www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology A Decent and Authentic Prayer for Blessing Ikons

I have been asked to bless a set of handwritten festal ikons for our ikonostas. Since we (Ruthenians) don't have a "Book of Needs" that I know of I was wondering if anyone on the Forum knew where I could get a copy of the traditional blessing of ikons. All I have found is a "latinized" form that contains about 7 lines. Thanks for any help y'all can offer.

Try the following URL www.light-n-life.com [light-n-life.com] under Mother Tekla - Blessing of Ikons. Stephen

An elder and wise Archimandrite was once asked to 'bless' some icons.

His response was that our liturgical vessels and icons were "consecrated by use". That is, an icon could be placed upon the altar and venerated there by the priest and altar servers, and then returned to the "owner" to be used and venerated.

Analogously, the icons of the iconostasis became "blessed" by their incensation and veneration during the public (and private?) prayers of the people of God.

Rather than make some pomp and circumstance, once a priest or deacon directed incense towards the icon, or a humble, baptized Christian made a proskynisis/poklon before the icon and prayed to the person represented, it is dedicated to use as a window to the spiritual world.

We must remember that an object becomes "holy" as a result of its ability to lead a soul to God. Special blessings and consecrations are nice and useful, but the soul of the beliver and his/her ability to use the object as a facilitator of salvation is what is crucial.

In this vein, I would ask our good people, when praying before the holy images, to ask God to sustain our priests and bishops, as well as the monks and women religious, in their vocations and to provide them with all the graces that they need to serve the Lord and His people.

Blessings to all.

Blessings to all

The current Byzantine-Ruthenian equivalent of a "Book of Needs" is the Euchologion and it does contain a blessing of icons for an iconostasis. The blessing starts with Psalm 132 ("O Lord, remember David...."), "Let us pray to the Lord" and a long prayer of blessing, another prayer while blessing the icons with holy water, troparia and the dismissal.

Thanks to all who responded to my posting regarding the blessing of ikons. Dr. John, I appreciate you mentioning the custom of sacred things being consecrated by usage. Normally, I do place the faithful's ikons within the altar for a Liturgy (though one of my people insists on the old custom of the ikon "resting" there for 40 days)and then bless them with a simple blessing. Since this was for our Ikonostas I was looking for a more "solemn" way of blessing them in the presence of the people. As you say though veneration and incensation would be sufficient. Moose, thanks for mentioning the Eugologion, my copy was put out by the Basilians in 1986. I'll have to see where I can find the Ruthenian text. I appreciate the responses.