The Icon Corner

An important tradition is to have a little icon corner in the home. This should be somewhere the family are likely to go often and can gather for prayer - a corner of the sitting room is ideal. It becomes a place where a few prayers can be said before going to bed, perhaps with a hymn or two. A candle, incense and a pretty cloth can also help to make it a special experience for the children. Usually the main icons are Our Lord and Our Lady, with some saints important to members of the family. The icon corner can be built up over many generations. Granny’s name saint can be there, a saint who is patron of dad or mum’s profession e.g. a doctor (Blessed Gianna), a lawyer (Thomas More), a seaman ( St. Andrew).

Patron Saints for all the Family

Another lovely tradition is to have an icon of your name saint in your bedroom or workroom. Pope John Paul suggested the Holy Trinity icon in the dining room ( as the three angels who had a meal with Abraham). An icon of the Guardian angel is often chosen for a child’s room. Above are four popular name saints, from left to right, Anne, Francis, Clare and Paul. The icon of a Saint is a spiritual portrait. If there is some information about what they looked like that is the basis of the icon. St. Paul is described by contemporaries as a short bald man. The icon of Francis is based on a portrait painted in his lifetime. Anne, the mother of Our Lady is always shown as an older woman. Clare is a typical Franciscan nun.

Special Occasion Gifts - Anniversaries, Weddings, Graduation, the Special Thank You

A number of icons are commissioned for special occasions. For a wedding present, the marriage of Cana is traditionally given. The small triptych above was an anniversary present , given by the family for Mary Aloysius. It has the Annunciation to Mary on the outer doors opening onto the Assumption within. On the inside doors are Aloysius Gonzaga as a young man (in Tudor period dress, left) and as a religious priest (in his habit , right) At the top of the inside doors are particular mysteries of Mary - the Mother and Child left, and the lamentation over the dead Christ (right) particularly important to Aloysius. Great care is taken to work with the commissioner to make a unique icon which will be a cherished ‘once in a lifetime’ gift.

The Travelling Icon

If you are on the move all the time and living out of a suitcase, there are not many hotel rooms which have any religious symbols in them. A travelling icon - a triptych (two doors) or a diptych ( like a book) can be carried in a suitcase or rucksack, and opened up at night or morning prayers. It can even be set up on a stone when you stop for a break if you are trekking. The most popular travelling icon is a diptych with Christ and Our Lady, or family saints. The triptych above was a special commission for a pilgrim who regularly travels the Santiago pilgrimage route, so it features St. James with biblical and pilgrimage features, of particular importance to the commissioner.

“In sickness & health, thou art my God” - Icons for the bedside table

Commissions are sometimes asked for those who are facing the prospect of a prolonged illness or in hospital, or are simply a bit less fit than they were, so need to rest up in bed a bit more often. It can be a great comfort to have a little diptych which can be propped up on the bedside table. A family member may be moving to a retirement or nursing home, and you want to give them a little gift to show them they are loved, even if they are further away. The diptych above is just a few inches high, with a gold leaf embossed cover, and was a present for someone facing terminal illness. All commissions are carried out as an act of prayer for the people involved, and receiving such a commission is a great privilege.