Icon corner for beginners

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RyanJPII

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I’d like to start an icon corner and I was curious if there are any rules or regulations I need to follow

Specifically:
  1. I currently don’t have any real icons, just glossy paper reproductions of famous icons. Will that work for now?
  2. why is it in a corner?
  3. any other rules or traditions i need to know?
 
RyanJPII said:
I’d like to start an icon corner and I was curious if there are any rules or regulations I need to follow

Specifically:
  1. I currently don’t have any real icons, just glossy paper reproductions of famous icons. Will that work for now?
  2. why is it in a corner?
  3. any other rules or traditions i need to know?
Click to expand...
Is this like a prayer corner?
 
  1. Icons don’t have to be painted or laminated on wood. The image itself is what is important.
  2. It doesn’t have to be in a corner, but traditionally icon spaces are on eastern walls.
 
RyanJPII said:
I’d like to start an icon corner and I was curious if there are any rules or regulations I need to follow

Specifically:
  1. I currently don’t have any real icons, just glossy paper reproductions of famous icons. Will that work for now?
  2. why is it in a corner?
  3. any other rules or traditions i need to know?
Click to expand...
Where do you find those, by the way? eBay?
 
prodromos said:
Please, any where but Monastery Icons.
The following link from back in 2004 highlights some of the issues regarding their icons…
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So, their aesthetics and production methods were more than bad taste?

I’ve been happy with icons from Skete or from EWTN.

Pax Christi
 
prodromos said:
Please, any where but Monastery Icons.
The following link from back in 2004 highlights some of the issues regarding their icons

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=355404#post355404
Click to expand...
Wow. Thanks for the heads-up. Those are now going into the dumpster. I wish I had known all this before I spent money on them 😦

And on a side note, I find it pretty sad that I now have to do research and background investigation any time I want to purchase an icon or other religious item in order to avoid stuff like this. 😦
 
Mike0000 said:
Wow. Thanks for the heads-up. Those are now going into the dumpster. I wish I had known all this before I spent money on them 😦

And on a side note, I find it pretty sad that I now have to do research and background investigation any time I want to purchase an icon or other religious item in order to avoid stuff like this. 😦
Click to expand...
Don’t put them in the dumpster!!! All icons are holy in virtue of beholding an image of someone holy, such as Christ, the Theotokos, or the Saints. So much so that I remember one saint when he entered a home, before greeting the people, would first venerate the icons before doing so.

Icons, whether they are noncannonical, or heretical (like the family icon I have heard, but don’t quote me), they should still be treated with care if they still image a holy person.
Just like Catholic sacramentals, there are proper ways to dispose of holy objects (icons), such as burning or burying.
 
Kmon23 said:
Don’t put them in the dumpster!!! All icons are holy in virtue of beholding an image of someone holy, such as Christ, the Theotokos, or the Saints. So much so that I remember one saint when he entered a home, before greeting the people, would first venerate the icons before doing so.

Icons, whether they are noncannonical, or heretical (like the family icon I have heard, but don’t quote me), they should still be treated with care if they still image a holy person.
Just like Catholic sacramentals, there are proper ways to dispose of holy objects (icons), such as burning or burying.
Click to expand...
I don’t understand how they can be considered holy objects when they were created by pagans and possibly had demonic curses put on them. It seems that by nature that would cease to make them real icons.

That being said, I’ve already thrown them away. I apologize if this was the wrong thing to do, but something I don’t play around with is giving evil spirits a doorway into my home.
 
Mike0000 said:
I don’t understand how they can be considered holy objects when they were created by pagans and possibly had demonic curses put on them. It seems that by nature that would cease to make them real icons.

That being said, I’ve already thrown them away. I apologize if this was the wrong thing to do, but something I don’t play around with is giving evil spirits a doorway into my home.
Click to expand...
Okay. Would you throw away everything in your house that was made in China because many Chinese are atheists?
 
adamhovey1988 said:
Okay. Would you throw away everything in your house that was made in China because many Chinese are atheists?
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Actually though, did you read the link prodromos provided in post number six?

It’s from 2004 and it’s very interesting.

I agree with you, Mike, by the way. I think I’d dispose of them, too, though I don’t know the proper way to do so.
 
I’m going on a course in March to Walsingham ( the site of the Shrine of Miriam (Mary in Latin) ) in England, to learn how to paint Icons.
 
adamhovey1988 said:
Okay. Would you throw away everything in your house that was made in China because many Chinese are atheists?
Click to expand...
The obvious difference here is that he would not be using those Chinese products for worship. Icons are prepared in a holy atmosphere literally immersed in prayer to God. Things may have changed in the last decade, but all the original artwork from Monastery Icons were made with prayer to demons. You don’t want thst in your house, ever.
There are many good sources of prints made from traditional icons so there is no reason not to purchase from those places, plus you know that your money goes towards supporting holy activities
 
I’m just curious, is there a specific Icon anyone would recommend for their first?

I don’t have any right now, the there is a local Maronite shrine with a gift shop and they do have Icons, I’d like to get one.

Should they be blessed?
 
RyanJPII said:
I’d like to start an icon corner and I was curious if there are any rules or regulations I need to follow

Specifically:
  1. I currently don’t have any real icons, just glossy paper reproductions of famous icons. Will that work for now?
  2. why is it in a corner?
  3. any other rules or traditions i need to know?
Click to expand...
Some advice on icons here:
orthodoxprayer.org/Place%20for%20Prayer.html

Skete has inexpensive laminated paper reproductions of authentic, historic icons. The article above has a link to why we pray facing east, it makes it easier if the icons are on a East wall. Also consider icons throughout your home. At the home of an Orthodox friend, they have many icon corners. As well, Catholic friends have saints and icons throughout their home.
 
adamhovey1988 said:
Okay. Would you throw away everything in your house that was made in China because many Chinese are atheists?
Click to expand...
No. There’s a difference between something being constructed by atheists vs something made and then specifically cursed by demons. If I found out something in my house which was made in China was cursed like that, then yes, I’d throw it out too. I know some people viewing this thread probably think my reaction was over the top, but the demonic isn’t something to be messed with. If you read books written by or listen to any lectures by Catholic exorcists, they all confirm that once demons are given a legal right to hold on to something, albeit a place or person, they’re extremely hard to get rid of. Having cursed objects in your home is a doorway. Why risk it? I’d rather just toss the item and replace it with a real icon.
 
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