Outdoor icon shrines

All4Christ · Sep 15, 2021

We are planning to put together a devotional area in our woods with some outdoor icon shrines / stands.

Have any of you done this (outside icon shrine /stand)? If so, what was your method to protect the icon?

I’m looking for something durable, reasonably priced or able to be built with basic woodworking tools, etc.

Any ideas or photos would be great!

This is one idea I have:

ArmyMatt · Sep 15, 2021

only idea I have is put St Seraphim if you have a big rock.

but seriously, talk to a monastery since they usually have those.

buzuxi02 · Sep 15, 2021

Roadside shrines (not always found by the roadside but in remote areas) are popular in many countries. You usually mount a shadowbox and place the icon Inside. They can get elaborate but any kind of durable box where you can place a plexiglass door or see through window or even a cabinet someones about to throw out.

.

TheWhat? · Sep 15, 2021

I took this photo of one a couple of years ago at a monsastic retreat.

This was a newer icon so I suspect it is made out of modern, more durable materials, but, if it is not considered offensive to do so, I would think a good lacquer or even epoxy resin coat might do the job. As you can see they have a snow problem which is taken care of by the larger protective covering.

TheWhat? · Sep 15, 2021

IIRC, there were a few older ones there that did have a plexiglass covering also.

Paidiske · Sep 15, 2021

Laura, you might also find it helpful to look at the methods people use to protect books in Little Free Libraries; a very similar concept in that one wants to be able to see the object but also protect a relatively fragile item from the weather.

peregrinus2017 · Sep 15, 2021

I have purchased laminated icon prints and mounted them onto wood. If they use a high quality laminating film, the low gloss finish is quite pleasant, and I expect they would hold up well under those conditions.

SamanthaAnastasia · Sep 16, 2021

Some of these are Roman Catholic.
Marian Shrine Reclaimed Wood | Etsy

Icon Shrine

Prairie Icon Houses by PrairieIconHouses

Also, you can place the icon in a shadow box like this to protect it from the elements:

https://www.amazon.com/Love-KANKEI-Display-Removable-Memorabilia-Weathered/dp/B08HJXJMS3/ref=mp_s_a_1_15?dchild=1&keywords=extra+deep+shadow+box&pd_rd_r=82228a1b-04e9-462f-b648-07587e636826&pd_rd_w=lMXZm&pd_rd_wg=BHfm7&pf_rd_p=ce028c81-ed8c-425a-8404-93bf425aa8ce&pf_rd_r=6718A2KA47SCN94ASBZT&qid=1631775893&sr=8-15&th=1&psc=1

https://www.reddit.com/r/OrthodoxCh...im_putting_together_a_small_icon_shrine_just/

Also, here you can see you can put a backboard with two pieces of wood as a roof on top. Easy. Just nails and wood.
I hope this helps
:bigeye:

God bless

prodromos · Sep 16, 2021

peregrinus2017 said:
I have purchased laminated icon prints and mounted them onto wood. If they use a high quality laminating film, the low gloss finish is quite pleasant, and I expect they would hold up well under those conditions.

They are not necessarily UV stabilised and may deteriorate over time with exposure to the sun.

All4Christ · Sep 16, 2021

Thank you all!

I am excited to go through this all and plan out what we will do. (The project manager in me likes to have plans before starting lol).

Your comment about the stone, Fr Matt, made me think of our bee hives. We may put an icon of one of the patron saints of bee keeping near the hives! I think there are three different ones, so we’d need to pick one.

ArmyMatt · Sep 16, 2021

All4Christ said:
Your comment about the stone, Fr Matt, made me think of our bee hives. We may put an icon of one of the patron saints of bee keeping near the hives! I think there are three different ones, so we’d need to pick one.

nice, haha. you could do all three. have a synaxis of holy beekeepers

All4Christ · Sep 16, 2021

ArmyMatt said:
nice, haha. you could do all three. have a synaxis of holy beekeepers

Great idea!!

prodromos · Sep 16, 2021

All4Christ said:
Thank you all!

I am excited to go through this all and plan out what we will do. (The project manager in me likes to have plans before starting lol).

Your comment about the stone, Fr Matt, made me think of our bee hives. We may put an icon of one of the patron saints of bee keeping near the hives! I think there are three different ones, so we’d need to pick one.

Remember that beekeeper in Greece, who put icons inside his bee hives, and how the bees had respect for the images of the Saints and the Holy Cross?

ArmyMatt · Sep 16, 2021

All4Christ said:
Great idea!!

no problem!

prodromos · Sep 16, 2021

The Respect Bees Have For Holy Icons | ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW

E.C. · Sep 17, 2021

My folks have a carved icon of the Rublev Trinity which they bought from a Roman Catholic bookstore at least fifteen years ago. It isn't painted, but it has been beside the front door for almost twenty years now and is still in pretty decent shape.

All4Christ · Sep 17, 2021

prodromos said:
The Respect Bees Have For Holy Icons | ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW

Wow! Very cool!

ArmyMatt · Sep 17, 2021

prodromos said:
The Respect Bees Have For Holy Icons | ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW

orthodoxphotos had similar miracles I think.

praise God!

Outdoor icon shrines

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