Happy Pentecost

[PaladinValer]

It is a little early, but have a happy and blessed Pentecost, the birthdate of our One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church!

 

[JeffreyLloyd]

 

[VigilanteHamster]

:birthday:

 

[katherine2001]

Amen! I hope everyone has a blessed Pentecost on Sunday. I love the Kneeling Vespers that we hold in the Orthodox Church.

Personally, I will be thankful to be able to kneel and do prostrations during my morning and evening prayers again (since you are not supposed to do these between Pascha/Easter and Pentecost).

 

[Oblio]

I actually had to kneel tonight, my back was hurting from bending over the old desk I use for a home altar that is a bit to low , and I couldn't see because the candles were fading.

 

[PaladinValer]

Oblio, you have a home altar too? So do I! Nice to "meet" another Christian who does this as well!

 

[JeffreyLloyd]

I have one too

 

[katherine2001]

Most Orthodox have a prayer corner. My priest told me how to set one up when he gave me my prayer rule. Some of my non-Orthodox friends get quite a shock when they see the one I have set up in my living room. I have a small one in my bedroom also. The icons can be quite a shock to Non-Orthodox. They think I'm worshipping idols.

 

[PaladinValer]

can you give us an idea of what a good altar should have?

 

[katherine2001]

Well, an Orthodox prayer corner would have icons in it. Usually at the very least, you would have an icon of Christ (grown) and an icon of the Theotokos holding Christ as a child (though if you look at his face, He looks grown up in many ways). Most of us probably also have an icon of our patron saint (the saint's name we took as our baptismal name). I would say those should probably be a minimum. You can slowly get icons of other saints and icons of events in the scriptures (the death of Christ, His Resurrection, the Pentecost, etc) as you can afford them. All my icons are in one of my two icon/prayer corners. All icons should be blessed by the priest, which he usually does during the liturgy. He has them up on the altar. Also, you usually have an incense burner, charcoal and incense. Also, you would usually have a candle or a lampada that you keep lit while you are doing your prayers. Other people may have other things in their prayer corner, but I would say what I have is a minimum.

 

[PaladinValer]

Right now, I'm using my dresser. I have my crucifix above it and interwoven in the rallings above the mirrow are palms. On the dresser, I have a statuette of St. Mary, St. Joseph (who I presume to be my patron saint), and of the Baby Jesus. I have two incense burners and several tealight candles. I would love to have some icons and two tall white candles along with some others stuff.

Hmmm...maybe we should have a thread specifically on home altars

 

[LynneClomina]

It is a little early, but have a happy and blessed Pentecost, the birthdate of our One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church!

i never thought of it that way before.....

 

[LynneClomina]

Well, an Orthodox prayer corner would have icons in it. Usually at the very least, you would have an icon of Christ (grown) and an icon of the Theotokos holding Christ as a child (though if you look at his face, He looks grown up in many ways). Most of us probably also have an icon of our patron saint (the saint's name we took as our baptismal name). I would say those should probably be a minimum. You can slowly get icons of other saints and icons of events in the scriptures (the death of Christ, His Resurrection, the Pentecost, etc) as you can afford them. All my icons are in one of my two icon/prayer corners. All icons should be blessed by the priest, which he usually does during the liturgy. He has them up on the altar. Also, you usually have an incense burner, charcoal and incense. Also, you would usually have a candle or a lampada that you keep lit while you are doing your prayers. Other people may have other things in their prayer corner, but I would say what I have is a minimum.

interesting....!

 

[LynneClomina]

what do you do at your altars?

 

[katherine2001]

We pray at our altars. For the Orthodox, their priest gives them a prayer rule (our prayer books have prayers for just about everything including) to pray for morning and evening prayers. Within your prayer rule, there is certainly room for spontaneous prayer within your prayer rule to pray for your specific needs and to pray for other's needs. You light your candle or lampada (which is a lamp that uses olive oil and has a floating wick that you light) and keep it lit while you pray. You usually burn incense, which is a symbol often used in the scriptures for prayers going up to heaven. I just wish I had as easy a time as my priest has at keeping the charcoal going (he gets a lot more practice than me). Sometimes you don't even have to pray. Sometimes it just helps to go sit in your icon corner and just sit there in silence. God and the saints are with you in the silence too.

 

[PaladinValer]

I pray, read the Bible, and meditate in front of mine. If I need some inspiration on what to do or a good prayer, I turn to my Book of Common Prayer.

 

[Oblio]

Right now, I'm using my dresser. I have my crucifix above it and interwoven in the rallings above the mirrow are palms. On the dresser, I have a statuette of St. Mary, St. Joseph (who I presume to be my patron saint), and of the Baby Jesus. I have two incense burners and several tealight candles. I would love to have some icons and two tall white candles along with some others stuff.

While not required, Orthodox tend to use beeswax candles. Cheap paraffin candles have a petroleum odor. Beeswax candles have a wonderful hint of honey in their fragrance.

Hmmm...maybe we should have a thread specifically on home altars

The most recent thread on Icon Corners at TAW Ya'll are welcome to come over , I doubt that the subject matter will be controversial to those that would be interested in home altars.

 

[Peter]

What's in your corner? Sounds like a commercial. lol

My prayer "corner"/altar is the top of my piano. We live in a very small house.

I have a tin with sand in it for holding my candles and incense. I have several icons (more than can fit on the walls). I have a cross and my blessed water. I also keep some blessed bread there through the week. However, the kids like it so much, I usualy don't get any. I also keep my prayter books and a copy of the Holy Scriptures there.

Peace.

Peter

 

[prodromos]

My prayer "corner"/altar is the top of my piano. We live in a very small house.

Hey so is ours, though we have a reasonably large house . It is in our living room and happens to be on the Eastern wall so it worked out well.

John.

 

[katherine2001]

Well, my main icon corner is on my server in the dining room area of my living room/dining room. That's where my east wall was too.