The icon is not just an image of the face of the saints, it is a shrine for the Orthodox person. Therefore, since time immemorial, the icon was considered a significant and pious gift.
People close and dear to our hearts, I want to make a special gift that will accompany him throughout his life. Of course, no material objects are suitable for this, but the icon is exactly what you need.
The people there are many different superstitions about the donation of icons. It is believed that the donated icon can bring trouble or quarrel to the house. But every Orthodox person knows that superstition is from the evil one, and therefore it is impossible to believe them. What does the church advise those who decide to present the icon as a gift?
The opinion of the church on the giving of icons
The tradition of giving icons has been around for a long time. Even our distant ancestors gave each other icons, believing that such a gift would bring prosperity, health and happiness to the house. The image was placed in the so-called "red corner". Before him prayers were offered with requests, or they thanked the Almighty for his help or mercy. It is believed that the icon presented as a gift becomes a real talisman for the family and the house in which she lives.
Giving an icon is a kind of tool for spreading faith among people, therefore the church has a very positive attitude towards this. However, before giving the icon, you must understand that such a gift will be appropriate only for Orthodox people. If you know that a person is far from the church and superstitious, then your present will most likely be not welcome, and perhaps they will be accepted with hostility.
According to priests, icons should be presented only with pure thoughts.
The choice of icon depends on the occasion and directly the person to whom you want to give the image.
Can I give icons on holidays?
You will take care of a person if you present him with an icon, because this is a great shrine. Many are interested in whether it is possible to give icons on secular holidays or even without much reason. Of course you can, but you must remember that the icon is presented in order to pray before it, asking for help in matters, family problems, etc. Therefore, be very responsible for the choice of image. Let's look at what icons you can give on a particular holiday.
Birthday
On birthday, it is customary to give personalized icons with the face of the Holy Patron. It is worth noting here that people named by names that are not in Orthodoxy receive a different name at baptism. So, for example, Lilya, at baptism she can get the name Julia or any other Orthodox. Together with the name, at baptism, the Holy Patron is given, to whom they pray throughout life and ask for help in difficulties. Therefore, be sure to specify what name is given to a person at baptism. Also for the birthday it will be appropriate to present the "Guardian Angel" icon.
Wedding
To the great sacrament of marriage, a wedding couple is presented - the "Lord Almighty" and the image of the Most Holy Theotokos. Icons should be the same in size. First, the parents bless the young, and then the priest in the temple. After the wedding, these icons are stored as family value and passed from generation to generation, as a symbol of love, family well-being and happiness. If you are not the parents of young people, you can present an icon of Saints Peter and Fevronia as a gift. They are the patrons of the family. Before this, they pray for family well-being and the giving of children.
Birth and baptism of children
Our ancestors also gave dimensional icons to weddings or baptism. In tsarist Russia, only representatives of the tsarist family could afford such icons. After the revolution, tradition was forgotten, and only in our time it has not only revived, but also acquired a mass character. The icon is called "measured" because its height should correspond to the growth of the child at birth. Such icons are painted only on order, which makes the gift especially valuable. It is believed that such an icon has a special power for the person to whom it is gifted.
Wedding or wedding anniversaries
The best gift for a wedding or wedding anniversary is an icon. For this event, a family icon is ordered from the icon painter, which depicts the Holy Patrons of all family members. An excellent gift will be the icon of the Mother of God "Economics" or "Housekeeper". This image should be in every family, before it they pray for the well-being of the family.
Can I give icons without a reason?
In addition to the holidays, in a person’s life there can be situations when you can and even need to give an icon. Be sure to present the icon if you feel that a person needs the protection or help of our Heavenly Patrons. In addition, the icons are presented before any significant event in life. For example, study, pregnancy or military service.
Pregnant woman it will be appropriate to give the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary "Assistant in childbirth." Before this icon they pray for a safe and painless birth. For a newly born woman, present the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Mammal". They pray in front of her so that the mother has enough milk to feed the baby.
Pupil or student, especially if learning is difficult, be sure to give the image of the Most Holy Virgin Mary "Addition of the mind" or the icon of "Sergius of Radonezh". It is desirable that the icon was small in size, as it is recommended to take it with you to study or exams.
The guy who goes to the army or give a soldier an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary "Sign", an icon of "Alexander Nevsky" or "George the Victorious."
Health worker You can give the icon of "St. Panteleimon" or "St. Luke."
When choosing an icon as a gift, remember that each image has its own purpose, and people turn to each icon with different requests.
When should you not give icons?
Nevertheless, there are cases when donating icons is not desirable. For example, you can’t give an image to people of a different faith. What do you think, if the Koran is given to you, will you, as an Orthodox person, appreciate such a gift?
Do not give an icon if you know that for a person this is nothing more than a picture.
Remember that an icon is a shrine that needs to be treated with reverence.
Before giving the icon ordered from the icon painter, be sure to sanctify it.
Signs and superstitions associated with the giving of icons
In general, all signs and superstitions come from our pagan ancestors. It was believed that the icons can only be taken from relatives or, in extreme cases, friendly people.
Our ancestors believed that through the icon the sorceress could cause damage. Uneducated people attributed their misfortunes to the icon that they gave them. They tried to get rid of her. But since the icon cannot be thrown away, it was taken to the temple.
Today, there are practically no people left who believe in these "fairy tales". Everyone knows that through the shrine it is impossible to do any harm to a person.
If you have a desire to give an icon, and you do not know how to do it right, consult a priest. He will tell you which icon to choose for a gift, based on the specific situation.
