home 'altars'

[MoNiCa4316]

I think there was a thread about this very long ago...but I can't seem to find it lol. I've been working on what I call my 'prayer corner' and what some people call a 'home altar' (even though it's not technically an altar; ie: you don't use it for Mass, lol, but for prayer)

and I was thinking maybe some (or many) of you have something similar at home? Just a place where you pray? if so..what do you have there..? where do you get stuff? I was thinking we could share ideas is there any particular way to do it? I like having a place to pray cause I just find it practical, and I like having some images/statues cause they're good visual reminders. I want to get a Divine Mercy image and frame it and put flowers around it

I just have a little table in my room...there is a picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a crucifix, a little statue of Mary, my Rosary and Bible, some flowers... sometimes I light a candle too. (I want to get a votive candle ) then on the bottom shelf I keep my Catholic books and prayer cards etc. Recently I also got a couple of icons at my family's Orthodox church bookstore..one of Blessed Virgin Mary and one of a Guardian Angel. I keep the icons on another little table with a fancy candleholder from a monastery. oh and I also have a picture of Our Lady of Lourdes with a prayer, which has helped me soo much
I tried to arrange everything so that it looks nice and not too cluttered. (I don't like things cluttered lol)

haha my room is looking more and more Catholic!

I want to get some holy water..but I'm not sure how? My church has a holy water font (it's big) so can I just take some water from there? Do I have to ask? I'm a little lost on this lol. I'd like to have some holy water though..what do I put it in?

I only have one sacramental so far (I need to get some things blessed..) and it's my crucifix.

(btw, I understand the whole idea of not focusing too much on stuff so I don't want to give the impression that it matters more than it does. But it's nice to have a place to pray and there are some really good pictures/cruficixes/icons/statues etc that inspire devotion to God and Our Lady. )

 

[BAFRIEND]

We have a home altar, too.

A small table, a Bible, a wooden box with a lid that contains rosaries and other items, a green and white cross from Mexico hangs above it.

Sometimes I place a lit candle next to the Bible and box and sit and pray.

 

[Sianelle]

My own prayer corner tends to become overly crowded and a little untidy if I don't restrain myself from adding things to it. Prayers and prayer reminders get Blue-tacked to the wall, and prayerbooks, medals and candles seem to breed profusely. There are some definite fixed items though that always remain. I have a hi-definition colour photocopy of the title page from a Celtic 'Gospel of John' on the wall (Lindisfarne gospels) because I absolutely love the beginning words of St. John's Gospel.

My other treasures are a statuette of 'Our Lady of Mt. Camel' and smaller statuette of St. Rita my patron saint.
I want to make my own Crucifix group with Our Lady and St. John at the foot of the Cross for my prayer corner. They can be found for sale, but most are quite old and sell for collectors' prices $$$$$$; - besides I'd much rather make my own because St. John's account of the Crucifixion is of special significance to my order and it would be a perfect way to meditate and reflect upon Our Lords' Passion.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

cool! well if it gets untidy that definitely shows that you use it hehe

btw I think the style that I like is like the second picture on this page:
http://cityofsteeples.blogspot.com/2007/12/o-come-divine-messiah.html
I wish this was my home altar lol cause it looks like a place I could pray.
so nice and traditional love it.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

this is some of my stuff
if I had more money I would have bought one of those big crucifixes (like in that example in my other post)...and a bigger statue. But I could only afford cheap stuff lol (well except for the gold candleholder but that was a gift). However that's alright, I like to pray here

 

[MoNiCa4316]

and this is my rosary

and an icon of a Guardian Angel

 

[Ignatius the Hermit]

I think it looks delightful Monica! I too have a prayer corner/home altar which is located in my bedroom. Essentially it is similar to the one you have, except my icons are mounted on the wall above the 'altar'. The icons are of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Soon, I would like to get two additional icons of my Patron saint and of a guardian angel. On the altar are a few candles, a bible, a journal, a rosary, a few pictures of my family, and a couple of rocks (yes--rocks) from the Holy Land. It has been, to say the least, a blessing.

 

[Rhamiel]

looove the guardian angel icon

 

[MoNiCa4316]

I think it looks delightful Monica!

thanks!

I too have a prayer corner/home altar which is located in my bedroom. Essentially it is similar to the one you have, except my icons are mounted on the wall above the 'altar'. The icons are of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Soon, I would like to get two additional icons of my Patron saint and of a guardian angel.

sounds good! hey who's your Patron Saint?

mine is St Anastasia (from when I was baptized/confirmed as a child) and she's an early Church martyr. But I usually have devotions to St Therese of Lisieux and St Faustina, and of course Blessed Virgin Mary... (I'll just stop here cause when I start talking about Saints I just keep on going on and on..hahaha)

I got the icon of the guardian angel cause I believe in guardian angels, and I'm thankful for mine.. sometimes I think about him (her? umm..I'm not sure if angels have a gender? I don't want to say 'it' )

On the altar are a few candles, a bible, a journal, a rosary, a few pictures of my family, and a couple of rocks (yes--rocks) from the Holy Land. It has been, to say the least, a blessing.

rocks! well I like rocks and if I went to the Holy Land I'd get some too. Actually I'd love to travel there and also to Rome - I'd probably come back with tons of stuff and won't know where to put it in my little room that's already cluttered but nonetheless..

God bless

 

[MoNiCa4316]

looove the guardian angel icon

me too thanks!

 

[MoNiCa4316]

another icon I have
(well this one is a print of an icon..a friend gave it to me.. I like it)

 

[Ignatius the Hermit]

sounds good! hey who's your Patron Saint?

Well there is a long story to that, so I'll give you the short and sweet version. When I was at the tender age of one, I was baptized at St. Paul's English Evangelical Lutheran Church. Of course Lutheran's don't endorse patron saints. In fact my first and middle name was what I was baptized with (Derek Wayne). But through the years, there was always one particular Christian's writings that inspired me the most.

It has been said by some, as well as my Priest that the Saint chooses you. As it turns, I have been baptized now for 40 years (and there is a great spiritual significance to that number in the scriptures), and it turns out to be the year of St. Paul, the very same year that I'm confirmed in the Catholic Church. There are other things which have validated this, but it was especially what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians that has lead me to fully embrace and believe in the Blessed Sacrament.

mine is St Anastasia (from when I was baptized/confirmed as a child) and she's an early Church martyr. But I usually have devotions to St Therese of Lisieux and St Faustina, and of course Blessed Virgin Mary... (I'll just stop here cause when I start talking about Saints I just keep on going on and on..hahaha)

My Parents had shared with me that if I had been born a female, then my name would have been Natasha Anastasia.

I really appreciate how you share about your journey here on CF. Several months ago you were sharing some of the things St. Faustina had written. Well thanks to what you have shared, I began to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet--something which is at times quite humbling, and at others very loving.

 

[Sianelle]

For some reason your Guardian Angel showed up very dark on my monitor, but once I copied the picture into a graphics suite and did some adjustments I could see just how magnificent an icon it is.
Very nice Thanks for sharing.

 

[Rowan]

One wall:

- Crucifix (icon) with a flower from the Exaltation of the Holy Cross,

- Icons of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, St. Mary of Egypt and my guardian angel

- Paper icons of the Resurrection, the Prayer at Gethsemane, St. George, and St. Catherine

Smaller one by my bed: A diptych of Jesus Christ and the Mother of God, Bible, a knotted rosary from a long time ago, and a vanilla candle (it's like aromatherapy sans the New-ageyness) in a votive holder.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

Well there is a long story to that, so I'll give you the short and sweet version. When I was at the tender age of one, I was baptized at St. Paul's English Evangelical Lutheran Church. Of course Lutheran's don't endorse patron saints. In fact my first and middle name was what I was baptized with (Derek Wayne). But through the years, there was always one particular Christian's writings that inspired me the most.

It has been said by some, as well as my Priest that the Saint chooses you. As it turns, I have been baptized now for 40 years (and there is a great spiritual significance to that number in the scriptures), and it turns out to be the year of St. Paul, the very same year that I'm confirmed in the Catholic Church. There are other things which have validated this, but it was especially what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians that has lead me to fully embrace and believe in the Blessed Sacrament.

awesome! I find it really interesting how people say that 'your Saint chooses you'. I found out recently that there is a church in Rome that's named after St Anastasia, and - that's interesting how it's in Rome..and that she's BOTH an Orthodox and a Catholic Saint...and that at that church, they have perpetual Adoration which is of course my favourite thing ever hehe.

I've had some interesting experiences with some Saints who I have devotions to. For example, St Therese. A while ago I wasn't really sure about the intercession of Saints but I really needed someone to pray for me lol. And I found a novena to her, and many people said that after saying this novena, they somehow received roses as a sign of her intercession - before she died, she said that she will send down a 'shower of roses' upon the earth - meaning graces - and that she'll spend her heaven doing good on earth. (so she's a powerful intercessor). For example: http://www.carmeldundee.co.uk/carmel_novena_St_Therese.htm And I was really skeptical lol but I said the novena anyways just because I really needed her to pray for me about something...and guess what, almost every day I received roses in the most interesting miraculous ways it was so cool! And then I REALLY started thinking about the intercession of Saints and later on totally believed in it.

Another Saint that's special to me is St Faustina because I got some awesome graces because of her book. I feel like St Faustina and St Therese are sort of like my sisters/friends, not just people from the past..not just history figures. That's the really cool thing about Saints, they're alive in Christ, in the same Church that we are in

My Parents had shared with me that if I had been born a female, then my name would have been Natasha Anastasia.

wow!

I really appreciate how you share about your journey here on CF. Several months ago you were sharing some of the things St. Faustina had written. Well thanks to what you have shared, I began to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet--something which is at times quite humbling, and at others very loving.

I'm so glad!! I love the Divine Mercy chaplet. When I first began praying it I was still discerning becoming Catholic...this was around last winter...and every time I'd pray it I'd feel such amazing peace. I never felt peace like that in my life. And that's one of the things that helped me take Catholicism more seriously and look into it more.
I'm really glad you're praying the chaplet cause it's a really powerful prayer I've seen a miraculous thing happen as a result of it. God is very pleased when we pray for His mercy, and trust in His mercy too.

For some reason your Guardian Angel showed up very dark on my monitor, but once I copied the picture into a graphics suite and did some adjustments I could see just how magnificent an icon it is.
Very nice Thanks for sharing.

you're welcome! I'm glad you like it.

One wall:

- Crucifix (icon) with a flower from the Exaltation of the Holy Cross,

- Icons of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, St. Mary of Egypt and my guardian angel

- Paper icons of the Resurrection, the Prayer at Gethsemane, St. George, and St. Catherine

Smaller one by my bed: A diptych of Jesus Christ and the Mother of God, Bible, a knotted rosary from a long time ago, and a vanilla candle (it's like aromatherapy sans the New-ageyness) in a votive holder.

very nice!
what's a diptych?

God bless

 

[Ignatius the Hermit]

awesome! I find it really interesting how people say that 'your Saint chooses you'. I found out recently that there is a church in Rome that's named after St Anastasia, and - that's interesting how it's in Rome..and that she's BOTH an Orthodox and a Catholic Saint...and that at that church, they have perpetual Adoration which is of course my favourite thing ever hehe.

I've had some interesting experiences with some Saints who I have devotions to. For example, St Therese. A while ago I wasn't really sure about the intercession of Saints but I really needed someone to pray for me lol. And I found a novena to her, and many people said that after saying this novena, they somehow received roses as a sign of her intercession - before she died, she said that she will send down a 'shower of roses' upon the earth - meaning graces - and that she'll spend her heaven doing good on earth. (so she's a powerful intercessor). For example: http://www.carmeldundee.co.uk/carmel_novena_St_Therese.htm And I was really skeptical lol but I said the novena anyways just because I really needed her to pray for me about something...and guess what, almost every day I received roses in the most interesting miraculous ways it was so cool! And then I REALLY started thinking about the intercession of Saints and later on totally believed in it.

Another Saint that's special to me is St Faustina because I got some awesome graces because of her book. I feel like St Faustina and St Therese are sort of like my sisters/friends, not just people from the past..not just history figures. That's the really cool thing about Saints, they're alive in Christ, in the same Church that we are in

I'm so glad!! I love the Divine Mercy chaplet. When I first began praying it I was still discerning becoming Catholic...this was around last winter...and every time I'd pray it I'd feel such amazing peace. I never felt peace like that in my life. And that's one of the things that helped me take Catholicism more seriously and look into it more.
I'm really glad you're praying the chaplet cause it's a really powerful prayer I've seen a miraculous thing happen as a result of it. God is very pleased when we pray for His mercy, and trust in His mercy too.



Well, once again you have convinced me to step out in faith and try something new. I'll pray the Novena to St. Therese.

By the way, I'm not sure if you'll get a reply on what a diptch is--but it is two icons joined together. I believe they only portray the Lord and His mother. I forgot to mention that I have one of those too.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

haha great! let me know how it goes I should mention though that sometimes people don't get any signs cause God wants them to rely on faith. (I'm sure you know this). Sometimes I got roses from her, and sometimes I didn't, but I believed she was praying for me anyway. Initially I think I needed it cause I was skeptical about Saints. Ask her to pray for you for something you need help on, and if you want to, you can ask for the sign, but remember she'll be praying for you regardless and she's a pretty powerful intercessor IMO. (hmm like all Saints!)

thanks for explaining what a diptych is.. I guess my picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary is something like that? (except that it's not an icon)

God bless!

 

[Mary of Bethany]

very nice!
what's a diptych?

Here's an example:

It's just two icons together. Sometimes hinged, sometimes not.

Mary

 

[Angeldove97]

Oh I just love this thread I grabbed my camera and took a picture of my own.

Mine is on top of my dresser--- where I can see it first thing when I wake up in the morning. I have a statue of St. Francis (one of my favorite Saints) and I have a St. Francis cross around the statue. I have my prayer box, a cross with a verse on it from my future mother-in-law, a sand dollar (Christian symbol--- given to me by one of my Christian online friends), two blessed images (one of Jesus and one of Mary), a cross that was my Great Aunt's (who died of cancer a few years ago).

I also have a special golden cross made from this person in Africa--- he takes bullet shells from the wars going on in his area and molds them into crosses to show others that he still has hope that there can be some peace on this earth. A store called Thousand Villages sells them--- he's able to make a small income from them and I just loved the story-- so it's very special for me.

On the rock, I have a bracelet with all different types of medals on it, my Virgin Mary medal necklace, and my very first Rosary. The rock is a symbol of Jesus in my life. Next to that, I have anointing oil--- I'm going to be getting some Holy Water soon too hopefully.

I keep candles on there as well--- I burn incense too while praying--- but I removed them to take the pictures. I love the idea of having a personal spot in your house to come and look at Jesus and the cross while you pray--- I think it's special and wonderful!!

 

[isabella1]

Wonderful, love that you are posting pics of your prayer corners. I have two of them, one smaller than the other. One is in my living room the other in my hallway by the bedrooms and well heck, it looks like almost one in my bedroom too. Well really wherever you look in my house, you would sure know that I am Catholic. maybe if I get a chance next week I will take a pic and post it too. That is if and when I have time. He He. Thanks for starting this thread again Monica. I do remember the other one, it was quite some time ago.