are placed on the bottom: the Bible, the Gospel, prayer books, church calendars, etc.

After all, they must also be placed in a house that has limited space. Thus, the number of icons in the house should be within reasonable limits.

How to hang icons in the house? Photos and basic explanations can be found in the article below.

Basic rules for placing icons

According to church traditions, believers should pray facing the east. Therefore, icons are advised to be placed on the eastern side of the apartment. If you have such an opportunity, place the iconostasis in the east.

However, in many cases in the east in modern buildings there are doors or windows and, accordingly, then it will not work to place the image there. But how to hang icons in the apartment in this case? Choose any other wall, because it is impossible to change the location of the building in modern conditions.

It is important not only the location of the wall relative to the cardinal points, but also its freedom and accessibility. It should be convenient for all family members to stand in front of the icons, especially if joint prayer is practiced in the family.

Where should icons be placed in the house? It is allowed to place the image on the walls (including at the head of the bed), on the shelves, on the table. Ideally, when the shrines are placed in icon cases. Candles, lampadas, a prayer book, Orthodox books can coexist with icons: in a word, everything that helps in prayer. At the same time, it is undesirable when secular paintings, figurines, posters with images of athletes, politicians, musicians, and so on are next to the icons. We add that next to the icons you can not place pictures even with biblical scenes. The fact is that an icon is a means through which believers communicate with God, the Mother of God and the saints; you can't pray in front of pictures.

Where to put? Can they coexist with home appliances? This is undesirable and, if possible, such a neighborhood should be prevented. However, if, for example, a computer in a particular family is a means of work, then putting the images side by side is quite normal, because before, after and even during work, you can and should pray, asking God's blessing on your deeds.

According to an old tradition, often the Red Corner in the house was decorated with the means available at that time: fresh flowers and skillfully embroidered towels. This tradition is not a sin to support today. Therefore, if there is such a desire, feel free to decorate your iconostasis and single-placed icons.

So, where to hang icons in the house? Summarize:

• It is advisable to place them on the eastern wall of the house.
• Availability.
• Icons can be hung on the wall, put on the table and shelves, placed in icon cases.
• You can not place icons and decorative items nearby.
• Icons can be decorated with flowers and towels.

Sequence of placement of icons

Now you know where to hang correctly. However, in what order should they be placed?

When placing icons in the temple, church servants take into account the many requirements of the Charter. However, the rules for placing shrines on the home iconostasis are by no means so strict. The main ones include:

• Thoughtful composition and systematic placement.
• Above all, the images of the Holy Trinity, Christ and the Most Holy Theotokos should be placed. Icons of the apostles (if any) can be placed under them. Then it is already necessary to place the images of the saints.
• The image of the Savior should be placed to the right of the one praying, and to the left.
• Uniformity of styles.

It is desirable, but not strictly necessary, that the images be performed in approximately the same manner: otherwise, the variety of styles may distract from prayer work. However, this does not apply to images -. They should be placed on the home iconostasis, regardless of whether they fit into the general style of images or not.

So, now you know how to properly place the icons in the house, photos and text will help you in this good deed. We hope that our article will help you create a canonically correct and aesthetically pleasing iconostasis!

In the home of every Orthodox there must be an icon of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Cross. This is the main icon for each of us.

Also in the home iconostasis it is good to have an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos and saints revered in the family - the patrons of those who live in the house, and those who often pray. You should not have too many icons; in the home iconostasis it is better to have icons of those to whom you regularly pray.

There is no need to put photographs of loved ones, living or dead, in the iconostasis.

What icons should be in the house?

Everyone at home must have icons of the Mother of God and the Savior. In the iconographic tradition, there is a huge variability in the images of the Savior, among which the image of the Lord Almighty is most often chosen for home prayer. Among the many icons of the Mother of God (Virgin Mary), most often for the home iconostasis, preference is given to such icons as: Eleusa (Tenderness) - Vladimirskaya, Zhirovitskaya, Pochaevskaya, Yaroslavskaya and Hodegetria (Guidebook) - Kazanskaya, Tikhvinskaya, Smolenskaya.

In the home iconostasis, it is also customary to place nominal icons or simply icons of those saints who are especially revered by family members. Especially popular is the image of Nicholas the Wonderworker, who for many centuries has been revered by the people as a great righteous man, as a saint endowed with God's special grace. Among the images of the great martyrs for the faith of Christ, most often they stop their choice on the icons of George the Victorious or the healer Panteleimon.

How to hang icons in the house?

Of course, there are no strict rules for placement. There are some recommendations of priests about this.

• The image of the saint is most often installed in the east of the apartment, so from ancient times it was customary to pray. But if for some reason this cannot be done, then it is permissible to hang the icon near the front door and above the head of the bed.
• If a corner is allocated for shrines, then first of all take care of its cleanliness. Timely cleaning should become a ritual. Therefore, such an angle is made only under the conditions of the owner's reach.
• The space with the icon must be cleared of all photographs and mascots.. Household items, toys, cosmetics are removed. Even paintings on biblical themes are hidden because of the inappropriateness of being next to the relic.
• Often, along with Christian icons, photographs of the deceased monks and elders are installed.. According to all the canons, this is completely unacceptable. The image of the saint and the earthly life reflected in the photo are incompatible. Such photographs should be stored separately from the transformed face and hung in other places.
• If there are a lot of icons, you do not need to keep them on the shelf.. It is best to hang on the walls, observing the composition and symmetry, so that there is no feeling of inconvenience.
• An icon of the Savior is needed over the dining table, after all, after eating, according to tradition, “Our Father” is read. Yes, and the prepared meal is consecrated by prayer. It is possible to accommodate the "Last Supper".
• In the nursery, you can hang a shrine with the face of a Guardian Angel or patron of the child.

Church ministers say that it is better to hang an icon in every room of the house. Be sure to need an icon in the kitchen above the dining table, because the process of cooking and eating should be consecrated with a prayer addressed to the Holy Images. Since “Our Father” is traditionally read after the meal is over, therefore, the icon of the Savior is usually hung in the kitchen. Also, very often, the Last Supper icon is hung over the dining table.

There is a widespread opinion that icons should not be placed in the bedroom. But this is not true. Since marital intimacy is not considered sinful, they can be safely placed in the bedroom. It must be remembered that they should only be at the head of a properly set bed. In addition, the holy image must be present in the nursery. Most often, the icon of the Guardian Angel is hung there. Above the front door, it is recommended to hang not an icon, but an Orthodox cross or just a sticker with its image. In extreme cases, you can hang a horseshoe over the door.

Icons should be hung in a separate place from the accumulation of other objects. They look out of place in cluttered bookcases, on a dressing table or simply on tables. In addition, it is not advised to hang pictures, posters and other images near the icons, even if they are based on biblical subjects. Photos of the deceased cannot be placed near them, church canons forbid this.

Rules for placing icons relative to each other

When placing icons, remember the hierarchical principle. The main place in the home iconostasis belongs to the icons of the Mother of God and the Savior. Most often, they are larger than the rest in size and there is an opinion that they must be hung above the rest. This is indeed correct, but not absolutely necessary. They can be placed on the same level with the rest of the icons, but they will be incorrectly located only if they are below the others. This, according to Christian canons, is considered indecent.

To the side of the main icons or below them are personalized icons or, for example, the faces of saints who enjoy special reverence among family members. Wedding icons are also advised to be placed in the red corner.
It is necessary to remember the main thing - it does not matter at all the number of icons in a house or apartment, it can be completely alone. An unsystematic choice of simply beautiful images of saints can negatively affect the spiritual state of the residents of the house. The main thing is that the icon should be a revered relic of the whole family, because it is not just a talisman that can protect against all the troubles and hardships of life. Therefore, it is very important to choose the right place where you place it in your home. It should help you to carry out your daily religious practices. The place in front of your iconostasis should be something like a home altar, where every day with enthusiasm in the morning and evening you will deal with God.

The correct arrangement of icons in the house helps you open a window to the light and spiritual, illuminating your home with joy and light.

What icon to hang over the front door

There are several icons that can be hung above the front door of the house, but perhaps the most common option that can often be found in the homes of believers is Icon of the Mother of God of the Seven.
This icon will protect your home from evil people, as well as from thieves.
On this icon, the Mother of God is depicted alone, and not with the baby Jesus, as we are most often used to seeing her.
The Mother of God is depicted with seven swords that pierce her chest. These swords symbolize all those mental anguish and sorrows that people on earth have to endure.

Icon of the Seven-shot Mother of God

Also, above the front door you can hang an icon called "Unbreakable Wall". This icon depicts the Mother of God, who prays and raises her hands to the sky.
This icon protects the house from thieves and various troubles, as well as from magical powers.

Icon indestructible wall

Dear readers, on this page of our site you can ask any question related to the life of the Zakamsky deanery and Orthodoxy. Your questions are answered by the clergy of the Holy Ascension Cathedral in the city of Naberezhnye Chelny. We draw your attention to the fact that it is better, of course, to resolve issues of a personal spiritual nature in live communication with a priest or with your confessor.

As soon as the answer is prepared, your question and answer will be published on the site. Questions may take up to seven days to process. Please remember the date of submission of your letter for the convenience of subsequent retrieval. If your question is urgent, mark it as "URGENT", we will try to answer it as quickly as possible.

Date: 09.11.2009 14:45:47

Hello! Tell me, please, how to CORRECTLY equip a holy corner with icons at home?

Hello Xenia.

Today, in almost every house where Orthodox Christians live, there are icons. Big or small, real or copy, inherited or purchased from a church store, they sit on bookshelves or hang on the walls in random order. But icons are not just works of art. They must work for their owners. Icons are for us a window to the upper world, through them we can turn to the Lord with prayers, requests, or simply seek consolation.

Arranged or hung in random order, the icons do not bring much use and can be considered simply as a collection of spiritual painting. Even if it is numerous and very expensive, the collection does not play the role for you that it can. And if it is not handled correctly, it can even lead to the opposite effect. Another thing is if you place the icons in the right place, in a certain sequence. Then you will get a home iconostasis that will not only please the eye, but also protect the house and its inhabitants, maintain spiritual purity in the room, and fill you with a sense of goodness. Creating a home iconostasis can be an act that will bring us closer to God.

Previously, houses were built specifically for the so-called "red corner". He was assigned the farthest corner of the hut, on the eastern side, diagonally from the stove. At the same time, both walls adjacent to the "red corner" were with windows. It turned out that the iconostasis is located in the most illuminated place in the house. Since the Orthodox Church does not impose too strict requirements on the home iconostasis, these rules can be deviated from. These are the realities of our life - in modern apartments there is no place for a "red corner". It is enough to follow the simplest rules. If possible, the eastern wall should be chosen for the iconostasis. If you have trouble with this, don't worry. Just find a free and easily accessible place for him, where nothing will stop you from praying and where several people can gather around the iconostasis. The iconostasis should be located as far as possible from the TV (in modern life it often replaces the icon for us), VCR, computer, music center and other household appliances. However, here too exceptions are made. For example, in working premises (offices, offices) it is not forbidden to put icons next to computers.

Next to the home iconostasis, there should not be decorative objects of a secular nature - photographs, vases, figurines, paintings, posters, magazine posters, and so on. All this reflects the bodily, material world, such images are momentary and do not correspond to the purpose of the sacred icons. The iconostasis can only be decorated with fresh flowers (with the exception of cacti and other "freaks") or willow branches. Connoisseurs of antiquity can frame the icons with embroidered towels. Next to the iconostasis, you can hang images of temples, views of the Holy Land, calm landscapes, and so on. It is important that all these views do not contain aggression, do not distract your gaze from the iconostasis and hang at a relative distance from it.

It is believed that it is better for icons to stand on a hard surface, and not hang on the wall. Previously, the iconostasis was placed on a special shelf or even in a special cabinet - an icon case. So they were better preserved, because the icons were passed down from generation to generation. Nowadays, you can simply place them on a bookshelf. But then secular books cannot be put on this shelf. In front of the icons they hang or put a lamp. It must be lit during prayer, and on Sunday and church holidays it can burn all day.

A prerequisite is to have two icons: the Savior and the Mother of God. Images of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Mother of God, as the most perfect of earthly people, are necessary for every Orthodox.

As for other icons, it is recommended to acquire images of those saints whose names are given to family members. And, in fact, on this home iconostasis can already be considered complete. However, if space permits and if the owners feel the need, then you can still attract icons of revered local saints or simply great saints of the Russian land. In addition, a rare family does without the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker - this is a saint especially revered in our country, to whom it is customary to turn on domestic issues, problems in his personal life, he acts as an intercessor for children, mothers, the sick, travelers, prisoners and unjustly offended. Pay attention to the following images of the prophet Elijah, the apostles Peter and Paul, the great martyr George the Victorious, as well as the holy great martyr and healer Panteleimon. And in order for the iconostasis to be completely complete, it is desirable to have images of the holy evangelists, St. John the Baptist, the Archangels Gabriel and Michael, and icons of Orthodox holidays.

In general, the selection of icons (except for the main ones) is a matter of what troubles you want to protect yourself from and what path of life you have chosen for yourself. So here you can show your own initiative. But avoid conceited aspirations, do not try to impress your friends and acquaintances with a rich, elegant iconostasis. And in general, at home you should have only those icons that you pray to.

In the church, the issue of placing icons is approached with great rigor. But for the home iconostasis, an indulgence is being made. There are only a few basic rules that should not be violated. Icons should be placed in such a way that when looking at the iconostasis, you do not have a desire to urgently outweigh everything. This will distract you from prayer. Images should be placed symmetrically, in a thoughtful composition.

Some people, frankly, narrow-minded, forget about the Orthodox hierarchy and hang, for example, the icon of their “nominal” saint over the entire composition, higher than the images of the Savior and the Virgin. Or they place a family icon there, “the most expensive”. It is not right.

Above and in the very center should be the icon of the Savior (the Savior Not Made by Hands, the Savior the Almighty or another). This is the semantic center of the iconostasis. By the way, it is undesirable for the rest of the icons to be larger than the Savior. To the left of the Savior is the Mother of God with the Child, as in a classical iconostasis. Above these two images, only one icon can be placed - the Holy Trinity or the Crucifixion. And, in turn, the entire iconostasis should be crowned with a cross; crosses are also placed on the doorposts.

If the family has a particularly revered, inherited icon, then it can be placed in the center of the home iconostasis. But, as already mentioned, it should not stand above the two mandatory icons. The rest of the images can be placed on the sides or slightly below.

In the design, it is important to show artistic taste. It is desirable that the selected icons be painted in the same style, in the same manner. Try to avoid excessive variety. If the apartment has many rooms, then the iconostasis is placed in the largest one. But in the rest it is necessary to place at least one icon each, including in the kitchen and especially in the nursery.

Try to keep the iconostasis clean. Wipe the icons with a sponge and fan the shelf with a feather. And if some icon has fallen into disrepair and cannot be restored, in no case should you throw it away, especially the consecrated one. This is a sacred object, it must be treated with exceptional reverence. Such an icon must be taken to the church. There it will be burned in a church oven. And remember: if the icon has deteriorated due to careless storage, this is a sin that you will have to confess. The house with the iconostasis has a completely different atmosphere. The faces that look at us from the icons belong to eternity. Looking at them, you can calm down, find balance, remember the Lord and understand that thanks to Him, no paths are closed for a person in this world.