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The icon is not just an image of the face of saints on canvas. This is a shrine to be treated accordingly. The icon is a strong amulet that will help a person protect himself from evil spirits, survive the grief, get rid of physical and mental pain, overcome life's difficulties. Today, the icon is presented mainly for the christening of the child, as well as for the newlyweds at the wedding. In ancient times, giving an icon to a person for his birthday was not accepted, this was attributed to various reasons. One of them is the fear of evil intent. That is, the person who accepted the icon as a gift put it in the most prominent place in the house. If the icon was presented with aggression, malice and hatred, it could bring harm to its new owner. Therefore, they did not take the icon from unfamiliar people. In which cases it is possible to give and receive as a gift an icon for a birthday, let's try to figure it out.
When can I give an icon for my birthday?
It is believed that the icon is a very reverent gift, which is made exclusively for loved ones. Only relatives — parents and children, sisters and brothers, etc. — should give and accept the icon. Usually, the icon is either bought in the church, or made by itself. In the church, the holy faces sell already lit up - you don’t need to do anything with them, you can immediately give them. Sometimes icons embroider, burn wood, draw. Such works of art should be consecrated beforehand in the church and only after that donate to someone close to you. Self-made icons are not inferior in power to those made by the priest, but only if they have passed the lighting ritual.
When you give an icon, be sure in the faith of a person. In no case can not give an icon to a Muslim or a Buddhist. This will not only make the gift ridiculous, but it can also upset the birthday man. Also, do not give the icon to atheists. Some people give an icon to their loved ones in order to awaken in them a feeling of faith, in order to make a loved one closer to God. If you are in any doubt about whether the birthday man can relate to an Orthodox shrine accordingly,present this gift is not worth it.
Can I accept the icon as a gift?
What icon to give for a birthday?
Each holiday rely its icons, which are designed for a certain power. For example, the wedding usually give images of the Virgin and Jesus Christ.Young boys and girls are presented with images of the holy saint and holy saint, respectively. As a rule, it is customary to give name icons for a birthday. But sometimes, depending on the circumstances of life, another icon may be presented to the person in the name day.
- If the birthday boy is still a child, then the schoolboy can be presented with an icon of Saint Sergius of Radonezh, who is considered to be a mentor in school. But older students who have moved to the status of applicants or students can give Saint Tatian, especially on the eve of important exams.
- If a soldier plays the role of a birthday man, then be sure to give him the face of the Holy Archangel Michael the Archangel. He is a patron of the military, is considered the leader of the heavenly army. If the young man is only going to the army, then the recruits are often granted the icon of St. George the Victorious.
- Men are often presented with St. Joseph of Volotsky, who is considered to be a real patron in business and trade. If a man is often on the road or work is connected with cars, the Guardian Angel and Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker will protect him on the road.If a man can not often attend church, you can give him Savior, not made by hand. When a person is confused in affairs, can not choose the right path in life or is at a crossroads, the image of the patron saint in affairs will help to make the right decision.
- Women are often given the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, which eliminates disease and gives family well-being. If a woman is very worried about children and suffers from heart diseases, give her a Vladimir icon. Young girls are presented with a gift of the Most Holy Mother of God “Unfading Color”, which is considered to be a symbol of femininity and purity. If a person needs to otmolit their sins, the Iveron icon will certainly come in handy.
- If a woman has problems in maternity affairs, she should be presented with the Bethlehem icon or the Miracle-working icon of the Theodore Mother of God. They patronize family well-being, the birth and upbringing of children. Matrona of Moscow is considered to be the strongest icon that will help you get pregnant in difficult cases. If a woman cannot give birth for a long time, be sure to give her a small face of Holy on her birthday, which you can always carry with you.
If you cannot choose which icon to select this or that person, you need to talk about this with the church minister. The priest will send you on the right path and help you choose the right face.
What to do with the donated icon?
The icon is a very kind, good, faithful birthday present that shows that a person wants to protect from evil and evil intent. Give an icon on the birthday of close relatives, and they will certainly appreciate your pure impulse.
Video: who and when give icons
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