Who has an icon corner in their house?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Harpazo
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
H

Harpazo

Guest
I was just wondering of the Catholics (or even Orthodox for that matter) that frequent this particular forum, who has an icon corner? I’m in the process of making one myself, even though I’m not officially an Eastern Catholic…yet 😃 .

What are the general rules of having one? By this I mean, how are the usually set up? I plan to make my own little “home altar” and carve designs into it (yet I want to be able to open it so I can store extra candles, incense matches, etc). On the “home altar” I’ll set my censer, candles, Bible, Rosary and various prayer books. Then I want to dedicate an entire wall of my room for the hanging of various icons, and of course a Crucifix. I also want to purchase a Byzantine oil lamp and a prayer rope (I looked at making one, and it looked to be too daunting of a task, haha).

I’m not entirely familiar with this practice, so I don’t know if what I’m doing is right or not. Are the Icons at a level where they can be easily venerated or does it not matter?

Any pictures, comments or suggestions would be more than appreciated.

Pace e Bene
Andrew
 
I’m a Latin Rite Catholic, here is a picture of my icon corner:

http://xs221.xs.to/xs221/07470/iconcorner.jpg

Although the eastern wall or corner is traditional, it doesn’t really matter where you place your icons. One usually places the icons of Christ and Mary higher than those of the saints and angels. Icons of Our Lord are on the right, and Our Lady on the left. A crucifix might be between them.

Try to avoid buying a lot of icons, maybe start with a few that are meaningful to you. Have them blessed by your priest.
 
Well, it’s not really in a corner, but I have an area set aside for icons, relics and prayer cards. Some are older 19th century icons while others are newer…I’ll try to take a picture, but I can’t guarentee it’ll be good.

Prayers and petitions,
Alexius:cool:
 
Thanks to all who replied. Where is a good reputable place to purchase icons that are somewhat affordable? I’m only 18, so I’m on a fairly limited budget. 😛

I have some in my room that were just pictures I printed off the internet and framed. I did that when I knew very little about them, but now I’m not so sure if that was a good thing for me to do. Is there anything morally objectable about that? What does it take to have a valid Icon? By this I mean, printing one off the computer and framing it would or would not count as a valid Icon?

Thanks to any and all replies. I apologize for my ignorance. I’m still learning though. 👍

Pace e Bene
Andrew
 
Most would say paper icons are fine, as long as you have them blessed. Some would argue you should have your icons actually written by monastics, instead of buying prints.
 
Harpazo said:
Thanks to all who replied. Where is a good reputable place to purchase icons that are somewhat affordable? I’m only 18, so I’m on a fairly limited budget. 😛
Click to expand...
agapeicons.com/

This is a wonderful place to buy icons that are made the traditional way (hand written with authentic materials). There are a large number of icons listed on the site for around $89, which is very reasonable, considering the quality of what you’re getting. The store belongs to PaniRose who posts often on this site.
 
Rolltide said:
agapeicons.com/

This is a wonderful place to buy icons that are made the traditional way (hand written with authentic materials). There are a large number of icons listed on the site for around $89, which is very reasonable, considering the quality of what you’re getting. The store belongs to PaniRose who posts often on this site.
Click to expand...
Very beautiful icons from what I’ve seen on the site you gave. I will certainly put one on my Christmas list. 👍 I especially love the St. Elias one.

Again, thanks to those who replied.

Pace e Bene
Andrew
 
I don’t exactly have a corner, as I have them hanging on various walls through out my house. I have a pretty nice collection of Retablos, (Hand painted images of Saints on wood, done in traditional Colonial Northern New Mexico style.) To me, they’re art, cultural and religious. Every summer there is a huge market where the artists sell their works. I try to collect a new piece every year, but sometimes, nothing calls out to me or when I do see something I like, I can’t afford it. 😦
 
Harpazo said:
Thanks to all who replied. Where is a good reputable place to purchase icons that are somewhat affordable? I’m only 18, so I’m on a fairly limited budget. 😛

I have some in my room that were just pictures I printed off the internet and framed. I did that when I knew very little about them, but now I’m not so sure if that was a good thing for me to do. Is there anything morally objectable about that? What does it take to have a valid Icon? By this I mean, printing one off the computer and framing it would or would not count as a valid Icon?

Thanks to any and all replies. I apologize for my ignorance. I’m still learning though. 👍

Pace e Bene
Andrew
Click to expand...
Well, I did the same thing you did–printing them off the internet–when I learned about icons. I taped a ton of them up in my locker at school back in 11th grade (mind you it was an evangelical school). Now I have several true icons. The older ones tend to be pricey, but are the best (IMHO). There is a canon of laws governing the writing of icons including previous fasting and prayers by the writer. They are not pieces of art, but rather windows to heaven…No, a computer copied one would not be a valid icon, but I won’t criticize you since I did the same thing and many others have aswell. I have purchased true antique Russian icons for as little as $45, but they are pocket sized and I have them shipped over from Estonia and Russia (I tend to give them out). Perhaps if there is an Eastern Catholic or Orthodox parish near you, you could find out if they have anyone who writes icons. Also search the web. There are hundreds of monastic giftshops and iconography websites (just make sure it is iconography and not another type of “ography” 😉 They also use the same terms to bait you in :mad:)…

I can also tell you how to set up a home altar if you’d like…

Prayers and petitions,
Alexius:cool:
 
A computer generated print of an icon is indeed an icon, albeit not the form in which one ordinarily thinks of an icon. Prior to the archiving of the old EC threads there was a detailed thread on icons that discussed the myriad forms that icons take.

If I kept a copy of the text, I’ll try and post it.

Many years,

Neil
 
Harpazo said:
Thanks to all who replied. Where is a good reputable place to purchase icons that are somewhat affordable? I’m only 18, so I’m on a fairly limited budget
Click to expand...
You may want to try ebay.com

Type in Russian icon and you will get an entire selection from prints mounted on wood to hand-painted ones to those with siver & gold over-lays.

The prints are from the workshops of SOFRINO in Moscow and can be very beautiful.

There are also a number of late 19th and early 20th century icons with metal over-lays that are very reasonable.

You may also want to try www.iconbook.org they also carry a wide variety of icons that are mounted on wood.

Keep in mind, you do not choose an icon, an icon chooses you!
 
rosebudsal said:
I don’t exactly have a corner, as I have them hanging on various walls through out my house. I have a pretty nice collection of Retablos, (Hand painted images of Saints on wood, done in traditional Colonial Northern New Mexico style.) To me, they’re art, cultural and religious. Every summer there is a huge market where the artists sell their works. I try to collect a new piece every year, but sometimes, nothing calls out to me or when I do see something I like, I can’t afford it. 😦
Click to expand...
I live in New Mexico and have been wanting to start collecting Retablos myself. Where exactly is this huge market where the artists sell their work? Thanks in advance
 
A good place to get affordable icons which are traditional is at St Isaace of Syria Skete.
 
Harpazo said:
Pace e Bene
Andrew
Click to expand...
I have a place set-up in my room with a Crucifix and other Religious items, and all-over the house you bump into a religious picture.

I do keep Blessed Candles in the house and light them at prayer time.

And a Holy Water Font at the front door, it has rubbed off on my daughter since she has a Font and other religious items in her house.

So example does work.🙂
 
East_and_West said:
I live in New Mexico and have been wanting to start collecting Retablos myself. Where exactly is this huge market where the artists sell their work? Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Usually mid summer the big market, Spanish Market takes place in Santa Fe on the Plaza. This coming weekend there is a smaller version of that, with more “Christmas” themed works. It will be at the Parish hall Santa Maria De La Paz Catholic Church because the convention center is torn up and being rebuilt.
 
The Icon Corner: A "How To"

If you are starting from scratch, my personal recommendation is 4 icons and a cross. The Theotokos on your left, Jesus on your right, your guardian angel and patron saint one on each side, and the cross in the middle.
 
I wanted to revive this thread because I thought it would be a good idea. I have somewhat of an icon corner. See here.

This is what I have planned out. Link

I plan to paint most of them myself, many of which will be of the new Maronite “type.” The ones in my corner as of late were painted by me, with the exception of the San Damiano Crucifix. That one was purchased.

What do you think of my planned corner? It’s going to be somewhat expensive and will probably take a good amount of time, but in the end, it will be worth it. The little “home altar” will have a family Bible on it, a small censer, holy water and some votive candles.

Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions?

Alaha minokhoun
Andrew
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top