Icon corner

An icon corner in an American home

An icon corner is the family's place of worship, also called the home altar. The concept of the church of the home is an ancient Orthodox tradition, beginning in the first century. At this time there were no separate churches, so Christians would gather in private homes to worship.

Icon corners are typically located in the north- or south-east corner of a room, or on an east-facing wall of the house, since East is the traditional direction for Orthodox prayer.

Contents

• Icon of Christ
• Icon of the Theotokos
• Icon of the family's patron saint
• Optional: Other icons such as those of saints of family members and significant church events
• A cross
• A prayer book
• The Bible
• Seasonal items:
  • First piece cut from the Vasilopita at the feast of St. Basil
  • Holy water from the Theophany church sevice
  • Palms or pussy willows from the Palm Sunday service
  • Holy oil from the Holy Unction service on Holy Wednesday
  • Flowers from special services: Good Friday, etc.
  • Paschal egg
• Seal for communion bread
• Censer with incense and charcoal pellets
• Light or candle (vigil lamp)
• Optional: Marriage crowns

The perishable items should be eaten, distributed to the birds, or burnt if it is necessary to dispose of them.

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Articles about icon corners

• The Icon Corner - by Subdeacon James Davis
• Marriage and the Christian Home: The Icon Corner - by Fr. Michael B. Henning
• Bringing it all back home - by Nancy Forest
• The Icon Corner: A "How To" - A Ukrainian Orthodox perspective by Dr. Alexander Roman
• The Icon Corner - A Byzantine Catholic source

Personal accounts

• [http://www.angelfire.com/pa3/OldWorldBasic/THE_ICON_CORNER.htm The Icon Corner - КР�?С�?ЫЙ УГОЛ]
• Todd Michael's Icon Corner - See also the living room and Raphael's Room
• Fr. Joseph's Icon Corner

Other photos

• Icon corner in a Russian peasant house

See also

• Domestic church
• Icons and Home Items
• Vigil lamp
• Icon Corners - Images of people's icon corners on OrthodoxWiki