Who has an icon corner in their house?

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I bought a San Damiano Crucifix from my parish gift shop for $20. If you look on eBay you can probably find a good deal. Don’t you just love the San Damiano Crucifix?👍

Alaha minokhoun
Andrew
Thanks for the advice. I’ll check out ebay…

I do like the San Damiano crucifix. 😃
 
I have two fledgling icon corners. According to tradition, they should be on an east-facing wall, and we were blessed in that our house faces east. So I placed two bookshelves side by side on the east-facing wall in our living room; above that my husband put up a small wooden shelf with sides that used to hold cookbooks in the kitchen. Upon this stands a small votive candle holder and our holy water. On the wall above the candle we have our family icon–the Holy Family. Eventually I plan to get an icon of the Sinai Christ, and a Theotokos, and some of our patron saints.

In the kitchen, there is a small shelf above the stove, and I hung a small icon of Saint Euphrosynos the Cook and he has a candle beneath him. This wall is also east-facing. I like to have this icon there, as it reminds me that all tasks, if done with humility and love of God, are prayer.
 
The icon corners are all beautiful.
Miserrisima, thanks for the picture *the flowers are really nice) and explanation.
Thanks.

Triana
 
Most people of Eastern European descent have a cloth (textile was/is very important in their culture, especially if you do a search on Ukrainian textiles). Anyway, they’re usually called a Rushnyk (towel) and are important in many ceremonies, not just to decorate icons. Incidentally, my Babka (Russian grandmother) would drape her icons in purple during Lent. I never asked why, it was just the “thing to do,” I guess.

Here is my shrine, at the highest point in my house. I save the incense for my outside shrine to Our Lady of LaVang.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c46/miserissima/ukie1.jpg

The pussywillow and forsythia are signs of spring. In fact, in many Eastern European countries like Poland, more pussywillow was passed out than palms on Palm Sunday, due to availability.

You can consider my shrine the kind you’d find in a pious peasant’s home, not very noble or noteworthy.
I love your icon corner! It gives off such an air of completeness! :yup:
 
My icon corner/wall:

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As you can see, it needs some work. It needs colour. I should also take the random pamphlets and bottle of oil off eventually. 😛
 
I have several Icons and other Greek Orthodox Items, along with my (Latin-Rite) Catholic stuff.
I might Gather them and Put them on my Desk.
I have a Two Icons on my wall. Both of Madonna and Child. (Actually, I believe it would be Theotokos and Child :p)
One is an actual Icon, and the other is a small Cloth Tapestry, with a Nazar. (Greek/Turkish “Evil Eye”).
I got a Mini Icon today, It’s a Triptych, with The Centre being Mary and Baby Jesus, Left Flap is St. Michael the Archangel, and the Right Flap is Saint Gabriel the Archangel.
I also got a Small Ceramic Bead thing.
I’m not sure what it is, but It’s shaped like a Clove of Garlic, on one side it has Mary and Baby Jesus, the Other has a Cross, it’s attached to a Chain, and has straw attached to the bottom.
I’ll take Pictures.
 
“Garlic” and Closed Icon:
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Open Icon:
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(The Coin is a US Nickel)
 
I don’t have a picture to share, but my revamped study has three longer shelves and my icons simply lean against the wall on these.

I got the idea from the Old Believers who always placed their icons in corners on shelves - that way when the Russian Tsarist police were coming to arrest them (as their practices, such as the two-fingered Sign of the Cross, were banned by the State), they could just scoop up their icons and flee . . .

Haven’t had occasion to do this with mine just yet, although I am getting some opposition from my wife . . .😉

The nice thing about an icon corner that is “flexible” is that one could always add an icon here and there. I’ve inherited icons from deceased relatives and these are very important to me. Also, icons of new saints and icons received as presents for “rites de passage.”

I wonder if our Latin Catholic friends like to set up shrines of their own in their homes (I’ve seen some of these myself). If so, how do you organize such shrines and where do you have them - in a separate prayer room (my aunt was RC, and this is what she did)?

Please share!

Alex
 
That’s interesting, I didn’t knew that the Old believers did that. 🙂

However, alot of time has passed since the persecution and today most of the “popovsty” Old believers returned to Full communion with the Moscow patriarchate. 😃

For you Romans; Pop means a married priest in Slavonic slang.

The Old believers had 2 fractions, the Popovtsy and the bez popovsty.

Popovsty: translated as “the ones with the priests”
Bez popovsty: translated as “the ones without priests”

The Popovsty are to be compared to the FSSPX.
The Bez popovsty are to be compared to sedevacantists.

The divisions grew out of disputes whether the post Nikon ordination Rites are valid.
 
That’s interesting, I didn’t knew that the Old believers did that. 🙂

However, alot of time has passed since the persecution and today most of the “popovsty” Old believers returned to Full communion with the Moscow patriarchate. 😃

For you Romans; Pop means a married priest in Slavonic slang.

The Old believers had 2 fractions, the Popovtsy and the bez popovsty.

Popovsty: translated as “the ones with the priests”
Bez popovsty: translated as “the ones without priests”

The Popovsty are to be compared to the FSSPX.
The Bez popovsty are to be compared to sedevacantists.

The divisions grew out of disputes whether the post Nikon ordination Rites are valid.
You are Polish Orthodox? How wonderful!!

Your Church has glorified the Martyrs of Kholm (Khelm) and Podlasie, no?

I have icons of the Old Believer Saints Protopop Avvakum, St Ambrosij of Belakrinitsa, Sts Constantine and Arcadius and two other Belakrinitsa Saints. I have them there to remind me that there are people who are more adamant about their Sign of the Cross than I am about mine! 🙂

Alex
 
No, haven’t ordered any new yet; been saying prayers instead.
Yes, I fall into that trap of seeing the icon corner as a “collection” to which I feel the need to add and then rearrange the set . . .

You have chosen the “better part!”

Alex
 
You are Polish Orthodox? How wonderful!!

Your Church has glorified the Martyrs of Kholm (Khelm) and Podlasie, no?

I have icons of the Old Believer Saints Protopop Avvakum, St Ambrosij of Belakrinitsa, Sts Constantine and Arcadius and two other Belakrinitsa Saints. I have them there to remind me that there are people who are more adamant about their Sign of the Cross than I am about mine! 🙂

Alex
Yes I am, people usually give me stares and are like “oh, you guys exist, too?” And I’m like “Yeah, St. Cyrill and Method were there too, you know” Hahah, always fun 😃

Yes they did glorify them 👍

Oh yes, the Old believers sure are fanatics … That’s why I love 'em 😃
 
I have an icon corner; but you can find the picture under the “Home altar” forum.
I have an icon of Sts. Joseph and Anthony, Jesus and the Theotokos, along with an IHS crucifix in the center. I’m officially a Latin rite catholic, but I lean towards Eastern Catholicism.
 
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I don’t have a picture to share, but my revamped study has three longer shelves and my icons simply lean against the wall on these.

I got the idea from the Old Believers who always placed their icons in corners on shelves - that way when the Russian Tsarist police were coming to arrest them (as their practices, such as the two-fingered Sign of the Cross, were banned by the State), they could just scoop up their icons and flee . . .

Haven’t had occasion to do this with mine just yet, although I am getting some opposition from my wife . . .😉

The nice thing about an icon corner that is “flexible” is that one could always add an icon here and there. I’ve inherited icons from deceased relatives and these are very important to me. Also, icons of new saints and icons received as presents for “rites de passage.”

I wonder if our Latin Catholic friends like to set up shrines of their own in their homes (I’ve seen some of these myself). If so, how do you organize such shrines and where do you have them - in a separate prayer room (my aunt was RC, and this is what she did)?

Please share!

Alex
Growing up Roman Catholic, especially in the Philippines, shrines inside homes is the norm. Especially from my parents’ generation. There would be one in the living room, a small one in every bedroom, and in other places. Usually its a statue of the Sto. Nino (child Jesus) which was essential in the Christianizing of the Philippines. The Redemptorists also brought the Byzantine icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help which is the most revered icon in the Philippines (and most people probably has no clue that its actually Byzantine in origin). My mom is a devotee of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help and would to the best of her abilities go to the National Shrine every Wednesday. My dad grew up in a town in suburban Manila (Tondo) which is one of the three main churches in the country dedicated to the Sto. Nino.

I think its safe to say that my parents’ house has more statues that most modern day Roman Catholic parish here in North America.

I haven’t started on my Icon corner yet. We have our statues around the house. Atop the fireplace at my living room is a crucifix and Sto. Nino. On the fireplace at my family room is the Holy Family. In my bedroom atop one of the drawers is a crucifix, a statue of the Virgin Mary, and an icon of the Theotokos given to me by Bishop Ken.
 
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