TheMathematician
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« on: April 24, 2011, 12:50:46 PM » |
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to all
I have no problem with the idea of venerating icons, but i do have a something important question.
How does one go about venerating an icon?
If it matters in form, I am inquiring into the Russian tradition
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Michał Kalina
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« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2011, 02:36:08 PM » |
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You cross yourself and kiss the icon.
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formerly known as mikeDespite being a Polish citizen I am not a Pole.  Long live Belarus! "It's my constitutional right!" |
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TheMathematician
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« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2011, 02:39:13 PM » |
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You cross yourself and kiss the icon.
thank you for that  |
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Asteriktos
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« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2011, 02:49:54 PM » |
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When I venerate one I cross myself once, bow, and kiss the icon, and that's it. No hand touching the floor, no multiple bows, etc. But that's the Asteriktos tradition, not the Russian one...  |
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PoorFoolNicholas
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« Reply #4 on: April 24, 2011, 03:12:57 PM » |
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Asteriktos tradition ...  ...  |
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Daedelus1138
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« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2011, 09:48:47 PM » |
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I know a Coptic Orthodox Christian that converted to Eastern Orthodoxy. He said the Russian tradition had alot more kissing of icons than what he was used to- the use of icons was quite different in his experience (He felt they were more like "stained glass windows" in the Coptic tradition). I have to admit, I rarely kiss icons. Maybe because it does little for me most of the time. Crossing myself and bowing? That seems to be more my thing, along with touching them sometimes. I've not had anybody tell me there is a correct way to venerate an icon.
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« Last Edit: April 25, 2011, 09:50:02 PM by Daedelus1138 »
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Benjamin the Red
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« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2011, 10:39:51 PM » |
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The tradition I've received is two bows, kiss, one bow. That said, this thread already demonstrates varying traditions. I don't think there's any set canons about this.  Just be respectful and loving towards them...they're your family, after all! |
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"Hades is not a place, no, but a state of the soul. It begins here on earth. Just so, paradise begins in the soul of a man here in the earthly life. Here we already have contact with the divine..." -St. John, Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco, Homily On the Sunday of Orthodoxy
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FormerReformer
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« Reply #7 on: April 25, 2011, 10:47:37 PM » |
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The tradition I've received is two bows, kiss, one bow. That said, this thread already demonstrates varying traditions. I don't think there's any set canons about this. Just be respectful and loving towards them...they're your family, after all! Just out of curiosity do you mean "bow" as "forehead to the ground", bow as "deep bow with right hand touching the ground" or "bow" as "bow"? Them pesky variances in tradition are also in the translation of "bow". |
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"Funny," said Lancelot, "how the people who can't pray say that prayers are not answered, however much the people who can pray say they are." TH White Oh, no: I've succumbed to Hyperdoxy! |
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scamandrius
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« Reply #8 on: April 25, 2011, 11:01:51 PM » |
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Also, if you do kiss an icon, please do it in an appropriate place. You do not kiss the face. The hands, feet are appropriate, or in the case of the Holy Napkin, the hair. It still strikes me about how many "cradle" Orthodox do not know how to venerate an icon appropriately.
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I seek the truth by which no man was ever harmed--Marcus Aurelius Those who do not read history are doomed to get their facts from Hollywood--Anonymous What earthly joy remains untouched by grief?--St. John Damascene http://myorthodoxjourney.blogspot.com/ |
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stavros_388
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« Reply #9 on: April 25, 2011, 11:05:28 PM » |
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I find that when I'm in line to venerate an icon, I sometimes get a bit flustered trying to decide how I'm going to do it. "Two crosses, a bow, then one more cross and a kiss? No, I'll keep it simple. One cross, one kiss. That's it. But it is a pretty important icon... I better do a full prostration. No, because that'll be too flashy... What's everybody else doing?"  At the Greek parish I've been attending, everybody seems to have their own veneration formula. |
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"Our mind is pure and simple, so that when it is stripped of every alien thought, it enters the pure, simple, Divine light and becomes quite encompassed and hidden therein, and can no more meet there anything but the light in which it is." -- St Simeon the New Theologian
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FormerReformer
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« Reply #10 on: April 25, 2011, 11:15:23 PM » |
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I find that when I'm in line to venerate an icon, I sometimes get a bit flustered trying to decide how I'm going to do it. "Two crosses, a bow, then one more cross and a kiss? No, I'll keep it simple. One cross, one kiss. That's it. But it is a pretty important icon... I better do a full prostration. No, because that'll be too flashy... What's everybody else doing?" At the Greek parish I've been attending, everybody seems to have their own veneration formula. I'll usually vary my veneration "style" by two factors- (1)How many people are in the Church at the time of my venerating (if it's just me and a few others I'll go the whole 2 hand touches, kiss, 1 hand touch; with the same formula but deep bows replacing the metania if I'm feeling self-conscious that day) and (2) are there people in line behind me (especially important for venerating the icon at the entrance/exit of the Church, it feels rude to take the time for the above practice if there's a line out the door or someone trying to get out. One bow, kiss. Of course, I have a small parish with a small entrance that really requires single file on the way in.)? |
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"Funny," said Lancelot, "how the people who can't pray say that prayers are not answered, however much the people who can pray say they are." TH White Oh, no: I've succumbed to Hyperdoxy! |
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« Reply #11 on: April 25, 2011, 11:17:21 PM » |
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I find that when I'm in line to venerate an icon, I sometimes get a bit flustered trying to decide how I'm going to do it.  Glad I'm not the only one. I try to take a nice middle-ground, showing sincere respect, but not being overly flashy. Also, the very small Icons can be difficult for location selection for veneration. I know I'm missing much of the point, but it can be difficult to focus entirely on prayer and devotion when trying to observe proper etiquette. |
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"Paint a bunch of icons of our Lord and the saints and then kiss them. Also, pray to Mary after she dies in the future."
~ The Epistle of St. Paul to the Antiochians, 46 AD.
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myrrhbear
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« Reply #12 on: April 29, 2011, 09:08:53 PM » |
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Perhaps just ask your priest. In our church, the veneration of kissing alone or prostration with kissing depend if it is a week day or Sunday, and if it is a feast day.
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Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
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Melodist
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« Reply #13 on: April 29, 2011, 09:21:22 PM » |
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to all
I have no problem with the idea of venerating icons, but i do have a something important question.
How does one go about venerating an icon?
If it matters in form, I am inquiring into the Russian tradition
Go to your church, wait for someone to venerate an icon, do what they do. |
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Orthodox11
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« Reply #14 on: April 29, 2011, 09:45:40 PM » |
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Just out of curiosity do you mean "bow" as "forehead to the ground", bow as "deep bow with right hand touching the ground"
On strict fasting days, the former, on normal days, the latter. |
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Agabus
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« Reply #15 on: April 29, 2011, 10:29:06 PM » |
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I admit how I do it in church depends entirely on how the children are behaving. If they are not so good, I follow the Asteriktos tradition; if they are being pious little angels, as they do occasionally, I go with the "long form" veneration.
At home I just cross myself.
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Blessed Nazarius practiced the ascetic life. His clothes were tattered. He wore his shoes without removing them for six years. Headscarves cover a multitude of sins.
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