Is it possible to hang icons above the bed?
When placing Orthodox icons, many probably wonder: where should they be hung correctly? Does the church have any clear rules regarding this issue? Wouldn't it be disrespectful to hang them in the kitchen, by the front door? Can it be placed on shelves?
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Where to hang icons: can they be placed in the bedroom
There are a number of recommendations on where it is better to hang an icon. They will be given to you by any clergyman or ordinary parishioner who periodically visits the temple. So, let’s imagine: we have crossed the threshold of our home. Where, in theory, can a good Christian see icons? For example:
- Initially at the entrance. It is important that the icon is within reach. That is, not very high. Since the image is supposed to be kept clean. Above the door or opposite - it doesn’t matter.
- An icon is also appropriate in the kitchen. After all, believers pray before eating, and when saying a prayer, we automatically look with our eyes for the face to which we are addressing.
- It is also quite appropriate in the bedroom. People say prayers before going to bed. And they are baptized at their icons.
IMPORTANT! The red corner in city apartments and the private sector should look east. But in reality, you need to focus on convenience. The layout of today's apartments differs from the internal structure of village huts in past centuries. If there is a hot heating pipe on the eastern side, then the safety of an ancient valuable rarity is at risk.How can this be allowed?
Are there any prohibitions?
The Orthodox faith is very democratic. There are no strict canons in terms of everyday aspects. The world around us is constantly changing. We do not plunge into an atmosphere of religious fanaticism when entering a church. On the contrary, we always find understanding and receive an explanation of those phenomena that lead us to a dead end due to lack of knowledge in the sphere of divine teaching.
When praying, stand facing east. Therefore, it is recommended to make a red corner on the eastern side. But this is possible! There is no specific rule. Just as there are no clear restrictions on where you can make your own personal iconostasis.
Places not suitable for icons
The only thing any priest will say about creating a home church is:
- icons on bookshelves with secular literature look inappropriate;
- on tables with cosmetics;
- next to photographs of household members - this seems to equate yourself with saints;
- it looks very tacky if they are surrounded by paintings and posters;
- You cannot leave images of saints next to dirt, sewage, or in unsanitary conditions - this is a sign of disrespect.
IMPORTANT! In any room there should be free access to the icons so that everyone who wants can pray at the same time. Therefore, the space opposite or near them should be free.
Icon over the bed: good or bad
This question does not imply placing them above any sleeping place. For example, you can often see a cross on the wall above a crib. Or the baby's patron saint.
To put it bluntly, the point is this: isn’t it a sin to place God’s face above the bed? After all, it shows a husband and wife making love.Perhaps you should curtain the image at night? The clergy explain this aspect very simply: there is no point in covering the image. After all, God sees everything. According to church canons, intimate intimacy between spouses is not a sin. No wonder it is said: “Be fruitful and multiply!”
The Lord blesses all large families. It is happiness if a wife and husband love each other. Spiritual teaching strives to lead us to this. For those who carry God in their souls, peace, mutual understanding, and respect reign in their families. In one word: love. So there is nothing shameful in the image of the Lord above the bed.
What icons to hang in the bedroom
In the bedroom, as in any room, you can hang an image of any saint or several, or make an iconostasis. Everyone chooses for themselves whose face they want to see before going to bed and to whom to say the last words of the passing day. Most often you can see the face of the Mother of God. He is the strongest amulet.
It’s probably best when your sleep is guarded by a righteous man with the same name that you received at baptism.
