Icon Corners

[Giantsbran1227]

Hey guys. I'm working on building my own icon corner at the moment and I had a few questions.

First when praying in front of the icons, should we look at them as we pray?
Also, do you guys stand or kneel when before them?
Is their any certain icons that one should get or any restrictions?
How many icons do you all have?
Do you use incense?

Also if you guys have any pics of your set up at home I would love to see.

God Bless.

 

[Kristos]

This much discussion will suffice, then, of kneeling and of seeing that: in the name of Jesus every
knee shall bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth. To the same effect, it is written by the
prophet: To me every knee shall bow. In regard to place, it should be known that every place is
rendered fit for prayer by one who prays rightly, for in every place sacrifice is offered to me . . .​

says the Lord, and I desire therefore that men pray in every place.

Origen, On Prayer.

 

[Giantsbran1227]

So you believe in kneeling before them?
I have heard alot of various answers for this....

 

[Kristos]

if we kneel at church are we kneel before the priest? Not really - we are kneeling before God. Same with Icon - the best place to pray is with others, including the triumphant, Icons are visual aids to this end. In heaven they are kneeling too, so we kneel together before God.

Yet there is a certain helpful charm in a place of prayer being the spot in which believers meet
together. Also it may well be that the assemblies of believers also are attended by angelic powers,
by the powers of our Lord and Savior himself, and indeed by the spirits of saints, including those​

already fallen asleep, certainly of those still in life, though just how is not easy to say. Ibid

 

[Picklenickels]

Hey guys. I'm working on building my own icon corner at the moment and I had a few questions.

First when praying in front of the icons, should we look at them as we pray?
Also, do you guys stand or kneel when before them?
Is their any certain icons that one should get or any restrictions?
How many icons do you all have?
Do you use incense?

Also if you guys have any pics of your set up at home I would love to see.

God Bless.

Well, the proper position of Prayer in the Orthodox Church is to STAND if physically able. There are times of the year where you may prostrate yourself, such as Great Lent, but standing is the norm. I burn candles & incense in my prayer corner. Number of Icons? As many as you have wall space for, or can afford!

 

[Picklenickels]

if we kneel at church are we kneel before the priest? Not really - we are kneeling before God. Same with Icon - the best place to pray is with others, including the triumphant, Icons are visual aids to this end. In heaven they are kneeling too, so we kneel together before God.

Yet there is a certain helpful charm in a place of prayer being the spot in which believers meet
together. Also it may well be that the assemblies of believers also are attended by angelic powers,
by the powers of our Lord and Savior himself, and indeed by the spirits of saints, including those​

already fallen asleep, certainly of those still in life, though just how is not easy to say. Ibid

Kneeling comes from Western Influence. It isn't the norm. (At least in Russian Churches)

 

[Andrew21091]

First when praying in front of the icons, should we look at them as we pray?

Yes, they are there to bring your mind toward God.

Also, do you guys stand or kneel when before them?

I don't kneel usually but it is always good to do prostrations during prayer.

Is their any certain icons that one should get or any restrictions?

Christ, Theotokos, the Cross, and Patron Saint are the main ones that you should worry about. You can also have other Saints and feasts.

How many icons do you all have?

Quite a few but that does not mean that you have to have as many. Remember, St. Seraphim prayed before only one icon.

Do you use incense?

Yes.

Also if you guys have any pics of your set up at home I would love to see.

God Bless.

Click:
http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture019kl9.jpg
http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture020ez4.jpg

 

[Kristos]

Kneeling comes from Western Influence. It isn't the norm. (At least in Russian Churches)

your saying that Origen had western influences?

He's not asking about rubrics during a service - he's asking about prayer at home.

 

[E.C.]

Hey guys. I'm working on building my own icon corner at the moment and I had a few questions.

First when praying in front of the icons, should we look at them as we pray?
Also, do you guys stand or kneel when before them?
Is their any certain icons that one should get or any restrictions?
How many icons do you all have?
Do you use incense?

Also if you guys have any pics of your set up at home I would love to see.

God Bless.

The answers to your questions are...

-Yes.
-I stand.
-I believe no heretics are to be depicted. Depicting God the Father in iconography I believe is heretical.
-In my corner about five. In the family corner about ten.
-My dad lights up the incense every now and then.

 

[Julina]

there's mine! i just used the little bulletin board in my dorm room.
the cross and the prayer beads were made by yours truly

First when praying in front of the icons, should we look at them as we pray?

ideally, yes. i've thought about writing some prayers on a card to put in front of the icons so i'm not looking down at my book all the time.

Also, do you guys stand or kneel when before them?

i actually have no room to kneel so i stand. my wall doesn't face east though, so i feel kind of bad.

Is their any certain icons that one should get or any restrictions?

you can just start with an icon of Christ and another of the Theotokos, and build it up from there. most people also have one of their patron saint.

How many icons do you all have?

the ones in my picture above are pretty much it. someone gave me an icon of Saint Juliana (new patron saint, perhaps?), but i don't know which St. Juliana she is!

Do you use incense?

no, because i can't burn anything since i'm in a dorm. i've toyed with the idea of using potpourri or something, but i figured i can just wait until i get home to use real incense!

 

[Giantsbran1227]

Thanks for all the responses guys. By the way Andrew that set up you have is BEAUTIFUL!

 

[Michael G]

there's mine! i just used the little bulletin board in my dorm room.
the cross and the prayer beads were made by yours truly

ideally, yes. i've thought about writing some prayers on a card to put in front of the icons so i'm not looking down at my book all the time.

i actually have no room to kneel so i stand. my wall doesn't face east though, so i feel kind of bad.

you can just start with an icon of Christ and another of the Theotokos, and build it up from there. most people also have one of their patron saint.

the ones in my picture above are pretty much it. someone gave me an icon of Saint Juliana (new patron saint, perhaps?), but i don't know which St. Juliana she is!

no, because i can't burn anything since i'm in a dorm. i've toyed with the idea of using potpourri or something, but i figured i can just wait until i get home to use real incense!

Hey, I recognize some of those icons!

 

[Michael G]

Ok, here it goes, pictures of my icon corner. There are small persian style rugs on the floor in the room, but those are not in the pictures. This room is only temporary. Once I move into the other house and turn this house into my studio my icon corner room will move from the spare bedroom it is in to the room that is now my Steelers room on the first floor. That room is right off the area which will be my main painting studio.

 

[Michael G]

 

[Michael G]

 

[Protoevangel]

The most awesome Icon wall(s) I've ever seen!

 

[Michael G]

The most awesome Icon wall(s) I've ever seen!

Thank you. It was a spare bedroom. The new icon corner will be right off my icon studio. Having an icon room makes me feel alot less guilty about my Steelers room. Steelers room v 2.0 is so over the top that it got me labeled as a fan-atic by Jenn the Finn.

 

[Giantsbran1227]

I see alot of people with the hanging lamps in front of Jesus icons. Dosent this block the view of the icon? Also how often do you guys keep the flame lit? Wouldent it be a fire hazard....

 

[Picklenickels]

your saying that Origen had western influences?

He's not asking about rubrics during a service - he's asking about prayer at home.

I am repeating only what I have been taught by my Priest.
As for Origen, as I recall, wasn't he excommunicated? (at some point?)

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

I see alot of people with the hanging lamps in front of Jesus icons. Dosent this block the view of the icon? Also how often do you guys keep the flame lit? Wouldent it be a fire hazard....

The burning lamps are symbolic of the Holy Spirit within us, or as in the case of Christ are part of. (I have a feeling I'm expressing this really really badly. Where is Rusmeister or Xry when you need them? )

In Church, they always keep them lit. I personally don't use oil lamps at home because I live in an apartment complex and don't feel safe about it. I burn incense and candles when I pray, but blow them out if I am leaving the apartment. (God is a god of mercy and grace, and understands that we don't want to burn down our homes!)

Here is my icon corner: