New Icon in Home Question

well, it certianly needs to be blessed by the preist, but some preists don\'t always put them on the alter or if they do it might only be for one service. (this is from my own limied experience mind you.)

I received this answer from an Orthodox Priest: The tradition of the church requires that the new icons be kept for 40 days (40 as in the 40 days of Lent, 40 days of the Lord on the Mountain, etc) in the Altar on the Skevofilakion Table. At the completion of the 40 days (or on the Sunday close to it) we will read special prayers for the Blessing of Icons. If the person needs the icon sooner than 40 days, through economia we will read the prayers whenever needed. Hope this helps!

its not a RULE!!!! i know about it talking to priests.its a tradition good tradition which has to do with the respect of the icon.But i repeat that its not a rule

its not a RULE!!!! i know about it talking to priests.its a tradition good tradition which has to do with the respect of the icon.But i repeat that its not a rule

The Greek tradition is to keep the icon on the altar for 40 days, the Russian/Slavic tradition does not specify this. Both traditions involve the saying of prayers for the blessing of the icon (found in the Book of Needs/Trebnik/Paraklitiki), and the sprinkling of the icon with holy water. What is more important is that the prayers of blessing are given, not the length of time the icon remains on the altar.

Another thing to consider is where you got the icon from. If you purchased it from a monastery, chances are it was already blessed. You can contact them and ask. Toni

whenever I\'ve seen it done, you just take it to a Liturgy and sometime in the service they\'ll bless it and you get it back afterwards

in the Ukrainian church you don\'t have to do that-- I just bring it and my priest blesses them when he gets around to it.