Hanging icons in a car is not Christian! This is a mistake that many drivers do not know.

One of our acquaintance employees of the traffic police was very surprised to see my husband in the car icon of St. Nicholas. He sneered skeptically and said it would not protect the car from a serious accident or theft.

After all, in connection with his work, he had to see a lot of terrible accidents, where a large number of icons, crosses and even incense hung in cars: I watched all sorts of car accidents with victims. Almost everywhere there was a standard set of icons.”





To be honest, he studied this issue thoroughly, delving into the historical roots of the emergence of such an unusual tradition. We learned from him that this custom appeared in Europe and America in the early twentieth century, when cars were not so reliable.





At that time, the Catholic Church advised all drivers to hang a medal in the car depicting St. Christopher. He is the protector and protector of all travelers. According to legend, a person who saw the face of the saint during the day cannot die from an accident.





Also in the middle of the last century, drivers attached a small statuette of Jesus Christ to the torpedo of the car. This tradition was introduced by members of the American Auto League of the Holy Heart of Jesus.





Strangely enough, this was not done to protect the driver from an accident, but vice versa. The members of the auto league wanted a person to see the face of Christ and go to another world with repentance.





In our homeland, the tradition of placing small icons in a car appeared in the early 90s. Motorists believe that the icon in the car is a powerful talisman from serious accidents. In fact, amulets and amulets are forbidden in Orthodoxy.





That evening, my husband and I did not find any convincing arguments to convince a friend of the need for icons in the car. Already after a few days, I remembered our conversation and went to my father to put everything on shelves.





Father Vasily replied: Of course, there may be icons in the car, but not as a talisman. The main thing is to pray before them. Icons are needed in order to sit behind the wheel, pray to the Lord, the Virgin, the saints depicted on them and ask for their help.

And so, turning in prayer to the saint depicted on the icon, the driver receives help in difficult road situations.”





Indeed, the father gives advice on the correct placement of icons: Of course, it is desirable to have icons with faces to the prayer. Most often, people glue icons to the car panel. Some put it on the windshield, face on the road. You can do that, it's not fundamental.





If a person believes, then the icons on the panel are like a “red corner” in the hut, that is, you can cross them when there is no temple nearby. By and large, where you place the icon itself – there is no difference. The main thing is that it does not distract from the movement.”

Our editorial board wishes you and your loved ones a safe ride! Be sure to learn in our article some of the most useful tricks for car drivers.