Many people are not too versed in theology, with confidence say that the Orthodox Church differs from other Christian churches that there are a lot of icons.In part this is correct, only the Orthodox Church has preserved the tradition of the veneration of icons, while the other denominations have lost it.What was originally a tradition there, confirmed by ancient traditions.
example, we know the origin of the icon of Jesus Christ, which is now called "Face the Savior."The Image - means not made by human hands.It is believed that this image appeared when Jesus was wiped with a towel, which is then handed to the king agaryanskoy land.This king came to believe in Christ in absentia and asked him to heal.Christ is the journey did not go, but he gave the towel, which was wiped (in Church Slavonic - "ubrus"), who came and ordered the servants to carry the king to heal.This towel quite clearly stood out the image.A feature of this picture is that the only visible face: shoulders and arms, which is usually depicted in the icons are missing.
second image became an icon of the Mother of God, made one of the evangelists.
The debate about the need and justification of the icons are already many centuries.What is an icon?Why do they pray, worship them?It is worth it?Or is this one more modern look of idolatry?Is it important icons of Jesus Christ and Mother of God, or we can do without them?
Oddly enough, you can do, quite easily.You can pray without icons, without the image of the cross, anywhere.Lack of icons does not interfere cry out to God.Icons - this is only the dear image, reminders.As if his mother died and left a son, and she put his photo on the shelf.No one would find it strange?And if my mother was talking to my boy, it would not seem surprising.No one would have suspected the woman in the attachment to a piece of paper.So the Lord Jesus Christ icon - is not an object of worship.No one prays to the icon, all the prayers addressed to God, and the icon - a reminder of him.If someone prays it is an icon, it is only their personal misconceptions, the Orthodox Church does not teach that.
Why, then, the icon of Jesus Christ so revered?The answer is reverence for God himself is expressed in deference to his image.All people keep photos of their loved ones in an album or frame them in a frame and hang on the wall.While the newspaper with photos of strangers, we can easily discard.The veneration of icons has a similar nature.
icons of Jesus Christ are usually placed in the main place family icon corner and every church iconostasis.In any case, so it is necessary according to the rules.Some churches have a special icon of Jesus Christ, whose value is even higher than usual icons.This miraculous image.Miracle does, of course, God.But people remember, how to pray for the solution of problems, and go a second time to pray here too.Canonically is meaningless, but can be considered good folk tradition.
revered icons in the Orthodox Church, but it is not the idols, and a reminder of heaven and of His saints.
