Home altars

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Dylpickleh8 said:
I also got a Orthodox Crucifix Icon today,
It’s in the shape of a cross, with the Christ Crucified on a Three Barred Patriarchal Crucifix, with God the Father, and the Holy Spirit Dove above Christ, and the Virgin Mary to the Left and St. Joseph to his Right. Under him, it seems to be under the ground, there is a Skull, I suppose that represents satan was crushed under Christ’s sacrifice or something similar.
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Your icon depicts the crucifixion of Christ and has a New Testament Trinity, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit on it. This is based on an old Russian icon that is very popular among the Old Believers in Russia. It is rare because God the Father is depicted and this is forbidden in the Russian Orthodox Church since no one has seen the Father.

That is St. John the Younger on the right. He is the one Jesus entrusted His Mother to when He said “Mother this is your son and son this is your Mother,”

The skull at the bottom is supposed to be the skull of Adam the First Man who was said to have been buried on Golgotha.

This isn’t a Patriarchal Crucifix but just an ordinary one. All crosses in Russia have 3 bars with the bottom one slanted. There are many explainations for why the bottom bar is bent.

Hope this helps…
 
Indeed, a gorgeous altar!

I think you should have left it up - perhaps enough prayers at it could have helped end the premarital shenanigans above it 🙂
 
CatholicLife said:
I bought the print at my local church for $2 bucks. My mom had the frame so I put it there.
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Woa! Lucky you!
I’m off looking for icon’s to, I found a really nice prayer card last night at my Church, with Our Lord and St. Jean-Marie Vianney next to him. I also found a beautiful prayer card of the Blessed Virgin, which I am adding to my home altar!

God Bless!
 
I’m a recent convert and so the idea of deliberately having a home altar didn’t hit me until I realised that I actually “grew” one somehow! 😃

It started off with a bookshelf where I kept the books, booklets and such like I was rapidly gathering as I was learning (and still learning). Then I found I really really wanted a Benedictine standing crucifix, I find myself coming back to St Benedict and the Benedictines time and time again for inspiration and thought-provoking material.

Then I added the statue below which was given to me many years ago and I do treasure it, the peace on the face of the monk is awesome. Then came one simple white candle which burns all the time I am at home and an image of Our Lady and Pope Benedict XVI, and before I knew it, there was the place where I could focus at any time I’m home.

I love that little shelf, it’s not fancy or anything, but it does give me an enormous sense of peace.

http://img.aquinasandmore.com/items....com/sculptures/imgCat/imagennor/01012060.jpg
 
It is funny to me to see the evolution of my own “altar”. Here is an updated pic!
 
I thought I would try to make religious focal point for our fireplace mantel and while putting it together started to see that a nice little shrine could be made for very little money. (Good for those without a lot of disposable income and/or small children around who like to put their hands on everything.)



The ‘scapular’ (I bought it for the images of St Jude and Our Lady, I know it isn’t a real scapular and don’t plan to ever wear it) statue of the Sacred Heart, and rosary were bought from a mexican market and cost $1, $1 and $3.

The picture of Guadalupe was cut out of an old 2006 calendar and put into an frame I found around the house.

The St Francis statue was purchased from a Michael’s Arts & Crafts for less than $1.

The standing crucifix, tiny Lady of Grace, and Christ the Teacher image were bought from my local Catholic bookstore for $2.50, $.25, and $3.99.

So, rounding up and using an old calendar/frame, to make a respectful home shrine for our fireplace cost less than $13 dollars. It will be nice to be able to glance up at it when I am sitting in the recliner reading my bible.
 
Love Lord !
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
have a lovely cat named GHD.Barin
 
http://forums.catholic-questions.org/picture.php?albumid=739&pictureid=6929

I do not have a home altar/shrine, but I do have a place dedicated for prayer. And I was inspired by all the comments and pictures to start thinking about doing more to make this area a home shrine.

In the picture, St. Scholastica and St. Benedict are the two pictures on the baker’s rack. There are three Rosaries hanging on the baker’s rack, and there is a replica of an old oil lamp, the bookstand I got at a monastery holds the book, The Monastic Diurnal, which is what I use for the divine office, and books – mostly Benedictine.
 
Hello & Good day to you. I have some suggestions from where I started a home “prayer altar”
(in order to which I offer prayer)unlike a true Altar in which Mass is Celebrated…You may have a devotion to Jesus,Mary, a certain saint,etc. I have a “main” shrine to Our Lord Jesus, a “side” shrine to the Blessed Virgin, and then a table for Sacred Scripture, as well as a large shrine for my patron saint, then a few smaller shrines. Your finance is understandable.Believe me, I started with a photocopied icon of Christ, some incense, a vase, with fresh flowers. Now I have statues, ( I like to say our Lord has these things) several beautiful & sacred relics to venerate,candles to light for those of whom I pray for. I think it is more of “what you do” in * with the room/shrine/“altar” than the quality.If the Lord is pleased you will feel the “okay” & feeling of joy that it is pleasing to show your honor & devotion to the particular saint, or especially Jesus, Mary or Joseph.Try looking at home depot or Lowes for square feet of marble. by a couple ($2-3.00 each) maybe a thrift store (they have the BEST deals on candles) suit yourself & experiment. Remember it is the god of whom we worship,never the shrine. You take that & go with it. I would love to help you all I can. I haven’t replied to this forum in quite some time & I remember starting a small area in my home. Now, my master bedroom has become a sanctuary for Jesus,Mary & the saints. I flee to this area when I pray or when someone requests prayer. I built a beautiful kneeler for under $20.00 Most of the room is in black or whit & rose marble ($40.00) The major expense you will find is in icons, or sacred relics (which is a whole other story & involves proper veneration,etc.) Another CHEAP WAY OUT ON icons or Holy images,etc… Print them out on a computer (for your use only) and while your at the thrift store…by a frame or two,a vase, some candles…(I could see a small shrine for Jesus with a marble base, 2 candles with brass candle holders, a vase with either an artificial flower or fresh (even better) maybe some incense, $10-12.00 easy.
I will try to load pictures (I have never done this on a “forum”) In fact I haven’t been on here for quite some time. Remember…no rules …just love & honor He who gave you this inspiration,His Sacred Mother, & all will guide you the way. Have fun friend!

*May the Passion Be Always in our Hearts! *
 
mylo said:
😃 Where did you get the pictures?
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Hi mylo. Another oblate at St. Leo Abbey travels often to Italy and she got those for us a gift – we were very surprised and pleased. I think she was in Norcia at Monastero San Benedetto when she got them. Here is a bigger picture of the two Benedictine saints in my prayer corner. The hanging silver Rosary is also from Italy and it has little St. Benedict medals for the Rosary beads.

The blue book on the baker’s rack is the Rule of St. Benedict.
 
lifeinthespirit said:
Hello & Good day to you. I have some suggestions from where I started a home “prayer altar”
(in order to which I offer prayer)unlike a true Altar in which Mass is Celebrated…You may have a devotion to Jesus,Mary, a certain saint,etc. I have a “main” shrine to Our Lord Jesus, a “side” shrine to the Blessed Virgin, and then a table for Sacred Scripture, as well as a large shrine for my patron saint, then a few smaller shrines.

Your finance is understandable.Believe me, I started with a photocopied icon of Christ, some incense, a vase, with fresh flowers. Now I have statues, ( I like to say our Lord has these things) several beautiful & sacred relics to venerate,candles to light for those of whom I pray for.

I think it is more of “what you do” in * with the room/shrine/“altar” than the quality.If the Lord is pleased you will feel the “okay” & feeling of joy that it is pleasing to show your honor & devotion to the particular saint, or especially Jesus, Mary or Joseph.

Try looking at home depot or Lowes for square feet of marble. by a couple ($2-3.00 each) maybe a thrift store (they have the BEST deals on candles) suit yourself & experiment. Remember it is the God of whom we worship,never the shrine. You take that & go with it.

I would love to help you all I can. I haven’t replied to this forum in quite some time & I remember starting a small area in my home. Now, my master bedroom has become a sanctuary for Jesus,Mary & the saints. I flee to this area when I pray or when someone requests prayer. I built a beautiful kneeler for under $20.00 Most of the room is in black or whit & rose marble ($40.00)

The major expense you will find is in icons, or sacred relics (which is a whole other story & involves proper veneration,etc.) Another CHEAP WAY OUT ON icons or Holy images,etc… Print them out on a computer (for your use only) and while your at the thrift store…by a frame or two,a vase, some candles…(I could see a small shrine for Jesus with a marble base, 2 candles with brass candle holders, a vase with either an artificial flower or fresh (even better) maybe some incense, $10-12.00 easy.

I will try to load pictures (I have never done this on a “forum”) In fact I haven’t been on here for quite some time. Remember…no rules …just love & honor He who gave you this inspiration,His Sacred Mother, & all will guide you the way. Have fun friend!

*May the Passion Be Always in our Hearts! *
Click to expand...
Thank you for the advice. I have been learning more about home altars/shrines and seen all the wonderful pictures in this thread. Your advice should be helpful to anyone thinking about the key steps – it helped me. Thank you very much. 🙂
 
Netty1 said:
I’m a recent convert and so the idea of deliberately having a home altar didn’t hit me until I realised that I actually “grew” one somehow! 😃

It started off with a bookshelf where I kept the books, booklets and such like I was rapidly gathering as I was learning (and still learning). Then I found I really really wanted a Benedictine standing crucifix, I find myself coming back to St Benedict and the Benedictines time and time again for inspiration and thought-provoking material.

Then I added the statue below which was given to me many years ago and I do treasure it, the peace on the face of the monk is awesome. Then came one simple white candle which burns all the time I am at home and an image of Our Lady and Pope Benedict XVI, and before I knew it, there was the place where I could focus at any time I’m home.

I love that little shelf, it’s not fancy or anything, but it does give me an enormous sense of peace.

http://img.aquinasandmore.com/items....com/sculptures/imgCat/imagennor/01012060.jpg
Click to expand...
i love that monk…it speaks volumes on its posture, face and the color of its robe.

i am a recent convert too
 
Here’s mine! Just set up the past month.
The tablecloth was about $15. The thurible and incense about $75. The crucifix was I think $25. The Douay Rheims bible about $70. The Book of prayers about $20. So this is a little on the more expensive side…but it’s a great place to pray the Divine Office. 🙂
p.s. I’ve since added a statue of Mary…but don’t have a pic yet.
http://my.picresize.com/vault/VL47PRNNTT.jpg
 
This is my home altar for All Souls Week. In this altar the picture frame is black and the candles are of unbleached wax. Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine,
et lux perpetua luceat eis. Amen

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
 
I like this thread. I find the idea that people erect home altars very charming; I used to have one many years ago. Maybe it’s time to put one up again.

As a former “traditionalist”, I would be tempted to erect a home altar against the wall, first, and then put the one I actually intend to use in front of that one. 😉
 
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