www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship Icons & Iconography Blessing Icons

Is it common to ask the priest to bless icons when one gets new ones for his home prayer wall? Is there a difference between depending on how the icon was made (written vs. reproduced)?

The blessing is the same regadless of its status as a copy or original. By all means have the icons blessed before using them in the icon corner.

And there are miraculous icons that are reproductions. The icon of "Svinsk" in Briansk is a reproduction.

Alex

What is the proper way to have an icon blessed? I've been away from the Church for a long time, and now that I'm back, it's at a RC parish and they know nothing about blessing an icon other than praying over it like they would a rosary. From what I remember, you bring your icon to church and the priest puts it on the altar during Divine Liturgy so it's present during the consecration of the Eucharist (or in this case, it would be Mass since I have no access to any Eastern Rite parish), but I don't remember if the priest had a specific prayer to say over the icon. Besides, my RC priest said that in the Western Rite they are not allowed to put anything on the altar during Mass, so the best he can do is let me put the icon somewhere nearby to receive the blessing of being present during the consecration of the Eucharist.

Am I remembering correctly the method to get my icons blessed? Is there a specific prayer I can forward to the RC priest to bless them with?

Tammy:

Christ is in our midst!!

A friend from this forum gave me an icon that was blessed by being placed on the altar during Divine Liturgy at his Ukrainian Orthodox parish. I had other icons blessed by being placed in a special cabinet in the altar for 40 days at both a Greek Orthodox and Syrian/Antiochian Orthodox parish. The practice must vary.

Our former RC priest allowed an icon writer i our parish to place icons in our Reservation Chapel--a small chapel where the tabernacle was kept and in which we could go for private prayer and meditation. He then blessed the new icons after the 40-day period with the Lord.

Bob