Can I give an icon? Such a difficult question often arises among those who would like to give their closest people such a gift that would highly symbolize their love for them. In this regard, all other material objects seem so inconspicuous and "not valuable" that to give them simply there is no desire.
Can I give an icon? What does the church “say”?
The answer in any case will be positive, since the servants of religion speak out only for the spread of faith among the population, the symbols of which are icons. However, this issue has its own nuances.
For example, any icon should be given as a gift exclusively with good wishes, kind and sincere feelings. Icons, according to the canons of the church, can only be given to relatives and friends who have God in their souls, lead an appropriate lifestyle, pray and confess.
When can not give an icon?
No need to present icons to unfamiliar people, colleagues, about whom you know nothing but superficial information. Even if the selected icon is indescribably beautiful, you can get into an awkward position due to the fact that a person, for example, is a terry atheist or profess a different faith.
Icon in our life
So is it possible to give an icon? Can. And even necessary, but only to those who “accept” it into their lives and will treat it properly. After all, an icon is not an interior item, but a means of communication with God, the Holy Patrons and with your Soul.
The icon should be displayed in a specially designated place - in the red corner of the house. This is the name of the part of the home where the most significant and important images are located. They pray in front of them in the morning, before lunch, in the afternoon, in the evening, asking for protection and patronage for loved ones, before important matters and other significant events.
In what cases is an icon given?
Can I give an icon? The answer to this question is yes, but we still have to consider what is the most appropriate way to do this. Of course, the closest people, parents, children, sisters and brothers can be handed the icon on the most ordinary day, without reason. But the icon donated “by chance” has a more powerful energy of protection and is permeated with its miraculous properties.
Icons have long been given for baptism, wedding, name day, on the road, on his birthday (this tradition appeared later). Different icons were given depending on the holiday. For example, “baptized” or “birth” icons are given for baptism, on personal names - personalized images, for a wedding an unusual gift will be a wedding couple - icons for husband and wife.
Personalized icons
Many people ask whether it is possible to give personalized icons. This is not only not forbidden, but also welcome. Named icons are given on a birthday or on any other suitable day, when it comes to family members or close friends.
The name icon is an image with the face of the Holy Patron, whose name is the birthday man. It is usually given at baptism and may differ from the “worldly” name. The name is selected based on which Saint’s memory day is closest to the person’s birthday (take into account days that are only after the date of birth).
The icon with the face of the Patron has the gift of protection and amulets; they take it with them on the road to important events. Turning through it to his Protector, a person can ask him for help, the fulfillment of his desires.
What icons can be given
Nominal icons can be bought in church shops, ordered, made independently, for example, embroidered. Today, there are many schemes for sale, according to which an icon can be embroidered even for those who were not familiar with needlework before. In this case, embroidery stitch, cross-stitch techniques are used, as well as more labor-intensive and expensive - beads.
However, some doubt whether it is possible to give embroidered icons? You can, as well as other icons. They, in turn, are painted on wood, canvas, using the techniques of icon painting and painting.
Gilded icons decorated with precious stones have a special appearance. But the external beauty of the icon cannot be carried away, as this can lead away from the main thing - admiration for its spiritual strength and power that it exudes.
That's all about giving icons.
Signs
The official church and true believers do not believe and do not recognize signs, since, in their opinion, they are from the unclean, that is, from the devil.
The people, however, have the opinion that the icon received as a gift is a harbinger of a quarrel or other, more sad event. But similar prejudices exist with regard to other gifts that are far from religion.
The point is not in them, but in what we put into our gift, with what feelings we give it, that we wish the person we are gifting, how we really relate to it. If the present is presented with an open soul, heartfelt wishes, deep spiritual awe and sincere words of kindness and happiness, then it cannot bring anything bad. And the icons in this sense are completely special, incompatible with signs. For their main purpose is to protect and protect the soul and body of a believer.