What to do with the old icons?

Recently my wife bought housing in the suburban village. Relatives of the former owners refused to take things out of the house. The trash we burned, but what to do with the old icons? I am convinced that the icons need to save, leave the house and pray before them. To throw a way is a grave sin. The icon for Orthodox Christians; it is most Holy. In this case, the word sanctuary means a consecrated thing, separated from ordinary, intended for prayerful communion with the Lord and the saints. Unfortunately, many despise the icons. Saw that the icons, especially the older ones, moved into the back room, as if embarrassed, put on the closet where they are gathering dust. What old icons, possibly in a simple finish, does not diminish their value as relics.

Miraculous icons

Many well-known wonder-working icons, for example, Kazan and Pochaev, first there were the usual images. Thus, the famous icon of the virgin Mary Finding of the victims , which is located in the monastery on Belevskii farms of Rivne region, first so darkened that I can't distinguish whose is the image. Later, the icon miraculously renewed, and through it the Lord has performed many miracles.

Old icons

Sometimes, not knowing what to do with old icons, people carry them to the temple with the desire to give or rather to give in good hands . Usually this is a parent wedding images of the Saviour and the virgin. This should not be done. The Abbot plans to place the icons in the Church, their number, content, harmony. So before you give way in the Church, be sure to ask the priest the prayer of the resolution, that is a blessing. Only when the icon had fallen into a state of unfitness, that is seriously distorted image of the Lord, Mary or the saints, and it cannot be restored, then allowed its destruction. This ​​the icon be burned and the ashes thrown in the river, in flowing water. And then can new.

icons

Typical mistakes on the placement of icons in the apartment is the location of them in the cupboard between the dishes or on the bookshelf, next to the posters of the idols: musicians, athletes, politicians. It is wrong to place the images next to pictures of loved ones. If then the sacred things protect of our family. We demean the icons, and their own image to elevate the level of the shrines. For images you need a separate place - a shelf or the wall.

the Prayer corner should be in a convenient and accessible location. There is a custom to place the icons to the East. This is desirable, but not required. In the home of the iconostasis should be at least the images of Christ and the virgin. The icon of the Savior should be to the right of the prayer book, the virgin Mary on the left. Below placed the images of the saints whose names are members of the family, or of revered saints. To cap the iconostasis can the Holy Cross, under which it is appropriate to place the icon of the Holy Trinity. In the kitchen for prayer before and after meals it's fair to have the icon of the last Supper.