Proper Treatment of Icons

[Mixolydian]

Out of a desire to be more actively spiritual, a desire to sort of “consecrate” my home, and that sort of thing, I’ve purchased icons. I have a few questions concerning how they ought to actually be used. Please be frank with your answers. I should have looked into proper exercise of spirituality concerning icons before purchasing them.

1. A good number of them are from Monastery Icons, but I found out a matter of months ago that the company that makes them are secretly New Age/Hindu, and are thus not spiritually appropriate. BEFORE I FOUND OUT, I had my dad who is a deacon bless them. Since these were illicit icons, but I had them blessed with good intentions, what do I do? They are laying out on a table unused.
2. My favorite icon (non Monastery Icons) is one of Christ as the Good Shepherd, and there was a time I was travelling with it, as a means of keeping myself emotionally attached to Christ, because I was going through a period of anxiety. However, my travels accidently scratched if a few times. It’s not in the state it formerly was.

Was this a sin, and do I go to confession? Part of me would like to “replace” it, but should I? The one I have still means a lot to me but I don’t know how I feel about my icon of Christ being sort of scratched while my icons of Mary and the Apostles are still fairly pristine. Did I fail to give it the honor it deserves?

1. What is THE line, so to speak, between venerating an icon and worshipping it? What would it look like to actually be considered an idol and not an icon? What is the proper use of icons in regard to prayer and worship of God?

I understand they depict Christ and his saints. Personally, they call to mind their lives and examples, and I understand they’re kind of like pictures of my family, since I and they are family in Christ Jesus. Do I need to show more reverence to them?

Thank you and God bless all of you
John

 

[adrift]

Out of a desire to be more actively spiritual, a desire to sort of “consecrate” my home, and that sort of thing, I’ve purchased icons. I have a few questions concerning how they ought to actually be used. Please be frank with your answers. I should have looked into proper exercise of spirituality concerning icons before purchasing them.

1. A good number of them are from Monastery Icons, but I found out a matter of months ago that the company that makes them are secretly New Age/Hindu, and are thus not spiritually appropriate. BEFORE I FOUND OUT, I had my dad who is a deacon bless them. Since these were illicit icons, but I had them blessed with good intentions, what do I do? They are laying out on a table unused.

I do not understand why they would not be spiritually appropriate. What do the represent? They are blessed so it seems they are indeed appropriate. It doesn’t matter who or why they were made. If they are of Jesus or saints, it doesn’t matter if they were made by atheist.

1. My favorite icon (non Monastery Icons) is one of Christ as the Good Shepherd, and there was a time I was travelling with it, as a means of keeping myself emotionally attached to Christ, because I was going through a period of anxiety. However, my travels accidently scratched if a few times. It’s not in the state it formerly was.

Was this a sin, and do I go to confession? Part of me would like to “replace” it, but should I? The one I have still means a lot to me but I don’t know how I feel about my icon of Christ being sort of scratched while my icons of Mary and the Apostles are still fairly pristine. Did I fail to give it the honor it deserves?

No you did not sin. You can replace it or keep it. It is up to you.

1. What is THE line, so to speak, between venerating an icon and worshipping it? What would it look like to actually be considered an idol and not an icon? What is the proper use of icons in regard to prayer and worship of God?

The line is that you would have to believe the icon is a god. If you worshipped it you would be crossing the line of a thing being a god.

I understand they depict Christ and his saints. Personally, they call to mind their lives and examples, and I understand they’re kind of like pictures of my family, since I and they are family in Christ Jesus. Do I need to show more reverence to them?

No

Thank you and God bless all of you
John

God Bless You. My advice to you is get a good spiritual director and talk to him about these questions.

 

[kyrie03]

I cut and pasted from thread on Icon prayer corner for beginners the following:

**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/showthrea…404#post355404**

It is not necessary to bless Icons but it is good to do so. Traditionally, Icons are placed on an eastern wall as we await the Second Coming of Christ from the eastern direction. If you are worried about your Monastery Icons, it is wise to seek spiritual advice. I also had a few of them and was told by a priest to burn them and dispose of ashes either by burying them or depositing them into yard waste. BTW, this is also how to respectfully dispose of damaged icons, rosaries, scapulars, blessed palms, etc…. It isn’t necessary to dispose of a damaged Icon. OL Czestochowa Icon was damaged. catholictradition.org/Mary/czesto.htm

 

[kyrie03]

To explore the difference between venerating and worshiping see: orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/inq_veneration.aspx

There is nothing wrong with bowing to and kissing an icon if we do so to honor the person the icon represents. There is nothing wrong with bowing to or kissing a person we love. There is nothing wrong with kissing a picture or the tombstone of a loved one.

 

[SyroMalankara]

I guess they are “ok” if blessed, but some of them look downright creepy compared to authentic iconography. something about the eyes and look.

 

[peter26]

You can read about Monastery Icons here, but this is the key point to take away

They have one “iconographer” there who paints all their pictures (please, not icons). All are “blessed” with one of their occult rituals before being shipped, and they support themselves to the tune of several hundred thousand dollars per year selling the demonic things. Many Roman Catholic bookstores sell them but, happily, most Orthodox sellers of religious items have discovered who and what they are and no longer do business with them.

They are blessed in occult rituals. This means possessing them can open you up to demonic activity. Burn them!

 

[Dmitri77]

You can read about Monastery Icons here, but this is the key point to take away

They are blessed in occult rituals. This means possessing them can open you up to demonic activity. Burn them!

That being said, for the OP take them to a priest and have them blessed and don’t order from that outfit ever again.

 

[sabrefan]

You can read about Monastery Icons here, but this is the key point to take away

They are blessed in occult rituals. This means possessing them can open you up to demonic activity. Burn them!

If that’s the case then many of the crucifixes, crosses and other religious stuff are in the same league as they were made in Communist China… maybe even with slave labor.

 

[Mixolydian]

Thank you for all your replies! They helped. God bless you all, and God bless the Church, East and West!