Why You Shouldn't Keep an Icon in Your Wallet Bashny.Net

When I was 15, the godmother gave me a gift. icon St. Catherine and ordered to always carry her with you. Then I followed the instruction of the godmother and for many years carried the icon in my purse. One day I thought, can I do that? Does this not contradict the Orthodox canons and does not defile the image of the saint?





Editorial "Site" I decided to study this issue in more detail and understand all the nuances. No superstitions, only the clergy.

Where icons should stand in the wallet is not uncommon. Many people wear them as talismans and believe that the face of the saint must protect and protect. Many still hang icons in the car, carry the faces of saints in their pockets for good luck and so on. But can we do that?





An icon is primarily a shrine and should be treated accordingly. The Seventh Ecumenical Council formulated the Church’s teaching on icon worship and it says that with the help of icons, the saints depicted on them become the object of our contemplation, prompting us to remember them.

This means that the icon should stand in a prominent place so that we can see it, address it and pray. An icon worn in a purse or bag does not receive proper treatment. The Council decided to honor icons and offer prayers to the saints. How often do you pray in front of an icon in your wallet?





Buying icons, crosses, incense and other sacred objects, we believe that they should protect us from evil. It is not these things that protect us, but God. Most important of all is the sincerity of faith, prayer, and respect for holy things, which borders on the occult. To think that an icon in your wallet should autonomously help you is a misconception.





If a person treats the shrine reverently, he will not allow himself to carry an icon in his wallet. This is not a suitable place for a saint. The neighborhood of icons with money, credit cards and other worldly things is inappropriate. For the same reason, you can not hang icons in the car.





The clergy believe that the icon should not come into contact with household things. You don't know where the money was lying next to the shrine. If there is an icon in the bag, then it is worth treating it as a shrine. Carefully put the bag every time, do not sit on it, and do not put the wallet in the back pocket. A million little things you can't think about at home.





However, the most important thing is not even this, but our attitude to the image of the saint. Ask yourself, why are you carrying an icon? If it is really for the sake of love of God, to pray in a difficult moment in the face of a saint, then it is one thing. Although in this case, it is better not to store the icon in your wallet, but in your chest pocket, where only the image will lie.

If you wear it just in case, for luck, to be lucky in life, that is a completely different question. This is the transformation of a Christian shrine into a pagan symbol. You need to think about it and realize it. In any case, it is best to put the icon at home and offer a prayer to the saint.





Where, then? Icons are allowed? There are no strict rules, but some advice should be followed. The right location will tell you common sense. You can place icons in the living room, in the nursery, in the kitchen and even in the bedroom. Of course, in the bathroom they will be inappropriate.

Do not place icons next to the TV and other equipment. Prayer requires full concentration, and technique unwittingly causes distraction. It is better to choose a place away from distractions. It is not necessary to make a whole corner with icons and try to put as many faces of saints there as possible. Prayer is only a matter of prayer, as long as it is from the heart.





Of course, this is an unwritten rule, but many clergymen think so. However, there is no strict prohibition. If the icon that you carry with you is something special for you and it is easier for you when it is near you, then let it stay. If only you had true faith in the Lord in your heart, without superstitions and occult problems.

Icons should be treated with respect and reverence. Recently we talked about how to deal with icons.

We also talked about why icons should never be thrown away.

Do you carry an icon in your wallet? Tell me in the comments what you think about this.